The Rumor Mill

Flat iMac Design

- 2001.07.09

I was thinking over the weekend - what could Apple do for an encore now that they've killed the Cube? Well, how about a square iMac? Yes, what about a flat, square iMac?

Looks like I wasn't alone. Surfing the Web over the weekend, I found a link to a possible iMac rendering by Derrick Square flat iMacTittsworth. It's thin. It uses a flat panel display, as almost everyone expects. And it's square.

Could Apple do it. Sure. The technology already exists to build this hybrid of desktop and laptop parts into a "Think Square" iMac. Some guesses:

  • Unlike a laptop, no battery. Also would use a 3.5" hard drive instead of the more expensive 2.5" drives found in the iBook and PowerBook.
  • Latest version of G3 running at 500, 600, and 700 MHz. Give it 128 MB RAM standard (1 GB max) and a 20 GB hard drive.
  • Screen would be either a 14" 1024 x 768 like recent PowerBooks or 1152 x 768 like the TiBook. Let's call it 14" wide by 14" tall.

Yes, it does have stereo speakers in the front, a slot-loading CD/DVD drive on the side, and vents at the top.

To provide room and internal ventilation, I'm guessing the SquareMac would be at least 1.5" to provide room for a standard hard drive. If it uses an external power supply, as the portables do and the Cube did, it should cool by convection, just like the iMac and Cube.

Other views show a foot in the back that keeps the flat iMac from tipping over. It's a very well thought out design.

Of course, as with the Cube, having any cables running to the computer detracts from the clean lines, so if Apple does go in this direction, maybe they'll also have a wireless keyboard and mouse to complement it.

Whatever, Derrick has come up with a clever, attractive design that everyone would recognize instantly as a Mac and as an iMac. I wonder how Apple's design will compare.

Could they sell it for $999? I doubt it at present, but I think it could sell for less than the iBook. How does $1,199 sound?

And I'm thinking maybe Spongebob Squarepants as Apple's new spokesperson. ;-)

- Anne Onymus

Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Google+, or subscribe to our RSS news feed

Today's Links

Recent Content

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Page not found | Low End Mac

Well this is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?

It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for. Perhaps searching, or one of the links below, can help.

Most Used Categories

Archives

Try looking in the monthly archives. :)

Page not found | Low End Mac

Well this is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?

It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for. Perhaps searching, or one of the links below, can help.

Most Used Categories

Archives

Try looking in the monthly archives. :)

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
Cult of Mac
Shrine of Apple
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
The Vintage Mac Museum
Deal Brothers
DealMac
Mac2Sell
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
Macgo Blu-ray Player
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay

Low End Mac's Amazon.com store

Advertise

Well this is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?

It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for. Perhaps searching, or one of the links below, can help.

Most Used Categories

Archives

Try looking in the monthly archives. :)

at BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.

Open Link