Apple Bandai Pippin, 1995

Marketed as the Pipp!n, this little machine was supposed to be a low-cost internet-enabled gaming computer. Packing a 66Mhz processor and a 14.4kbs modem, the unassuming little console was practically a pioneer in its use of a 4x CD tray while its contemporaries lumbered around with clunky cassettes. The problem was, it retailed at nearly $600 and only 18 games were made for it. The modem was a bit of a waste of time because when it was released, not many people really knew about the internet or computer networking.

The Apple III, 1980

Retailing at up to $7,800 back in the 80’s, this computer did not represent good value for money. In a decade when that sort of cash would buy a fairly reasonable car, Apple were going to have to convince customers that this business-oriented desktop model was worth the money.

Unfortunately it wasn’t. It was woefully underpowered, even for 1980, and there were several crippling design flaws which ensured its entry into this list. It would regularly overheat (thanks to Steve Jobs insisting on no fans or air vents) and the components would fail after prolonged use.

The iMac Mouse

This is the iconic mouse released at the end of the nineties. The one that was supposed to look like a hockey puck with multicoloured facets? It had just the one button, which confused many, but it was also uncomfortable and difficult to use.

The USB port on the iMac G3 was moved from the centre to the left, meaning that right-handed people found the mouse difficult to use. We know that left-handed people encounter a lot of discriminatory design features when they use tech, but we reckon this is a step in the wrong direction.

Motorola ROKR

This isn’t exactly an Apple product on the outside, but its main selling feature was that it came with Apple’s iTunes player built in. This was quite a big deal back in 2005 when smartphones hadn’t really kicked off, but sadly the Motorola ROKR was destined to fail from birth.

It could only store about 100 songs which, although more impressive than CDs, is still not much when compared to the already-established iPod range. And the clunky interface and general iTunes skulduggery meant that transferring music was a lengthy ordeal.

Apple Lisa

Unlike a lot of tech fails which can simply be left in a warehouse and forgotten, Apple actually went to the lengths of making a secure landfill site in Utah and disposing of all the unsold Lisas there. Although this was for tax reasons, it’s still the embarrassing result of a damning consumer backlash.

It wasn’t as big a commercial failure as the Apple III, and it did give rise to some internationally useful software. But its high asking price (a whopping $10,000) and fairly mediocre specifications made it something of a laughing stock. Apple had to literally throw 2,700 of them away.

Despite their overlooked failures, Gerri is a tech mistress and devours all things Apple. She also writes on behalf of a high-end furniture retailer based in the US.

The prints starting at $90 feature icons from the original Mac OS such as the Happy Mac, Bomb and Alert popup. Susan’s work is notable and her work on the Mac’s original interface has helped shaped what it is today. If you’re an old school Mac user or enthusiast, you’re going to want hang these on your wall — I know I want to.

*Edit: Updated the year of iPod date from 2004 to 2001, and added the S to 3G. Thanks for the heads up, Alexis and Jack Straw!

The “Greek Gods Free” application literally frees up all of the specifics on over 360 gods and goddesses. If a vague text drops a line about Achelous, simply thumb down the alphabetized list to his name and read about how the “large River God with bull’s head and serpents tail…had a run-in with Heracles over some female, and one of his horns snapped off…and [Plutus] turned it into the Horn of Plenty.”

Looking up ancient Greeks could not be more intuitive as there is a list, a search function and even categories that the iPhone user can summon to find a deity (god or goddess), a demon, a fabulous creature, a legendary mortal, a spiritual being, or even a legendary place from Greek mythology.

Simply press on the heart by the Greek god’s description to make Aphrodite a favorite, for quick access later on, and thumb the envelope to email the lower atmosphere’s air god, aer!

With all of the half serpent, half goat people running amuck in Greek myths it can be hard to decipher gender, but do not worry! The “Greek Gods Free” App has an appropriate male or female symbol next to every name of a fantastic personage!

IMPULSIVE Review Grade: A+

The American Museum of Natural History has provided their unbelievable assortment of world-renowned dinosaur exhibits, research and pictures, and now they have projected it all onto one free iPhone App!

Open the “Dinosaurs” application and a giant mosaic of a Tyrannosaurus Rex greets the user’s screen. This woven collection of over 800 photographs come directly from the Museum’s archive!

Double tap or pinch the screen to zoom in and out of the photos and view them one by one. This App is intuitive and uses the iPhone’s touch-screen abilities really well; simply pull on the pictures to the left, right, up, or down to get another dinosaur shot from the mosaic.

Once zoomed in on a detailed image of cute “Psittacosaurus babies hatching out of their eggs,” one can then press the info button and read up on the actual exhibit and find out of it is temporary or a full time piece.

