In 1998 , Steve Jobs introduced thefirst iMacand it inspire the personal computer — not to mention it give new life to a struggling Apple . The iMac was a gravid hit , but after four days , Apple needed to update the computer . The update iMac not only had to usher in newfangled technologies , but it also had the daunting task of proving that Apple ’s design innovation was n’t a fluke .
So in 2002 , Apple innovate the iMac G4 , and the troupe again turned the market on its head . And in doing so , it created the slap-up Mac it has ever made . Here ’s why it still entertain up two 10 later .
More on the iMac G4 ’s twentieth anniversary
Macworld ’s original iMac G4 review
A gallery of the iMac G4 from every slant
The design was truly unique
Very early on in its history , Apple was know for piddle all - in - one computers . While most multitude associate all - in - one with the iMac , theLisa , which even predate the Mac , was Apple ’s first microcomputer to house the display and component in a unmarried example . As late as the G3 iMac in 1998 , all - in - ones were design around vast CRT display , and Apple had to make enclosures to hold in bombastic tube , while at the same time looking dandy and providing good functionality .
That interchange with the iMac G4 , which was the first background Mac to use a flat - dialog box LCD , which is dramatically smaller and thinner than a CRT . Apple could ’ve taken the easy route and go with a conception that mirror the original Bondi Blue iMac except with a smaller footprint ( in fact Steve Jobs made a caper slither about that during Macworld San Francisco keynote ) . But no , Apple deal a whole novel coming , with the core components in a vaulted case , a chrome subdivision that stuck out from the top of the noggin , and an LCD bind to the top .
The iMac G4 is truly a one - of - a - kind computer . No or Mac or PC has even come close to its unique design and personality .
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The iMac G4 was knight the “ sunflower ” Mac , or the “ iLamp , ” a name inspire by theLuxo Jr.video shortby Pixar . It did n’t wait like a computer . To this twenty-four hour period , the iMac G4 stands out in a mundane world of desktop computing machine — current Macs included . It was offbeat , fun , and functional , but more importantly , the excogitation proved that Apple ’s success with the original iMac was n’t a fluke .
Apple got the ergonomics right
The best part of the iMac ’s design was the cantilevered metal branch that obtain the 15 - column inch LCD . It allowed user to precisely place the display in the beneficial position — you could move it up or down , left or right , and you adjust the tilt , too . In anode to the iMac G4 , Christopher Phin write that the display ’s arm was , “ impossibly , as if by magic smooth , and preposterously stable , like no other piece of engineering you ’ve used before . ” When Apple release a20 - inch iMac G4 , the arm was tighten to support the larger screen , which meant it was n’t as placid as before . But you still had the freedom to adjust it .
The adjustable weapon was strong , supportive , and smooth .
Today ’s iMac is much more limited . you could angle the display , but moving it left or veracious involve make a motion the whole computing machine . And the only way to raise the display ’s acme is to place the iMac on some kind of stand ( I utilise an inelegant ream of paper for theM1 iMacat the Macworld office ) .
You could upgrade the RAM!
There was a time in Apple ’s story when the party allowed easy access to the Mac ’s internals in all of its good example . And you could do that with the iMac G4 — Apple even further it withinstructionsand a video recording to show you how . The iMac G4 had two memory slot , one that was deep inside the machine and difficult to get at , and another that you could easy get to by removing the bottom board . Base framework of the iMac G4 started with 128 Mbit of RAM , but you could promote it to a maximum of 1 GB . Subsequent models could unofficially be advance to 2 GB .
( Side note for a personal anecdote : In 2004 , I was an editor for MacAddict and mold on an clause that ask get at the RAM one-armed bandit deeply inside the iMac G4 . It was a hard procedure and I ended up rendering that iMac inoperable . To top it off , the iMac was a loaner from Apple , and my boss had to excuse to them what happened . He was really , really pissed off . )
For a Mac that was promoted as a “ digital hub ” ( more on that in a bit ) , the power to promote was crucial . Digital hub tasks — mainly media creation — are RAM hungry , and adding more RAM improved performance and made the processing wait time a little more supportable .
The iMac G4 has a drug user - accessible RAM slot under the base . The other slot is for an AirPort Wi - Fi card — wireless connectivity was n’t stock back then .
finally , a few days after the iMac G4 was discontinued , Apple make up one’s mind that consumer - layer Macs would either not have user - upgradable RAM or it would be very difficult to make the upgrade yourself . And now that Apple silicon has the RAM built into the chip , after - purchase upgrades are totally out of the question . Yes , meter have exchange , processors are much more hefty now , and RAM is less of an issue , but we still miss the days when upgrading our Macs did n’t entail buying a new one .
It launched the digital hub
applied science has progressed so much since 2002 , and we take for granted what computers are capable of doing . The ability to make videos , euphony , podcasts , photos , or any other creative endeavor is pretty much frictionless , now — modern Macs are dress up so you may be up and running in no time .
The iMac G4 was the start of that trend . Apple envision it as a computer for originative verbal expression and to that end , made indisputable it had the tools necessary . The hardware and software combined for what Apple call a “ digital hub ” and it empowered users — back then , there was no App Store , and the great unwashed did n’t have software system available over the internet , so bundled apps were very important .
Hardware - Isaac Mayer Wise , the iMac G4 had three USB port wine and two FireWire ports for connect machine , like cameras and audio converters . It also had a telecasting - out connecter for mirror the Mac ’s screen to a second presentation . And it came with a SuperDrive for burning CDs and DVDs .
Hard to reckon a consumer Mac ever have this many port ever again .
But most importantly , the iMac G4 get along with a entourage of software that made it all well-heeled — iPhoto , iMovie , iDVD , iTunes . It also came with AppleWorks , an all - in - one productiveness app , PCalc 2 , World Book Encyclopedia , and Otto Mattic . All of this ladder on OS X 10.1 , and in hisreview of the first iMac G4for Macworld , Jason Snell said that “ our prison term with this iMac was almost universally gratifying , ” and a deal of that had to do with the unbelievable software that come with it .
A Mac to remember
The iMac G4 ’s design survive for over two old age , and it was a successful car . But when it came time to advance the Mac to the PowerPC G5 processor , the company ask to change the information processing system ’s intention to easily accommodate the cool down needs of the new central processing unit . That ’s when Apple decided to go with the pattern that ’s still in use today .
The iMac G4 may be long go , but 20 years subsequently , it is not forgotten . orchard apple tree ’s designs now are relatively dependable compare to the iMac G4 , but maybe someday Apple will regain a way to take a chance it all on product that ’s rightfully at the crossroad of engineering and liberal humanistic discipline with the cleverness and creativity it summon up just two decennary ago .
