"Apple has updated the iMac G5 with a new chassis that's as much as a half-inch thinner and that comes with a built-in iSight camera and a special remote control. However, the new machine's ability to manage multimedia marks its biggest change," reports eWeek.
Apple will load the new iMac G5 with Front Row, software that provides a special interface for accessing music, video, DVD movies and photos. Front Row's icons are visible from across a room, and it works in concert with a six-button remote. The remote, which resembles an iPod Shuffle, has a range of about 30 feet.
Although the new iMac G5 does not work as a personal video recorder, Front Row allows it to be used to show movie trailers, and to purchase music videos and some ABC TV shows via Apple's iTunes Music Store. The built-in camera can take photos and assist in video conferencing, Apple representatives said.
Comment: OK it's not really a Media Center PC because it doesn't have a TV tuner built in, and doesn't record from TV, and doesn't let you move recordings to a portable player, but at least it's a step in the right direction.
It's also a brave move to make it half an inch thinner when the original design had overheating problems, but presumably Apple's engineers now have that problem sorted.
