Honestly...HOW are they going to top some of this stuff?
I'd give anything to leapfrog 2-3 years into the future (2005 or 2006) and see what Apple has in their lineup then!
</strong><hr></blockquote>
From a design standpoint, I am not a big fan of LCD's when it comes to Brightness/Contrast. LCDs can and will win this area adventually, but I haven't been the biggest fan so far. But what's worse is running an LCD at different resolutions. And last time I checked you can't upgrade the graphics card on an iMac, so when you want to play game X, and you can't run it well in resolution Y, what options are there really left???
(That might just end up being my reason to buy an eMac, for the tube...)
However, I must admit, the iMac and the iBook are sweet. If I bought an ibook today, I'd choose a 12" option, the 14" doesn't feature a bigger keyboard, and the 12" ends up being smaller (2" can be a lot on a mobile device.) [but I sure as hell wouldn't pass up a powerbook]
I think a real cube-esque device actually has demand. What else will you put in the digital living room? A Cube allows potential for an AGP and a PCI slot, and Apple's usually come with only 1 optical drive anyway... Plus Window's Cube's are starting to exist with exactly all that... and then you can add your own Display Device... Plasma/HDTV anyone???
You can get cheap 17" Sony Trinitron refurbished monitors from a store I frequent, currently under $49 for 17", $79 for 19"...
Apple seems to notice little things that no other manufacturer would even bother to change.
For example, they bettered the Rev A. of the FP iMac when they removed those tiny screws on the sides of the 15" display.
I suspect the most of the hardware will remain unchanged for another year or so, perhaps except for subtle changes in the tone of silver, white and chrome.
Thank you very much k_munic for a great post and a most welcome perspective. I've been battling the desire to be up with the latest on the TiBook, because I have a Pismo PowerBook G3 500 with max memory. The form is in fact more useable on a daily basis when moving from place to place, the curves, the "bulk" makes for a better grip, and I already have a zillion attachments, from Zip250, DVD, HD, even SuperDisk (remember those?) and extra batteries, so is the "Form" . I don't need reminding about the G4 or the screen, which I love, but I'm talking day by day use on the road. At home, I, too, am a Super Cube user with a Cinema Display so I'm covered there. I, too, love the little iBook and I keep a 500 purchased in Japan for my Japanese DVD's.
<strong> But can you get much thinner?</strong><hr></blockquote>
How about a tablet computer, made using the circutry-on-LCD technology Samsung (?) announced recently. Use intergrated bluetooth for peripherals, and intergrated AirPort for networking. That could be 1/2 a centimetre!*
Barto
*I know this stuff is ~5 years off, but so was flip-chips, liquid cooling for portables, LCDs, etc. etc. at some point.
actually, i could see them going with an encased OLED style shell in the future. that way you can customize the look of your mac just like your desktop.
that would take the cake for personalizing your machine.
besides, you could have your tangerine on the weekends and be back to grey/black at work.
<strong>actually, i could see them going with an encased OLED style shell in the future. that way you can customize the look of your mac just like your desktop.
that would take the cake for personalizing your machine.
besides, you could have your tangerine on the weekends and be back to grey/black at work.
-alcimedes</strong><hr></blockquote>
Really? That seems very un-apple to me. They go with consistancy, with trust in the Apple ID team...not with the end user (Hence, no skins/themes in most apple apps). I could, however, see Dell doing that (but someone like Alienware would have to do it first).
<strong>yeah, but flowers and polka dots? at least OLED skin would be cool.
although i see what you mean about a consistant image.
although if they're the only computers with a skin that can change while you look at it, well, that would would be unique and identifying. </strong><hr></blockquote>
yeah, flowers and polka dots...I see what you mean. Didn't it take Apple like two years R&D to get that stuff right? It is a shame they stopped with flowers and polka dots, they could have made some really interesting designs...
Also, point taken re skin being unique and identifying. I just think it has the potential to be very tacky. Just like, IMO, most iBook case mods are very tacky.
an OLED screen with a liquid metal case would set apple up for some SUPER thin cases.
You could even switch to a touch keyboard so you don't need as much depth (though i think i heard somewhere most users like to have some responce when they type)
...there are problems with making a case thinner then the already super thing TiBook though:
special slot loading drive, special hard drive, and cooling the processor becomes a real feat i believe
the main thing is that the more thing a laptop becomes the less volume the battery can have, thus the less amount of energy it can store without getting bigger (Length and width, not depth)
The PM and iMac definitely need a couple FW and USB ports on the front.
When I was in Japan a couple weeks ago NEC was running some interesting ads on TV. They showed people holding what might be a PDA sized device but it was a totally transparent, thin sheet. On this was a color video screen about four inches diagonal. Of course, it was all fake (Maya or something). However, it looked kind of cool. Nothing visible but the display.
[quote] The PM and iMac definitely need a couple FW and USB ports on the front. <hr></blockquote>
like the U.F.O (aka iRise)....as soon as the price point hits 99 bucks, i'll pick one up...make digital camera and camcorder and palm pilot use easier....
like how the ports are covered when not in use...g
ps...how well does firewire go through a hub??? i know that some things didn't like usb hubs (my scanner, sometimes my printer....i would like the front usb and firewire, but not if i can't use it well with my camcorder)....g
things on the front are ugly, apple should put the powerbutton on the iMacs monitor like their displays, that would be better then currently, and as for audio...too ugly with anything else on the fron't...they are trying to minimalize thigns standing out...thus the secret drive
<strong>things on the front are ugly, apple should put the powerbutton on the iMacs monitor like their displays, that would be better then currently, and as for audio...too ugly with anything else on the fron't...they are trying to minimalize thigns standing out...thus the secret drive</strong><hr></blockquote>
i agree with you that a lot of clutter on the front is less attractive.... but...
1. i owned an iMac DVSE and the headphones n powerbutton were great in front....looked nice with the throbbing sleep lights....
2.i dont like the power button on the back/side....too 80s. as far as the power button on the monitor, i thought about that...and hehe...with that thing being so easy to move around...i dont see how thatwould be feasable unless it's really sensitive.
3. headphone jacks need to be easily accesable... i remember in the early PC days when they had it behind...made no sence whatsoever.
4. if you ask me, i want the power buttons back on the keyboars across all the desktops.
i agree with you that a lot of clutter on the front is less attractive.... but...
1. i owned an iMac DVSE and the headphones n powerbutton were great in front....looked nice with the throbbing sleep lights....
2.i dont like the power button on the back/side....too 80s. as far as the power button on the monitor, i thought about that...and hehe...with that thing being so easy to move around...i dont see how thatwould be feasable unless it's really sensitive.
3. headphone jacks need to be easily accesable... i remember in the early PC days when they had it behind...made no sence whatsoever.
4. if you ask me, i want the power buttons back on the keyboars across all the desktops.</strong><hr></blockquote>
well the powerbuttons are very sensitive, but i guess we can't expect peopel to baby push the button...i wouldn't mind it on the front, i HATE it in the back...i would love it on the keyboard also.
as for headphones on the front, well i guess i'm not bothered by that because i constantly have my stereo hooked up and i just plug headphones into my stereo if i need to...then again it never bothers me on the G4 switchign from my speakers to heaphones oh well thats me
[quote]Speakers should be built into the display for proper stereo imaging without wires and extraneous objects cluttering up the desk of our AIO mac. <hr></blockquote>
[quote] Ports on the front where you can actually reach them. <hr></blockquote>
So... You want to NOT see the speaker wires and you are willing to see ALL the rest of the Wires??? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
Kill the slot loader, and make sure the inside has a minimum of room for a 1 AGP slot and 1 CPU daughtercard. Also, all the RAM slots should be user accessible from the bottom of the machine. You would have to play with the profile of the curves a bit too. And to accentuate the width, I'd incororate FP speakers (tall and thin) into either side of the display.
Comments
17 and 19, no problem; 22-23? Could probably be dealt with using counterweights and resistance. Something like this concept, but not the execution:
[ 12-19-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>
<strong>
(LCD iMac, iBook)
Honestly...HOW are they going to top some of this stuff?
I'd give anything to leapfrog 2-3 years into the future (2005 or 2006) and see what Apple has in their lineup then!
</strong><hr></blockquote>
From a design standpoint, I am not a big fan of LCD's when it comes to Brightness/Contrast. LCDs can and will win this area adventually, but I haven't been the biggest fan so far. But what's worse is running an LCD at different resolutions. And last time I checked you can't upgrade the graphics card on an iMac, so when you want to play game X, and you can't run it well in resolution Y, what options are there really left???
(That might just end up being my reason to buy an eMac, for the tube...)
However, I must admit, the iMac and the iBook are sweet. If I bought an ibook today, I'd choose a 12" option, the 14" doesn't feature a bigger keyboard, and the 12" ends up being smaller (2" can be a lot on a mobile device.) [but I sure as hell wouldn't pass up a powerbook]
I think a real cube-esque device actually has demand. What else will you put in the digital living room? A Cube allows potential for an AGP and a PCI slot, and Apple's usually come with only 1 optical drive anyway... Plus Window's Cube's are starting to exist with exactly all that... and then you can add your own Display Device... Plasma/HDTV anyone???
You can get cheap 17" Sony Trinitron refurbished monitors from a store I frequent, currently under $49 for 17", $79 for 19"...
And LCD prices are only going to drop...
Upgrading Graphics cards is a good idea...
For example, they bettered the Rev A. of the FP iMac when they removed those tiny screws on the sides of the 15" display.
I suspect the most of the hardware will remain unchanged for another year or so, perhaps except for subtle changes in the tone of silver, white and chrome.
<strong>over here in germany, we had about 80 years ago the discussion: form follows function? function follows form?
what IS a computer?
....ETC....
there is lots of space for new, innovative design - depends on availability of technology
[ 12-17-2002: Message edited by: k_munic ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Thank you very much k_munic for a great post and a most welcome perspective. I've been battling the desire to be up with the latest on the TiBook, because I have a Pismo PowerBook G3 500 with max memory. The form is in fact more useable on a daily basis when moving from place to place, the curves, the "bulk" makes for a better grip, and I already have a zillion attachments, from Zip250, DVD, HD, even SuperDisk (remember those?) and extra batteries, so is the "Form" . I don't need reminding about the G4 or the screen, which I love, but I'm talking day by day use on the road. At home, I, too, am a Super Cube user with a Cinema Display so I'm covered there. I, too, love the little iBook and I keep a 500 purchased in Japan for my Japanese DVD's.
[ 12-17-2002: Message edited by: Cubit ]</p>
<strong>When I'm horny for new design concepts, I sometimes go to <a href="http://www.applele.com"; target="_blank">applele</a> for a fix......:
Thanks for the Applele site. I somehow had missed this Japan Apple site and am grateful to you for it
<strong> But can you get much thinner?</strong><hr></blockquote>
How about a tablet computer, made using the circutry-on-LCD technology Samsung (?) announced recently. Use intergrated bluetooth for peripherals, and intergrated AirPort for networking. That could be 1/2 a centimetre!*
Barto
*I know this stuff is ~5 years off, but so was flip-chips, liquid cooling for portables, LCDs, etc. etc. at some point.
[ 12-18-2002: Message edited by: Barto ]</p>
that would take the cake for personalizing your machine.
besides, you could have your tangerine on the weekends and be back to grey/black at work.
-alcimedes
<strong>actually, i could see them going with an encased OLED style shell in the future. that way you can customize the look of your mac just like your desktop.
that would take the cake for personalizing your machine.
besides, you could have your tangerine on the weekends and be back to grey/black at work.
-alcimedes</strong><hr></blockquote>
Really? That seems very un-apple to me. They go with consistancy, with trust in the Apple ID team...not with the end user (Hence, no skins/themes in most apple apps). I could, however, see Dell doing that (but someone like Alienware would have to do it first).
although i see what you mean about a consistant image.
although if they're the only computers with a skin that can change while you look at it, well, that would would be unique and identifying.
