ed tech | design | music
This set of white notecards features five different designs. Each card measures 4.25 x 6.25 inches, and the front-center of each card has a color Apple logo that is approximately one-half inch wide.
The Apple logos are stylized to appear as though they are partially transparent. The colors resemble the “fruit” iMac G3 colors that were released on January 5, 1999: Blueberry (blue), Grape (purple), Tangerine (orange), Lime (green), and Strawberry (red).
Apple’s Mini-VGA to Video Adapter was designed so Mac computers with a built-in Mini-VGA port could be connected to a device with an RGB video or S-video port. According to the packaging, compatible devices included:
“iBook without an external reset button, 12-inch PowerBook G4, or 17-inch iMac (1.0GHz) with mini-VGA port.”
The packaging included a bag with a white back and clear front to fully view the adapter that was being purchased. The bag was sealed with a black cardboard top printed with product information. The font used was Apple Myriad, Apple’s corporate font of the time.
Source: Apple (product package)
Released in November 2016, Designed by Apple in California was a photo book that documented 20 years of design at Apple. The book contains 450 photos depicting products from the original 1998 iMac to the original Apple Pencil released in 2015. The book “also documents the materials and techniques used by Apple’s design team over two decades of innovation.”
In the book’s foreward, Jony Ive, Apple’s Chief Design Officer, stated:
“While this is a design book, it is not about the design team, the creative process or product development. It is an objective representation of our work… We strive, with varying degrees of success, to define objects that appear effortless. Objects that appear so simple, coherent and inevitable that there could be no rational alternative.”
The book itself was described by Apple:
“Designed by Apple in California is available in two sizes and printed on specially milled, custom-dyed paper with gilded matte silver edges, using eight color separations and low-ghost ink. This linen-bound, hardcover volume was developed over an eight-year period. It is published by Apple.”
The large book measured 13 x 16.25 inches and was sold for $299. The small book was 10.20 x 12.75 inches and was sold for $199. The book could be purchased at apple.com and at selected Apple Stores, including Apple SoHo, Apple Fifth Avenue, Apple Upper East Side, Apple Williamsburg and Apple World Trade Center in New York; Apple The Grove in Los Angeles and Apple Third Street in Santa Monica; Apple North Michigan Avenue in Chicago; Apple Lincoln Road in Miami; Apple Northpark in Dallas; Apple Union Square in San Francisco; Apple Palo Alto and Apple Infinite Loop in Cupertino.
This example is the large version of the book, unopened in its original box. I purchased this book at the Chicago Apple Store on Michigan Avenue.
Source: Apple
This thin plastic mousepad was made by the company Microthin and features the strawberry (red) Apple logo printed in a manner to simulate the translucent plastic Apple logo used in the iMac line of computers at the time. This mousepad is red to match the strawberry iMac. The iMac colors of the time included tangerine, lime, blueberry, grape, strawberry, and graphite.
This mousepad is round and measures 8.5 inches in diameter. It is printed with a MICROTHIN PRODUCTS logo and small text along the bottom curve (in Apple Garamond font) reads, ©1999 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. L04108A. Different mousepad colors appear to use the same part number.
The back of the mousepad is covered in a sticky material that provides traction to prevent slippage. The tackiness of the material is still viable after over 20 years and can be reactivated by rinsing accumulated dust with water. However, the entire mousepad is beginning to show signs of yellowing.
I also have a blueberry example of this mousepad.
Source: No official sources found, additional colors confirmed on eBay
This shrink-wrapped package of round magnets feature an image of the original tangerine iBook and the words, “iMac to go. Introducing the iBook.” The magnet also includes the “Think Different” tagline used at the time along with a color-matched tangerine Apple logo.
The magnets are 3.5 inches diameter and there are 25 magnets in the package. The package also includes the original internal part number, L04107A (also printed on each magnet).
Source: Wikipedia
The M1 iMac was the first iMac to offer Apple’s M1 chip. It was introduced on April 20, 2021, at Apple’s Spring event that also introduced AirTags, AirTag accessories, the purple iPhone 12, and a new Apple TV 4K with a redesigned remote.
