Rodney O. "iBrotha" Lain Praises New iMac On Minnesota Public Radio

Response to Appleis new iMac is solidly divided between those who love it and those who hate it. In a recent interview with Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), The Mac Observeris Rodney O. Lain -- the "iBrotha" himself -- admits that he cared little for the newest iMac when he saw pictures of it, but fell instantly in love with it after a hands-on experience at the Mall of America Apple Store.

"As soon as I had a chance to play with it in person, my opinion of it changed drastically, 180 degrees," Lain said during MPRis "Future Tense," a syndicated tech segment hosted by Jon Gordon, who reports on technology from San Francisco. The segment airs in Minnesota during MPRis local "Morning Edition" broadcast and on other U. S. stations during CBCis "As It Happens." This interiew aired on January 16, on MPRis St. Paul flagship station FM 91.1.

Gordon contacted Lain to get his initial impressions of Appleis latest creation. When Lain first saw the iMac as it was unveiled during Tech TVis coverage of the "Stevenote," he says he hated it, dubbing it the "iLamp." He concluded that pictures donit do it justice, however.

"Once you touch and interact with the machine," Lain says, "it feels like one of those natural extensions of yourself."

The interiewer asks Lain to address the contention that there is no difference between the Mac and PC, except for industrial design and Operating System. Lain replies that personal computers are at the point where any modern computer is powerful enough for the average user and that specs no longer matter, since they all have large hard drives, lots of RAM and powerful-enough processors. He says that Apple is the only computer maker that provides more than just a collection of specs, but a form and function that separates itself from the commoditized PC: "The only way [Apple] can distinguish themselves is through the user experience, and that is where Apple capitalizes and excels."

The whole interview can be downloaded in RealAudio format from the "Future Tense" home page at MPR.org.