For any fan of dinosaurs, the American Museum of Natural History, or incredibly clear images of gorgeous fossils the “Dinosaurs” App, made by the actual museum, is a must download. This adept App is truly a work of art, a fine culmination of the Museum’s dinosaur section, and it is great for kids and adults.

Bite the “Dinosaurs” application before it bites you!

IMPULSIVE Review Grade: A+

Although there is a “Lite” version of “Ms. PAC-MAN” available to download on the iPhone for free, it lacks the difficult and engaging levels that truly make the famished ghost-eating sensation what she is. Open up the wallet right away, for the App store has listed “Ms. PAC-MAN” as on sale for a limited time only.

“Ms. PAC-MAN” brought the rough and clunky Atari-age classic arcade game (PAC-MAN) to new heights, as the female version not only appealed to many girls and women across the world, but it also was a superior game. The improved graphics and game-play of “Ms. PAC-MAN” make her timeless.

Who would not want to be sitting at an arcade, witnessing full color, sound and incredible gaming, instead of just being on line at a bank bored, and on the verge of beating one’s self senseless with any nearby blunt object. Put the paper weight down and pull out an iPhone to start up “Ms. PAC-MAN,” and gain back control over time itself!

Grade: A

Ms. PAC-MAN

With an iPhone, “The New York Times” application is available for free. The app is a near full version of the newspaper’s web site and it allows you to view up to the minute news flawlessly. The articles are easy to read as you merely touch the headline and then zoom in on whatever size is needed by pinching, or reverse pinching the item.

Whether one likes to see the newest stories, or the most viewed, the “NYTimes” app has it all! There is a “Latest” news category, a “Popular,” and a “Saved” section wherein one can save articles that are of interest.

Almost everything else that could be found in the physical Sunday Times paper is here too. There is a “World” section, a “U.S.” news section, and a “Politics” section if one is in need of some sleep. There is the infamous “Business” section, “N.Y./Region” spot for local news, one for “Technology,” “Sports,” and much more!

Grade: A

The New York Times

Over the weekend many sites posted interesting looks back at the history of Apple. Time Magazine posted their Top 10 Apple moments. Read Write Web posted “Mac: 25 Years in Pictures”. Michael Miller recalled the first time that Steve Jobs showed him a Macintosh on his PC Mag blog, and Digg users voted a YouTube video of Steve Jobs demoing the fist Macintosh from 1984 to the home page of the site.

There are actually many more on other Apple sites, so many, in fact, that it seemed kind of silly to post another one here. So let me just say “Happy birthday Mac.” and leave it at that.

One thing is clear about Apple, no matter how big they get, or how much they change over time, the company has had an amazing impact on the industry with products like the Macintosh, and their legacy will live on for generations to come.

Its amazing to see how the iMac has evolved over the last 10 years. You can read about the Evolution of the iMac and see how the product has changed over time, but what is more interesting to me is that this year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Apple “All-in-One” computer.

The Apple Lisa was the first true “All-In-One” offered by Apple, and it was introduced in January of 1983. You can read a complete history of the Evolution of the Apple All-In-One as well – and the changes from 1983 to 2008 are as different as night and day. The iMacs we have now were unimaginable at the time.

I wonder what Mac will look like 25 years from now? Will they even have screens, or will they plug straight into your head? Only time will tell…

The Evolution of the iMac >>
The Evolution of the Apple All-In-One >>

The “sub-notebook” rumors that just won’t go away are all anyone is talking about going into Macworld 2008. Recent Apple patent filings only further the rumor mill as they spin around hyping up this little device that we don’t even know exists yet.

Instead of rumor-mongering I thought now might be a good time to take a step back and take a look at Apple’s history with the sub-notebook. Apple has a long history with this kind of product, going all the way back to 1992 with the release of the very first Powerbook Duo.

The Duo was a sub-notebook that lacked most traditional ports at the time. It only included internal serial and fax/modem ports with everything being offered through several docking options.

The Duo Dock was the largest and most expensive. It was a full featured monitor and docking station. the Powerbook Duo would slide into the docking station very much like a VHS tape into a VCR and then BOOM – you’d have a full blown desktop computer.

The Mini Dock was a much smaller dock that allowed you to connect most major ports at the time and an external monitor of your own, while the Micro Dock was a tiny dock that only allowed the addition of a port or two, such as a floppy drive.

The Powerbook Duo was produced from 1992 to 1997, and is very much in-line with what the current rumors are about the proposed Apple “sub-notebook”.

In the same way the one could argue that he Newton was reborn into the iPhone, we might be saying that whatever this new device is could be the Powerbook Duo reborn…we MIGHT say that…I doubt it, because I don’t expect there to be a “sub-notebook” at Macworld (13.3′ LED screens do not a “sub” make)…but if we do, you can bet it will be compared to its great, grandfather – the Powerbook Duo.

