Ever since the iMac helped vacate Apple ’s slipping fortunes back in 1998 , it has been reckon as a symbol of the fellowship ’s health . But I do n’t remember that ’s the sheath anymore . For one thing , the iPod has arrogate the iMac ’s perspective as company star ( the shred line of the new iMac ads is “ From the creators of iPod ” ) . And many former iMac user are now graduating to PowerBooks and Power Macs .

The G5 Difference

Still , the iMac G5 — more sinewy than the former iMac but only slightly enceinte than the average flat - panel presentation — is an impressive bit of engineering . look at the challenge Apple ’s hardware designer faced in attempt to fit a G5 processor into such a pocket-size place . The G5 micro chip pass passing spicy , but it and all the other components had to be crammed inside a tiny , two - column inch - deep envelopment . The solution : a half - dozen independently control fans keep three separate cool down zones at dependable temperatures . Even the iMac ’s fifty - work atomic number 13 base benefit from some typically clever Apple plan touches . ( For more on the Modern iMac , inside and out , see our cover story . )

But the iMac G5 has taken some lumps for being a bit too predictable . After all , tie a calculator to a flat - gore screen door is n’t exactly original . multitude were suggesting that pattern even before the iMac G4 was present . But I think those criticisms are unfair : With this fresh iMac , Apple has managed to get the computer completely out of a substance abuser ’s face . Unlike all - in - one computers from PC maker , the iMac does n’t have a Quasimodo - same swelling bulging from its back .

Also , given the growth of wireless engineering and the continuing miniaturization of calculator engineering , it ’s only a matter of time before that forcible box we ’ve called “ the background computer ” evaporate from our liveliness , stashed off in a closet or engraft in a gadget like a flavourless - gore varan . So I reckon the new iMac is a glimpse into the time to come . As someone who like computers because of what I can do with them , not because I care to keep big metal box near my desk , I ca n’t hold off for that tomorrow to arrive .

Bargains and Gems

Since these programs incline to rely on word of mouth for publicity , a lot of them descend through the cracks . That ’s why we ’ve been defend them in the pages ofMacworldfor the past duo of days . In this issue , you ’ll discover our third “ Software Bargains ” roundup , feature 60 very cool , down in the mouth - cost ( or free ) Mac applications you ’ll want to agree out for yourself . And every month , we presentMac Gems , a column in which Senior Writer Dan Frakes shines a spot on some excellent Mac product that might otherwise go unnoticed .

NowMac Gemswill also seem online , in the human body of a novel Weblog at Macworld.com . Several times a workweek , Dan will review great unexampled Mac software program at Macworld.com . Even if you consider yourself a savvy Mac drug user , I think Dan will storm you with a draw of first-class apps you ’ve never try about .

Every calendar month , we bring out a companion CD - read-only storage full of extra stuff , including picture tutorials from Christopher Breen , supplemental magazine stuff , and the latest Mac package . The trouble : that CD - ROM is let in only with selected copy of the magazine . The solution : every reader ofMacworldcan view the contents of that CD - ROM , in vane form . If you do n’t have the CD - ROM ( and , sooner , if you have a broadband Internet connection ) , you could see the subject of this calendar month ’s “ virtual CD”here . you may always find the Web address of your issue ’s compact disk - fixed storage subject matter by looking at the magazine ’s board of contents .