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Industrial Design Excellence Awards 2004
burgburgburg writes "The IDEA 2004 awards (Industrial Design Excellence Awards) have been announced. Apple won 2 Gold (for the iPod Mini and the G5), a Silver (for the iSight) and a Bronze (for the Apple Wireless Keyboard). Some comments: 'Like a modern touchstone the iPod Mini is a product people will love to hold. The designers skillfully integrated the satin aluminum case with flush controls and a simple touchpad interface to create a jewel-like piece of technology.' - Monty Montague, IDSA, Design Principal, BOLT. 'The G5 is impressive with visually lithe qualities and a host of thoughtful and innovative user features wrapped in aluminum. Its well-engineered technical features, such as its cooling system and internal component mounts, are honestly and elegantly executed. The G5's aesthetic is a pure and graceful expression of Apple's philosophical precept of leaving no detail un-designed. This is what results when engineering and design play nice with each other.' - Christopher Alviar, IDSA, Principal, CG/A"
This, of course, is not surprising news to most of us. What's confusing to me is the complete inability of other PC manufacturors to produce intelligently-designed computers. I mean, c'mon ... most PCs nowadays still require you to remove a handful of screws to get inside the case. And once you're inside, it doens't get any prettier. I have yet to see any other computer maker come close to Apple's design.
-- n
Going thew the site I have found some real good ones (Non Computer related) Like a Hammer I find it amazing that after millions of years of humans making hammers that they can still improve on it. It really gives me great faith in the advancement of science that we can improve anything for years to come. Also I found it odd that the best interface was for Mohawk Paper Mills While it is nice and all I didn't find the interface a wow that is so much more intuitive to use then any other site. But still I find it is nice that it won because I drive by the mill every day to get to work (With its huge smoke stacks billowing out tons of steam).
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I have friends who never even WANT to open their computer, and they happen to have Macs. Want to add storage? Buy an external, supported FW drive. Network? Built in.
PC owners are a different breed. They LIKE opening the case. They LIKE planning their next upgrade. They LIKE replacing heatsinks and then benchmarking the performance improvements.
This being said, the vast majority of people really should buy Macs.
But don't pretend that PCs and Macs are the same, just with a different OS and mouse - they're different concepts.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
The reason Apple make good designs is that rather than trying to fit as much as they can onto everything, they try to take as much off, so that there isn't anything unneccesary.
;)
Take the iPod Mini for instance, they only have one control, but they have all the functions that you could do with 6 buttons (left, right, buttons 1-4).
However, The most important lesson is that we should all make everything out of Aluminium. take a look at Lian Li cases, which are also very attractive
Well Slashdot could be like some other sites and just put out news of all the cool stuff and awards that Microsoft produced and won. Apple products are often ahead of its time in a lot of details. So viewing apple products is like seeing what will be available in the future. Besides there is a lot of stuff that Slashdot doesn't display on the site that is apple related. Checkout out macslash and many of the apple related sites it will make slashdot seem calm in comparison. Basically now that OSX is unix based it has became Geek Friendly.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I love apple products. They're beautiful. And I'm just hoping I won't get modded down for what I'm about to say, given that this is the apple section.
However, of all the things there, I really think this one is the coolest. I want one of those!
And there's a cameo appearance by apple as well.
Be a PATRIOT--because the only thing we have to fear is the lack thereof.
You can use it on a PC - but note that the windows key (command key) is out of place.
You might need a keyboard remapper kext to remedy tht and might want to take mineral oil to the two keys that are out of place.
It's the same thing though as PC keyboards.
I use an Eluminx glow keyboard that is PS2 with my Macs. The Windows key is on the keyboard and I just did what I told you above.
The Apple bluetooth keyboard even works with my Ericsson cellphone.
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
If you're interested in Apple's corporate design, there's an excellent book called Apple Design: The Work of the Apple Industrial Design Group--
8 88 001259/103-7823380-3150263?v=glance
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1
I found it while ago at a bookstore and it's quite good.
Learn how to use the filter, Stanley!
I hate Grammar Nazi's
The fireWire and USB2 Ports are there to be used.
photosMy Photostream
As the Apple *wired* Keyboard and Mouse work just fine with most USB-supporting operating systems (the Apple button gets turned into a Windows button, etc.) without any need for additional drivers, I doubt it'd be different for the Bluetooth versions.
On the other hands, the FireWire iSight does currently, AFAIK, *not* work with other operating systems.
