Do you still find Macs sexy?

[dracule]

For a really long time i had a secret which i kept. I didnt tell anybody and i frequently over compensated by saying how much in opposition i was. I loved the Mac style. I thought it was sexy and stylish. if a computer UI could be sexy, this was it.

But today, i looked at a mac book air. i felt nothing. I actually felt kind of repulsed. I loved this thing when it came out. it was super sleek. but i was just like eh.

I mean, Apple hasnt changed since OSX was released and the iBook G3. The style has remained the same: white, minimalist, brushed aluminum, same website, same style of store, same basic style of laptop, same OSX, same Apple for like 6-7 years.

I guess i just got really burnt out on them. I wonder how long this will continue. The new macbook pro 15" has the same style.

Do you find them good looking still? How long do you think this style will last?

*note this is not a flamewar, just a question about how long they will keep up the brushed aluminum white minimalist style or when its replacement might be. I want to see a change, something breathtaking.

[dizee]

it's too... kitchenware. too shiny and metallly for me. never really understood the worship, though i suppose it does have a fairly consistent look which is important.

i used to think docks looked cool, and they sort of do but they steal too much screen space and give less functionality than panels IMO, so they're out too.

[NovaAesa]

I find the look of the hardware sexy i.e. white and minimalist, but their GUI does nothing for me. When I see brushed metal - bleck.

[RiceMonster]

I really like the way Mac hardware looks, especially Macbooks. I'm too sure about OSX though... I can see why people would like it, of course, but I really don't like that interface. Feels really cluttered to me.

[mrgnash]

I find the look of the hardware sexy i.e. white and minimalist, but their GUI does nothing for me. When I see brushed metal - bleck.

Likewise. The hardware would make a nice platform for Ubuntu, but that's about it :P

[Delever]

Open gimp

Use RGB noise filter, add as much as you can.
Desaturate image.
Add motion blur.

Mac!

[NovaAesa]

Open gimp

Use RGB noise filter, add as much as you can.
Desaturate image.
Add motion blur.

Mac!

Following your instructions, this is what I got. Seems pretty accurate to me (although I could have done a bit more tweaking).

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3804/66246338wm0.jpg

[rok3]

Hardware: Too many curves and too much white for my taste. I love my black box... aka Thinkpad
Software: Eh, it works well but I wish it was as customizable as Linux Distros.

[Delever]

Following your instructions, this is what I got. Seems pretty accurate to me (although I could have done a bit more tweaking).

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3804/66246338wm0.jpg

Nice job! :D

[Silpheed2K]

Underwater lighting effects could really bring that metal texture out (I've done it before but in photoshop though.. it really makes brushed metal look good.. you know how light looks going through pool water.. that type of look)

[schauerlich]

Obviously the people in this thread aren't very up to date on their apple designs. White is "out." The only non-metal Mac still being sold is the MacBook, and it's expected to be replaced sometime this fall. Brushed metal was toned down for OS X v 10.4 (Came out in '05) and eliminated in favor of a muted grey in 10.5 (Fall '07). They seem to be pushing their fashion towards the iPhone's original style. See the aluminum iMacs... It looks like an iPhone on a stick. The iPods were also redesigned last fall and use aluminum on all the models, instead of the iconic white.

That being said, my dream Mac would be an iMac G4 that has the insides replaced with modern equipment and a bigger screen. So purdy. :D

[NxZDr]

anyone else find it really sad that that worked... perfectly?

The sexiest macs around are emacs.

[RiceMonster]

Ewww, emacs.

[NxZDr]

I perfer vim, but it was worth it for the pun.

[RiceMonster]

I just felt it was necessary to make an anti-emacs remark :p. Vim ftw.

[karellen]

I never did

[NxZDr]

I just felt it was necessary to make an anti-emacs remark :p. Vim ftw.

I think we should be friends.

On topic: I always thought the Dock was a good idea, just not executed to its potential. Though, even MS has yet to learn the power of the mighty panel.

[Dixon Bainbridge]

For a really long time i had a secret which i kept. I didnt tell anybody and i frequently over compensated by saying how much in opposition i was. I loved the Mac style. I thought it was sexy and stylish. if a computer UI could be sexy, this was it.

But today, i looked at a mac book air. i felt nothing. I actually felt kind of repulsed. I loved this thing when it came out. it was super sleek. but i was just like eh.

