[Brave Ulysses]

7 year anniversary of the original iPhone announcement, probably the greatest tech release and presentation ever. Somehow I have watched clips of that presentation hundreds of times yet to this day it still grabs me and I end up watching most of what remains after whatever clip I started watching. It's remarkable how much has changed for Apple, the technology industry and our lives since then.


As amazing as that is, it's even more amazing to me that the Mac turns 30 this year on January 24.

Apple rarely participated in nostalgia about its own past under Steve Jobs, but I truly hope Cook does something for the 30th Anniversary of the Mac this year. I'd also love to see a one off Super Bowl commercial to mark the occasion.

[Quagmire]

It's the fact that the prototype used for the iPhone presentation was a huge POS is what gets me now about the presentation not how the iPhone was unveiled. How the radios would crash, if you did something in a wrong order it would crash, etc. How it worked without any of us knowing the fact it could break down at any second.

That is what amazes me. The fact it was so far from completion, but made it operate the way it would when we got our hands on it later in June.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by Quagmire It's the fact that the prototype used for the iPhone presentation was a huge POS is what gets me now about the presentation not how the iPhone was unveiled. How the radios would crash, if you did something in a wrong order it would crash, etc. How it worked without any of us knowing the fact it could break down at any second. That is what amazes me. The fact it was so far from completion, but made it operate the way it would when we got our hands on it later in June.

The chapter of Dog Fight that describes the iPhone announcement and the lead up to it is worth the price of the book.

[Luca]

Remember when there was a huge debate as to whether third party apps would ever be allowed on the iPhone, and Apple tried to push the idea of "web apps" that you would access through the browser?

Ha.

[Wrao]

It's pretty unfortunate how many people want to rewrite history and pretend like the iPhone wasn't a big deal or that the entire industry didn't completely shift over to follow in its wake after it came out. But so it goes I guess.

The thing that always gets me when I think about the iPhone announcement and release is how it was really only a few years after the iPod hit its stride. But the entire progression from iPod to iPhone seemed like an eternity at the time, from this often rumored and highly speculated concept device "What if Apple made a phone?" to "okay, so The Apple Phone, will it be like an iPod or like a blackberry?". (also interesting how we basically did the exact same thing with the iPad, and were largely off the mark on that one too)

My only regret is that I severely underestimated just how big of a deal it would be. I figured it would be successful but I was so conservative in my reading of it, couldn't grasp that it would(let alone could) be world-changingly successful.

[psmith2.0]

From day one I knew it was huge. It was just too perfect, and all the things needed. But it was the big Multi-Touch screen (it could be anything you want) that grabbed (and sold) me. Hands-down, the greatest tech product introduction ever. I watch the entire presentation about twice a year, just to remind me "how it used to be" (and how it could've been, if not for the iPhone).

Hell, I think it should be required viewing in various business, marketing, public speaking, etc. classes.

Steve was never better than he was that morning, and, IMO, it trumps every other announcement - including the Mac - he ever made. Yes, even the Mac.

And, as noted above, when you learn just how shaky and iffy that whole presentation was (and how it could've blown up in their faces at any second), it just makes it even cooler that it went off so perfectly. There are companies - Microsoft and Samsung immediately spring to mind - who can't get through a product introduction or demo with a shipping, on-the-street product that smoothly!

[Quagmire]

Well there is the whole iPhone 4 WiFi issues Jobs had during its introduction. Could tell Steve was getting a bit agitated.....

[709]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Steve was never better than he was that morning, and, IMO, it trumps every other announcement - including the Mac - he ever made. Yes, even the Mac.

And even though he was announcing his most important product ever, he still took time out for a gag:





*sigh*


Note to Federighi: your hair joke was funny once. Once. To make it your schtick makes me cringe.

[709]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses 7 year anniversary of the original iPhone announcement, probably the greatest tech release and presentation ever.

Steve going over and over about "An iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator. An iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator" while twirling the icons behind him on-screen has to one of the greatest things ever.

Then: "These are NOT three separate devices!"

