Macs in the news: iMac price drop; consumer portable and more

iMac price drop and upgrade coming? According to Computer Retail Week, "Apple Computer in February will drop the price of its flagship iMac system to $999, several sources said today. In the same time frame, Apple plans to introduce a second, higher-end iMac model for $1,299. The new system will use the same form factor as the original iMac, but it will feature more hard-disk space and a faster processor, the sources said. The existing iMac offers a 233-MHz processor and 4 gigabytes of disk space."

Mac consumer portable to run Mac OS? Computer Reseller News reports early word on Apple's forthcoming consumer portable. Due out in the first half of 1999, the article states that it will "run on a trimmed-down version of the Mac OS."

Macs in Hollywood Newsweek reports that "On TV, Mac spells c-o-o-l." The article comments on the proliferation of Macs on TV shows and in movies.

Macs in Food Mart e.port Public Information Network reports that "Convenient Food Mart is using Apple Computers in a novel way to give something back to working-class communities. They are offering kids who get good grades in school free time on the Internet via Macintosh computers used in e.port Public Information Network terminals in their stores." (Thanks, Scott Rose.)

Mac OS becomes Mac According to an Apple Developers Web page, the "stickers" and logos on boxes that read "Mac OS compatible" will soon be disappearing, to be replaced by a new logo that simply reads "Mac compatible." Similarly, references to "Mac OS" will be replaced by "Mac." [Wasn't it just a couple of years ago that Apple shifted from Mac to Mac OS? The pendulum swings again.]

Update: Several readers noted that this switch was likely related to the demise of Mac clones. Since all machines that run the Mac OS are now Macs, there is no need to make a distinction.