[DavyG]

Which Apple products do you think was the most iconic and unique? I start off by thinking of the G4 Cube. They were the mini's forefathers.

[iPirate]

The Pixar-Lamp-Style iMac. I just loved those little guys.

[leon]

This was a question that I posed to myself a lot, and hence have begun collecting what I believe are the most pivotal Apple Computers (in terms of design). In order of preference

(1) 20th Anniversary Mac - NEED TO GET ONE OF THESE
(2) G4 Cube - Such an elegant design, especially when teamed up with a 15" or 22" Studio Display
(3) iMac G4 - I have a 20" as I believe the biggest is best
(4) iMac G3 - To me this computer is what lifted Apples profile to the masses (Dalmatian and Flower Power are my favorites)
(5) iMac G5 - The first "true" all in one design

[macaholic]

20th Anniversary Mac. Fore-runner to the current iMacs.


EDIT: click the link above, you'll be glad you did...

[andrew.wilson]

I am with iPirate...the lampshade mac is a real icon...even for non mac fans.

I think the iPod should count! EVERYONE knows what an iPod is...by far a defining cultural icon!

[mjankor]

Mac Mini - Until they build something even smaller that machine is the only one to outcube the Cube.

Powerbook Aluminium - The timeless design (seriously, how long as it been unchanged )

Mac Plus

iMac - pretty well all versions

[DavyG]

Originally Posted by andrew.wilson

I think the iPod should count! EVERYONE knows what an iPod is...by far a defining cultural icon!

Ok then, someone change the title to 'Most iconic and unique Apple products'.

[Edge]

Orig. Macintosh
Orig. iMac
Cube
G4 iMac (lamp)
TAM
Orig. G4 PowerBook (Titanium)

...in that order.

Classic.

[Linux_insidev2]

Macintosh
iMac range
Powermac G3, G5 (mainly for their cases)
Powerbook, and now Macbook Pro's
iBook G3 Clamshell
iBook G3 Snow
G4 Cube
:edit: and Leon, the G3 iMacs were all one unit and were the first true all-in-one imac's - they all have been except the G4 iMac which had the display seperate from the rest of the system

[Mctastic]

20th Anniversary Mac,.. hands down. i owned one but corrosion cause by one of the cooling fans, over the video card ended it's brilliant life

[Mctastic]

20th Anniversary Mac,.. hands down. i owned one but corrosion cause by one of the cooling fans, over the video card ended it's brilliant life

what a brilliant all in one with Bosé sound second to none

[stewiesno1]

So what did you do with it Mctastic ?
Stewie

[AppleSammy]

Most "iconic" imo would be mac classic and the bondi blue iMac, the unique macs I believe would be the TAM and cube

[stewiesno1]

OK here goes then.
Desktops
TAM first ,daylight second
Cube
iMac G4
iMac G3 , so different at the time and stirred up the whole industry.
MacIntosh
MacMini

Powerbooks
The duo
Pismo for being the best of the G3 Powerbooks.
Wallstreet for its looks ( see Danas photos on her site of her Wallstreet - you'll see what I mean )
17" MBPro - big screen , slim , more power than all my desktops put together.

Ahh , so many Macs , so little time.
Stewie

[jmd]

Since we're talking all Apple products my list for various reasons (in chronological order):

1. Apple //e - the popular version of the ][ series
2. Lisa - the first mass produced GUI computer
3. Macintosh 128k - the first Mac whose shape was retained for a very long time
4. Laserwriter - first mass produced laser printer
5. Mac Portable - a heavy vision for future laptops
6. Mac IIcx - coupled with the Portrait or 2 Page Display - a powerhouse for desktop publishing
7. Mac SE/30 - a tiny powerhouse that many used as small servers
8. Mac LC - made Macs affordable for schools etc, started the 'pizza' box revolution
9. Powerbook 100 - the first 'notebook', and what a way to start - with a what we would now consider to be a 'sub-notebook'
10. Powerbook Duo - what an idea - a sub notebook that could load into a desktop enclosure
11. PowerCD - an interesting device that showed Apple looking at hifi/set top box design
12. MacTV - (ie the one based on the LC520 chassis) the first step into integrated entertainment
13. LC575 - that classic shape lasted a long time
14. Workgroup Server 95 - Demonstrated how great Unix and MacOS can work together with A/UX
15. Newton Messagepad - created the PDA revolution
16. Quicktake 100 - the digital camera revolution commences
17. eMate - another vision of the future (rugged clamshell laptops)
18. Twentieth Anniversary Mac - an insight to the future (which we see now - check out the unused design ideas for the TAM; you will see what became the G4 iMac and G5 iMac designs there a long time ago!)
19. Apple Network Server - the largest apple ever made! Another glimpse into Apple's thoughts on Unix (this time AIX)
20. Pippin project - another glimpse that Apple was still thinking of the Set top box idea
21. Bondi iMac - reinvented the original Mac introduced USB and signalled the death of floppies
22. Powerbook G3 Series - distinctive new look for Apple stamping the arrival of fast laptops
23. Airport - demonstrated that wireless networking was easy
24. Bubblegum iBook G3 - rugged, distinctive
25. Power Mac G4 - the power to make real movies at home
26. Power Mac G4 Cube - they're just so darned great!
27. iPod - showcased digital music
28. LCD Cinema Displays - truly beautiful displays
29. Xserve G4 - Apple gets its dream Unix server
30. Mac Mini G4 - fusing the LC and Cube ideas
31. Apple TV - finally, Apple decide on their Set Top Box
32. iPhone - reinventing the PDA

Well, that's how I see it anyway....

Regards,

JMD

[AppleSammy]

I agree, the pismo is probably the most robust of the powerbooks I have used, still great with Tiger and damn sexy from all angles

[Mctastic]

Stewie, . when i relocated to Australia, i left it with a friend. prob chucked out by now.....

[Byrd]

Originally Posted by Mctastic

Stewie, . when i relocated to Australia, i left it with a friend. prob chucked out by now.....

(I'd imagine many Mactalk member's hearts have broken as they read this!)

Iconic? The original Macintosh - unsurpassed for years, and Apple still take design cues from it.

Most unique? Definately the Cube.

JB

[soulman]

Blue & White G3. I remember being stunned when I first saw a pic of one. The design seemed so outlandish in some ways yet it was so practical. Whilst the B&Ws look a bit dated now, those first G4 towers still look stunning I think, particularly from the side. Great colour.

I'm actually using one at the moment while my G5 DP is getting fixed and its surprisingly useful. Some things are not possible - Lightroom for eg - but it is running my normal boot disk via FW400 and most things are fine.