This higher-end version of the M1 iMac uses an 8-Core CPU with an 8-Core GPU. It also has 4 USB-C ports with 2 of 4 ports supporting Thunderbolt (USB 4). The Retina display is a 24-inch (23.5-inch) 4.5K LED (4480 x 2520 at 218 PPI). The display and computer measure just 11.5mm thick and is attached to an aluminum stand that pivots on a hinge. This model has 8GB RAM and a 2TB hard drive. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0. A gigabit ethernet port is built into the power brick (not included in the lower-end iMac M1 models).
The built-in camera and microphones are greatly enhanced compared to all other previous Mac cameras with its “Best Camera, Mics, and Speakers Ever in a Mac.” It included a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a “studio-quality three-microphone array for clearer calls and voice recordings” and a “six-speaker sound system that produces a massive sound stage with strong, articulate bass and crystal-clear mids and highs.” The standard 3.5mm headphone jack is located on the lower-left corner of the display on the side.
This iMac shipped with a matching Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a matching wireless Magic Mouse. A matching Magic Trackpad is also available and a wider Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad.
I consider the M1 iMac my longest-awaited Apple product. Before the M1, my last personal iMac was back in 2015 when I purchased the iMac 5K, 27-inch with an Intel Core i7 processor. Except for what I would consider modest speed enhancements, the iMac did not change much until the iMac Pro was released in 2017, but I never considered a $5,000+ iMac realistic for my own home use. So I waited.
When the M1 Mac chips were introduced in 2020 I knew it was only a matter of time before the M1 (or another Apple silicon chip) would appear in an iMac. The first M1 chips were put into the Mac mini, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook—all excellent computers, but the previous computer design was adopted instead of Apple offering a redesign. I almost immediately started testing the (original) M1 MacBook Air for use in the school district where I work and found its performance to not only live up to hype at the time, but exceed all expectations I had.
Meanwhile, I waited for an iMac announcement and finally got it on April 20, 2021. I ordered it the moment it was available and it arrived on June 3, 2021.
My setup commenced immediately after arrival, and I started by moving my over-800GB Photos Library to the M1. The library consists of my entire Apple Collection and is not on iCloud. The Photos app began processing the library and I was able to begin photo editing. The difference in speed was striking. Even though the processing was happening in the background, absolutely no waiting, stuttering, or sluggishness was apparent during two hours of photo editing. My previous iMac paused for the beach ball every few minutes and Photos crashed every 30 minutes or so.
While performance is a non-issue, the design and color of the iMac has been unexpected.
When the iMac M1 models were introduced, I thought for a long time about my color selection. Since the “vibrant” color is only on the back and sides, I’d never see it. I’m no fan of pastels so I needed to make a selection among options I dislike least, rather than selecting what I like most. While silver was always an option, the collector in me didn’t want to waste the opportunity to own one of six new colors. And silver is boring. After a long deliberation, I went with yellow.
I selected yellow because it is a color that Apple had never offered an an iMac, and yellow is relatively rare in other Apple devices. Other yellow devices offered by Apple have included two iPod nano models (Generations 4 and 5), iPhone 5c, iPhone XR, and iPhone 11. Apple also offered the iPod touch (Generation 5) in yellow, but this shade of yellow is more lime green than yellow.
The shades of yellow shown on Apple’s website are to my eye, very far off from the actual color. Further, the iMac M1 uses three different shades of yellow. The “chin” of the device is a pale yellow; the back and sides is a rich yellow-orange; and the aluminum base is gold with hint of yellow. The aluminum parts of the mouse and keyboard use the exact same shade of gold as the iMac base. Other yellow parts include the magnetic power plug (an exact match of the back and sides color); the braided power cord (yellow braided with white); and the braided USB-C-to-Lightning charging cable (yellow braided with white matching the power cable). The plastic glides on the bottom of the mouse introduce a fourth shade of dark yellow.
