User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » Speculation and Rumors »

A return to black in '05?


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
A return to black in '05?
Page 3 of 3 Previous 1 2 [3]  Thread Tools
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2004-11-24, 16:35

I like the current white look of the "consumer" line. I don't think it looks cheap. But whatever.

Black Powerbook? I could see it, I guess. I think it'd probably be metallic black, but matte black can look nice too (I think Sony pulled it off smashingly on the new "mini PS2."). Would I bet on it? Probably not, unless Apple changes the Power Mac G5s to match. Whether you like their decision to unify the appearance of their lines or not, you can't deny that it exists.

If Apple, say, couldn't make a 12" Powerbook G5 and so they decided to make a G4 convertable tablet in itss place, then I could see that "PowerPad" being black. But of course I would - it is, alas, a figment of my imagination.

It would be interesting to see if Apple extends the adonized aluminum look of the iPm to other products. Maybe that 10" iBook people were raving about a while back? Not that I think that'll happen...

And while we're discussing colors, I'm with pscates - Apple should introduce new iPm colors. Orange, Red, Purple, whatever...just as long as they add Yellow.
  quote
Dave Hagan
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-11-25, 16:42

I think the thing that Apple needs to do most of all is make the PowerBook easier to service. It must cost Apple a fortune to do a repair on the current aluminum line of Powerbooks. If they had a PowerBook layout in a similar track as the Power Mac G5......Just look at how the new iMac g5 is fully user-serviceable. I would expect this with a new Power Mac G5. I would like to be able to replace my internal hard drive without voiding its warranty.
  quote
Fender
 
 
2004-11-26, 16:44

I certainly prefer the aluminum style Powerbook. Looks great on the current generation PBs, PowerMac G5, LCDs (and various aluminum accessories). However, black aluminum wouldn't be too bad IMO.

And I think the iBooks should be given the finish that the iMac G5s have. It's a beautiful finish in person. It would make it a little more classy, as the current finish is sort of flat & dull.
  quote
BarracksSi
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
 
2004-11-27, 01:36

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fender
I certainly prefer the aluminum style Powerbook. Looks great on the current generation PBs, PowerMac G5, LCDs (and various aluminum accessories). However, black aluminum wouldn't be too bad IMO.
Agreed, mainly about the current aluminum. There's nothing else like it anywhere, and people can spot it from a block away. Apple computers may have "small market share", but they're certainly pretty damn recognizable.

Quote:
And I think the iBooks should be given the finish that the iMac G5s have. It's a beautiful finish in person. It would make it a little more classy, as the current finish is sort of flat & dull.
You mean that the iBooks should return to the finish that they used to have. The iMac G5's finish is remarkably like the finish on my two-year-old "ice"Book.
  quote
iLuxo
 
 
2004-11-30, 08:02

The PB I remember most was the sligtly curvy one in black.

If you want corporate appeal my choice would be a two-tone charcoal and bronze exterior to match a good suit - or a black leather skin over the case - and with a slightly curvaceous exterior.

Carbon fibre has to be high gloss to look any good and that epoxy surface will scratch rapidly. Besides it looks trashy to me, like a flash rat with a gold tooth.
  quote
shatteringglass
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
 
2004-12-01, 03:01

The current white polycarbonate plastic Apple uses for iBooks looks incredibly cheap in person. I agree that they should go back to painting the insides of clear acrylic shells.
  quote
Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-12-01, 08:51

I don't think they look "cheap." The iBooks could look better, but they are certainly not cheap-looking.
  quote
Satchmo
can't read sarcasm.
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
2004-12-01, 09:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by shatteringglass
The current white polycarbonate plastic Apple uses for iBooks looks incredibly cheap in person. I agree that they should go back to painting the insides of clear acrylic shells.
I'm guessing costs may have had a factor in the change in matereials.

Or maybe to simply make it look "less premium" to better differentiate it against the then Titanium PB. With the sleek looking current Aluminum PB , it would be nice for the iBook to go back to acrylic shells.
  quote
Gizzer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hampshire (the original one)
 
2004-12-01, 10:13

Quote:
Originally Posted by Satchmo
I'm guessing costs may have had a factor in the change in matereials.