<strong>yeah, but flowers and polka dots? at least OLED skin would be cool.
although i see what you mean about a consistant image.
although if they're the only computers with a skin that can change while you look at it, well, that would would be unique and identifying.
yeah, flowers and polka dots...I see what you mean. Didn't it take Apple like two years R&D to get that stuff right? It is a shame they stopped with flowers and polka dots, they could have made some really interesting designs...
Also, point taken re skin being unique and identifying. I just think it has the potential to be very tacky. Just like, IMO, most iBook case mods are very tacky.
<strong>... besides, you could have your tangerine on the weekends and be back to grey/black at work.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Or grey/black on the weekends and be back to tangerine at work.
You could even switch to a touch keyboard so you don't need as much depth (though i think i heard somewhere most users like to have some responce when they type)
...there are problems with making a case thinner then the already super thing TiBook though:
special slot loading drive, special hard drive, and cooling the processor becomes a real feat i believe
the main thing is that the more thing a laptop becomes the less volume the battery can have, thus the less amount of energy it can store without getting bigger (Length and width, not depth)
When I was in Japan a couple weeks ago NEC was running some interesting ads on TV. They showed people holding what might be a PDA sized device but it was a totally transparent, thin sheet. On this was a color video screen about four inches diagonal. Of course, it was all fake (Maya or something). However, it looked kind of cool. Nothing visible but the display.
like the U.F.O (aka iRise)....as soon as the price point hits 99 bucks, i'll pick one up...make digital camera and camcorder and palm pilot use easier....
like how the ports are covered when not in use...g
<a href="http://www.xtrememac.com/formac/ufo.shtml"; target="_blank">here</a>
ps...how well does firewire go through a hub??? i know that some things didn't like usb hubs (my scanner, sometimes my printer....i would like the front usb and firewire, but not if i can't use it well with my camcorder)....g
[ 12-20-2002: Message edited by: thegelding ]</p>
<strong>things on the front are ugly, apple should put the powerbutton on the iMacs monitor like their displays, that would be better then currently, and as for audio...too ugly with anything else on the fron't...they are trying to minimalize thigns standing out...thus the secret drive</strong><hr></blockquote>
i agree with you that a lot of clutter on the front is less attractive.... but...
1. i owned an iMac DVSE and the headphones n powerbutton were great in front....looked nice with the throbbing sleep lights....
2.i dont like the power button on the back/side....too 80s. as far as the power button on the monitor, i thought about that...and hehe...with that thing being so easy to move around...i dont see how thatwould be feasable unless it's really sensitive.
3. headphone jacks need to be easily accesable... i remember in the early PC days when they had it behind...made no sence whatsoever.
4. if you ask me, i want the power buttons back on the keyboars across all the desktops.
<strong>
i agree with you that a lot of clutter on the front is less attractive.... but...
1. i owned an iMac DVSE and the headphones n powerbutton were great in front....looked nice with the throbbing sleep lights....
2.i dont like the power button on the back/side....too 80s. as far as the power button on the monitor, i thought about that...and hehe...with that thing being so easy to move around...i dont see how thatwould be feasable unless it's really sensitive.
3. headphone jacks need to be easily accesable... i remember in the early PC days when they had it behind...made no sence whatsoever.
4. if you ask me, i want the power buttons back on the keyboars across all the desktops.</strong><hr></blockquote>
well the powerbuttons are very sensitive, but i guess we can't expect peopel to baby push the button...i wouldn't mind it on the front, i HATE it in the back...i would love it on the keyboard also.
as for headphones on the front, well i guess i'm not bothered by that because i constantly have my stereo hooked up and i just plug headphones into my stereo if i need to...then again it never bothers me on the G4 switchign from my speakers to heaphones oh well thats me
[quote] Ports on the front where you can actually reach them. <hr></blockquote>
So... You want to NOT see the speaker wires and you are willing to see ALL the rest of the Wires??? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<strong>What do u guys thing of this ?
Kill the slot loader, and make sure the inside has a minimum of room for a 1 AGP slot and 1 CPU daughtercard. Also, all the RAM slots should be user accessible from the bottom of the machine. You would have to play with the profile of the curves a bit too. And to accentuate the width, I'd incororate FP speakers (tall and thin) into either side of the display.
Then, yes, I like it.
[ 12-21-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>