The packaging also includes several yellow accents. The photos of the iMac on the front, back, and sides of the box are all yellow, but they do not match the actual color of the iMac. To be fair, the box photos match the iMac far better than the web versions of the colors. The box contains an internal container with the accessories that is printed in yellow. The M1 iMacs each include two Apple-logo stickers, a matching light and dark version of the iMac colors (except silver which only contains one silver sticker). Finally, the three-panel “Getting Started” guide is printed in the color that matches the iMac.
I’m not bothered by these color issues, but I do find them surprising. I am no fan of the gold base, mouse, and keyboard, of my yellow iMac—I ordered yellow, not gold—but as a collector I appreciate the design and many details.
Sources: Apple, EveryMac (iMac systems, iMac core i7, iMac M1)
This “Think different.” brochure features Apple’s round USB Mouse from the original iMac on the cover. When opened, a two-page spread reveals the original iMac with the iconic “hello (again)” screen and a facing page in bright orange with white text that begins “Say hello to iMac.”
Fully unfolded, a four-panel horizontal spread shows a side view of the original iMac with several labeled features, a two-plug setup showing power and a phone line (Internet at this time was delivered through a built-in dial-up modem using a telephone land line), and a collage of the many third-party CD titles that shipped with the iMac.
The back page of the brochure included iMac specifications.
This brochure measures 3.75 x 6 inches folded.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, part of Apple’s print advertising included magazine inserts. These inserts functioned like “mini-magazines” within magazines. These inserts were glued with a pliable rubber cement that could be easily removed.
This 6-page magazine insert was used to introduce the first major iMac redesign. With this transformation, the iMac went from a colorful CRT-based computer to a flat-panel floating over a white half-sphere. The flat-panel display “floated” on an adjustable chrome arm that both tiled and swiveled.
The cover of this insert features a photo of the new iMac and the words, “The new iMac.”
The first 2-page spread had the title “Here we go again.”, described the iMac’s new design and capabilities, and showed its screen-adjusting abilities in a series of side-by-side photos. The second spread focused on the Mac OS X operating system, followed by a spread devoted to iPhoto, a spread about creativity on the Mac, and two pages of “Myths,” followed by “Facts” directed at Windows users who wish to switch to Mac.
The back cover shows a photo of the full iMac system with keyboard, mouse, and external speakers, along with a grid showing the three available configurations of the new iMac.
Folded, the insert measures 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, part of Apple’s print advertising included magazine inserts. These inserts functioned like “mini-magazines” within magazines. These inserts were glued with a pliable rubber cement that could be easily removed.
This magazine insert shows the iMac DV Special Edition in graphite and the headline “Re-birth announcement.”
When opened, each page folds out into a three-panel spread. Opened, a two-panel spread shows a slot-loading iMac with several paragraphs of text, and opening the fold-out reveals additional information on three panels. Overall, this magazine insert has three, three-panel spreads. The first spread shows iMac features, the second spread discusses media playing and creation capabilities, and the third spread is devoted to the AirPort base station and wireless.
The back page features all six available colors at the time: Tangerine, Strawberry, Blueberry, Grape, Lime, and Graphite.
This insert is stapled and contains three, three-panel spreads. Folded, it measures 10.5 x 7.375 inches.
These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs folded out into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.
iMac (January 2002)
This brochure features an indigo iMac on the cover. The horizontal 4-up layout features several tasks that can be completed on an iMac with four photos and the headlines “Surf the Internet,” “Make movies,” “Mix music,” and “Make a photo album.” The fully unfolded 8-up poster features a birds-eye view of an indigo iMac with the headline, “Your digital life starts here.”
The new iMac. (January 2002)
This brochure features the first flat-panel iMac (with a white half-sphere base) on the cover. The opening 2-up layout features the copy, “iMac redefined. With a state-of-the-art 15-inch digital flat panel display, a PowerPC G4 processor, and a SuperDrive that burn CDs and DVDs, the new iMac completely reinvents the all-in-one computer.” The fully unfolded 8-up mini-poster features the headline “Here we go again.”