Or maybe to simply make it look "less premium" to better differentiate it against the then Titanium PB. With the sleek looking current Aluminum PB , it would be nice for the iBook to go back to acrylic shells.
As I recall it was definitely a cost cutting exercise. I think they dropped the clear polycarbonate look when they introduced the G4 iBooks. At the same time I think there was a rather substantial drop in price.
  quote
FallenFromTheTree
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: A Stoned Throw From Ground Zero
 
2004-12-04, 17:30

Personally, I prefer the clean professional look of the aluminum gear,but hate the white keyboards.

For those of you thinking in colors, there's something for everyone here.
/http://www.alienware.com/configurator_pages/details_pages/static_pages/case_changer_start.aspx

Unfortunately, you can't run OSX on these.
  quote
DMBand0026
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
 
2004-12-04, 17:45

Can't run OS X? I don't want it!

If you want to be more colorful than your conformist comrades, I recommend checking out ColorWare PC.

Yum, colors

Come waste your time with me
  quote
applenut
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-12-04, 21:31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Messiahtosh
I don't think they look "cheap." The iBooks could look better, but they are certainly not cheap-looking.
they most certainly do. they look like cheap pcs...only white and designed better of course. but the material used looks just as cheap.
  quote
adam_tj
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: OUTSIDE of Redmond
 
2004-12-04, 22:12

Just got a Powerbook G4 12". Beautiful case. Hope they keep it.
  quote
shatteringglass
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
 
2004-12-04, 22:40

It's not just the glossy polycarbonate they use for the outer shell either, the iBook G4s and revised G3s also have cheaper top cases, too. The original iceBooks had slightly metallic plastics that surrounded the keyboard and trackpad, while the newer ones have switched to duller, more plastic-like white surfaces, like the kind you would find on a kitchen appliance.
  quote
futuretheory
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-04, 23:39

I think anodized aluminum is the next step. It's anodized now of course, but I mean with a color. This process is affordable and can produce a range of impressive colors (look at bike frames, pretty common there). I only worry about wear; scratch through the aluminum that's been anodized and you get a pretty obvious silver scratch.

Carbon fiber would be very interesting, but it would be hard to work the detail areas like corners, vents, hinges, latches, button indentations, etc. Obviously these fixtures would need metal or plastics. Not to mention the insulating aspects, making size even more difficult. I just don't see fiber being very easy to pull off, maybe used for lid and bottom.

One thing I do ask for is hard surface over my LCD that stands up to everyday use and keyboard proximity. Even my Gateway laptop from work has a glass surface and I feel better with that there. Perhaps Apple will consider the new coating from TDK
  quote
colonelforbin
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-05, 14:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by futuretheory
I think anodized aluminum is the next step. It's anodized now of course, but I mean with a color. This process is affordable and can produce a range of impressive colors (look at bike frames, pretty common there). I only worry about wear; scratch through the aluminum that's been anodized and you get a pretty obvious silver scratch.
as a mountain biker, i can tell you that anodized aluminum holds up very well. much harder to scratch, and a mountain bike has many more opportunities to get scratched than a laptop.

the thing with colours is that retailers have to keep more in stock, in case a consevative businessman customer doesn't want an ipod-mini-pink powerbook.

however, it would be cool to have a green or blue anodized pb. even the pink has a certain :smokey: factor, if one is comfortable with one's masculinity.
  quote
futuretheory
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-05, 14:35

Quote:
Originally Posted by colonelforbin
as a mountain biker, i can tell you that anodized aluminum holds up very well. much harder to scratch, and a mountain bike has many more opportunities to get scratched than a laptop.
Agreed. It actually depends on the process, but an deep anodized surface is far better than a coating. The issue is form factor, bike frames are not flat and between the handle bars, pedals, tires, etc. the frame is actually pretty "insulated"; what does make impact tends to get deflected off the a rounded/angled surface.

Sliding a flat piece of anodized aluminum in and out of airport bins with gravel in the bottom (from shoes) or across table with single bit of sand and I guarantee a higher chance for scratches. That said, anodizing is fairly tough especially with treated with a resilient clear polymer.

Sorry, I can't help but talk about this stuff...I'm a material guy....but yeah, anodized pink has it's attraction. Look at the miniPods.
  quote
Dave Hagan
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-05, 22:05

The one thing I wonder about if Apple is going black is how will they backlight the keyboard?
  quote
jouster
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-17, 22:10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Hagan
The one thing I wonder about if Apple is going black is how will they backlight the keyboard?
In exactly the same way they do now?