You can tell especially from that bit how much he thought of the product and how huge he knew it was going to be. Totally in his element. Such greatness.

[Quagmire]

It's funny how the crowd went nuts over the iPod and phone device, but went, " Uhh??? We'll clap anyway because you're Steve Jobs and all" over the internet communicator and that became the biggest feature of the iPhone.

[709]

Well, "internet mobile communicator" isn't exactly a term you can wrap your head around in 3 seconds. In hindsight, "pocket internet device" or some other term would've been way better. "imc" is like, what? Star Trek what? Will it make that flippy-lid noise?

Maybe that term was intentionally vague just to build anticipation in the room? There's no doubt Steve approved (or came up with himself) that term. It's as odd sounding now as it was then, so, dunno.

But, here's the greatest thing. Steve went onstage and announced 3 different products. There was not one of us, anywhere, that thought for a minute Apple wasn't about to launch 3 different products. At that time it never would've occurred even to the most forward thinking of us that those 3 products would be combined into a single device. Ever.

Such is the delight of the iPhone Keynote. It was a watershed event, and 7 years later we're not even past the spillover.

[709]

"This is a day I've been looking forward to for two and a half years."

If you don't have a smile on your face by a minute in, there's something wrong with you.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by 709 Well, "internet mobile communicator" isn't exactly a term you can wrap your head around in 3 seconds. In hindsight, "pocket internet device" or some other term would've been way better. "imc" is like, what? Star Trek what? Will it make that flippy-lid noise? Maybe that term was intentionally vague just to build anticipation in the room? There's no doubt Steve approved (or came up with himself) that term. It's as odd sounding now as it was then, so, dunno.

Even if there was a better term to describe it, I bet it would still get the same reaction. Don't blame them as the anticipation was around the phone part. But, the 3rd thing became the biggest thing about the iPhone.

Another thing, you had the whole, " Who wants a stylus? Yuck" moment. Yet today, stylus's are making a bit of a comeback. Though mostly with tablets.

[709]

Originally Posted by Quagmire Another thing, you had the whole, " Who wants a stylus? Yuck" moment. Yet today, stylus's are making a bit of a comeback. Though mostly with tablets.

[citation needed]

There's been a few fun attempts at a nice, worthwhile stylus design, but "making a bit of a comeback" is a bit strong. Source? Wacom doesn't count, btw. Also, "mostly with tablets" ?. I look forward to your citation with phone users scrambling for stylus type things. Samsung atrocities notwithstanding.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by 709 [citation needed] There's been a few fun attempts at a nice, worthwhile stylus design, but "making a bit of a comeback" is a bit strong. Source?

Personal observation. Which is I know not a valid source. So I guess I should have said, seems to be making a bit of a comeback.

Also, I wonder how many people tried to call Ive and Schiller after Steve unveiled their numbers during the presentation. Though I bet they were prepaid phones that they would toss after the presentation.

[709]

Originally Posted by Quagmire Personal observation.

You just should've said from the beginning "My whole family bought Paper because it was highly ranked in the App Store. Now we're looking at styluses for our iPads."





That said, if you really want to have fun with Paper, there's really only one stylus to consider. This. Pure sex, imo.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by 709 "This is a day I've been looking forward to for two and a half years." If you don't have a smile on your face by a minute in, there's something wrong with you.

That is one of my favorite parts of the keynote as well, and I do find myself smiling every time I hear it.

Then I get bummed out that he's no longer with us. But I have faith that there were other things he was working on that may still come to light sometime soon.

[_Ω_]

I miss Clarus. Moof!

[709]

Speaking of nostalgia….

[Robo]

[709]

Astonishingly, that pic is nowhere on the web right now. Like its been erased. I searched "moof girl" "clarus girl coffee shop" "WWDC moof hot girl ass" etc. etc. Nothing. wtf? I thought that was an iconic pic. Guess not.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by 709 Astonishingly, that pic is nowhere on the web right now. Like its been erased. I searched "moof girl" "clarus girl coffee shop" "WWDC moof hot girl ass" etc. etc. Nothing. wtf? I thought that was an iconic pic. Guess not.

gg, g! Now this thread will coon be the top hit for those search terms.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by 709 Astonishingly, that pic is nowhere on the web right now. Like its been erased. I searched "moof girl" "clarus girl coffee shop" "WWDC moof hot girl ass" etc. etc. Nothing. wtf? I thought that was an iconic pic. Guess not.