Disney’s Spaceship Earth was recently retooled, and rumor had it that Steve Jobs was going to be turned into an animatronic addition to the ride. Thankfully, that didn’t happen – and instead, Woz, the loveable guy that actually invented the Apple Computer is there instead.

You can see a small version of him above, but there are some many nifty little “in-joke” details to this thing, that you’ll probably want to give the higher rez version a look.

The Apple hockey puck shaped mouse shipped with iMacs in 1998. It was hard to hold, uncomfortable, and cheap feeling. It was a terrible mouse. The guys at cNet UK think it was SO terrible that it’s one of the worst tech products ever invented.

I tend to agree that it was an absolutely horrible mouse. One silver lining, though. As is often the case with Apple products, even when they get something wrong – they get something right. The hockey puck mouse was the very first mouse to ever use USB as the standard for connectivity.

The rest of the list is interesting as well…I don’t recognize most of the products listed, but there is one that I am familiar with. It’s name? Windows Vista.

The bidding is up to $600+ which is way more than I’d pay for one of these, but if you’re interested, you can check out the auction here. If not but you still want to look at the system, I’ve included a few pics of the machine below, but there are tons more on the auction site.

It’s also funny how much the Dock has evolved…

There is one hoax, however, that stands out as one of the most elaborate I think I’ve ever seen.

The iWalk.

The device was rumored for a long time to be the next generation Newton. A new Apple PDA. iWalk rumors actually pre-date the iPod itself. Spymac (which was then a Mac rumors site with an, apparently poor level of accuracy, and is now a YouTube like video sharing portal – go figure) actually posted an image of the iWalk PDA device claiming it was going to be the “breakthrough” device that Apple revealed in October of 2001. Of course, that wasn’t true. That breakthrough device was, in fact, the iPod.

The device rumors again surfaced in Jan. or 2002 before Macworld. This time the images of the device even included video like the one below…

Wired posted a story about the videos before Macworld, debunking the rumors…but some fans wanted to believe it was real anyway – at least until Macworld 2002, when the device was nowhere to be found.

Just yesterday, as I was writing the first part of this article, the device showed up in The Apple Blog’s Top 10 list of Apple Rumors that never came true, and it has had a continued presence on the web since the images and videos first surfaced online at the beginning of the century.

The iWalk will never exist, especially now that the PDA market is in decline, and the Smartphone market has taken its place. The iPhone is as close a successor the Newton as we’re ever likely to see, and I think it’s ultimately great that this thing was fake. If Apple had tried their hand at the PDA market again and failed (as this device surely would have – I mean, who wants that big honkin’ knob sticking out of your pocket?) the iPhone might never have existed.

For those of you that don’t know, the Pippin was a joint project between Apple and Bandai (it was never Apple’s intention to release the product on it’s own, but to partner with other companies…Bandai was the only one that bit). Underpowered and overpriced (the device launched at $599), the Pippin died a swift death, and quickly made it’s way into the history books as one of the worst products Apple has ever produced.

In fact, PC World went on to name it the Worst Tech Product of All Time recently.

Ouch. That’s harsh.

The email specifically described dumping Office for Mac as “The strongest bargaining point we have, as doing so will do a great deal of harm to Apple immediately.”

The form of the documentation was in an email memo from Microsoft-cofounder Bill Gates to then Mac Business Unit chief Ben Waldman. It was dated June 1997.

1997…hmmm…why is that familiar? Oh yeah! Remember what happened in January 1997?

So roughly 6 months after Bill Gates appeared at Macworld to show support for Apple, Microsoft was discussing stabbing the company in the back.

That’s real classy.

Apple has had a long history of producing great notebook computers. In fact, the first Powerbook is credited with being the birth of the modern notebook….but their first steps into the Portable Computer market were less than successful.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of Apple’s innovative portable computing line…

The Macintosh Portable (1989)

This 15.8 pound monster of a “portable” machine was released in 1989 to a generally positive reception from critics, but very poor sales numbers. The system had a black and white active-matrix LCD screen which was fitted inside a hinged cover that closed over the keyboard when not in use.

It also featured a full sized keyboard, trackball mouse, and 10 hours of battery life…but the heavy machine failed to win the hearts of consumers (due in no small part to its $6,500 price tag) and was discontinued in 1991.

Powerbooks 100 Series (1991)

Apple quickly learned from the mistakes it made with the Portable Macintosh, and in early 1991 three Powerbook computers were released. The Powerbook 100, 140 and 170 caused a stir when they hit the market for their stylish casing, use of a trackball, and the positioning of the keyboard.

The Powerbook was the first notebook computer to position the keyboard close to the display, leaving room for palm rests and the trackball at the bottom of the device. This innovation is has become the standard for notebook computers, and continues to be used today.

