Frog Design's Hartmut Esslinger Reveals Early Apple Designs in New Book

MacRumors · Dec 28, 2012, 08:35 AM

Designboom (via The Verge) today got a hold of some photographs of early Apple computer designs from Hartmut Esslinger's new book, Design Forward.

Esslinger founded Frog Design, the company that Apple partnered with in the 1980s and '90s to come up with a design strategy. Frog Design was responsible for the Apple IIc, which led to the "Snow White" design language that persisted in Apple products through 1990.

This was the stylization that originally included off-white or platinum coloration, vertical and horizontal stripes for decoration, and a three-dimensional logo inlaid into the product case.

Frog Design also worked on several other prospective Apple products, which were never manufactured, including a telephone/tablet hybrid deemed the "Macphone," a simple, small-screened computer with a wireless mouse and keyboard, named the "Baby Mac," and a set of tall, space-aged computers called "Macintosh Studies."

Macphone

Baby Mac

Macintosh Studies

Designboom has a full range of pictures of 10 different conceptual product designs available, along with a few excerpts of text from the book.

Design Forward, Esslinger's Book will be released on January 16, 2013.

Article Link: Frog Design's Hartmut Esslinger Reveals Early Apple Designs in New Book

bushido · Dec 28, 2012, 08:46 AM

the baby mac looks cute ^^

kjs862 · Dec 28, 2012, 08:48 AM

Some really nice designs!

Imac Sam · Dec 28, 2012, 08:59 AM

But are they thinner and lighter????

r2shyyou · Dec 28, 2012, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacRumors

Baby Mac

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushido

the baby mac looks cute ^^

Agreed! Awesome looking little machine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imac Sam

But are they thinner and lighter????

Drunken Master · Dec 28, 2012, 09:15 AM

Awesome!

I had seen photos of the Baby Mac before, but not the others.

The first iMac's face looks a lot like a colored, pinstriped version of the Baby Mac's face. That thing looks so cool.

A lot like the Dieter Rams Atelier TV set for Bruan.

ctdonath · Dec 28, 2012, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imac Sam

But are they thinner and lighter????

That's the obvious intention, throttled by practical limits of the technology at the time. Heck, the first model shown is an embryonic iPhone!

MacFly123 · Dec 29, 2012, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushido

the baby mac looks cute ^^

Ya I hadn't seen that before. Looks very modern and minimal, especially for the time! Nice design

brianbobcat · Dec 28, 2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacRumors

...a simple, small-screened computer with a wireless mouse and keyboard, named the "Baby Mac,"...

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

AQUADock · Dec 28, 2012, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

I don't think they would have been wireless if they were actually released.

troop231 · Dec 28, 2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

It probably would've used Infrared technology like that used in TV remotes.

AQUADock · Dec 28, 2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troop231

It probably would've used Infrared technology like that used in TV remotes.

Infrared would be too slow for a keyboard and mouse and would need them to be facing the computer directly.

somethingelsefl · Dec 30, 2012, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troop231

It probably would've used Infrared technology like that used in TV remotes.

Not IR...it would have been wireless tech similar to the frequencies cordless phones run on. It's easy to forget that the first "wireless" mice weren't infrared (which often requires line-of-sight), but were instead 'wireless banded radio'.

Apple had chose to abandon wireless radio on most of their developments and instead opted for the current "WiFi" technology we see today (which back then was rare).

spacerays · Dec 28, 2012, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

RF like they still use in some logitech wireless mice with dongles?

likemyorbs · Dec 28, 2012, 12:41 PM

The Macphone would have been absolutely revolutionary in 1985. Too bad it never came to be. The people would have appreciated it.

Lancer · Dec 31, 2012, 02:33 AM

Love some of those designs!

macduke · Dec 28, 2012, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

Pretty sure I used a wireless RF mouse in the mid-90s. I remember being blown away, but it was pretty laggy, had to be pointed a certain way, and couldn't be more than about 12-18" from the receiver. So not practical. I imagine similar tech would be available in Apple's labs years before—but deemed terrible to use.

curmudgeon32 · Dec 28, 2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

These are just mockups. One of the pictures just has the keyboard mocked up out of foam or paper or something.

NewbieCanada · Dec 28, 2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbobcat

I want to know what wireless technology they would've used for the mouse and keyboard all the way back then. It's not like wifi and Bluetooth were things yet, much less commonplace.

IBM's PCjr had an infrared wireless keyboard in 1984. While the design of the keyboard was much maligned, it connected nicely if the signal wasn't blocked. Interestingly, it would also connect through a wired connection, something that would be quite handy on modern wireless keyboards.

Jessica Lares · Dec 28, 2012, 02:26 PM

The Baby Mac is awesome. Love how the keyboard looks so modern.

Yamcha · Dec 28, 2012, 05:05 PM

Those designs look very modern, especially for that time..

A Hebrew · Dec 31, 2012, 11:36 PM

I think the iPhone would get jealous of the Mac Phone

macuser1232 · Jan 1, 2013, 11:18 PM

I love the Macphone!

Macrolido · Jan 2, 2013, 11:48 AM

MacPhone looks really cool!

AppleMacDudeG4 · Jan 3, 2013, 03:51 PM

The Baby Mac looks like a very cool machine. I do have a question though. Does the Baby Mac needs to be changed from time to time?

Dec 28, 2012, 08:35 AM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Frog Design's Hartmut Esslinger Reveals Early Apple Designs in New Book Designboom (via The Verge) today got a hold of some photographs of early Apple computer designs from Hartmut Esslinger's new book, Design Forward. Esslinger founded Frog Design, the company that Apple partnered with in the 1980s and '90s to come up with a design strategy. Frog Design was responsible for the Apple IIc, which led to the "Snow White" design language that persisted in Apple products through 1990. This was the stylization that originally included off-white or platinum coloration, vertical and horizontal stripes for decoration, and a three-dimensional logo inlaid into the product case. Frog Design also worked on several other prospective Apple products, which were never manufactured, including a telephone/tablet hybrid deemed the "Macphone," a simple, small-screened computer with a wireless mouse and keyboard, named the "Baby Mac," and a set of tall, space-aged computers called "Macintosh Studies." Macphone Baby Mac Macintosh Studies Designboom has a full range of pictures of 10 different conceptual product designs available, along with a few excerpts of text from the book. Design Forward, Esslinger's Book will be released on January 16, 2013. Article Link: Frog Design's Hartmut Esslinger Reveals Early Apple Designs in New Book
	1

Dec 28, 2012, 08:46 AM	#2
bushido macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Germany, Europe	the baby mac looks cute ^^ __________________ '13 MacBook Pro Retina 2.5 GHz '13 MacBook Pro 2.54 GHz, C2D, 128GB SSD iPhone 5 (white & silver), 16GB iPad 3 white, 32 GB, Wifi+Cellular Apple TV 3
	13

Dec 28, 2012, 08:59 AM	#4
Imac Sam macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia	But are they thinner and lighter???? __________________ Imac(2011) 27 with 256Gb SSD, 1Tb Hd, and 24Gb RAM White Iphone5 64Gb; Ipad Mini 32gb, Ipad-2 32Gb; ATV-2 www.mountcrawfordweather.org
	2

Dec 28, 2012, 09:15 AM	#6
Drunken Master macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2011	Awesome! I had seen photos of the Baby Mac before, but not the others. The first iMac's face looks a lot like a colored, pinstriped version of the Baby Mac's face. That thing looks so cool. A lot like the Dieter Rams Atelier TV set for Bruan. __________________ MUJI Fans 無印愛好者
	0

Dec 28, 2012, 12:41 PM	#15
likemyorbs macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NJ	The Macphone would have been absolutely revolutionary in 1985. Too bad it never came to be. The people would have appreciated it. __________________ "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose." ~Steve Jobs
	0

Dec 28, 2012, 08:48 AM	#3
kjs862 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2004	Some really nice designs!
	1

Dec 31, 2012, 02:33 AM	#16
Lancer macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Australia	Love some of those designs!
	0

Dec 28, 2012, 02:26 PM	#20
Jessica Lares macrumors 68030 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA	The Baby Mac is awesome. Love how the keyboard looks so modern. __________________  Have You Hugged Your Mac Today? Daily Expressions \| Power Mac G5 \| Late 2011 13" MacBook Pro \| iPod Nano (7G) \| iPod Shuffle (2012) \| iPad Mini
	1

Dec 28, 2012, 05:05 PM	#21
Yamcha macrumors 68000 Join Date: Mar 2008	Those designs look very modern, especially for that time.. __________________ 21.5" iMac \| Intel Core i5 2.7GHz SandyBridge \| 4GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory \| 1TB Hard Drive \| AMD Radeon 6770 512MB \| Mountain Lion 10.8.3 \| Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit
	1

Dec 31, 2012, 11:36 PM	#22
A Hebrew macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Minnesota	I think the iPhone would get jealous of the Mac Phone __________________ 2012 13" MacBook Air \| Third Generation iPad \| Fifth Generation iPod Touch \| Apple TV 3
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 11:18 PM	#23
macuser1232 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2012	I love the Macphone! __________________ Early 2011 13" MacBook Pro, i5 2.3 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 320 GB HD ; 2 Gen 8 GB iPod Touch
	0

Jan 2, 2013, 11:48 AM	#24
Macrolido macrumors regular Join Date: May 2012 Location: Monterrey, Mexico	MacPhone looks really cool!
	0

Jan 3, 2013, 03:51 PM	#25
AppleMacDudeG4 macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2011	good looking The Baby Mac looks like a very cool machine. I do have a question though. Does the Baby Mac needs to be changed from time to time?
	0

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode