CRAIG CROSSMAN | Technology Apple's new iMac proves that thinner is a winner

Losing weight has become a national obsession. Thin is in, and it's not just with the human form. Some of the most desirable technology products of today are thin, and the thinner the better.
New digital cameras are thin enough to slip into a shirt pocket. Portable mp3 players and even the latest stereo components are losing weight. And let's not forget those wonderful flat plasma TV sets that hang on a wall, and who doesn't want a flat-panel computer screen on their computer these days?
Unless the computer IS the flat screen. Well, that's exactly what Apple has done to its newest generation of iMac computer.
Beautiful display
Looking at the new iMacs is like looking at a computer monitor without the computer. Apple has managed to cram the entire computer into a beautifully sculpted display that comes in a wide-screen format.
In fact, the new iMac's form looks pretty much like Apple's recently introduced line of 20-, 23- and 30-inch screens. The brushed aluminum base allows the screen to seemingly float above the desk. A touch of the finger lets you pivot the screen to an ideal viewing angle. The base is also part of the iMac's cable management system, which guides all the cables that plug into a vertical array of five USB ports (three USB 2.0), two FireWire 400 ports, a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and a 56K V.92 modem port on the left side of the reversed screen.
Three models
The new iMacs come in three different models. The first two come with 17-inch cinema displays, and the top of the line sports a 20-inch cinema wide screen. All of them use the newest 64-bit G5 processors ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 gigahertz. All use the NVIDA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics processor with 64 megabytes of video memory. All this ensures you will be able to play the latest games and those becoming available in time for the holidays.
The optical drive is a small slit in the upper right side of the screen where the disc is vertically inserted. The iMac models come with an 80- or 160-gigabyte hard drive spinning at 7200 rpm. All of these numbers and specifications boil down to the simple fact that these are the fastest iMacs Apple has ever made. And they are also some of the least expensive. The two 17-inch versions sell for $1,299 and $1,499, which adds a SuperDrive that can read and write CD and DVD discs. The 20-inch screen model goes for $1,899.
Speakers, mikes
If that weren't enough, all the iMacs include built-in stereo speakers and microphones. On the software front, all include Apple's latest OS X Panther, plus iLife, AppleWorks, Quicken 2004 for Mac, WorldBook Encyclopedia 2004 Edition, Nanosaur 2 and MarbleBlast Gold. So there's plenty for you to do right out of the box.
It would have been nice to include Bluetooth and AirPort wireless access, but you can optionally add them inside if you so desire. Still the lower price combined with the faster performance speeds that comes with the G5 technology is a solid plus in Apple's favor. I recommend that you add on Apple's wireless keyboard and mouse for that extra special touch. Did I mention that it just looks so very cool?
Behold one
Although I will miss the last generation of iMac with its hemisphere base and balanced arm that let you glide the attached screen with the touch of a finger, this newest, thinnest generation of iMac just might be Apple's best-looking computer yet. Of course, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, so go and behold one at an Apple dealer near you.
www.apple.com
XCraig Crossman is the host of the radio show "Computer America," (http://www.computeramerica.com/) heard nationwide. Send questions to him at ccrossmancomputeramerica.com