Arch390 vc exercise04_progression
- 1. The evolution of the iMac has had a profound impact on the desk top computer market, both as a performance standard, and an design standard. However even though the marketplace for such computers has been challenged by the development of new mobile computing devises, the iMac still holds value in the ever shrinking market of personal computers. - Hardware progression through the evolution compared to other computers - Design Form alterations - Relation of different imac versions with effects on Apple stock - Number of People buying iMacs compared to the rest of the computer industry (total number of computers sold) - Thesis: Supporting Points: - Hardware progression through the evolution compared to other computers + Charts, and graphs/data form (charts to provide basis, graphs/ data forms to compare ) - Design Form alterations + Info-grams, pictures - Relation of different imac versions with effects on Apple stock + graphs/diagramming - Number of People buying iMacs compared to the rest of the computer industry (total number of computers sold) + Info grams Methodology The evolution of the iMac has had a profound impact on the computer market, especially on the growth of Apple as a company that allowed them to diversify their product line.The growth in Apple spurred on by the evolution of the iMac may also have been the beginning of the decline for the desktop computer industry. Conclusion This project isn’t anywhere near completed. The goal of this post was to give a general outline of the way the project is going to go. Each of the eight design changes the iMac has gone through in its exis- tence will have a page that is dedicated to the history, design and technical workings of the computer. (example of a page is the third spread of the iMac G3).The pages will provide a base of factual elements that later will be provide the basis for the graphical representation that will visually explain the project. Graphical elements such as info-grams, data form, data graphs, diagrams, and spark-lines. The goal for the graphical elements is more of a comparison between the different variations of the iMac and the before and after of its release on technological market place (apple stock etc.)
- 3. iMacThe evolution of the iMac has had a profound impact on the desk top computer market, both as a performance standard, and an design standard. However even though the marketplace for such computers has been challenged by the development of new mobile computing devises, the iMac still holds value in the ever shrinking market of personal computers.
- 4. Design Evolution of the iMac The iMac was first introduced on May 6, 1998. The radical egg shaped all in one computer was the first legacy-free personal computer ( a computer that doesn’t have a floppy disk reader ), and the first iMac to have a USB connec- tion devises, something that every Mac product has had since the first iMac. Over the 15 year life span of the iMac there has been 6 unique forms. The iMac G3, the first produced iMac, was an all in one desktop computer that had a translucent egg shape covering the internal workings of the computer. In 2002 the first main redesign of the iMac was released. The design had a hemispherical bottom housing the computer’s workings with a freely floating LCD
- 5. screen connected by a movable arm. The fourth and fifth major revisions came with the G5 iMac, and Intel iMac. The computer components were located directly behind the screen of the computer, making it a true all in one computer with a slim profile. Further development of this configuration made up the fifth major revision, where the computer’s materials changed to anodized aluminum and glass scree. Today the sixth major revision of the Apple iMac pushes the configuration to new limits. The design takes the basic slim configuration of the previous versions and reduces the profile even more, to only 5.5mm at the edges of the computer.
- 6. Model iMac iMac (Revision B) iMac (266 MHz) iMac (333 MHz) Price base price for the original iMac G3 was $1,299.00 Color Bondi Blue Blueberry, Grape, Strawberry, Tangerine, and Lime Processor 233 MHz Power PC G3 (750) 266 MHz Power PC G3 (750) 333 MHz Power PC G3 (750) Hard Drive 4 GB 6GB ATA-3 5400 rpm (Up to 128 GB supported) (Up to 128 GB supported) Memory 32MB 32 MB 2 PC100 slots (Expandable to 128MB) (Expandable to 256MB) - Note Memory cards plug right into the‘Daughter Card”onto the Mother Board Display 15-inch (13.8-inches viewable) shadow-mask CRT screen with 1024x768 pixel resolution Graphics ATI llc graphics processor ATI Rage pro Graphics processor with 6MB of SGRAM memory with 2 MB of SGRAM mem. Optical Drive 24x tray-loading CD-ROM drive Dimensions 15.8 x 15.2 x 17.6 inches Weight 38.1 pounds Units Sold 6.4 million Apple Stock Price when introduced (May 6th 1998): $7.00 (Vol 42.88m) Apple Stock Price when production stopped (October 5th 1999) : $18.641 (Vol 161.99m)
- 7. 1998 iMac G3 The iMac G3 was the first computer in the per- sonal computer in the iMac line up. The G3 was the first apple product that had USB connec- tions as standard, and the first computer ever to be Legacy-Free (had no floppy disk drive). The radical translucent “egg” shape design was the culmination of work from Jonathan Ive. The new computer was the answer to the tum- bling sales of Apple Computers in the 1990s’. Before the release of the iMac the company’s large and confusing computer line -up had slowed the companies ability to gain custom- ers. When Steve Jobs became Apple’s CEO in 1997 the line up failed to produce a Performa (Apple Computers Personal Computer line up). Within a year the company had released the iMac and begun a new product line up. Soon the iMac would become the primary force for growth in the company, and laid a fundamental foundation for other products to follow. The “i” in iMac had become a branding name. Original- ly meaning“Internet”the letter became known for personal and revolutionary device (“i” for individuality and innovation). Soon the letter would become a branding mark for other prod- ucts in the Apple lineup.
- 8. iMacThe evolution of the iMac has had a profound impact on the computer market, especially on the growth of Apple as a company that allowed them to diversify their product line. The growth in Apple spurred on by the evolution of the iMac may also have been the beginning of the decline for the desktop computer industry.