Never mind your feelings about the company; that's a beautiful computer right there.
In the earliest days of computers, the damned things looked awesome. They were the size of a building, they had less computing power than a modern wrist-watch, and they were nearly impossible to use. The interface was almost guaranteed to cause computational errors, and they couldn’t be relied on for anything more critical than simple database functions. Oh, and putting a man on the moon. That too. Yet despite all these shortcomings, they were still phenomenal looking creatures. Ominous, yet futuristic. Industrial, yet sleek. Big, yet big.
Then, at some point, computers shrunk, and it was decided that they should therefore become ugly. The personal computer became a beige metal box with some cheap switches on the front. “Styling” might consist of a simple trim piece along the face; that was it. They all looked pretty much the same: ugly.
Then, along came the reborn Apple. They introduced colours, fancy plastics, and, lo and behold, style. The original iMac, and the PowerMac G3 that accompanied it, took the world by storm. Suddenly people wanted a computer that looked good. Since then, most companies make at least a passing effort to design an attractive case, and some actually go above and beyond the call of duty. Sometimes these efforts are successful. Other times, they’re Gateways not. But that begs the obvious question:
Mirror mirror, on the wall: which is the fairest (looking) computer of them all?
Obligatory
<img src="http://images.wikia.com/familyguy/images/3/34/Majel_and_Gene.jpg" width="300">
The Major:
<img src="http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28200000/Ghost-in-the-Shell-ghost-in-the-shell-28282037-1600-1200.jpg" style="border:2px solid black;" alt=" " border="2" width="500">
For those who are unfamiliar with the "Ghost in the Shell" franchise, the Major is a cyborg.
<img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/46/136114205_d2c537c41e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="The Apple IIc"> Never has been a better design than the //c in my opinion. Lots of little details like the rounded corners and the lines, but many functional and pretty parts too liike the diagonal buttons making it harder to press accidentally and the handle that doubled as a prop. It looks like a MKI Golf in computer form to me if that makes any sense. Also that colors used in all the print back then, like in the clothes, I want that to become fashionable. For years I kept a stockpile of bright colored cheery sweat shirts like those, but eventually they wore out.
I dig the brutality of the Osborne. Also, it looks robust enough to use as a cudgel – a highly underrated office tool.
<img src="http://timenerdworld.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/osborne1.jpg?w=600&h=400&crop=1" />
I'm going to go against the grain here and choose a new computer. I've coveted an Alienware comp for a long time now and they look better and better with each passing generation.
<img src="http://www.laptoppicker.com/archives/alienware-area-51-m15x-m17x-laptop.jpg" width="500">
The only problem with Alienware is you can spec a normal Dell gaming computer to the same level but pay way less. I saved so much that way that I was able to splurge on a customized lid.
This Ford Bronco computer looks pretty fair to me.
<img src="http://zedomax.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/fordbronco-pc-1.jpg"width="500"/>
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6948558916_23a386c50d_b.jpg" width=500>
Clearly this must go on my list of 'Things to Do'.
Most definitely!
<img src="http://zedomax.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/fordbronco-pc-2.jpg"width="500"/>
Regrettably my driver's side isn't quite that smooth.
The 20th Anniversary Mac was pretty spiffy looking, though it was underwhelming technically and wildly overpriced.
<img src="http://www.applefritter.com/files/images//spartacus-4518_0.jpg" width=500>
I'd forgotten about those… and just how beautiful they really were. That's a great looking computer. Pity it was so… meh.
<img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3060/3091372163_2a63e86daa.jpg" width="450">
I have a similar taste in cars.
This:
<img src="http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Chapel-exterior.jpg">
<a href="http://atomictoasters.com/2012/03/case-modding-with-a-chapel/” target=”_blank”>http://atomictoasters.com/2012/03/case-modding-with-a-chapel/
<img src="http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090524204257/starwars/images/thumb/1/1a/R2d2.jpg/250px-R2d2.jpg" width="400">
He doubled as a nav computer, so it counts, right?
You win.
It may have looked good, but IIRC, the cubes ran HOT. Like burn themselves out hot.
I'll take a Ford.
<img src="http://www.fototime.com/BE3FB597301EB9B/orig.jpg"width=500>
Fire control computer from a WWII era destroyer.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/DPhIC.jpg" width=500>
…No, that's not right.
[youtube b6aZ0cw4jFM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6aZ0cw4jFM youtube]
Something about the lampish profile, combined with its reasonable-for-the-time performance, sets this era of iMac apart for me. Of course, it doesn't hurt that there's one on my desk.
I haven't seen that in a while, thanks!
That commercial was so genius.
Computer? Phew, a quick glance at the lede photo made me think Apple was making toasters now.
Are we allowed to go beyond personal computers? I always liked the arguable ancestor to the G4 Cube, the NeXT:
<img src="http://www.photonhunter.co.uk/~art/computers/tbl-cube1.jpg">
I suspect I've always had a thing for cubes, though, because I remember drooling over the Thinking Machines CM-1:
<img src="http://www.thocp.net/hardware/pictures/thinking_machine_cm1.jpeg">
Still, there is nothing like a Cray: is it computer, or is it furniture? Why not both?
<img src="http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/CRAY-1-HardRefMan/CRAY-1-HRM-0000.jpg">
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/A2Ky1.jpg" alt="" title="Hosted by imgur.com" />