While the removal of a PCI slot and a second 5.25" bay is a slight tradeoff I don't see it as a major step backwards. While anyone can blurt out a hundred of reasons why you may need the extra bays and slots. But the truth is that most people won't use them. External USB and Firewire devices are getting more affordable and closer to the prices of internal equipment (unlike 10 years ago where where was a huge difference) PCI slots are no longer as important as they were before especially with integrated Modems, Sound, Ethernet, and Video (Well Video is rarely pci based anymore) There isn't much need anymore for PCI like they use to. With USB memory sticks becoming very affordable with a large sizes (a 512k stick $80) There is not much of a need for extra 5.25 bays for extra Optical Drives for most uses. Yes there will be some people who will need more space but most dont.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Actually the X Serve won it last year.
"Last year the company nabbed two Gold IDEAs (for its 12- and 17-inch PowerBooks) and one Silver (for its Xserve), while in 2002 it won five total: four Gold for its retail Apple Stores, its Macworld Conference & Expo San Francisco presence, its flat-panel iMac and its iPod; and one Silver for its revamped iBook."
Servers and rackmount cases are included - there's just a lot of lackluster design on these fronts.
Sun and SGI used to win IKEA awards for their servers and their blades.
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
As for the removal of a PCI slot, how is even the rather above-average user held back by this? The G5 has on-board optical in/out, FireWire 400 & 800, USB 2.0, Serial ATA, GHz ethernet, modem, bluetooth (opt), 802.11g wireless (opt), and all AGP vidcards can drive two screens. What, exactly, does even the hardcore Mac user need in the missing 4th PCI slot? 3 PCI-X slots seems not even remotely a limitation.
There is and always has been a distinctly superior "feel" to Macintosh hardware. It is a fortunate thing that now that feel is matched by unmatched stability, functionality, and performance.
blakespot
-- Heisenberg may have slept here.
iPod Hacks.com
I just got a G5 this week (my first Mac in years since a 6100) and I was blown away when I took it out of the box. I can't remember when I last saw a piece of computer hardware that made me just want to inspect its every nook and cranny. The CPU is such a beautiful example of form, function and fit. Simply gorgeous. Now if Apple would only rethink their keyboard and mouse designs - mine immediately went back in the box to be replaced w/ Logitech wireless hardware.
As for OS X - lots of good human factors engineering at work there as well. There are a few aspects of window management that I dearly miss from my Linux boxen though like middle mouse button paste and the window-embedded menu bars. The latter is a real pain on multi-display machines that force you to mouse to the other end of the desktop just to access a non-hotkeyed menu option. I've gotta spend some time surfing, because I have to believe someone's made a hack for the middle mouse button paste at the very least.
Like a modern touchstone the iPod Mini is a product people will love to hold
Hah. Chance would be a fine thing.
If you notice, everything that won an award, is, no matter how complex, relatively simple.
None of the winning products had useless features or sails hanging off the side. These products had what they needed, and only that, to fulfill their purpose. take the winning website design, it is one of the most basic and simple designs for a site you can probably find, its simple to navigate, and is quite fast.
What is hard to understand is that why more compaines - mainly pc hardware companies don't take note. There weren't any tower PCs on the list, or websites filled with pop-up and banner ads. I think we can all learn alot if we just pay attention.
It no longer matters how clean the code is; it matters how nifty the case is.
Completely untrue, both in the case of Apple and Google.
For Apple, the software they write is tight, powerful, well designed, and elegant. You can reach common functions easily, and the consistency between applications means you don't ever have to do such things as guessing whether "Preferences" is under "File" or "Window".
OS X, iLife, and other Apple software are examples of what well-designed software should be. As a software architect, I am consistently impressed at the dedication Apple has for putting out not only beautiful but rock-solid pieces of software.
"Criticising those who blindly love and follow Apple is not a 'troll.'"
That's the problem in a nutshell: Trolls seem to think it's a blind love that Macintosh enthusiasts have for their computer equipment. It isn't. Articles such as this one help to explain why we love the hardware. There certainly have been enough of them to explain why we love the software.
But trolls blithely ignore all of this, preferring to think of Apple enthusiasts as some sort of cult, "following" a leader. Perhaps it's some sort of diminished intellect that can wrap itself around no other concept than that.
If you dislike the Apple coverage on Slashdot so much, remember that's what filtering is for. Are you also sufficiently addled that you cannot use it?
Those who can, do. Those who can't, write technology blogs.
... Like a modern touchstone the iPod Mini is a product people will love to hold ...
The reason for this is simple: iPod is pure Bar of Soap.
The "Bar of Soap" design methodology simply states: the most initimate 'implement' most people use these days, is the bar of soap. A bar of soap goes where no other implement goes. It is held and used in loving trust.
Design any consumer device to match the parameters of a bar of soap, and it will be loved...