I mean, Apple hasnt changed since OSX was released and the iBook G3. The style has remained the same: white, minimalist, brushed aluminum, same website, same style of store, same basic style of laptop, same OSX, same Apple for like 6-7 years.

I guess i just got really burnt out on them. I wonder how long this will continue. The new macbook pro 15" has the same style.

Do you find them good looking still? How long do you think this style will last?

*note this is not a flamewar, just a question about how long they will keep up the brushed aluminum white minimalist style or when its replacement might be. I want to see a change, something breathtaking.

In as much as I find a blender or a kettle sexy.

[Stu09]

I really like the way Mac hardware looks, especially Macbooks.



Me too. I dual boot Hardy & Leopard on mine :cool:

[Paqman]

Obviously the people in this thread aren't very up to date on their apple designs. White is "out." The only non-metal Mac still being sold is the MacBook

Er, I was in a computer store yesterday and all their Macs were white.

I was having a look at them actually, and I wasn't overly impressed. The keyboards were horrible and the mice were nasty. If someone is spending that much money, surely Apple can throw in something relatively cheap like a decent keyboard and mouse?

[AndyCooll]

I never did
+1

Me neither.

:cool:

[schauerlich]

Er, I was in a computer store yesterday and all their Macs were white.

http://store.apple.com/us

The only product in their lineup that isn't brushed aluminum is the MacBook. There must have been a lot of them.

I was having a look at them actually, and I wasn't overly impressed. The keyboards were horrible and the mice were nasty. If someone is spending that much money, surely Apple can throw in something relatively cheap like a decent keyboard and mouse?

I used their newer thin wired keyboard, and I like it. It's just personal preference. I agree, the mouse can be annoying. I like everything about it but the scroll ball. It's constantly getting mucked up to the point where I can't scroll in one direction. I've had to crack it open to clean it out 2 or 3 times. I'm using an old IBM mouse at the moment.

[billgoldberg]

I don't find things like this:

http://www.imagecows.com/uploads/_8c0e-apple_imac_desktoppc.jpg

sexy at all.

It's to sterile and to "hospital-like" for me.

Give me on of these babies instead.

http://www.pclaptop-review.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/creative_full_big.jpg

[Vegabondsx]

I don't find things like this:

http://www.imagecows.com/uploads/_8c0e-apple_imac_desktoppc.jpg

sexy at all.

It's to sterile and to "hospital-like" for me.

Give me on of these babies instead.

http://www.pclaptop-review.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/creative_full_big.jpg

Yuck... Alienwares seem a little over the top. I'd take a Mac over an Alienware design any day. Too much plastic, lights, and trying to look cool.

[acelin]

Er, I was in a computer store yesterday and all their Macs were white.

I was having a look at them actually, and I wasn't overly impressed. The keyboards were horrible and the mice were nasty. If someone is spending that much money, surely Apple can throw in something relatively cheap like a decent keyboard and mouse?

Ever used one? Their hardware is of incredible quality. Their keybaors and mouses are very nice, and dont tire the hands.

Also, go to the site. If they were all white then all they were selling were the white Macbooks.

[wersdaluv]

I still find Macs sexy mainly because I never had one yet. hehehe

[zmjjmz]

My MacBook gets quite unsexy after a while, discoloration ftl.
Though I can see why they're moving to aluminum, no discoloration.

The keyboards are really nice though, but no right click is lose.

[TBOL3]

I don't like macs. I used to, but I recently have seen them, both the old and the new. The new grey ones are meh. And the white macbooks are jsut ubly. It looks like a white brick.

[deNoobius]

I wouldn't say "sexy." Giselle Bundchen is sexy. I would say that Macs are very stylish compared to the average Windows PC box.

But I also found that running Ubuntu on my run-of-the-mill Dell laptop made it *almost* as stylish as my Mac!

[spupy]

What I like about Apples products is that their design is simple and consistent. It has just what am I looking for in a piece of software/hardware.

But that is only about the image. There are other things that stop me from buying Apples (besides money).

[gn2]

There are a few pearls among the list of Apple computer hardware.

The G4 ibook 12" is a really nice little laptop.

But the unlikely jewel in the crown is the Mac Mini.

The reason I say this is because they are just so quiet, I have probably spent more on PC silencing kit over the years than the price of a Mac Mini.

[Erunno]

but no right click is lose.

Two-finger tap?

[PhutterMan]

I like them, but the only one I own is an iMac motherboard currently residing in a G5 (tower) case that will likely be home to a low powered fileserver because the iMac board is a waste in such a big (and attractive!) case.

If/when I buy a new laptop, it'll be a ThinkPad and not a Mac, but I find Mac hardware relatively appealing. I like the OS for being UNIX; as a relatively mainstream OS I prefer it to Windows. Plus it's very good for media related things - I'm excited to be able to run Logic Studio on my iMac. I think it's a slick OS, but not one I'd want to use all the time (though I have to at work).

[dracule]

I know that the only thing remaining white is there macbook

but what did they replace it with?

gray. the same gray bushed metal which has been the default theme on OSX since like '01

I was talking about their general composure of their store, website, and everything.

replacing white with gray... wow...

[YaroMan86]

I never found Macs sexy.

[Alasdair]

They need more neon lights and assorted flashy things. Macs just look bland.

[deejaypip]

I never found them sexy.
I think the OS X interface is horrible. I actually liked OS 9's interface better. I can't deal with that dock.

I like my thinkpad better :) It looks like a real computer, not a toy.

[oldsoundguy]

I always felt that Macs (especially the desktops) looked like plumbers nightmares. Way too "Jettson" and really don't FIT into any decor other than ultra modern.
The "hey look at me, I got a Mac" shout!

Same for the OVERPRICED (because they can get away with it) gaming machines .. bells, whistles, flashing lights ... duuuuuh!

But whatever rings your chimes!!

[Canis familiaris]

Going after "looks" is waste of money. You may like it for few months and weeks but after that it does not matter.

[aysiu]

As "sexy" as computers can be, I find Macs (with the exception of the new iMac) to be the sexiest around. They are sleek and nice to look at. Unfortunately, OS X is a lousy interface for me to work with, even though I like the way it looks.

Fortunately, for me, with all the Mac-imitation themes out there for Linux, I can have something (Linux) I like the functionality of with something else (Aqua/Brushed Metal) I like the looks of.

[50words]

Macs are beautiful. Seriously, everyone else, is it that hard to hire a designer that does something besides shove components into a lumpy box?

[dracule]

for a laptop, i found this to be my new favorite:

http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/voodoo_0139.jpg

http://www.infosyncworld.com/gfx/articles/voodoo_envy_133.jpg
http://http://www.gearlive.com:8090/blogimages/gallery/voodoo-envy-133/014-voodoo-envy-133_medium.JPG

pretty much most beastly laptop ever. except that it isnt powerful, but it has so many features packed in it it will explode. but it does cost $2099

[Midwest-Linux]

Sexy? No

Innovative? Yes

I Like the older G3 iMacs the best. Not only they look pretty cool, but I like the all in one unit design. I have OSX Tiger running on one. Plus they are a great way to have a Mac, for so little cost. Often a iMac with Tiger OSX can be had for around $150 on E-Bay.

[qamelian]

Macs are beautiful. Seriously, everyone else, is it that hard to hire a designer that does something besides shove components into a lumpy box?
Matter of opinion. I don't find them beautiful at all.

[cardinals_fan]

How can a computer be sexy?

Anyway, I think Macs' looks are overrated. They show fingerprints too easily :)

[dracule]

How can a computer be sexy?

Anyway, I think Macs' looks are overrated. They show fingerprints too easily :)

it has holes too ya know

[arsenic23]

My SE/30 is sexy -- The newer stuff, not so much.

Right now buying a Mac, to me, seems like buying a silver plated shotgun. But if you like that kinda thing.

[schauerlich]

How can a computer be sexy?

Anyway, I think Macs' looks are overrated. They show fingerprints too easily :)

The biggest problem I have with my MacBook is that the areas next to the trackpad get discolored from my greasy filthy hands laying there all day.

[schauerlich]

My SE/30 is sexy -- The newer stuff, not so much.

Right now buying a Mac, to me, seems like buying a silver plated shotgun. But if you like that kinda thing.

What's the problem with something looking good if it does what you want it to? I use OS X and Ubuntu on my MacBook and I haven't run into any deal breakers with either OS.

[arsenic23]

What's the problem with something looking good if it does what you want it to? I use OS X and Ubuntu on my MacBook and I haven't run into any deal breakers with either OS.

You pay for that silver, and it does nothing.
I won't pay for anything that doesn't have a solid use. Nor will I pay for anything I can do myself. I bake my own bread, build my own PCs, do my own engine work, and etc.. etc...

