What will the new iMac look like?

Apple ran out of iMacs earlier this year, which suggests the next model will be a different design, rather than an extension of the odd LampMac format. Various Mac sites have been speculating on the possibilities, as described in a CNet article, Apple fans abuzz over new iMac. One prospect seems to be to stick the electronics onto the back of a flat screen. This is an idea that was tried a few times in the last century by firms such as IBM, Gateway, Toshiba and Sun, plus numerous obscure Asian suppliers. The idea has never been very popular, but there are a few current models, such as the Onyx. It's a pretty obvious ploy if you already make portable or tablet PCs, but the relative difficulty of upgrading the systems, plus the higher prices (relative to conventional desktops), seem to put buyers off. These are not such problems for Apple since Mac buyers expect to pay more and anyway don't have a choice.