A glimpse of the new PowerMac case

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 33
    ashash Posts: 3member
    [quote]Originally posted by bradbower:

    [QB]I think too many people are guessing completely the wrong way with Apple's aesthetics and design ideas, these days.



    Apple is changing into a more intelligent company, it's no longer form vs. function, it's form *and* function. If portable computers were bulbous, sculptural works of art, it would eventually impede on usability and portability. They don't have to be sweeping and curvy, they work better straight and angular, with soft corners. Desktops, however, are free to be sculptural and rounded. The new iMac is the epitome of this concept.



    QB]<hr></blockquote>



    I agree that Apple is definitely moving towards form and function, as opposed to just form. The laptops are small and durable, the iPod is portable, and the iMac is compact and adjustable. What function do people need in a tower?



    Expandability



    Not size, because the industry is pretty standardized on towers and they fit nicely in desks. The really important thing about towers is that they are able to be opened up easily. This is accomplished reasonably well in the current line of towers, since the whole side comes off easily. However, it's still not ideal, because you have to rotate the tower 90 degrees and then take the side off. It would seem more intuitive if you could get at the inside of the tower without having to move it at all - from the front.



    So in the iMac as lamp theme of office-furniture designed computers, imagine if the new towers looked like file cabinets (only smaller). It would be the same size as the current towers, but all of the components would be designed as to fit in two drawers stacked one stacked on top of the other. You'd be able to unlock it from the front, slide the drawer out, and add memory or a new harddrive - all without moving the computer. The tower enclosure would stay still, very much like a file cabinet.



    Of course, there are some issues with cords in the back and suck, but I trust Apple's industrial design team to figure all of that out.



    Other possible improvements (not related to the file cabinet idea):

    1. iPod dock in the front that looks like a cassette deck hole.

    2. Auto-retracting firewire and usb cords built into the front. You'd be able to open a little flip cover on the front of the box and pull a cord out. It would use a mechanism similar to those gimmicky little laptop phone cord winders that they give out at trade shows. When you were done with it, it would wind back into the tower. (This would also be useful for laptops if they could make it really small)

    3. Cupholder on top. (okay, maybe not)



    &lt;/two cents&gt;



    - Ash
  • Reply 22 of 33
    eupfhoriaeupfhoria Posts: 257member
    [quote]Originally posted by Ash:

    <strong>

    2. Auto-retracting firewire and usb cords built into the front. You'd be able to open a little flip cover on the front of the box and pull a cord out. It would use a mechanism similar to those gimmicky little laptop phone cord winders that they give out at trade shows. When you were done with it, it would wind back into the tower. (This would also be useful for laptops if they could make it really small)

    - Ash</strong><hr></blockquote>



    This is quite an interesting idea...although it might be a pain in the ass. I can see apple trying it, but I don't know about releasing it.



    Also, I keep my quicksilver G4 facing horizontal to me, this way I can open it and show off it's power with ease, I can plug things in without too much trouble and the CD isn't in my face
  • Reply 23 of 33
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Am I the only one who thinks the next Power Mac case, as well as the Power Book case for that matter, will be black?
  • Reply 24 of 33
    undotwaundotwa Posts: 97member
    [quote]Originally posted by Dave Hagan:

    <strong>Am I the only one who thinks the next Power Mac case, as well as the Power Book case for that matter, will be black?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I actually like the Bronze Keyboard Powerbooks the best. Nice coloured keyboard, and good case.
  • Reply 25 of 33
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    [quote] undotwa

    Junior Member



    Posts: 42

    From: Sydney, Australia



    \t posted 03-23-2002 07:51 PM Â*Â*Â* Â*Â* Â*Â* Â*Â* Â* Â* Â*Â*

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------



    quote:

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Originally posted by Dave Hagan:

    Am I the only one who thinks the next Power Mac case, as well as the Power Book case for that matter, will be black?

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------



    I actually like the Bronze Keyboard Powerbooks the best. Nice coloured keyboard, and good case. <hr></blockquote>



    I agree about the beauty, form and functionality of the PowerBook G3 firewires. I love mine and take it round the world (along with a bunch of stuff from VST (now SmartDisk) goodies for the expansion bays. It does everything and it has InfraRed too (Does anybody use that?). I use mine linked to two different AirPort Base Station networks at home and office, and regularly log in in Japan and Europe. NEVER a problem except a few small marks on my screen face from a bit too much pressure on the closed case in transit that are invisible when it is operating. It does not slip out of the hands and still looks cool. :cool:



    BUT, I do not see Apple coming out with another one like it. I agree that the white iBook iMac pattern is clearly a preferred consumer line and I think both are truly fantastic. <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" /> The iBook (12.1) is perfect for note taking and transport for students and scholars on the go. The iMac G4 was too good to pass up and is very practical in confined space.