Replace "WWDC" with "Macworld Expo" (note the guy's bag).

EDIT: Don't bother, I saved you the trouble. No luck. And I tried several more variations.

[Brave Ulysses]

Well done, apple.

The website tribute is beautiful.

[Mac+]

Yep.

The timeline is fantastic and the interactive visualisation of what people have done with their Mac over time is a fascinating way to distil the way the Mac helped change our lives.

[ThunderPoit]

Originally Posted by 709 Speaking of nostalgia….

I tried a reverse image search and found it posted in a forum as far back as 2005, otherwise there was also a link to a german blog of some sort dated 2003, but no word on origins

[psmith2.0]

I can't believe they actually acknowledged/commemorated the date. They never do (20, 25, etc.), so this was nice. And I just discovered all the extras and stories beyond the home page and that video. Good stuff. On days like this, it's just a little extra cooler to be a Mac.

My history:

Spring 1992: My first exposure/usage of a Mac (a IIfx, I think?). It was at school
Fall 1993: We got new ones in the advertising arts department...Centris something-or-others (a couple of different styles, I believe)
February, 1994: My very first personal Mac, bought at MicroCenter in Tustin, CA (Orange County)...a Quadra 610 with 13" Apple RGB Display
February, 2000: iMac DV in February (yes, I went six years with my first Mac)
2001: A short-lived, secondhand tangerine iBook...enough to make me realize I never want two Macs again, no matter how cool they looked
March, 2002: iMac G4
October, 2003: 15" PowerBook G4
September, 2008-present: 20" iMac (aluminum/glass)

If you detect a pattern of some sort, it's because in the early 2000's, I apparently had more money than sense...owning three Macs in under four years.

But the real me is represented in that 1994-2000 block, and then from 2003 forward. I buy what I need/can afford, and run it into the ground for five-plus years...then I treat myself after year six or so.

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by ThunderPoit I tried a reverse image search and found it posted in a forum as far back as 2005, otherwise there was also a link to a german blog of some sort dated 2003, but no word on origins

Macworld Expo bag would suggest it's a random cafe outside Moscone circa the early 2000s. Possibly the Metreon.

[Kickaha]

Hey! I still have that shirt! Actually, I have a whole bunch of older Apple shirts like that. Somewhere. Hmmm.

Apple history (nerd cred):

1982: Apple ][+ in school lab
1983: Apple //e in school lab (holy hell! **64kB!!**)
1984: Local computer store owner invited me to come down and see the Mac the day before he put it on display. I. Was. Hooked. Every time I see the old woodblock image MacPaint demo, I can smell his shop.
1989: Finally got my own Mac: //cx, 19" CRT, 32-bit graphics card, 40MB SyQuest drive backup system... it was top of the freaking line, man.

Over the years, I've had a B/W PowerMac G3, PowerBook 180, PowerBook 5300ce (230MB magneto-optical drive in the drive bay baby!), PowerBook G4, MacBook, MacBook Pro Retina, and an inherited Cube. I think I have all of them, but for possibly the 180.

I was a student scholarship winner to WWDC in '98 (Hi Brad!), and a beta tester for what eventually became OS X. Still have all of my install discs, too. Whee!

I've also got an old Apple //gs setup (dual 3.5", dual 5.25" floppies), and a NeXTstation complete with dual CRTs and the original Canon laser printer.

I swear, I'm one comics collection away from living in my parent's basement.

.....

DAMMIT!

[Capella]

Loved the Myst shoutout, so pleased to see recognition for it; the creators were over the moon about it, too.

I started with a Performa 550 in I think 1994. Had the Star Trek After Dark screensaver... I miss System 7 now.