The NEW iMacG5
 

Well the specs don't seem to have bumped up that much, but I find the built-in iSight camera fascinating...

Ummm, there's more there than meets the eye. Slight bump in processor speed, major graphics upgrade going to the PCI express interface, dual layer superdrive, thinner case. The built in camera is nice, but I would rather have an external camera that I can adjust without having to adjust the entire computer.

-gb-

This is interesting (also some info on the iPod here). The new iMacs include a wireless remote control:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/051013/apple.html?.v=5

Also DDR2 533 RAM.

looks like i'm the only to get your sarcasm. btw, pci express is a non issue, since the card not the interface is the bottleneck. imhop, its a very modest upgrade.

Sorry, you got something I wasn't giving. That wasn't intended as sarcasm. My point is that Apple is making it really easy to to do videoconferencing right out of the box. And the remote control hints at what may soon evolve into a home entertainment system.

The prices are also a bit lower. The 20in model is selling for 1699USD whereas I paid 1899 for mine without most of this stuff just last February.

-gb-

I read it as sarcasm because thats the way I assume most video editors would feel about a built-in web cam. whoopie! For consumers or ppl who video conference it cuts down on clutter but for me I would have no use for it. The only meaningful improvement is the extra ram.

I am not interested in the iMac G5 for myself, and I've never used the iSight either. That doesn't mean it isn't a useful product for someone else however. And as an Apple shareholder I'm happy to watch them carve out new markets.

Minor correction:

The previous model iMac was also equipped with a dual-layer superdrive. :-)

Yep, you are correct. I was thinking about my system which I bought just a couple months before the last version came out. No dual layer here yet. I'm sure I'll get around to putting one in pretty soon.

BTW Duane, do you ever come to the FCPUG meetings at the Willow Bend store?

-gb-

Being brand new, I'm sure no one has had the opportunity to use this new iMac yet. Any opinions on how it may handle editing?

If it did monitor expansion instead of just mirroring.... man, then I'd consider it as a nice "tweener" machine.

Mark,

It can do extended desktop with dual monitors. You just have to apply an easily done openfirmware tweak. The graphics "card" in it supports extended desktop but it's disabled through openfirmware modification.

Here's how to do it.

Here's my old setup.

Also, I'm sure the new iMac is up to the task. I currently edit on a Mac Mini and it does great with DV footage. I use a DP G5 at work for uncompressed SD though.