As long as the letter is translucent, what difference does key color make?
  quote
Dave Hagan
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-12-18, 10:21

Quote:
Originally Posted by jouster
As long as the letter is translucent, what difference does key color make?
Well right now the key cap is silver gray. The letter on each keycap is translucent. So when the backlight isn't active, the key color is dark because it's dark underneath the keyboard. If the keycap was black and the letter translucent, you'd have black on black, until the backlight came on. And for all the time you're using your PowerBook in full light, black on black would be stupid.
  quote
BarracksSi
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
 
2004-12-19, 22:44

Quote:
Originally Posted by futuretheory
Agreed. It actually depends on the process, but an deep anodized surface is far better than a coating.
I assume that I haven't seen a good anodized surface yet, because that stuff still gets scratched like anything else.

Worse, it's not really a renewable finish. The good thing about the plastics on iBooks, for example, is that it can be buffed and the scratches smoothed out. On the other hand, once an anodized finish is wrecked, it's wrecked for good.
  quote
IVIIVI4ck3y27
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lyons, IL
Send a message via ICQ to IVIIVI4ck3y27 Send a message via AIM to IVIIVI4ck3y27 Send a message via MSN to IVIIVI4ck3y27 Send a message via Yahoo to IVIIVI4ck3y27  
2004-12-19, 23:56

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Hagan
Well right now the key cap is silver gray. The letter on each keycap is translucent. So when the backlight isn't active, the key color is dark because it's dark underneath the keyboard. If the keycap was black and the letter translucent, you'd have black on black, until the backlight came on. And for all the time you're using your PowerBook in full light, black on black would be stupid.
So they make the text on the keys white or a color (hopefully with a coating over it, the white lettering on my Logitech keyboard is already coming off) with the lettering itself being painting on a clear composite element part of the keys, with the rest of the key being a thicker, solid, non-translucent material. When the lighting shines through, the lettering could glow white, red, green, purple, blue, etc. etc.

If they wanted to get crazy they could take a tip from Ford (Mustang, the gauges), and make the keys standard "white" but when you fire up the backlight could make it so the coloring under the keyboard changes colors via a knob/dial/switch, perhaps even cycling (great for hippy laptop owners needing a lava lamp away from home ). It also wouldn't require Apple to produce the new laptops in different colors. They could just change the backlighting color via a dial (mini iPod thumbwheel perhaps?). Maybe take a tip from the old Powerbook 1400's and have removable panels for customization. Although this could scarily make Mac laptops look like some of the newer Dell's that offer this yeeeeeeeeears later. :-P

Better yet... why not just take a tip from the Motorola Razr phone? Nothing to say the keys can't be aluminum (attached to transparent plastic underneath) with engravings so when the back-lighting is on it passes through the engravings and around the keys?

Personally... I have no complaints about staying with silver for the Pro, and white for the lower line. I can't see Apple making their lineup look like the U2 iPod's. Not that the U2 iPod isn't cool, it's just... I dunno... kinda' gaudy in a sense with that red blinging at you. Black tends to look 1980's/1990's on a computer anymore, especially when I think of NeXT. Awesome machines but I think Apple's gone past that by leap's and bound's. The U2 iPod was a statement of sorts... and I'm sure we'll see more. I'm waiting for the Crushed Velvet Snoop Dogg iPod myself. I heard the thumbwheel's gonna' spin and be 5" 'round.

If we talk about going black... hell why not... woodgrain. Go old school, bring back the Apple 1 look. I have mental images of corrugated anodized aluminum (think like the old wooden speedboats) and a nice teak or cherry, maybe a birch. Make it have a homey feel to it.

Seriously... I hope Ive can come up with something different than coloring to set the next machines apart for the next "big" thing. I don't think the coloring is the issue, and I think it's a firmly established look that is decisively Apple in terms of the coloring variation. The problem is centered around just how many are aping Apple's pro line for everything they do (I do admit the black lacquer/silver look is sharp but it's been done). Dell went with the anodized aluminum look... but in fairness, it still looks like their old desktop/laptop just in a different material or color. I expect Apple to make the form factor the "wow", not the color. Sort of like the Motorola Razr phone. Lots of phones come in silver. Lots have blue lighting. None look that cool... so far.

Marcus Mackey
mmackey27@comcast.net
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Page 3 of 3 Previous 1 2 [3] 

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Mountain Dew: Pitch black Wrao AppleOutsider 18 2004-10-26 03:38
return of the DRAFT in 2005?? thegelding AppleOutsider 46 2004-06-07 01:05
Lew Is Black thuh Freak AppleOutsider 12 2004-05-19 14:53


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:07.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova