Apple Aesthetics - faltering?
just something I have been picking up on over the last year or so.
Apple has had the lock on aesthetics for a while now, seemingly unable to err when creating a hardware design that, while being higher spec'd than the competition also simply looks far and away like an unattainable object of high quality.
I think that era is at an end.
It actually started with the iPhone. The iPods were always very classy looking, clean design and very modern looking. then the iPhone came along. While looking very nice, it ushered in a new design direction, one where some of the external hardware did not always mesh very well with the rest of it. ie: the metal back and the black plastic antenna cover. Back in the day, that antenna cover would have been color matched and manufactured to look exactly like the metal part it connected with.
then the iMac came out. while looking quite nice, the bezel was very think and looked much less integreated than the iMac that it replaced (althoght the new one definitely looks better). the Macbook Air followed, looking much like a couple of steps backward into the Ti book era, while also sporting the modern razor thin profile.
Now we have the new Macbooks and MBPs. I have to say that out of all the products, these disappoint me the most. the years old Powerbook/MBP design certainly looks better, althouth the new ones have it totally beat on manufacturing process and rigidity and weight. Still, one can't help but think how much better they would look if they would have taken a more aesthetic route with the new 'books. Even the previous design, changed just slightly for this new process would look much better And this whole thick display bezel thing is plain nasty. Displays, especially on a notebook, should have narrow bezels. The thick bezel makes it look like it was out of the 70's. it just has that low tech fell to it.
And to make matters worse, at a glance, apples flagship computers now look no different than the badly designed competition. for examples of computers by the competition that look almost exactly like it, see the links below:
http://www.alienware.com/products/ar...de=SKU-DEFAULT
http://www.pittjug.org/catalog/pics/...a_Notebook.jpg
And the entire trackpad beign one HUGE button. Can you say bad idea?
I am still an Apple fan. They make the best computers in the world.
But I wish they would get back to aesthetics while they are at it.
I do think that Steve Jobs is having someone else run things for right now as an understudy, while he prepares his next move, but I aslo think that he should smack the new guy around a little until they can figure out how to coax the employees into making great designs again.
Apple has had the lock on aesthetics for a while now, seemingly unable to err when creating a hardware design that, while being higher spec'd than the competition also simply looks far and away like an unattainable object of high quality.
I think that era is at an end.
It actually started with the iPhone. The iPods were always very classy looking, clean design and very modern looking. then the iPhone came along. While looking very nice, it ushered in a new design direction, one where some of the external hardware did not always mesh very well with the rest of it. ie: the metal back and the black plastic antenna cover. Back in the day, that antenna cover would have been color matched and manufactured to look exactly like the metal part it connected with.
then the iMac came out. while looking quite nice, the bezel was very think and looked much less integreated than the iMac that it replaced (althoght the new one definitely looks better). the Macbook Air followed, looking much like a couple of steps backward into the Ti book era, while also sporting the modern razor thin profile.
Now we have the new Macbooks and MBPs. I have to say that out of all the products, these disappoint me the most. the years old Powerbook/MBP design certainly looks better, althouth the new ones have it totally beat on manufacturing process and rigidity and weight. Still, one can't help but think how much better they would look if they would have taken a more aesthetic route with the new 'books. Even the previous design, changed just slightly for this new process would look much better And this whole thick display bezel thing is plain nasty. Displays, especially on a notebook, should have narrow bezels. The thick bezel makes it look like it was out of the 70's. it just has that low tech fell to it.
And to make matters worse, at a glance, apples flagship computers now look no different than the badly designed competition. for examples of computers by the competition that look almost exactly like it, see the links below:
http://www.alienware.com/products/ar...de=SKU-DEFAULT
http://www.pittjug.org/catalog/pics/...a_Notebook.jpg
And the entire trackpad beign one HUGE button. Can you say bad idea?
I am still an Apple fan. They make the best computers in the world.
But I wish they would get back to aesthetics while they are at it.
I do think that Steve Jobs is having someone else run things for right now as an understudy, while he prepares his next move, but I aslo think that he should smack the new guy around a little until they can figure out how to coax the employees into making great designs again.
Comments
Man, there's no accounting for taste.
When Jonathan Ive started at Mac his creed was clearly 'think different', and his first imacs etc really did look completely different from any home computer that had come before. From being known as 'a better class of beige box for creatives', Apple became the 'better home computer for everyone': those designs, the OS and Jobs' deft marketing saved the brand.
When the TiBooks took over from the black Wall Street/Pismo design, Apple took a new 'form follows function' minimalist route which, really, stayed with the brand right up until the iPhone/iPod Touch era we're seeing now.
What this phase is about I don't know, because whereas the previous two design eras were very clear, I agree, 9sekondko, this one is very hard to get a grip on.
I actually think the new MBs and MBPs are beautiful. The aluminium 'unibody' ( I already hate that pretentious term) is stunning, no doubt about it, but there are other elements that jarr and I don't understand them from an aesthetic point of view.
For example, that bezel. The TiBooks, Alubooks and plastic MBs all had thin bezels that maximised screen area. The bezel on the new portables is so excessivev I find myself looking at it and thinking 'that could be another inch of screen space or an inch less of computer'. Aesthetically I agree it looks cheaper than the old bezel, and it also brings to mind those cheap 40" TVs made by brands I've never heard of in the local discount electrics shop. I don't get it, and the glossy screen only enhances the bargain basement feel.
Also, the new power button... The old one looked so beautiful and functional you could imagine it firing up the Starship Enterprise or something. In comparison, the new one looks like the bridegroom's mistress at a wedding; like it's trying to hide but can't quite fade into the background. Also, in almost every machine I've seen, the symbol on button has been off-centre. I'm guessing the 'concept' might be engineering-based rather than looks-based in that the button seems to be cut directly from the keyboard surround panel, but imo, it looks shoddy.
Point 3: i don't get why the inside edge of the MB/MBP hinge is matte black. If the bezel were matte black, I could understand this, but I really don't see why they didn't just leave it plain aluminium. It would have looked much classier and blended into the rest of the single unit design. As it is, I've kept finding myself looking at it and trying to work out a reason for it.
Lastly, we have a glossy screen with glossy black surround, yet the matte black hinge mentioned above and a matte black keyboard. I actually like the black keys, but why not either make them glossy to reflect the screen design, or make the screen bezel matte to reflect the hinge and keys? (latter, preferably!)
Again, I do think the new MB and MBP are basically gorgeous but, given that these design elements will have been pored over for months, I do find some of the ugly detail decisions odd and out of keeping with Apple's aesthetic legacy.
I will say to them, why not do style x, that's been popular with clients before and they will reply, it's been done before or that was popular 5 years ago.
And then another time, I will say they are using an old style, they will say yeah but it's coming back again. You can't win really.
I think something that highlights the way this type of industry works is the Bruno character in the Ali G show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzoRD1Qvm10
"do you think consistency is important? No."
I would agree that aesthetically, Apple's machines have take a turn for the worse. I think the iphone is ok but it's very plain. I actually laughed out loud at the new aluminium iMac unveiling.
I don't think the MBP and MB look quite so bad though. The keyboard doesn't look good but I would let that slide on the basis that they aren't painted so you don't get paint peeling issues like with the silver ones. It also reduces the top-heaviness design that a black screen alone would have.
I love the trackpad and the removal of all the screws for a moulded case is a big improvement. If they hadn't forced glossy and removed firewire, I would say these laptops were the best laptops ever.
I love the trackpad and the removal of all the screws for a moulded case is a big improvement. If they hadn't forced glossy and removed firewire, I would say these laptops were the best laptops ever.
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I've been following a tread at Ars where several people who have bought them have commented on them.
Everyone of them has commented that the fit and finish is extraordinary. Everyone. Also many have commented that the fans have yet to kick on and that the machine is silent in operation. I'm not sure why that would be the case but would guess it has something to do with the new NVIDIA chipset and graphics.
So there are positives with the new machines. But alas, I don't think I could live with just two USB ports so I would be opting for the MBP again. Its a shame really because the MB would otherwise suite my needs and would be a bit lighter than what I have. With the FW port the MB would have been perfect for me.
Also many have commented that the fans have yet to kick on and that the machine is silent in operation. I'm not sure why that would be the case but would guess it has something to do with the new NVIDIA chipset and graphics.
Yeah, the Nvidia chipset draws less power so it should run cooler and the unibody design will help heat dissipation a lot. The plastic MB was bad for this and the joins in the MBP didn't help. Having one huge sheet of aluminium allows there to be a much larger surface area for heat to escape from. Even if something is really hot at one point, it will spread over the entire case.
Its a shame really because the MB would otherwise suite my needs and would be a bit lighter than what I have. With the FW port the MB would have been perfect for me.
I think this is what Apple try to avoid. The smart move financially is to aim just short of perfection because they are better than the competition but not so good that people aren't left wanting more. It's the same deal with build quality. Years ago, you would get household items built out of cast iron and made to last. The problem is that nobody needed to buy any more of them. Plastic objects broke and were cheaper to make so it's more profitable.
As soon as Apple start making perfect computers, sales go down. If Apple had included firewire, MBP sales would drop. I still think they should have done it but few people will pay the premium for 2x graphics, a 15" screen and expresscard. They are capitalizing on GPU computing soon, which is why Jobs mentioned the gigaflops computing power as opposed to poly count, which is usually how GPUs are described so the only thing they could have removed to force the artificial wedge between pro and consumer was firewire.
I wish they'd stop with making a distinction because a 15" screen isn't how people define pro use. I've seen PC manufacturers selling 17" laptops at consumer prices. The $1599 Macbook should have been 15".
Even if the pricing had been:
13" integrated Nvidia no firewire = $1299
15" integrated Nvidia with firewire = $1599
15" dedicated Nvidia with firewire = $1999
This would have been much more acceptable. People would still say that firewire was on the old 13" but it's not a $700 premium over the base model, it's just $300 for a bigger screen and firewire.
