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Pre and Post iMac G3 uses of Translucent Plastics
- Thread starter mectojic
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Still works. I've never heard of anyone taking the the time to replace the innards of an old power strip. The thing was rather expensive back in the day, I think I got it from like outpost.com or MacMall and it advertised a $10k warranty and how many joules it could handle. I bet it can be found in old mac malls if you're after specs. I just never have considered the power strip dying, I assume not subjected to the elements or massive power spikes it'll last until the plastics become too brittle.
Hilariously it has phone line protection.
Found another pre-iMac translucent product: the VTech cordless 900mhz phone "jelly bean" series (VT 02-9111), according to their website, launched in 1997. I find service manuals dating to 1998.
Here are some examples of them.
No doubt, these phones built off the massive success of the clear transparent phone craze of the early 90s. But in my view, those clear-shell phones were lacking in style, just showing off a bunch of internal cables for the novelty effect. The translucent designs hint at inner workings while retaining a pleasant consistency.
Here are some examples of them.
No doubt, these phones built off the massive success of the clear transparent phone craze of the early 90s. But in my view, those clear-shell phones were lacking in style, just showing off a bunch of internal cables for the novelty effect. The translucent designs hint at inner workings while retaining a pleasant consistency.
Some of the original Digimon V-Pets sold in Japan were translucent colored and pre-date the iMac by a few months:
Japanese Wikipedia has the Ver. 3 shown here releasing March 1998. There's a few other translucent colored models, not just this orange too. They can be a bit tricky to find because there are modern recreations with color screens now that gum up searches.
Japanese Wikipedia has the Ver. 3 shown here releasing March 1998. There's a few other translucent colored models, not just this orange too. They can be a bit tricky to find because there are modern recreations with color screens now that gum up searches.
Thinking about it, a bunch of the original Tamagotchi's were also translucent colored and also predate the iMac by a fair bit. One of them is arguably very Bondi Blue...
tamagotchi.fandom.com
Tamagotchi (1996 Pet)/Shell list/Original Release
The following are all shells for the original Tamagotchi, released from 1996 through 1998.
Nice, thanks!
Good catch.Thinking about it, a bunch of the original Tamagotchi's were also translucent colored and also predate the iMac by a fair bit. One of them is arguably very Bondi Blue...
Tamagotchi (1996 Pet)/Shell list/Original Release
The following are all shells for the original Tamagotchi, released from 1996 through 1998.
Japan was definitely at the forefront of all this. Mainly because they were at the forefront of consumer electronics generally.
I still haven't found any direct quote or source saying that Jony Ive studied Japanese design trends, but I'm sure he was aware of them, at least second hand.
Ok, I can't believe I missed this one. Funnily enough, it had already been mentioned on an old Macrumors post, but I didn't connect the dots.
I think the clearest prescursor to the iMac G3, especially in putting translucency at the forefront of the product, is the Rowenta Surfline Iron.
It was introduced in 1991 in white, but in 1993 they introduced a model with a translucent blue casing, showing you the water level within (and evoking that 'water' feeling that we love). That design, of course, has been copied by almost all irons today.
Here's a Youtube ad from 1996.
People noticed the resemblance, at the time. One 1998 news article ran: "iMac and Surfline: Separated at birth?"
Rowetta's marketing department made the following statement: "Rowenta is flattered to see that the new iMac design bears a close resemblance to our Surfline iron, which was launched five years ago. We wish Apple all the success with iMac that we have had with our irons."
Of course, Apple itself made no statement on the resemblance.
I think it's case-closed, at least in terms of the translucent colour inspiration of the original iMac. In the 1999 book Icon: Steve Jobs by Jeffrey Young, Apple designers admitted to being influenced by household appliances, kitchenware, and fashion accessories — not just electronics.
I think the clearest prescursor to the iMac G3, especially in putting translucency at the forefront of the product, is the Rowenta Surfline Iron.
It was introduced in 1991 in white, but in 1993 they introduced a model with a translucent blue casing, showing you the water level within (and evoking that 'water' feeling that we love). That design, of course, has been copied by almost all irons today.
Here's a Youtube ad from 1996.
People noticed the resemblance, at the time. One 1998 news article ran: "iMac and Surfline: Separated at birth?"
Rowetta's marketing department made the following statement: "Rowenta is flattered to see that the new iMac design bears a close resemblance to our Surfline iron, which was launched five years ago. We wish Apple all the success with iMac that we have had with our irons."
Of course, Apple itself made no statement on the resemblance.
I think it's case-closed, at least in terms of the translucent colour inspiration of the original iMac. In the 1999 book Icon: Steve Jobs by Jeffrey Young, Apple designers admitted to being influenced by household appliances, kitchenware, and fashion accessories — not just electronics.
I recently thrifted this Scotch tape dispenser in a translucent Bondi-Blue color. You can see the sand through the plastic. I can't find anything about it online, it has the same model number as any other standard "black" tape dispenser that they ever made. The Scotch C-38. I have a lime green translucent stapler at home, but that seems to be a generic one without a major branding on it.
