Hasta La Gadget!

If you’ve been lusting after a new skinny 27-inch iMac but also baulking at the price, here’s some good news: you can now save (a little!) by buying one from Apple’s refurb store. More »

While the G4 model of the iMac more than resembled a desk lamp, the original G3 iMacs just looked like cool and colorful all-in-one computers. So if anyone were to convert an iMac into a lamp, I would have assumed it would have been the version with the pivoting base. Oh yeah, someone already did that. So with that ground already covered, I guess somebody had to go and Think Different.

Jenny Serwylo snapped a picture of these cool iMac ceiling fixtures which hang in the Toronto, Ontario offices of the company she works for, G Adventures. The colorful, translucent shells of the classic fruit colored iMacs is perfect as a light source. What a cool idea.

All I’ve got in my office is one of these.

[Instagram via Geeks are Sexy]

One problem with the new iMacs was that there was no easy way to mount the all-in-one to the wall, since they didn’t support a standard VESA mount. A lot of users like to save desk space and stick their displays to the wall, but there was really no easy way to go about that with the new iMac, unless you could do a bit of clever hacking. However, Apple has released an option specifically for that niche and is now offering iMacs with a built-in VESA wall mount adapter.

The new iMacs with the built-in VESA adapter will cost $40 more than a regular iMac, and they don’t come with the stand, but you have the option to select a desk mount during checkout if you want starting at $140. The wall-mountable iMacs don’t actually come with a wall mount, so you’ll have to go out and buy your own on top of the $40 premium for the adapter that Apple slaps on.

Apple seems to have quietly rolled these new models out, and they’re not actively promoting them either, but a link at the bottom of the iMac configuration page will take you to the main page where the wall-mountable iMacs are advertised, where you can then select one to purchase starting at $1,339 for the 21.5-inch model.

However, the new wall-mountable iMac options show a ship date of 7-10 business days, while standard iMacs ship within 24 hours, so if you need an iMac fast, it may be best to get the standard one, but if you’re absolutely dying to have a wall-mountable option, be prepared to wait a couple of weeks.

[via AppleInsider]

Apple now selling wall-mountable iMacs for $40 extra is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Apple quietly updated its iMac options to include versions with a built-in VESA mount adapter today (via AppleInsider), available on both 21.5-inch and 27-inch models for a $40 additional fee. The option will come as a relief to users who were saddened by the lack of any VESA-mounting option on the new iMac design.

The VESA Mount variety of iMac is a separate line from the standard version, so buyers will have to choose at the outset whether they want VESA or stand-mounted all-in-one computers. The VESA mount version includes just the iMac itself, with stand and wall mount hardware sold separately, along with the power cord, wireless keyboard and wireless Magic Mouse included with the standard versions of the iMac.

To get the VESA Mount iMacs, you have to hunt a bit: there’s a link under the standard configuration options in the iMac section of the store. As mentioned, they carry a $40 premium over their non-VESA counterparts, but offer the same customization and upgrade options. Shipping estimates currently stand at 7-10 days for the new variety of iMacs.

When I reviewed Apple’s newest iMac, which features a dramatically thinner design, the lack of a VESA mounting option was the one thing that I regretted Apple getting rid of in the newer models. Apple said in earlier communications with a customer that it was taking customer feedback “into consideration” for customers who were disappointed about the lack of any kind of VESA mounting option, and it looks like the company was good to its word.

Apple offers buyers of the new Macs the option to buy one of two desktop mounting solutions available direct from the Apple Store at check out. Both are from Bretford, and one carries an additional mount arm that allows you to place a MacBook or mount a second display/iMac on the same stand. The mounting hardware built-in to the iMacs will work with any third-party mounts, of course.

Apple has actually improved things for those seeking a VESA mount versus previous generations, since it now offers the smaller 21.5-inch model in a VESA-compatible configuration, which it hadn’t before. True, it’d be nice if you still had the built-in stand option, too, but I’m sure third-parties will design accessories for those looking for a stand option pretty quickly.

Earlier today, the folks over at MacRumors spotted an updated 21.5-inch iMac marked as an “education only model” with a $1,099 price tag. No one is certain when the updated model was rolled out, as Apple did it quite on the sly with no fanfare or announcement. The updated version features, among other things, a 3.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 processor.

This model represents a $200 price drop over the non-educational offerings, obtaining this by utilizing the Core i3, as well as integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. The iMac is reported as being model #ME699LL/A, and as you might expect, the rest of its specifications are lower than what you get with the consumer model.

The display features full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, while memory comes in at 4GB of RAM. The hard drive is an adequate 500GB, which may be too low for many consumers but not such a big deal for educational institutions. This model replaces the slightly cheaper $999 iMac that was released for educational use over a year ago.

According to MacRumors, this iMac is available for order now, with shipping times being listed as 5 to 7 business days, a bit on the long side. As we noted yesterday, Apple’s new iMac is now shipping in 1 to 3 business days. Note that only educational institutions can buy the model, and it is not available via Apple’s educational discount service, which is something else entirely.

[via Mac Rumors]

Apple introduces updated 3.3GHz 21.5-inch “education-only” iMac for $1,099 is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.