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
>What would Apple be without the "elegant" design of the hardware?
They would be in the same boat that they are now... a competitively priced computer that has more functionality than the competition.. but without an attractive case.
>To me it would be an overpriced computer system...
I'm curious hy you would say that considering the fact that a Mac is typically the same price (sometimes less) than a comperably equipped PC. PCs allow you to buy less and therefore pay less, but that does not make them less expensive... but rather, more configurable.
>You really have to think hard.... is ease of use worth sacrificing features
No. Thankfully, buying a Mac doesn't require that you sacrifice features.
>(is full screen view in the free Quicktime player YET?
No, and yet there are many players that can play full screen mode. It's not as if Macs can only play one file format with one player.
>and... 2 mouse buttons anyone???)
Curious, why don't you offer the same conclusion for PC manufacturers? They can use a one button mnouse two... much in the same way that a Mac can use multi-button mice.
>and software availability (Linux & Windows--- Max Payne & Photoshop on the same computer.. imagine that).
Same goes for a Macintosh.
>Why pay $500-$1000 more for a computer and get less...
I don't know. Thankfully, you don't get less when you buy a Mac. You will pay more because you get more. A PC equipped with the same specs will cost you the same ammount. You can buy less and therefore pay less when buying a PC, but that does not make it less expensive... but rather, more configurable.
>Maybe once the Mac easy and simple world merges with the PC do everything cheaply world then I will be sold...
It is nad has been for quite some time. It appears to me that you simply have been stuck in the same rut for so long that you don't even see yourself considering a Mac.
>but right now Apple MACs are just pretty boxes to me.
It really is too bad you dont see it for 99% of all the other advantages it has.
>I hope this doesn't sound too anti-Apple
No. I think you're just ignorant.
They've never offered a bargain-basement computer because they want their brand to be associated with quality hardware. While sometimes their products suffer defects, in general I have found their hardware to be far above the industry average in longevity and ease of use.
According to your comment, the G5 has speed you might have to pay half as much to get in a PC. This is one of those price comparisons that is of course impossible to refute. Sure, there's a PC out there that runs as fast as a G5 and costs half as much. But the problem with such comparisons is that you can use whatever PC you want to represent the price point. Are all PCs truly created equal? Of course not. If you want to compare price based solely on processor speed, you're simply ruling out all of the other factors that go into selecting a computer.
For example, you take Apple to task because you don't want to buy and eMac or iMac, and you want something that the PC world provides in abundance - a box that lets me mix & match to get the features I want at a reasonable price. You're comparing the entire PC market against one company. Does Dell offer every single variation you'd like? Does Gateway? Does HP?
You also mention that Macs really are far more hassle-free.. I assume you're referring to the operating system. So even the top-end PCs suffer from more hassles. How do those hassles translate in terms of overall cost? That's tough to estimate, but consider that Mac users have truly insignificant security and malware problems when compared to Windows users.
Your comment about Jobs being overly concerned about the G5's noise is a bit odd. If he hadn't insisted on making a nice quiet new G5, would you have gotten on him for not fixing it? Apple doesn't always succeed in making the best overall user experience, but it's truly at the core of how they see themselves in the market. Of course they're going to try hard to make a quieter machine.
It seems to me that you're frustrated most of all with Apple's philosophy. Apple doesn't want to make low-cost, commodity boxes, because they know that in the long run that's an extremely dangerous game. Look at all of the "cheapest" PC companies that have come and gone over the years. Macs will never dominate the computer market, but Apple has never been in better shape and is continuing to innovate and expand into new markets. Just look at their forays into digital hub software, niche professional software, online music retailing, portable music players, server systems, and supercomputer projects.
They are very much a design-driven company. To them, and to a lot of their customers, a computer isn't just a tool. This is in Apple's DNA, just like sacrificing all to achieve marketshare is in Microsoft's DNA.
If you're willing to pay a bit less in order to get the PC configuration you want, you're forgoing ease of use, hardware longevity, far fewer malware and security problems, an extremely stable OS, all of the iApps, peripheral ease of use, and better overall design. That's your choice. But don't blame Apple because you can't get all of the benefits of a Mac at the super low-low price of $299. R&D costs money, and the bargain-basement PC vendor isn't spending any money on R&D or design.
I'm not an elist stuck on myself artist, and I'm not a designer. But I really prefer using a machine that works for me instead of against me and saves me time and money over the long haul.
As for Apple dying inside a decade, just remember what these other fine prognosticators said in their day:
"Stick a fork in 'em - this Apple is cooked."
Robert Thomson, Financial Post, 2/20/2003
"The iPod, with its backward-looking feature set and dramatica
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