I can appreciate something that looks good, but I'm not going to pay more money because it looks good. The very idea of paying for looks just turns me off, products should be good looking by default, it shouldn't be sold as a feature.

That said, Macs are nice looking, but I'd prefer something styled a little more macho. If you asked me what the best looking laptop is, I'd tell you Acer Ferrari every time. I still wouldn't buy one though.

[schauerlich]

That said, Macs are nice looking, but I'd prefer something styled a little more macho. If you asked me what the best looking laptop is, I'd tell you Acer Ferrari every time. I still wouldn't buy one though.

Ugh. That red... just doesn't look good, to put it simply. My favorite Mac design is probably the Mac Pros.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/macpro.JPG
http://switchtoamac.com/images/hardware/macs/macpro/macpro_inside.jpg

Even the inside is pretty, and easy to work with.

[Thirtysixway]

Macs look good, I'll admit. But that's about all they have going for them that interests me.

I had a friend that didn't even care about what was on the screen, he says mac is the best because of the look of actual computer tower its self. Yeah, the box that sits on the floor.

[arsenic23]

My favorite Mac design is probably the Mac Pros.

This is the only Mac I ever owned. I still have it, and it still runs. It is awsome in every way, and is definately the best looking Mac I've ever seen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_SE/30

[karellen]

You pay for that silver, and it does nothing.
I won't pay for anything that doesn't have a solid use. Nor will I pay for anything I can do myself. I bake my own bread, build my own PCs, do my own engine work, and etc.. etc...

I can appreciate something that looks good, but I'm not going to pay more money because it looks good. The very idea of paying for looks just turns me off, products should be good looking by default, it shouldn't be sold as a feature.

That said, Macs are nice looking, but I'd prefer something styled a little more macho. If you asked me what the best looking laptop is, I'd tell you Acer Ferrari every time. I still wouldn't buy one though.

speaking of good look, how about Alienware? :D

[DarinB]

yeah alienware is cool....Mac air book is sexy but if i had one i would Ubuntu it asap!!!!!
i agree with what ever Torvil linux says the new mac file system is PURE CRAP
i don't really know enough about it to say why but if Torvil says it...it must be so

[schauerlich]

yeah alienware is cool....Mac air book is sexy but if i had one i would Ubuntu it asap!!!!!
i agree with what ever Torvil linux says the new mac file system is PURE CRAP
i don't really know enough about it to say why but if Torvil says it...it must be so

His name is Torvalds, by the way. I've only heard the quote out of context, was he referring to HFS+ or the / filesystem?

[oldsoundguy]

Alienware ... a sick joke!

A Sager chassis stuffed in a custom box with an eyeball on it and a price tag 2-3x the price of the Sager.

Alienware .. a division of Dell.

[Paqman]

http://store.apple.com/us

The only product in their lineup that isn't brushed aluminum is the MacBook. There must have been a lot of them.


Must be a US thing. The only aluminium one being sold in the UK looks like the Mac Pro.

[schauerlich]

Must be a US thing. The only aluminium one being sold in the UK looks like the Mac Pro.

Apple sells the same stuff in the UK and the US.

http://store.apple.com/uk

Same kit. You sure you were at an Apple store, and not a third party reseller? They might have only had the MacBooks, since they're the most popular with college students.

[bashveank]

His name is Torvalds, by the way. I've only heard the quote out of context, was he referring to HFS+ or the / filesystem?


Is this the quote?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/05/linus-torvalds-calls-apples-file-system-utter-crap/

I seriously doubt that he's talking about the Unix file structure. There are many criticisms of HFS+, not just from Torvalds.

[schauerlich]

Is this the quote?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/05/linus-torvalds-calls-apples-file-system-utter-crap/

I seriously doubt that he's talking about the Unix file structure. There are many criticisms of HFS+, not just from Torvalds.

OS X's file structure is significantly different than your average *nix file system. But Engadget seems to think it was about HFS+, so, I guess that's good enough for me. OS 9 used HFS too, though.

[Kappity]

I like OS X (I'm still on Tiger). The look is quite customizable, and you become comfortable with it. The hardware, okay, I don't like the white, show every fingerprint plastic on my MacBook so much, and I'm not going to pay a premium price for the black plastic, but it's okay.

