port alignment, etc.
While this did, at first, have me convinced, looking more closely at the machine revealed another fact not mentioned before.
Recently, the port alignment scheme has been following these rules:
1. If and only the machine is a laptop, all ports are horizontally aligned.
2. If the machine is a desktop and an imaginary box around the ports is horizontal, USB and Firewire ports will be vertical. Other ports will be horizontal. (Exception: iMac G5 modem and ethernet)
3. If the machine is a desktop and an imaginary box around the ports is vertical, all ports will be horizontal. (Exception: G5 front USB and Firewire)
The "iHome" doesn't fit these rules.
Video connector looks like a mini-DVI (used on small powerbooks, G5 iMac, etc.). This requires an extra dongle to use video. That is not the user-friendly, Macintosh Way.
The styrofoam on the computers is always sandwich-style (one on top, one below). The "iHome"'s packaging is not Macintosh Way-compliant.
{EDIT: Grammar technical corrections
01/26/05 8:02 CST}