Apple Patent: Adjustable Screen Snake Arm

[MacRumors]

MacObserver notes that Apple has been issued a patent for a "display device with moveable assembly.

MacObserver reposted photos of the display arm from the patent application and resembles the LCD iMac with a (more) adjustable neck.

The patent was filed on November 8, 2001 which predates the release of the LCD iMac. This may simply represent an early prototype design rather than an upcoming product.

[Le Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

MacObserver notes that Apple has been issued a patent for a "display device with moveable assembly.

MacObserver reposted photos of the display arm from the patent application and resembles the LCD iMac with a (more) adjustable neck.

The patent was filed on November 8, 2001 which predates the release of the LCD iMac. This may simply represent an early prototype design rather than an upcoming product.

That sounds like all kind of cool if they could make it work, but given tehproblems with the imac arm as it is, it sounds like a warranty disaster.

[yoman]

It is wierd lookin.

Based on the pictures

[yoman]

Originally Posted by Le Big Mac

That sounds like all kind of cool if they could make it work, but given tehproblems with the imac arm as it is, it sounds like a warranty disaster.

What problems are there with the current arms?

[PlaceofDis]

it will probably never come out, the patent was applied for before the current imacs came out.....probably not a big deal

[Niknar]

I think its pretty cool. Looks like they had the rest of the imac design done but just had the arm to work out.

[Some_Big_Spoon]

Glad that they went with the other one. I like the 17 * 20" iMacs.. just wish they were faster, as we all do.

Originally Posted by Niknar

I think its pretty cool. Looks like they had the rest of the imac design done but just had the arm to work out.

[Dont Hurt Me]

current arm is fine, just throw in G5 2.0 and 9600xt and ill order 1.

[thatwendigo]

Originally Posted by Dont Hurt Me

current arm is fine, just throw in G5 2.0 and 9600xt and ill order 1.

What happened to AMD being the savior of gaming, DHM? A little skittish over the jump, after all?

You still have yet to address the problems with head dissipation that I brought up some time ago. If the current G4s already push the limit of cooling ability in the enclosure, how will a massively hotter architecture and graphics card fit in there without baking?

[Phaedrus]

Well now I completely get Job's comparison, which baffled me at the time, of the imac to one of the sunflowers in his wife's garden. Maybe Ive talked him out of it at the last minute.... But it does have a weird organic beauty.... I'm just afraid that if I got too close it would spit spores into my face and I wouldn't want to leave the planet....

[keysersoze]

oof.

am i the only one who thinks that thing is total butt?!


stupid snake.

[Trowaman]

Me no likey.

Too complex, it's not "simple" enough.

[areyouwishing]

Just give me a headless iMac already.

Call it the PowerMac LC. 700 Bux, make it bootable into OS 9 and X (to kill the PowerMac G4 off) G4 1.25 at least, 256mb of RAM, Replaceable Hard Drive and Ram... thats it, maybe video card. No Expansion slots, and I am SOLD.

[thatwendigo]

Originally Posted by areyouwishing

Just give me a headless iMac already.

Call it the PowerMac LC. 700 Bux, make it bootable into OS 9 and X (to kill the PowerMac G4 off) G4 1.25 at least, 256mb of RAM, Replaceable Hard Drive and Ram... thats it, maybe video card. No Expansion slots, and I am SOLD.

If there were going to be a headless iMac, that would be the least of Apple's hardware worries, and it would be out already. The other problem, one that it seems will never get through to a certain kind of person, is that the Mac is not a bargain bin computer. To push it down into the $700-$1000 space requires using second-rate components, as we see with the eMac and iMac of today.

That being said, for what most home users do, both of the current machines are more than adequate for the task. I use an eMac 700 as my primary machine, and I do everything besides FPS gaming on it. Sure, it would be nice to have a SATA drive or the option to upgrade the hardware a bit, but the fact of the matter is that this computer (and most of the x86 market, for that matter) is more than home users require.

Lastly, TANSTAAFL. You get what you pay for, and if you want a cheap box, then there's already a market overflowing with them. I hope you enjoy the hardware problems they have.

[voicegy]

Originally Posted by Phaedrus

Well now I completely get Job's comparison, which baffled me at the time, of the imac to one of the sunflowers in his wife's garden.

You totally beat me to it. Exactly. Whether it was design complications or the way it ended up looking when prototyped or Jonathan going "ewwwww" when he saw the sunflower design in 3D, I'm glad this one never saw the light of day.

[neonart]

This just looks like iMac prototypes. It would be outstanding if adjustable displays where on the way, but I doubt it.

We may be stuck with picture frames for a while...

[ChrisH3677]

One thing did catch my eye in the MacObserver article

The reality is the iMac desperately needs a serious redesign. Preferably, one that involves severing the screen from the base. If Apple is to increase its market share, it needs to target some of its machines at the corporate market. To do that, it needs a modestly priced G5 powered replacement for the iMac. One where the user can pick up a reasonably priced monitor of their choosing.

