The Key(board) to the New iMac G5
The presumed Think Secret iMac G5 "guts behind the screen" design poses many technical and ergonomic problems:
1. Putting all the components behind the screen creates heat issues and top heavy stand/mounting issues.
2. The optical drive must be vertically oriented and unergonomically elevated and distant from the user.
3. The rumored driveless "EDU" model. With the slot loading optical drive elegantly integrated into the display/body, it would be expensive for Apple to produce a separate driveless model. Even if you simply leave the drive cavity empty and replace the bezel, it's still costly and wastes crucial design space better used for cooling.
So, here's my solution: put the optical drive in the keyboard. There's lots of unused space there (go ahead look at yours now) and a slim line, slot load Superdrive could be hidden away inside with little increase in overall mass. The keyboard itself would have a combo FireWire/USB cable that breaks out into separate ports at the other end (just like the new Cinema Displays) providing power to the optical drive and additional FireWire and USB ports for mice and iPods.
By simply moving the optical drive into a FireWire keyboard, all the above problems are addressed thusly:
1. Every square centimeter is precious when trying to shove the hot G5 into an enclosed space. Moving the optical drive into the keyboard not only allows more space for better cooling, but more importantly could be the difference between a pure rectangular slab suitable for wall mounting rather than a rear surface with bulges or curves.
2. The optical drive is horizontally mounted for improved performance, and just as importantly, in easy reach. Everything the normal user interacts with, keyboard, mouse, USB and FireWire ports, iPod dock, the optical drive, are all directly and comfortably in front of the user. Yes, you have one FireWire/USB combo cable that runs to the screen/body and then breaks out, but even in a wall mount situation that would be acceptable.
3. A driveless EDU or enterprise model is now simply a matter of what keyboard is used. All Apple has to do is ship the iMac with a standard USB keyboard (or none at all) and you have MUCH less expensive model with no change in the manufacturing costs of the main unit. Better yet, if needs or deployment change in the future, the main unit can be upgraded without a clunky external burner by adding back in the Apple Drive keyboard.
Another huge benefit would be the standardization on a Superdrive, since obviously Apple would want the Keyboard Drive itself in just one configuration. Giving every iMac buyer full access to the iLife suite is long overdue anyway.
But the main reason I think such a design is likely is that it more easily allows a pure geometric form. After the organic cuteness of the iMac 1 and the involved contraption of the iMac 2, I think Ives wants an elemental, Euclidian form: a perfect monolithic slab. By putting the optical drive in the keyboard, the body/screen of the iMac 3 is freed from everyday user input and interaction. It becomes "merely" a display with the traditional concept of the separate box/base on or under your desk completely done away with.
1. Putting all the components behind the screen creates heat issues and top heavy stand/mounting issues.
2. The optical drive must be vertically oriented and unergonomically elevated and distant from the user.
3. The rumored driveless "EDU" model. With the slot loading optical drive elegantly integrated into the display/body, it would be expensive for Apple to produce a separate driveless model. Even if you simply leave the drive cavity empty and replace the bezel, it's still costly and wastes crucial design space better used for cooling.
So, here's my solution: put the optical drive in the keyboard. There's lots of unused space there (go ahead look at yours now) and a slim line, slot load Superdrive could be hidden away inside with little increase in overall mass. The keyboard itself would have a combo FireWire/USB cable that breaks out into separate ports at the other end (just like the new Cinema Displays) providing power to the optical drive and additional FireWire and USB ports for mice and iPods.
By simply moving the optical drive into a FireWire keyboard, all the above problems are addressed thusly:
1. Every square centimeter is precious when trying to shove the hot G5 into an enclosed space. Moving the optical drive into the keyboard not only allows more space for better cooling, but more importantly could be the difference between a pure rectangular slab suitable for wall mounting rather than a rear surface with bulges or curves.
2. The optical drive is horizontally mounted for improved performance, and just as importantly, in easy reach. Everything the normal user interacts with, keyboard, mouse, USB and FireWire ports, iPod dock, the optical drive, are all directly and comfortably in front of the user. Yes, you have one FireWire/USB combo cable that runs to the screen/body and then breaks out, but even in a wall mount situation that would be acceptable.
3. A driveless EDU or enterprise model is now simply a matter of what keyboard is used. All Apple has to do is ship the iMac with a standard USB keyboard (or none at all) and you have MUCH less expensive model with no change in the manufacturing costs of the main unit. Better yet, if needs or deployment change in the future, the main unit can be upgraded without a clunky external burner by adding back in the Apple Drive keyboard.
Another huge benefit would be the standardization on a Superdrive, since obviously Apple would want the Keyboard Drive itself in just one configuration. Giving every iMac buyer full access to the iLife suite is long overdue anyway.
But the main reason I think such a design is likely is that it more easily allows a pure geometric form. After the organic cuteness of the iMac 1 and the involved contraption of the iMac 2, I think Ives wants an elemental, Euclidian form: a perfect monolithic slab. By putting the optical drive in the keyboard, the body/screen of the iMac 3 is freed from everyday user input and interaction. It becomes "merely" a display with the traditional concept of the separate box/base on or under your desk completely done away with.
Comments
I'm pretty sure Ive and his team have it covered with just the basic design of the new iMac . . .
Originally posted by applenut
many people buy third party keyboards. what then?
Many enthusiasts buy third party keyboards.
