Apple iMac Desktop with 20" Display MA589LL/A (2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive)

This is a review of the LCD display that is built in 2 these iMac units.

My sister has one of these, & I used it 4 a week while housesitting 4 her. The iMac's LCD display is not nearly as horrible as most other LCD screens I've seen. Most LCD monitors have viewing angle problems & blurry text. They typically can't display certain colors & add a bluish or pinkish tint 2 black & white images. Many of these problems were, surprisingly, not present on this unit. Gives hope that maybe LCDs will not look as horrible in the future as they generally do now.

I would give most LCDs I've tried a 0 star rating if I could, whereas a few might get 1 star. So a 2 star rating is certainly above average 4 an LCD.

However, the iMac's LCD picture is still inferior 2 my 7+ year old heavily used CRT monitor on my PC. The CRT picture has more depth & clearer text. Considering how much more these iMacs cost compared 2 PCs with similar or better specs, & how little my CRT cost new, that makes these iMacs not such a good value. They shouldn't force people 2 use LCD when CRT is superior. (Although, granted, finding a brand new CRT is almost impossible today, unfortunately.)

In the late part of 1999, I considered & built what I thought was the best, fastest PC I had ever seen. I spent nearly $1300 4 the components & then took my time putting it all together. It was my goal, you see, 2 make a PC that could capture, edit & burn DVD footage. It failed miserably & I made the move 2 Apple.


I proudly owned & operated a desktop PowerMac G4 & was amazed & how quickly it rendered & burned a DVD (Only about 10 hours 4 2 hour DVD). LOL....I know what you are thinking, but at LEAST this machine COULD do the job.

Fast forward 7 years & the ol' girl was getting 2 show her age. Not 2 mention the fact that a whole new slew of iMacs were hitting the streets, so I bought one. The white iMac (MA589LL/A) once again blew my mind! Sleek design, all the bells & whistles anyone could want & it cost about 1/2 what I paid 4 the G4...my trusty little friend.

A year later I still love the machine-and I am now upgrading the RAM 2 3GB. This computer is flawless, FAST & reliable-three words you will NEVER hear about a PC! Way 2 Go, Steve Jobs...I plan 2 remain an Apple user 4 many years 2 come.

I have had the G5 before this, but this one is just great. I have everything cordless, it's just neat, simple. A few times I've had 2 call about the cordless mouse loosing connection, & you have 2 change the batteries on the keyboard & mouse after every few months, but other than that how can you not love it. I've never gotten a virus with my Mac. It's worth the few extra dollars you spend compared 2 IBM's. I can't say enough good things about it. Easy 2 use etc....

I composed a long, thoughtful review detailing exactly what irritates the hell out of me about my 20" Intel Core 2 duo iMac, when Safari, in which I composed it, unexpectedly crashed (something which isn't supposed 2 happen if you believe the hype). It's the second time Safari has crashed this evening, & iTunes has been crashing every time the weedy superdrive has trouble reading a disk - which is far more often & any other optical drive I have ever encountered - all week.

The iMac is pretty, but there is a large element of substance over style. I don't like OSX. Windows XP is nicer, more intuitive, more flexible & more powerful. Having owned this iMac 4 a year, my next purchase - shortly - will be a Dell computer equipped with Vista. This one will be relegated 2 recording music & making pretty pictures - I'll do the hard yards on an interface I like & can trust.

And did I mention iTunes? Boy I hate iTunes.

Olly Buxton

I have owned Macs 4 years, & the new IMac is the best version yet. It's fast & functional, & the perfect computer 4 anyone who loves 2 surf the net, listen 2 music & dabble in digital photography. I love it!

Apple MA589LL/A 20 Inch iMac - Featuring the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, this iMac gives you the power & speed that you need 2 fly through business & creative applications, like iLife, the suite of Apple apps that comes included. iLife has everything for, well, your life - your digital life that is. Seamlessly integrated with the Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger operating system, it lets you easily edit, share, & store your digital photos; play, edit, & create both audio & video, including your own DVD movies. This iMac also comes with an iSight camera built-in, which is perfect 4 video chats. Give your fingers a rest & :) 4 real with friends & family around the world. 250GB SATA 7200 RPM Hard Drive Slot-Loading SuperDrive - (write speeds) up 2 2.4x DL DVD+R, 8x DVD-R, 8x DVD+R, 4x DVD-RW, 4x DVD+RW, 24x CD-R, & 16x CD-RW Slot-Loading SuperDrive - (read speeds) up 2 8x DVD-ROM & 24x CD-ROM 20 Widescreen LCD Native Resolution - 1680 x 1050 Built-in iSight Built-in 802.11g Wi-Fi Wireless Network Adapter Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB of GDDR3 of SDRAM Port - 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, 3 USB 2.0, 2 USB 1.1 (on keyboard), 2 FireWire 400, Optical Digital Audio/Headphone Out, Optical Digital Audio In/Audio Line-In, Mini-DVI Out with support 4 DVI, VGA, S-Video, & Composite Video via optional adapter Built-in Stereo Speakers Built-in Microphone Built-in IR Receiver Unit Weight - 22 lbs.