I am the IT manager of a small council. We have approx 80 desktops. We are a Windows site (except for my PowerBook!! ). I just this week began re-thinking my computer purchasing strategy. I am seriously considering phasing out desktops in favor of laptops. I can now get acceptable laptops with 15" displays within my pricepoint ($2000 AUD).

The physical manageability is what really appeals. Tho higher end workstation would still need to be desktops.

edit: Yes, I would have external mouse and keyboards attached to them.

Makes me wonder tho if Apple, may never release a corporate desktop and instead expect ppl to buy laptops...

And why not? Give me a laptop under my pricepoint that can run all my apps... why wouldn't I? Desktops are shrinking away to nothing anyway.

Food for thought.

[legion]

Originally Posted by ChrisH3677

One thing did catch my eye in the MacObserver article

I am the IT manager of a small council. We have approx 80 desktops. We are a Windows site (except for my PowerBook!! ). I just this week began re-thinking my computer purchasing strategy. I am seriously considering phasing out desktops in favor of laptops. I can now get acceptable laptops with 15" displays within my pricepoint ($2000 AUD).

The physical manageability is what really appeals. Tho higher end workstation would still need to be desktops.

edit: Yes, I would have external mouse and keyboards attached to them.

Makes me wonder tho if Apple, may never release a corporate desktop and instead expect ppl to buy laptops...

And why not? Give me a laptop under my pricepoint that can run all my apps... why wouldn't I? Desktops are shrinking away to nothing anyway.

Food for thought.

Because maintenance and repair of a laptop is quite a bit more expensive and a hassle compared to a desktop. In the end, it doesn't workout well in TCO for longterm use as a desktop machine in business.

What happens when you have a laptop where the graphics card dies? On a desktop, you could keep some spare parts around and just swap one in while the warranty replaces the dead one. On a laptop, you're talking about sending the machine out for repair and hoping it comes back reasonably soon. Even if you are smart enough to keep a stock of laptops around as replacement/loaners, that's an added burden to cost (plus the hassle of moving data back and forth from one laptop to the other before sending the broken one out.)

[numediaman]

MacObserver posts this garbage -- and AppleInsider and MacRumors passes it on. Sorry, but are we a little desperate here, or what?

[inkswamp]

Originally Posted by Le Big Mac

given tehproblems with the imac arm as it is

Such as?

I've owned a G4 iMac for a year-and-a-half and it's been one of the most amazing and sturdy designs I've ever used. Really incredibly useful and quite solid. My daughter drags the monitor down to her level when she uses the machine. I drag it back up. My wife and I turn the screen to face our bed when we want to watch a movie. I have friends who also own G4 iMacs and none of them complain about problems with it.

What on earth are the problems you're talking about?

[wdlove]

If that was the prototype that they decided against, they tells us all we need to know. It looks like with normal wear and tear would fail.

[neonart]

Originally Posted by inkswamp

Such as?

I've owned a G4 iMac for a year-and-a-half and it's been one of the most amazing and sturdy designs I've ever used. Really incredibly useful and quite solid. My daughter drags the monitor down to her level when she uses the machine. I drag it back up. My wife and I turn the screen to face our bed when we want to watch a movie. I have friends who also own G4 iMacs and none of them complain about problems with it.

What on earth are the problems you're talking about?

Yes, please explain. We had our iMac for 2 years and it was OUTSTANDING! We miss it big time!

The screen was such a great part of it! I don't think anyone knows how cool it is until you use it for a while.

[medea]

Originally Posted by inkswamp

Such as?

I've owned a G4 iMac for a year-and-a-half and it's been one of the most amazing and sturdy designs I've ever used. Really incredibly useful and quite solid. My daughter drags the monitor down to her level when she uses the machine. I drag it back up. My wife and I turn the screen to face our bed when we want to watch a movie. I have friends who also own G4 iMacs and none of them complain about problems with it.

What on earth are the problems you're talking about?

The only problem was where some of the screens were loose and titled to the side, but it was only a handful of them and apple fixed the issue.

[rubikcube]

OMG!!!

You all will never believe me on this one. While I was at WWDC2003, there was an event called the apple campus bash. Apple busses everyone from SF to cupertino so we can all get drunk and talk with the apple engineers. While I was there, I noticed that one of the windows was open, and I saw THIS iMac in the window. I remember telling someone about this and they thought that it was an aftermarket mod that one of the engineers might have done.

So crazy to see it here...

[ClimbingTheLog]

Originally Posted by thatwendigo

If there were going to be a headless iMac, that would be the least of Apple's hardware worries, and it would be out already. The other problem, one that it seems will never get through to a certain kind of person, is that the Mac is not a bargain bin computer. To push it down into the $700-$1000 space requires using second-rate components, as we see with the eMac and iMac of today.

Baloney. Computers get cheaper all the time. Take a $1299 iMac. Knock off a hundred buck for the new model year. $1199. Now take off the 15" LCD Panel and the arm - $999 is certainly possible.