This is a non issue for the iMac target market. Switchers and noobs will think the gorgeous iMac keyboard with the slick hidden CD drive right at their finger tips is the coolest thing they've ever seen. Replacing it would never occur to them.
Originally posted by cinder
Personally, I think it's silly to try to solve a problem that we have no proof actually exists.
So is posting an opinion on a message board about a product that doesn't exist.
Um, hello? This is Future Hardware. This is what we do.
If the iMac is going to be aluminum and chrome the only "white" product left is the iBook...
the keyboard and mouse should be updated along with the iMac... why has there been no speculation on this until now?
Originally posted by Ensign Pulver
Many enthusiasts buy third party keyboards.
This is a non issue for the iMac target market. Switchers and noobs will think the gorgeous iMac keyboard with the slick hidden CD drive right at their finger tips is the coolest thing they've ever seen. Replacing it would never occur to them.
that is completely untrue. many markets use custom keyboards, many people need more ergonomic keyboards or keyboards with different features or bigger buttons or softer feel, etc. apple also sells wireless bluetooth keyboards. doing this would kill sales of those to a huge part of apple's market. fixing the keyboard or replacing it would be much more money as well
stupid idea
save the all in one keyboard for the commodore 64 days
Originally posted by applenut
that is completely untrue. many markets use custom keyboards, many people need more ergonomic keyboards or keyboards with different features or bigger buttons or softer feel, etc.
No, VERY FEW markets and people use custom keyboards, especially the markets and people Apple has always targeted with the iMac line. You are applying enthusiast values to a consumer machine. Replacing the keyboard, especially a high quality, beautiful keyboard with unique features and capabilities would never even occur to 99% of iMac customers.
apple also sells wireless bluetooth keyboards. doing this would kill sales of those to a huge part of apple's market.
Yeah, so? That's a very small amount of money in exchange for a breakthrough concept that allows a wall-mounted computer that actually makes ergonomic sense.
fixing the keyboard or replacing it would be much more money as well.
It would be more than offset by the reduced incidents of repair for the main unit. Remember, the whole point of this idea is to reduce the complexity and heat in the "bodyless" iMac itself. Right now if the optical drive in your iMac breaks, you've got to take the whole thing in for repair. With the Keyboard Drive iMac you could simply plug in a standard USB keyboard and continue to use your machine while repairs are made.
stupid idea
Nice.
I think after the unusual white dome and complicated mechanical chrome arm of the iMac G4, Jobs and Ive will have created something quite different in the iMac G5 - refined elegance, simplicity at it's most beautiful - and we'll see a keyboard and mouse to match, nothing complicated or 'fancy' just a computer, keyboard and mouse to die for!
Originally posted by glen
I think after the unusual white dome and complicated mechanical chrome arm of the iMac G4, Jobs and Ive will have created something quite different in the iMac G5 - refined elegance, simplicity at it's most beautiful - and we'll see a keyboard and mouse to match, nothing complicated or 'fancy' just a computer, keyboard and mouse to die for!
OK, but if everything's vertically aligned, how do you orient the rotating storage and ports for best performance and ergonomics? I don't want a "nicer" Gateway Profile with the CD drive and all the cables sticking out the side.
Originally posted by Ensign Pulver
OK, but if everything's vertically aligned, how do you orient the rotating storage and ports for best performance and ergonomics? I don't want a "nicer" Gateway Profile with the CD drive and all the cables sticking out the side.
I trust Ives to come up with an ingenious solution to the 'vetrically aligned' problem - what it will be, I don't know. It's not for me to worry my pretty little head over things like that! I just think that putting the optical drive in the keboard is a bit of an odd idea.
However, I seem to remember seeing in a computer magazine years ago a computer that was *entirely* cased in a keboard - optical drive, hard-drive, processor: the lot! Can't remember who made it though.
do a google for Apple II
http://www.cybernetman.com/default.cfm/DocId/602.htm
stupid idea
Don't be a jerk. We have enough of those already.
Apple has been know for very stupid ideas in the past (remember the hockey puck). Apple doesn't design their computers around the idea of upgrades.
While I don't think it will happen, I won't put it past them.
Originally posted by applenut
stupid idea
save the all in one keyboard for the commodore 64 days
Didn't your parents teach you manners?
Originally posted by YYZ
Wouldn't you end up with a lot of coasters if you move/bump your keyboard while burning?
I was also worried about the vibration. But optical drives are in PowerBooks and iBooks, and they don't seem to have a coaster/vibration problem.
Now, I see now overwhelming reason to say, "No way they'll do that!" but it also just seems like something Apple wouldn't really do. They'd be turning the actual guts of the computer into just a parasite living off the LCD monitor and having to communicate with the rest of the peripherals by rather strange methods.
Like I said, it's not absolutely refutable, just... enhhhh, probably not.
Superdrive in a keyboard would be pretty cool, though.
Originally posted by glassblowerscat
If you put the optical drive in the keyboard, you have to make the keyboard either firewire or (more likely) USB 2.0 to give us all the burning speeds we've come to expect. If you then continue the practice of having hubs built into the keyboard, you'll be making the keyboard the Digital Hub rather than the actual computer itself.
Yes, this is exactly the point. The "hub" is the portion of the computer most easily accessible to the user. If USB peripherals, FireWire devices and CD/DVD burning can all be accessed from the one form factor that must sit at your fingertips, then why not? Let the body/display hold the CPU, GPU, HD and display the data. Let it be passive and remote and leave the interactive elements to what is ergonomically, naturally and literally at hand.