I genuinely wish Apple products still looked like this

[ssledoux]

I liked all the colorful laptops. I was sad that when we started using Apple products, the iBooks were all just plain white. My kids would’ve loved each having their own color. ;-p

 

[nickdalzell1]

I think the clamshell iBooks got a ton of complaints about the Apple logo being upside down when in use. Other than that I liked them. I wanted to get one used but they were long extinct when I tried. At least, the models I wanted were. Ones capable of running early OS X vs. OS 9.

I'm personally more fond of the 2009-10 designs, like the design of the iPhone 4 and original iPad. That and the UI design. I can't believe we're still doing flat design ten years later...ugh! Whatever happened to 'design swings back and forth?' I fear we're stuck in flat UI forever, complete with migraines from PWM and retina-searing white everywhere.

 

[ArchEtech]

They looked even better after 2-3 years of UV plastic degradation. No I prefer the modern look; however, I do appreciate the nostalgia of the retro look.

Apple has lost a little of the ultra minimalist approach in general which I really really like.

 

[nickdalzell1]

If you want to be nostalgic for vintage looks, I'd say the 1970s stereo systems were the best. I loved the silver faced, knob-centric, flourescent tuning dials that lit up in use, and even flip clocks on the higher end models. Today, those systems sound even nicer and more bass heavy than modern Dolby crap.

I was totally born in the wrong time. I despise 'modern' anything because it's boring, homogenized, and eye-searing to look at--especially modern apartment design where everything is white and lit by overly blue-white LED lighting that just gives me instant headaches. My mom's house is done in that style and it really is painful to be there for more than an hour.

I'm far more comfortable in my own home where it's still lit by warm incandescent lights and filled with both 1970s tech mixed with 2010 tech. The only modern anything I use today is a Windows 11 laptop, one smartphone (Galaxy A13 5G) and the Android TV dongles that you never see attached to the back of the 2010 TVs.

 

[skottichan]

I personally adore the Apple IIc Plus, I'd love to see Apple revisit the design.

 

[nickdalzell1]

The Apple IIgs was one of my favorites. Even today the design holds up:

I'd also love to see the Rainbow Apple logo return. In a LGBT+ centric world, it makes more sense!

 

[bradl]

Scotty was from the 23rd Century, so he probably expected some sort of Siri-like voice functionality. That was the joke. Had he been in say 1996 instead of the 80s, he'd at least be able to talk to a Packard Bell Legend PC that had a mic.

If you wanted that, you need to see him in Knight Rider 2000.

BL.

 

[rpmurray]

I'd also love to see the Rainbow Apple logo return. In a LGBT+ centric world, it makes more sense!

I think Apple markets to a wider audience. Restricting themselves to a segment that makes up less than a tenth of one percent of the population wouldn't make economic sense, especially if they want to be diverse and inclusive.

I'm pretty sure that the rainbow Apple logo didn't have anything to do with the LGBTQPI+ community, despite revisionist history being in vogue nowadays.

 

[nickdalzell1]

If you wanted that, you need to see him in Knight Rider 2000.

BL.

I did. The movie was alright, but killing Devon Miles was a tad much. I did love the bit when KITT was in the '57 Chevy though.

I am aware the rainbow logo had nothing to do with LGBTQ+ diversity. I've read the Steve Jobs book. It referenced them being colour capable. The original logo was an Apple with the font being part of the 'bite mark' (specifically the letter 'A')



I presonally love that logo. It makes the 'bite mark' have purpose.

 

[Strider64]

I personally adore the Apple IIc Plus, I'd love to see Apple revisit the design.

I think the Max Studio could be a candidate for that minus the monitor and floppy drive. Though mouse could be redesign to give it a modern/classic look. 🤔

 

[skottichan]

I think the Max Studio could be a candidate for that minus the monitor and floppy drive. Though mouse could be redesign to give it a modern/classic look. 🤔

I've been looking for possible tutorials using a Mini. My biggest sticking point would be connecting the keyboard. And man, I adored that keyboard.

 

[XboxEvolved]

I really enjoyed the PowerMac G3/G4 as well as the G4 Cube. The iMac G4 also I felt was an awesome design that Apple ditched way too quickly. I think their most influential designs though would definitely be the original iMacs, as pretty much everything used clear colored plastic after them, and probably the iPod.

In terms of prices which is something I see a few of you talking about, you could say it is the "Apple tax" but then also a lot of their products are far cheaper than they were previously and far more capable. First iPad was $500, current one is $330. The first intel MBP for example started out at $2k wasn't even that powerful, now one with M2 starts out at $1,300 and is more powerful than the majority of laptops you can buy. Then again they do have a lot of products that are overpriced, but most of those products I would think are lower volume products anyways.

 

[nickdalzell1]

re: prices you should see what the MSRP was for the Apple //e back in the day. Even worse if you adjust for inflation.

That's a ton of $$$ just to play Oregon Trail and Jenny's Journeys!

 

[satchmo]

For me, what makes the original Mac so great was the simplicity of the OS. It‘s black and white interface was just so clean and pure. No fluff, aqua gradient scroll bars or colourful close window dots.
Sure it was a different time when the world was simpler as well.

Unfortunately today, I find I’m constantly multi-tasking and losing focus because all the distractions from notifications, to social media and the internet.

I‘d love to see someone reimage a device that brings us back to single-tasking (The iPad was originally sort of that, but it’s since become a lot more). Perhaps it’s just contains a Macwrite-style app. It might have a flat panel display, but it’s gotta have a black and white interface.

Edit: I was just thinking of something I saw recently that probably made me think of this device.

