Desk idea...
What do you think?
Back around Christmas, I was talking to someone - a fellow LCD iMac owner - and he was talking about how, in his small apartment, he'd like a cool platform/stand for his iMac.
I came home and started looking around, thinking about all the wasted space and weird quirks about MY desk and how I, taking into account the peripherals I own, my working style, my absolute HATRED of big, clunky stuff and wasted space, etc., how I would come up with a desk that would hold everything I had, Mac-wise, would be small (I, too, am in a small place), keeps cables neat, looks "Apple-y", etc.
The iTree is what I came up with. I've never done this sort of thing before, really. But I kinda think it's cool. It certainly is for me and if I knew how to weld or work with materials, I'd put one together.
My Dad, upon seeing my plans, remarked that "you know, the whole 'tree' thing lends itself to some neat ideas..." and then we started talking about how - perhaps in an office environment or other situation with multiple Macs - a roomful of several of these would be called a "forest".
Then we started calculating how much space would/could be saved and I saw dollar signs in my head and the whole bit.
Oh well. Anyway...the iTree:
Remember: this is for me, how I work, what I own, etc. May not work for everyone. But I'd love something like the above that would hold all my stuff and take up less than a circular yard of floorspace doing it.
If I knew any 3D programs, I'd build this in it. It's a work in progress, always getting tweaked and refined, so bear that in mind too.
Back around Christmas, I was talking to someone - a fellow LCD iMac owner - and he was talking about how, in his small apartment, he'd like a cool platform/stand for his iMac.
I came home and started looking around, thinking about all the wasted space and weird quirks about MY desk and how I, taking into account the peripherals I own, my working style, my absolute HATRED of big, clunky stuff and wasted space, etc., how I would come up with a desk that would hold everything I had, Mac-wise, would be small (I, too, am in a small place), keeps cables neat, looks "Apple-y", etc.
The iTree is what I came up with. I've never done this sort of thing before, really. But I kinda think it's cool. It certainly is for me and if I knew how to weld or work with materials, I'd put one together.
My Dad, upon seeing my plans, remarked that "you know, the whole 'tree' thing lends itself to some neat ideas..." and then we started talking about how - perhaps in an office environment or other situation with multiple Macs - a roomful of several of these would be called a "forest".
Then we started calculating how much space would/could be saved and I saw dollar signs in my head and the whole bit.
Oh well. Anyway...the iTree:
Remember: this is for me, how I work, what I own, etc. May not work for everyone. But I'd love something like the above that would hold all my stuff and take up less than a circular yard of floorspace doing it.
If I knew any 3D programs, I'd build this in it. It's a work in progress, always getting tweaked and refined, so bear that in mind too.
Comments
- a "rooted tree" is the overall idea. Legs/roots splayed out at the bottom for support (I'm no physicist, so don't ask me about lengths, angles, etc.).
- the "branches" hold little platforms, which, in turn, hold various components (scanner, printer, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc.
- I have an iSub, so it fits at the bottom, surrounded by the four main structure poles. You'd sit the iSub on the floor first, then place the iTree over it then start placing components on the iTree
- The various stands would be on some sort of adjustable sliding system, where you could raise and lower then to levels that suited you, your working style, your height or - if needed - placed the center of gravity lower on the desk. I figured that a typical scanner and inkjet, placed low, would give it some good anchoring. Combined with the splayed legs, I think it would stay fairly bottom-heavy.
- There is a tube in the back that all cables from the iMac (or iBook or whatever), the Zip, cable modem, iSub, etc. get routed through and hidden. You basically see very little, if any, cable.
- The keyboard and mouse are on the same sort of "raise and lower" system that the scanner and printer platforms are on. I have an idea for a machined piece that would allow for tilt, swivel and height AND be locked into place as needed.
- My favorite part - the speaker stands. Would hold the Pro Speakers, the tall Harman/Kardon speakers and most others too, I'd imagine
- I was thinking about the platform that the iMac itself sits on being able to rotate, like a lazy susan, so you could spin the iMac around a bit and reach the ports easily. However, depending on how your cables were packed and the amount of slack, you might end up pulling your speakers off the stands
A better solution (one that just hit me the other day and inspired by that UFO FireWire/USB extension device) would be to integrate that device - or something like it - into the platform. You'd have front-loading FireWire and USB ports for quickly connecting your camcorder or digital camera to.
- Lookwise, I was thinking chrome and white. But it could be anything, I suppose. Perhaps a version in matte aluminum or all black too, for "serious" power user types?
Except for the bending "arms/branches", it's all pretty simple. I was half tempted to make a trip to Home Depot this weekend to grab some stuff and try to fashion a half-ass real-life prototype, even if its on a smaller, non-load-bearing scale.
I remember thinking "dammit!".
For better or worse, the above came to me before I was aware of that product. I do like that Japanese one very much though. There's another company that made one out of acrylic, but it's not as tall and "tree-like" as mine. That one looks cool as well.
I love cool, unusual desks and workstations. There's a neat store in San Diego that's full of that kind of stuff and I'd go there on a Saturday and just get my eyes full.
Originally posted by pscates
For better or worse, the above came to me before I was aware of that product. I do like that Japanese one very much though. There's another company that made one out of acrylic, but it's not as tall and "tree-like" as mine. That one looks cool as well.
I love cool, unusual desks and workstations. There's a neat store in San Diego that's full of that kind of stuff and I'd go there on a Saturday and just get my eyes full.
Was it this desk?
http://www.insomedia.com/portabledesktop/
Originally posted by pscates
I think I saw that. I e-mailed my pic above to another friend and he e-mailed me back a URL to that website. It's a really clean site with pics of a woman sitting on the end of a bed working on her Mac, right?
I remember thinking "dammit!".
This one:
I really like the look of that as well. Your design kind of reminds me of a piece that Herman Miller was working on for a while. First it was called Acrobat, then renamed to 'Levity'. I think the project got canned not too long ago. It was never really sold publicly, but if I come across a photo I'll post it.
One thing, though. Your system seems more flexible than it is. Now I know you have designed it for yourself: cool, but wouldn't it be better if you could make it modular, so that folks could add and subtract as needed?
I find most people need space at their desk for papers or whatnot. Perhaps having a desk "tray" that folded away neatly (as on an airplane) would be neat.
How you handle power and those bulky modules would also be something to think about.
Again, cool idea.