    PowerMacs still require a lot of elbow room and an ambient noise tolerance that I as a Cube fanatic I could not squeeze into my life as much as I would like.



    But Black is not going to be the color--has anyone else seen the revolting Darth Vadar look of the new Dells that now lurk all over my university?





    I think a new El Capitan case is going to have to be very special to leave the 23" Cinema HD high and dry or miss-matched. In fact, we may wait for that change until the G5 actually appears, if it ever does.

  • Reply 26 of 33
    [quote]Originally posted by ProtoDAda:

    <strong>

    in the end, people have to somehow distinguish between "consumer" and "pro" computers, visually.... and what better way to do so then with "black" and "white"?



    ;-)</strong><hr></blockquote>



    i agree with the general idea. it's more than simply arbitrary design, and i think Mr. Ive has proven his inclination toward thoughtful design in all respects.



    but, as many others are saying now, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple split the current "pro" lines into "prosumer" and true "pro" (though i hope the naming convention would be better than mine). and following in your train of thought, i can see White=Consumer, Silver/Grey=Prosumer, Black=Pro.



    and just to clarify, i think the "prosumer" will basically fill the typical highend as we know it now, while the new line of "Pro" machines will be very high-end servers and render stations. (yes, render stations, taking on the best SGI, or anyone else has to offer)
  • Reply 27 of 33
    hello!



    apple as a company is very "fashion." it started out, like other computers, beige and a box. then came the curves and colors. like a fashion cycle, i think new powermac will be more of a rectangular shape with a slight curve. colorwise, i think it will be black as some of us stated above. but being apple, being apple, it might be not just black, but the darkest navy, or darkest brown, etc. i can just hear jonathan ive saying... "first you notice, the casing is black.... but with subtleness of color... that is navy.... this detail etc... etc..... "



    who knows... i hope it's something dark and metal..... wasn't 80's back few seasons ago? isn't "black" the "new black" of this season?





    :-)



    [ 03-24-2002: Message edited by: ProtoDAda ]</p>
  • Reply 28 of 33
    Let's think about Sony. This time though let's think about their consumer electronics.



    The sony line of televisions goes from very dark gray to very light silver according to price. There are about four levels of shade.



    Apple used to use this same system in it's consumer machines using color, perhaps it is time to bring it back with shade.



    Just a thought.

    pi
  • Reply 29 of 33
    jousterjouster Posts: 460member
    ProtoDada:



    ".....it started out, like other computers, beige and a box."



    Which "other" computers did you have in mind, when Apple started out?
  • Reply 30 of 33
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    [quote]Originally posted by undotwa:

    <strong>



    I actually like the Bronze Keyboard Powerbooks the best. Nice coloured keyboard, and good case.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yes, the Bronze was great!
  • Reply 31 of 33
    If I might make an observsation, a lot of people are thinking the new towers (Apple's Pro Line) will play off of the color scheme of the new iMac. I doubt this, Apple has always separated the designs of their pro and consumer lines. Much like in their naming, where "i" precedes a consumer model, and "Power" precedes a professional model, the 'design' of the units are unique in the professional and consumer versions. That's why the iPod, iBook, and iMac all have the same white plastic and chrome thing going for them. Well, the iBook not so much chrome, as it really just has the hinge that isn't polished, but you get the idea. Professional hardware isn't going to take on the white plastic look...
  • Reply 32 of 33
    The new case will be amazingly small (maybe 3-4 inches shorter, and 2-3 inches less deep and a n inch or so narrower), but will retain it's 4 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 RAM, 1 5.25" bay specs.



    Apple isn't going to make it any bigger, and they aren't going to ditch the tower.



    And it will be white and silver.



    Of course, the iMac, the iBook, and the PowerBook were totally different from their predeceesors, so it's really impossible to say anything with certainty.



    TING5
  • Reply 33 of 33
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    I much prefer the current keyboards in the TiBooks to the ones from the G3 era...bronze/brown just isn't my color and the keyboards werent that great anyway...they feel spongy and cheap. Plus on the one I use the area around the delete/F12 key pushes down further than it should when you press it, sticks, then comes back up to normal with a click, which is really anoyying. The TiBook's keyboard is rock solid and I love it.



    [EDIT]

    BTW....I still like my G5 Orb concept...elongated 3/4 sphere thats black with sort of "virtual" depth to it...vents on the bottom along with feet that you can't see too well so it seems to float. Optical drive door is very seemless...only i have one more thing to add....the guts slide out in front, little wheels drop down so it doesn't push the tower over, and when you push the guts back in the slide back up so it doesn't jam open. Chrome Apple logo beneath the surface of transparent plastic, greyish PowerMac G5 text under it. I think it would look pretty damned awesome.



    [/EDIT]



    [ 03-27-2002: Message edited by: Spart ]</p>
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