If you plan to buy an Imac (desktop from apple), you will go through the following thought process -
1st go through all the other all in one desktops and you will read how they are all value for money, same specification or even better specifications for half the price (ok for Rs 20 thousand less). But then you will tell yourself, "but i will never be happy with anything else!, its a once in a lifetime thing"
Then you will go on to worry about the compatibility issues, will it work with everything, can I play my movies, will my wireless plugin work (it doesn't, but thats for later :)).
Then you will go on to worry about the new operating system, how will I get use to it, I only know windows (if you are using a windows vista even thats not a given).
Finally you will worry about the price, especially if you are in India, as its easily Rs 12 thousand bucks more than its in the US. How one could rationally justify still buying it, is well inexplicable.
But just assume you still go ahead thinking, "I have been staring at it in shops for 3 years, i think its about time (yes parents will kill me but thats how I thought after 2 weeks of digging up information + 3 years of staring)".
So you go to the shop and blow a hole in your pocket, which is the size of the base of Mount Everest while the pocket is as big as, say a small pond. Do you regret it, do you feel stupid to spend so much money especially when it seems like 2011 will not just be like 2008 but even worse. Incredibly no because Steve Jobs is a very bright man, he realized that as human beings we lose our thinking when faced with a beautiful thing or person and the Imac is stunning. So even though after digging for 2 weeks seeing that everything else was practically more value for money and I am a normal person who needs a computer for a few things only, you go ahead. But ex-post buying does it live up to expectations, or do you still feel like a donkey. Well it not only lives up to expectation but exceeds them (thankfully). It's operating system might seem a bit jarring at first, but thats because we are all hardwired to use windows which is not at all intuitive, so we got use to that. We see a computer taking 3 mins to start as a normal thing with the word 'loading' as omnipresent as it's in widows and we think that is normal! It takes about a week to get use to it, but thats it and it does everything easily, your downloads are saved in downloads, your documents in documents, your movies in movies. The screen resolution makes everything look better and the sound quality is as good as an ipod. It has no wires except one power cord and it starts up in an instant. The safari browser is awesome, even better than firefox.
The following points no one will ever tell you in any review-
1) there is no backspace key in the keyboard (at least I couldn't find one), only a delete key, you will get use to it.
2) The screen tends to fog up in humid climates (something to do with the tube in the screen, not a big problem)
3) as its made of aluminum, if the earthing in your house is not good, it tends to give little socks, but you can buy a surge protector and it will stop.
4) tends to get hot and let out a plastic smell ( I have been told its normal and will reduce as you use it more, I really hope it does)
5) dont ever buy a plugin as a net connection, as they may not have drivers for the new os versions, best to stick to landline net connection.
6) many people complained about the keys being too hard, its actually has soft keys like a calculators (the small ones) and the keys are normal sized.
7) the keyboard shortcuts are similar to windows, but instead of the ctrl key its command key. But it is more mouse friendly or I might be wrong, still getting to know the functions.
