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Apple releases fix for dodgy 27-inch Imacs
FRUITY TOYMAKER Apple has finally come clean with the countless iMac users who have suffered from the flaky displays on its ultra expensive 27-inch Imacs.
Display Firmware Update 1.0 promises to "address issues that may cause intermittent display flickering" for Imacs released in late 2009. This follows another earlier 294KB graphics firmware update that Apple released in December to tackle video flickering and image corruption problems.
But this latest firmware update doesn't fix the yellow tinting appearing at the bottom of some Imac screens, which seems to appear after you have been daring to actually use the computer rather than just looking at it and feeling smug.
In fact Apple's release notes don't mention yellow tinting, and it is continuing to officially claim that the problem does not exist.
However Gizmodo has released an internal Apple document that shows Jobs Mob knows the problem exists but is keeping it quiet. If someone complains loud enough, according to the memo, the LCD panel will be replaced.
It also says that a second software patch will be released in three weeks' time. In the meantime Apple staff are supposed to tell punters that a slight colour variability is normal for LCD displays and in general the problem does not warrant replacement.
It's all somewhat confusing though, because it also seems to say that Apple will start arranging for LCD panel replacements in about three weeks.
However there might be something worse about to happen to Apple and its flagship computers. Apple Insider said that there are rumours that production on the Imacs has been halted while Apple gets to the bottom of it. There are fears that Apple's genius design team might have really stuffed everything up badly and Jobs might have to order a product recall.
In the meantime you have to wait at least two weeks for an Imac to arrive if it shows up at all. Still, you get what you pay for... oh. µ
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I have one of these and had no problems at all. Therefore this is all bullshit. All Apple products are perfect. I put so much money on them that I can't help but love them unconditionally.
First fanboyistic post! Yes!
You know, I never scrounge up enough to buy ANYONE'S computer. I always build it up and modify it over a couple of years. However, Apple uses the best, most accurate out of the box and clearest IPS screens on the market. This is a strange problem.
I bet 99% of the people complaining on here do not have an IPS screen even. tn film ftw? blech. The addition of the ATI chip makes me actually consider the 21" model. That screen is tried and true. Too bad for the 27 inch. I will tell you about value for what you get: 1 1/2 years ago I bought a Planar PX2611w, 26" IPS screen. It cost around 850 dollars. THis was a great price as most IPS screens cost 1000+. IF it fixes the flaw, you are getting a better filtered version of my screen with an inch larger resolution, worth about 1500 dollars easily. (mine doesnt have a real filter on it which is why it was cheaper for planar to put out)
Yellow tinge is the colour of Apple's going off.
Now what else has a yellow tinge and isn't nice to look at?
Not so sure on that recently. Ever since AMD bought up ATI they actually remade the drivers from scratch and unlike the old ones which were an utter bloody pain in the ass the ones in recent times haven't been bad at all. Much easier to work with, and far more reliable than nVidia's half arsed lets make them solely to give good benchmark results and screw actual graphical quality.
My only grief with ATI drivers is linux support which is still a very crap driver, but the ones they make for Windows now is far ahead of the old tat they used to make...just hope they make a better driver for linux sooner or later also.
As for the iMac issues. Serves the believers right, and any sane person wouldn't touch a Mac with a 50ft barge pole as they know how shoddy Apple are when it comes to nailing things together, and buying up the cheapest crap they can find once you get past the shiny exteriors all in the name of excessive profit margins. I would say you pay for what you get, but in Apples case you don't!
ATi makes much better hardware than nVidia, that's a fact. But their drivers are awful, that's also a fact. Try working with GLSL and so much either doesn't work or doesn't work per spec because ATi make their own damned rules. Graphics distortion and corruption sounds driver-based and it wouldn't surprise me as they don't seem to have the first clue about writing drivers.
The Yellow tinge is caused by a faulty light filter on the LED-IPS screen by LG.
Well drooling at Best Buy, picked up a Mini Mac though and it is a sweet little computer. Snow Leopard start-up and shuts down faster than my Ubuntu rig, it is fast. Apple did some nice improvements with OS X 10.6
LMFAO unless you've been living under a rock intel larrabee isn't happening, intel have stopped making it as a gpu alternative and are now applying it to big supercomputers instead.
Also ATI have nothing to do with this. It's a problem when in transit.
nvidia may have screwed up big time with their graphics card's (bump issues) But ATI haven't (yet)
How can you blame the GPU for missing pixels and yellow tinting?
That is just a pathetic excuse from someone who obviously has one and doesnt want to admit it was a waste of money.
I hope they do a recall and everyone sends them back that way people might actually get a good product, even though you can get better for cheaper considering most will just use Windows 7 anyway :P
Also the issue with the recall is the fanbois will say nah I will keep my issues, as if they are a fanatic who is protecting there religion(I wonder when they start a jihad or a cuppohad on all the PC vendors :P).
You must be a Nvidia employee, what are your the facts? I have NEVER had a problem with ATI graphics, can't say the same for Nvidia. More than likely the problem is with the LCD'S. I paid my Apple tax once, now I build my own. Twice the performance for half the cost. And all the parts have at least a 3 year warranty.
Where do you get that BS? ATi chips are very reliable. The problem is clearly with the LCD panel. If it was an nVidia chip I might agree with you a little bit.
ATI's GPUs make the iMacs unreliable. I hope that in the future Intel's Larrabee will replace all discrete GPUs in Apple's products line as Apple is an exclusive Intel's customers.
This is not a fix its a stop gap measure.