MacBook Air, um, needs work. One USB port, no optical drive, no ethernet port? It may be the wave of the future, but it's not the wave of the present as far as I'm concerned. When you hang a USB hub off of one side so you can hook up the ethernet adapter, the external optical drive, and an occasional thumb drive at one time, there goes your ultra thin, compact package. Oh yes, you can also try to get somebody else's permission to install special software on their computer so you can use their optical drive remotely.

I'm typing this on my old experimental Thinkpad with Ubuntu Hardy Heron on it. When my Mac Mini dies, I'll probably be replacing it with a new Ubuntu machine, while keeping a Mac laptop. There are fewer technical hassles with OS X, and I want to keep it around, but Macs are just so darn expensive.

Sexy doesn't enter into the equation. The box that it's in can look like junk as long as it works the way I want it to.

[Paqman]

Apple sells the same stuff in the UK and the US.

http://store.apple.com/uk

Same kit. You sure you were at an Apple store, and not a third party reseller? They might have only had the MacBooks, since they're the most popular with college students.

No, I wasn't at an Apple store, it was just a regular high street computer store. No, they weren't Macbooks, I think I can tell a laptop from a desktop at short range, thanks. The trick is to see if you can wave the keyboard about without knocking the screen over, see ;) Yes, they were all white.

Anyway, what's your point? You seem to be really pushing to try and suggest that you can't buy white Macs, even to someone who's seen shelves full of them in the last few days.

Are the newest models of Mac metallic coloured? Sure, if you say so. You're clearly much more gripped up on the latest Appleware than most. Do we need to be having this argument?

[schauerlich]

No, I wasn't at an Apple store, it was just a regular high street computer store. No, they weren't Macbooks, I think I can tell a laptop from a desktop at short range, thanks. The trick is to see if you can wave the keyboard about without knocking the screen over, see ;) Yes, they were all white.

Anyway, what's your point? You seem to be really pushing to try and suggest that you can't buy white Macs, even to someone who's seen shelves full of them in the last few days.

Are the newest models of Mac metallic coloured? Sure, if you say so. You're clearly much more gripped up on the latest Appleware than most. Do we need to be having this argument?

Uh, sorry, I didn't mean for this to be an argument. No bad intentions at all. My point was that Apple (mostly) doesn't sell white Macs anymore and that that is evidence that they are transitioning away from that "snow white" look. I never denied that you could buy overstocked or used white iMacs or eMacs from a third party retailer. And no, not the text editor, the "educational iMac." :D

[hanzomon4]

I'm sorry but design is worth paying money for and is definitely a feature. Utility is the baseline but you need aesthetic to truly define a product. Every product from cars, to Ubuntu(brown everywhere), to Apple all use some form of design and aesthetics to define there brand. Apple does a really good job at using design to define themselves across mediums(website, hardware, OS, tv, retail) to present a clear message: power, simplicity, and fun. I think this ability to present such a solid front is the reason why Apple has so many non-geek fanboys. Linux OSes typically suck at this but Ubuntu is doing a good job, it's the Apple of geeks; You even have other Linux users bemoaning how awful Ubuntu is.

Now I'm sorry but Ubuntu on my macbook pro has some fatal flaws. If it suspends it will either lockup, lose the ability to produce sound, and/or not be able to connect to the internet with out a full reboot. I cringe every time my monitor goes dark because I fear having to do a cold reboot and losing data. I stay connected to the net all the time and I like to use skype to talk with family and friends. I never use Ubuntu for this because I'm afraid that Ubuntu will lockup and die. Ubuntu is so much fun to use but the basic reliability for me just is not there. On my dell desktop it's fine. Minus these problems it would rock on my Mac and I'd use it over OSX. OS X provides a great experience but Ubuntu is fun, like an old pair of jeans.

[damis648]

I don't find things like this:

http://www.imagecows.com/uploads/_8c0e-apple_imac_desktoppc.jpg

sexy at all.

It's to sterile and to "hospital-like" for me.

Give me on of these babies instead.

http://www.pclaptop-review.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/creative_full_big.jpg

I agree, they are a bit too clean, but I do not like that specific alienware look. I like a sleek look, that is not as clean as a mac (yawn) but not so overcrowded as an alienware like that (ahh!). I like a look that brings alot to the table, but has a nice flow to it that makes it look clean and uncluttered. I wish I could describe it better. These are the kinds of styles I find most attractive, which will probably help:
THE BEST looking notebook ever!: (You can't argue).
http://computerworld.name/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/area-2d51-2dm15x-2d1-small.jpg
http://www.techshout.com/images/dell-xps-m1530.jpg