SystemSix is a classic Macintosh emulation with an e-ink display - 9to5Mac

I have a non-functional original Macintosh in my office just as nostalgic decoration, but SystemSix is a super-cute home-built alternative ...

9to5mac.com

 

[nickdalzell1]

I certainly won't miss this message from the black and white single-tasking days of Macs:

That one got me ultimately banned from LowEndMac forums, asking why a Mac crashed worse than Windows, and always required a restart instead of just closing the offending program. Their response? "Macs NEVER crash" and pushing it got me perma banned.

If only I knew how to capture a screenshot at the time, then I'd have proof. They thought the whole 'system error' thing was made up!

 

[bradl]

re: prices you should see what the MSRP was for the Apple //e back in the day. Even worse if you adjust for inflation.

That's a ton of $$$ just to play Oregon Trail and Jenny's Journeys!

View attachment 2090848

But absolutely worth it if you kicked the Boss' ass in Karateka!

Just make sure you don't approach the kidnapped girl while in fighting stance. One shot from her in the happysacks, and you die. 😂

BL.

 

[nickdalzell1]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to play the 'hardcore games' My only time with an Apple // system was endless replays of Oregon Trail, Jenny's Journeys, Number Munchers, Spell-A-Vator, and Odell Lake

I was only in second grade and my parents weren't gonna spend the sum of an Apple //e then. I think my constant begging ended up getting me an IBM PC XT clone (Vendex HeadStart Plus) and I had to do all the setup myself. My first true 'PC build' as yes, it came unassembled. I distinctively remember the 8 system disks, the oddball 'GUI' it had, and having to learn DOS, thinking out loud 'why must this be so hard? All I had to do at school was pop a disk in and turn the thing on!'

And, don't start calling it Apple "][" because that's wrong. The front plate which I definitely recall staring me in the face said "Apple //e"

 

[decafjava]

I certainly won't miss this message from the black and white single-tasking days of Macs:

View attachment 2091281

That one got me ultimately banned from LowEndMac forums, asking why a Mac crashed worse than Windows, and always required a restart instead of just closing the offending program. Their response? "Macs NEVER crash" and pushing it got me perma banned.

If only I knew how to capture a screenshot at the time, then I'd have proof. They thought the whole 'system error' thing was made up!

You could have taken a photo - I assume this was "recent" after digital cameras came on the scene?

 

[nickdalzell1]

I could take a picture, but how to get it into the Mac and send it to the LowEndMac forum? Keep in mind this was long before the era of PHP boards.

It was 1999 BTW. the best 'digital' camera I had then was a secondhand, 0.5 Megapixel Sony Mavica.

The computer was a Macintosh Classic. I got it for free (the college was tossing it into the trash, really great for the planet, eh?) and I upgraded it to 4MB RAM, and OS 7.5.3 (the HDD was too small to go to the higher 7.5.5) and I remember opening it to be quite easy, compared to all the remarks about it being all but impossible due to certain screws, but I just used a super long phillips screwdriver and out they came.

All my experience though with pre-OS X era Macs is the same. Super unstable, and system errors forcing reboots EVERY SINGLE TIME. None of them making any sense. What on earth is an 'unimplemented trap?' what is a 'type 6 error?' Yeesh even Windows was easier to figure out.

But then there were games like this it could run. Talk about hilarious sound effects!

 

[decafjava]

Ahhh sorry about that. Yea I remember that period well - I was just discovering the internet then in grad school.

 

[MajorFubar]

Not a Mac but I have really enjoyed restoring my first 'modern era' computer, from this state:

...to this state:

Commodore Amiga A1200; 80MB HDD; Blizzard '030 accelerator board with 16MB RAM.
Used mostly 'BITD' for programming and music production. Bought new in 1993 and expanded gradually over a period of 3-4 years. Then mothballed in 1998 until now, where it's rejoined my Mac-based home studio.

 

[nickdalzell1]

Besides, this was a forum who were anal about everything. Spelling Mac as MAC, or mac, and calling an iPod touch an 'iTouch' were grounds for suspension. Saying Macs crash was grounds for bans, as were giving good remarks about Windows.

I never remembered seeing an Amiga or any Commodore system even in the 80s. Everything from the K-Mart, to Radio Shack, to Service Merchandise had nothing short of IBM clones, Tandys, and our PC builder at the time (Advanced Systems and Trinity Computers) just built beige towers with just about anything that could run DOS/CP/M/Windows.

I never even got to experience Apple stuff until a crap ton of beige Sculley-era Macs ended up at a St. Vincent De Paul Store. Going from $7 to $45 at the time, and I mean Power Mac 6100s, Performa 466's, and the like.

I feel I missed out on an era, and I never saw a Silicon Graphics system either. I always wanted one of those since seeing Jurassic Park

 

[dalstott]

I couldn't resist just now firing up my 540c. I had forgotten how slow the boot process was in the good old days.
Pic below along with a list I had saved about this model. Blackbird was the Apple code name.

PS these sold for $5000 or so and the PCreader was another $1000.

 

[nickdalzell1]

I had an old PowerBook as well but it had the trackball. It had a half-functioning keyboard and insufficient storage to even get basic dial-up internet working. I wanted to be all retro in 2002 with it (back then, you'd spot the glowing Apple logos from the TiBooks in public Wifi places) but without internet it became pretty much useless. It had some sort of hardware issue as well as many apps that would run on the Classic failed to run at all or just froze the system (without a system error). It also had the Moto 68000 like the Classic. System 6 as well.

I thought it odd to refer to a non-PPC Mac as a 'PowerBook' or 'Power' anything though, since 'Power' was usually placed on PowerPC Macs such as the Power Macintosh G3.