Where's the continuity? Where's the brain-searing immediacy and recognisability?
Continuity is in the profile. That allows Apple to play with what's inside the shape, keep it fresh. It's quite deliberate, I'd say the might even go as far as to make it policy to change the logo like that every so often. I know of other large corporations, though they have less brand identity, who change their logo every 18 months as a matter of policy.
I think the arc is a bit too dark, or maybe it should have a bit more gradient on its lower edge, but I'm nit-picking. Overall it's rather nice.
I think it's nice. Something different. If you remember, say, back in 1999 and 2000, the big colored Apple logo that was on the side of iMac boxes (the slot-loading "jellybean" models) had a "3D" look, but was kinda "mushy" and not very defined.
At some point, it got more glossy and "crisp" (about the time OS X was officially out and heading toward Jaguar.
And now it's this.
So it's been evolving here and there all this time. No big deal. It's still Apple, it's still their INSTANTLY-recognizable logo. Only the treatment of its surface gets changed.
I'm certain that in a year or so from now, it'll take on perhaps another different look when 10.4 comes to town.
As long as they keep the actual logo itself, I think it's cool when they change the inside look of it every now and then. And with the G5 and the new iBooks, they seem to be on a metal/aluminum kick. Not to mention the big metal, "de-furred" X for Panther.
I think it's nice. Something different. If you remember, say, back in 1999 and 2000, the big colored Apple logo that was on the side of iMac boxes (the slot-loading "jellybean" models) had a "3D" look, but was kinda "mushy" and not very defined.
At some point, it got more glossy and "crisp" (about the time OS X was officially out and heading toward Jaguar.
Agree on all counts - I think we're watching Aqua evolve thru successive lifetimes.
Looks great - and I'm thinking Panther's gonna look better still.
Look at it this way... wouldn't fluffy things like this be the FIRST thing done and ironed out?
And waste time on easy stuff??? Let the designers match every thing up just right while you hammer out all the dents. Once they're done, the cosmetics go on real easy.
I still say it's stupid, and a TOTAL waste of time.
Changing branding and updating logos in order to help differentiate the product from previous versions is waste of time? Tell that to all the developers that have ever updated an icon or a logo for a major new version of their software.
What do you people think? Could this become the new system-wide Apple logotype instead of the aqua-blue one?
Sorry, I think, this is butt-ugly, cheap looking and overstylized. Faux chrome on top of cheap plastics used to be a domain of korean designers - until apple introduced the APX base station. I have one and it looks positively shitty.
Now, we get this in the UI as well, hmm ok. As if Aqua wasn't pale enough already. Nothing against a little understatement, but chromed grey just looks pale and cheap at the same time.
Obviously, the world will not end because of this - but like the new X on the panther websites, this is an uglification.
Originally posted by Barto I will never be truely happy until Apple puts that in Mac OS X...(referring to the drops of mercury rolling around the scrollbars... - pscates)
Barto
Well, on a semi-related note (I think I'm going on my third year of calling for this): how come they can do all this slick stuff in OS X (Genie Effect, soft shadows, transparency, that cool fast user switch in Panther with the desktop spinning around on a cube, etc.), BUT the best they can do when you pull something out of the dock is that LAME, graceless Wile. E. Coyote smoke cloud that looks right at home on an early 80's Atari game? Jeez...
Again, here's the solution: REALLY play up the whole "aqua" thing and when you pull something out of the dock, it fades away into pond ripples.
Eye candy, sure. But COOL eye candy. And a tad more elegant - and sensible, considering - than that idiotic smoke puff.
Yep, that is looking very tired and cartoony now (don't forget menubar widgets as well) and I wouldn't be surprised to see it change in some way soon: perhaps a melting effect?
I can see this new chrome Apple being this year's "death of the Happy Mac", but it's scarcely a UI element you're looking at all the time. Conceivably the Apple menu icon ought to change with it, but that might be a bit much to stomach...
Comments
Originally posted by Zapchud
Now, if they would update the startup-apple to be just like that...
They have, at least according to MacNN (forums.)
Originally posted by CubeDude
A whole theme to go with the logo would be cool.
Chrome-Aqua! It would look like mercury and be so cool.
Originally posted by Peerpee
Where's the continuity? Where's the brain-searing immediacy and recognisability?
