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When they released a overdesigned computer built from half-baked technology borrowed from the laptop line as the "20th Anniversary Mac". specs and extra pictures
Oh wait. Thats just like the iMac. Steve-o will have to try something else this time.

Maybe Apple and Steve are not making a splashy celebration this time around because a decade ago, Apple's "big idea" of a 20th anniversay Mac was an utter failure. The machine was nice - sleek design, TV/FM radio, S-video inputs, Bose sound, and was limited to the production of 12,000 machines with a cost of $10,000 a pop that was delivered to and installed at your home by an Apple authorized rep. (If I recall correctly... I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm not)

Eventually after only selling a couple thoasand at that cost... they were sold at the "bargain basement" price of 2 grand.

Some sites for more info:
Wikipedia
Apple-History
Fan club web site

How about the 20th Anniversary Mac? It was pretty cool, but offered at a wacky price and never really sold. http://tam.axon.net/spartimage.htm

Um... yea.

That would have been last year. You know, 20 years ? 1984-2004 ?

It did go by with a remarkable lack of fanfare from Apple, though. A few words from Steve on the anniversary. There was a "20th Anniversary Macintosh", but it was for the 20th anniversary of Apple ( back in '97 ), not of the Macintosh.

It wasn't like they made special machines or threw a big party or anything. Steve did show a remake of the 1984 video at MacWorld, but it wasn't a huge deal. It seems they were busy with OS X and iPods or iTunes or GarageBand or something else Insanely Great(TM).

Hmm. Reminds me an awful lot of my Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh. In fact, it's even more like this old prototype that Apple made while designing the TAM.

They're very similar, except, of course, that the new iMac doesn't come with a built-in TV tuner, FM radio, remote control, or matching pen-and-pencil set.

On the other hand, it runs faster than the TAM's 250Mhz, too...

-Mark

Apple's 20th Anniversary Mac dropped the one-button mouse in favour of the one-button trackpad; the keyboard and trackpad, though, were both fit with Italian leather (along with TV and FM radio tuner, custom Bose soundsystem, and S-Video input.) And you even got all this for only 7500$

this year should see the 25th birthday special edition thingy..... there have been some mild rumors over the last year about it. the TAM was produced in very limited numbers, and by the time the public could get it, it was kinda outdated for the price (in terms of the inner schiznits). That being said, it was pretty neat, and did make it into some movies and TV shows (Batman & Robin, Seinfield etc). there are still online user groups dedicated to them, but then again there is for most everything Apple has ever made.

seeing as the TAM came out in March 1997 (discontinued in March 1998), this would be 5 years later. maybe we will see something at MWNYC? it is kind of odd you don't see Apple saying anything about the 25th anniversary of the company. seeing how the company is doing a lot better today than 5 years ago, i would think they might do *something* to celebrate.

Have you ever heard of the 20th Anniversary Mac (aka Spartacus)? Here's a nice picture and here's The 20th Anniversary Macintosh Web Site. That machine id from May 1997. Tell me about how Gateway beat them to the punch two years later.

Apple released their anniversary computer which was an integrated PC and LCD. They did do it first, back in 1997. A great looking computer, even today, but it followed the typical Mac trend by having a price that would choke a Rockefeller. You can check out a good site on it at this site.

Ok. I wouldn't say sexy. How about "non-off-putting" computers. I like the idea of a decent looking computer in about the same way that I like the idea of visiting the real world for entertainment, and cracking jokes that don't involve references to decade old obscure console games. Maybe that doesn't make me a real geek.

Interestingly enough, these designs bear a striking similarity to Apple's 'Pomona' prototypes from 1993.

Pomona saw the light of day as the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh, but the prototypes are where the real similarity lies.

Apple is also offering a trade in program for a problem with buzzing in the Bose speaker system and power supply of the 20th Anniversary Macintosh

Personally, I believe this is partly to remove the units when they have gone down in value to the point where it is inexpensive enough for Apple, and most importantly, to remove the products that were not designed under the reign of Steve.

If you thought the TAMs were collectors items now...

• http://www.everymac.com/s ystems/apple/20th_mac/index.html
• http://tam.axon.net/

The iMac is certainly not the best Apple can do. Check out these concepts for the 20th Anniversary Mac. There could be only one -- and the one they picked is not my favorite of this bunch. But see if any of the other ideas remind you of new producs.

This article is dead-on. Your fast, cheap box will give you satisfaction for the 6 months that it is the fastest thing around, when it's running. I enjoy my 20th Anniversary Mac every time I look at it, even when it's off. And will for years to come. I could have bought a faster G3 or PII-400 for less, but why? The TA has all the speed I need, and let's face it: On the coolness scale, this one goes up to 11.