The new Gateway One is rightfully being compared against the recently-updated aluminum iMacs. They are very similar systems, as far as I can tell, from the inside out.
The Gateway One represents one bit of new thinking that I wish would filter into Apple. The system appears very user-serviceable — to the point where the promotional materials tout it. In fact, the system supports not just one, but two hard disks, and it doesn’t void your warranty to install them. I think the ability to attach two internal hard disks is absolutely phenomenal for an all-in-one system, and Gateway didn’t need to do it because they already sell many other form factors.
That’s something I’d very much like Apple to adopt in the iMac. They were so close to that ideal with the original iMac G5. (Of course, we’ve had to disassemble a handful we got so many times to check the diagnostic LEDs, I wish they’d just built a better computer in the first place.) If I could throw two hard disks into an iMac myself and had a choice of GPUs, I believe that would completely push me towards those systems rather than a Mac Pro.
One has to wonder if Apple knew the One was coming. I’ve heard rumors of some Apple designers defecting being lured to Gateway and never really felt it was credible until now. I’ve never found anything on the ’net to substantiate the rumor. The Gateway One even looks suspiciously like a 5G iPod, so it makes me wonder …
To follow the train of thought that Apple knew it was coming, maybe they wanted to get the new iMacs out the door first, make a splash. Really, to me, the aluminum iMacs represent very little that is new. Much is actually lackluster; compare the GPU performance against the BTO option on the last generation, for example.
Apple is building up some history, in my mind, of wanting to introduce their new stuff before the competition comes out with theirs. (Compare the timing of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and the Amazon MP3 Store.)
It looks as if Apple is moving more towards being a closed system every day. The Gateway One represents a counterpoint to that.