Continuity is in the profile. That allows Apple to play with what's inside the shape, keep it fresh.
I think the arc is a bit too dark, or maybe it should have a bit more gradient on its lower edge, but I'm nit-picking. Overall it's rather nice.
At some point, it got more glossy and "crisp" (about the time OS X was officially out and heading toward Jaguar.
And now it's this.
So it's been evolving here and there all this time. No big deal. It's still Apple, it's still their INSTANTLY-recognizable logo. Only the treatment of its surface gets changed.
I'm certain that in a year or so from now, it'll take on perhaps another different look when 10.4 comes to town.
As long as they keep the actual logo itself, I think it's cool when they change the inside look of it every now and then. And with the G5 and the new iBooks, they seem to be on a metal/aluminum kick. Not to mention the big metal, "de-furred" X for Panther.
I dig it.
At least it's not a cow, for crying out loud.
Originally posted by Dog Almighty
Chrome-Aqua! It would look like mercury and be so cool.
Mmmmm...
I like it... the scroll bars would be rivulets of mercury floating in those troughs. I think that could look really slick.
Originally posted by Bigs
Somehow that scratch makes it look really cool
Not a scratch - a stylized reflection artifact (so there!)....
Originally posted by pscates
I think it's nice. Something different. If you remember, say, back in 1999 and 2000, the big colored Apple logo that was on the side of iMac boxes (the slot-loading "jellybean" models) had a "3D" look, but was kinda "mushy" and not very defined.
At some point, it got more glossy and "crisp" (about the time OS X was officially out and heading toward Jaguar.
Agree on all counts - I think we're watching Aqua evolve thru successive lifetimes.
Looks great - and I'm thinking Panther's gonna look better still.
Originally posted by Not Unlike Myself
Look at it this way... wouldn't fluffy things like this be the FIRST thing done and ironed out?
And waste time on easy stuff??? Let the designers match every thing up just right while you hammer out all the dents. Once they're done, the cosmetics go on real easy.
Originally posted by CAM
the scroll bars would be rivulets of mercury floating in those troughs.
I will never be truely happy until Apple puts that in Mac OS X...
Barto
Originally posted by Not Unlike Myself
I still say it's stupid, and a TOTAL waste of time.
Changing branding and updating logos in order to help differentiate the product from previous versions is waste of time? Tell that to all the developers that have ever updated an icon or a logo for a major new version of their software.
Originally posted by KANE
What do you people think? Could this become the new system-wide Apple logotype instead of the aqua-blue one?
Sorry, I think, this is butt-ugly, cheap looking and overstylized. Faux chrome on top of cheap plastics used to be a domain of korean designers - until apple introduced the APX base station. I have one and it looks positively shitty.
Now, we get this in the UI as well, hmm ok. As if Aqua wasn't pale enough already. Nothing against a little understatement, but chromed grey just looks pale and cheap at the same time.
Obviously, the world will not end because of this - but like the new X on the panther websites, this is an uglification.
Originally posted by fryke
But don't take StuffIt Deluxe 8 as a good example. :P ... They've changed ALL icons, so you don't see .sit-Files on first look any longer.
They might have went a little overboard with the new icons...
Originally posted by Barto I will never be truely happy until Apple puts that in Mac OS X...(referring to the drops of mercury rolling around the scrollbars... - pscates)
Barto
Well, on a semi-related note (I think I'm going on my third year of calling for this): how come they can do all this slick stuff in OS X (Genie Effect, soft shadows, transparency, that cool fast user switch in Panther with the desktop spinning around on a cube, etc.), BUT the best they can do when you pull something out of the dock is that LAME, graceless Wile. E. Coyote smoke cloud that looks right at home on an early 80's Atari game? Jeez...
Again, here's the solution: REALLY play up the whole "aqua" thing and when you pull something out of the dock, it fades away into pond ripples.
Eye candy, sure. But COOL eye candy. And a tad more elegant - and sensible, considering - than that idiotic smoke puff.
Yep, that is looking very tired and cartoony now (don't forget menubar widgets as well) and I wouldn't be surprised to see it change in some way soon: perhaps a melting effect?
I can see this new chrome Apple being this year's "death of the Happy Mac", but it's scarcely a UI element you're looking at all the time. Conceivably the Apple menu icon ought to change with it, but that might be a bit much to stomach...