All they'd have to do next year is ease the prices down by $200 across the lineup.
The other reason that the distinction doesn't need to be made if is that they get a lot of the same options regarding storage and they are aesthetically pretty much the same now.
I prefer the all silver color of the past PowerBooks and MacBook Pros, and held a slim hope the newest portable models would buck the trend towards black. IMO the new unibody chassis would have been perfect for the all silver color scheme and old PowerBook/MBP-style keyboard.
I've been stubborn and continued to use my 12" PB, wasting much time with slow-running CS3 and other audio mixing apps. But I can no longer wait for a faster machine and still see no likelihood for a small pro machine any time soon. I have now given up.
I must accept the black colors, a glossy screen (which does have its pros and cons), and a keyboard I do not like. And because the 15" MBP is too big for me, I will finally buy a MacBook and forego firewire. I will have to sell my firewire audio equipment and replace it with USB equipment I hope will not have latency issues.
Too bad Apple is committed to leave the pro machines in the larger format because I'd pay a very hefty premium for a smaller form factor pro machine (preferably smaller than the 13" MacBook).
Apple loses sales to users like me who would have purchased a small pro machine long ago, and already replaced it too. But I guess we are a very small minority. Apple is all about increasing market share right now and I cannot really blame them. They are executing their plan well, even though they leave some out.
I think the new Macbooks are the best looking laptops I have ever seen. They're electronic perfection, literally carved out of metal.
Man, there's no accounting for taste.
Haahahahahahahahahahahah you had me going until the "electronic perfection"
Haahahahahahahahahahahah you had me going until the "electronic perfection"
Hey, this is just opinion vs opinion.
Hey, this is just opinion vs opinion.
I hear you buddy. I really wish I could live with USB only. I do like the looks of the new laptop.
I'm sure the carved case is amazing, but why make the screen border and keyboard colors so awful?
(I still haven't seen one in person and I think the new unibody is a huge step forward in terms of strength, weight and cooling.)
fb
I think the MB style works very well being black - I admit I still preferred all silver but I still think it's nice. I would love to see them make the iMac look like the Cinema display and lose the chin. The new Cinema display is actually what I was expecting from the last iMac overhaul.
With the new MBs and MBPs, I feel as though I'm staring at the screen down a smeary, dark tunnel with a shiny, dirty glass panel over the top.
For the sake of that sensation surely we could have either had more viewing screen or a smaller laptop.
I really do think the screen lets the metal body down.
Closed, these things are stunning!
What I don't get about the bezel is why it's so thick. The TiBook I'm typing on has a bezel half as thick.
It could be the isight. They need more bezel at the top for that so I guess they have to balance it out by making the sides larger too. I think the MBP bezel is still smaller than the MB though even on the new ones.
I prefer the small bezel too.
It could be the isight. They need more bezel at the top for that so I guess they have to balance it out by making the sides larger too. I think the MBP bezel is still smaller than the MB though even on the new ones.
That, and the slight taper on the outside edges means the display panel can't fill it all the way to the edge.
Maybe in a couple of years Apple will find a manufacturer willing to use that patent on making the entire display a camera. Then the little iSight lens will go away, along with about half of the bezel.
Its a marvel of beauty and engineering. Fabulous. And the big button? I didn't even realize I was using a buttonless trackpad, its that good.
This new design is fantastic. I can't wait to get one. Revision2.
i might have agreed with the original poster's points about the Macbook/Pro until I went into the Apple Store and looked at one. And used the new button/trackpad.
Its a marvel of beauty and engineering. Fabulous. And the big button? I didn't even realize I was using a buttonless trackpad, its that good.
This new design is fantastic. I can't wait to get one. Revision2.
Agreed. I haven't seen the new casing yet but the black border and other design elements are not going to bother me. The trackpad with enhanced multitouch looks great. I don't have a big problem with Apple aesthetics after all the whole translucent phase looks downright silly now doesn't it. Apple changes with the times and gets it right more often than gets it wrong.
Now we just need them to be a bit more innovative with hardware.
Agreed. I haven't seen the new casing yet but the black border and other design elements are not going to bother me. The trackpad with enhanced multitouch looks great. I don't have a big problem with Apple aesthetics after all the whole translucent phase looks downright silly now doesn't it. Apple changes with the times and gets it right more often than gets it wrong.
Now we just need them to be a bit more innovative with hardware.
Innovative is out the door. Slimmer, less useful, and more expensive is the new goal.
I dont mind the black keys, or really even the wide black border around the monitor, you can argue that it acts as a "framing element" to the monitor, which can help to draw your eye into the screen.
but...
the eye will always go to the area of most contrast, such as a glare or bright reflection.
and the silver iMac has the large black apple logo just below the screen demanding the viewers attention away from what you are trying to focus on in the monitor screen.
i dont mind the silver/black as other have, but it does seem that apple learned from their mistake on the multiple-blacks first gen iphone, maybe the next rev of these laptops will have that hinge piece painted to match the case, but then we will have paint chipping problems, haha.