The Powerbook 100 series featured a variety of upgraded during its run from 1991-1994, but the line struggled to keep up with competitors who had adopted the systems designs due to overheating issues with some of the hardware. As a result, the systems were released with improvements like color screens and other minor additions, but by 1994 the 100 series was showing its age.

Powerbook 500 Series (1994)

The Powerbook 500 series was a temporary shot in the arm to the line, and also introduced some innovative features that we now find common on all notebook computers.

The systems were sleeker and faster than their predecessors, featured active-matrix LCD display, stereo sound, and two firsts for notebooks…built in Ethernet, and a trackpad.

The move to the PowerPC chip Ultimately shortened the lifespan of the 500 series, as Apple moved forward to newer models.

Powerbook 5300 Series (1995)

Dubbed the “Hindenbook” by some due to a problem with exploding batteries that resulted in a recall, the Powerbook 5300 is considered by most to be the worst computer Apple has ever shipped.

Many of the units arrived DOA, and users continually reported problems with the notebooks, causing Apple to issue a warranty extension by up to 4 years on some machines.

This was Apple’s first new notebook to feature the Power PC processor.

Powerbook 1400 (1996)

Apple quickly recouped, and introduced the Powerbook 1400 in November of 1996. This replacement for the terrible Powerbook 5300, while ultimately the low-end option for Powerbook owners, was innovative for a variety of reasons.

It was the first notebook to feature a “built-in: CD-Rom drive (although the drive was part of a swappable module, and could be replaced with a Zip Drive). The notebook also featured a lid which included a cover for storing papers, business cards, and sheets with patterns purchasable from Apple.

Powerbook 3400 (1997)

In Feb. of the following year, Apple introduced the higher end Powerbook 3400…which was briefly the fast notebook in the world.

This Powerbook was the first to feature PCI architecture, EDO memory, and a 64-bit wide internal bus.

The model lasted until November of 1997.

It was quickly overshadowed by Apple’s next notebook release.

Powerbook G3 (1998)

Part of the first wave of products released after Steve Jobs’ return to the helm of Apple, the Powerbook G3 debuted at approximately the same time as the original iMac. This sleek notebook took its design ques from the earlier 500 series, making it a stylish device that was as pretty to look at, as it was to operate.

The original G3 spawned two successors in the line, including the “Lombard” in 1999, and the “Prismo” in 2000. Both machines shared the same basic design as the original, but where lighter and featured different internal parts.

The iBook (1999)

At Macworld in 1999, Steve Jobs shocked the world by introducing the clamshell designed iBook. One of the key innovations of the iBook, was that it was the first mainstream computer ever to be designed and sold with internal wireless networking.

The unorthodoxed design of the machine made the media stand up and take notice, and the line was a commercial success.

It did, however, create internal debate among long time Mac fans, earning the name “Toilet Seat” in some circles based on its design. This first generation design continued to be upgraded internally until 2000, when it was replaced by a new model.

In 2001, the iBook recieved an upgrade and redesign. The new iBook did not have the clamshell casing of its predecessor. Instead, the new iBook featured a sleek, white, slim-line polycarbonate shell.

This look inspired countless other products, including the iPod, and was well received from critics and consumers alike.

In October 2003, the iBook received its final major upgrade…this time in the form of a G4 processor. The design remained the same.

Powerbook G4 (2000)

When the Powerbook was redesigned for the final time, it came with a titanium skin, and a widescreen display. The device was billed as “the first supercomputer you can actually take with you on an airplane.” The system was light, and had better battery life than most of its contemporaries.

This version of the Powerbook made professional production in a variety of media truly mobile on the Mac platform for the first time. The systems were updated in 2003 with a new anodized aluminium casing, and screen sizes of up to 17″. With DVD burning capability, tons of hard drive storage, and enough power to edit movie and music like never before, this was a truly a POWERbook.

The line continued until 2006, and the name Powerbook was retired when Apple moved over to Intel based processors.

Macbook Series (2006)

The Macbook line was introduced in May of 2006. The Macbook replaced the iBook, and the Macbook Pro replaced the Powerbook. These systems remained similar to their predecessors. Every model includes an iSight camera built-in, and a magnetic latch mechanism.

The Macbook and Macbook Pro notebook computers are some of the most powerful portable computers available, and (thanks to the Intel processors) can also run Windows and Linux operating systems in addition to Mac OS X.

The Future

It is uncertain what the future holds for Apple’s notebook computers. It has long been speculated that Apple might introduce a TabletMac, or possibly something featuring the multi-touch interface introduced in the iPhone…but all of that is simply speculation.

One thing that is certain is that Apple will continue to innovate as they have with their notebooks from the beginning.

If you haven’t seen it yet (it’s been online for a while), it’s an interesting read that shows us almost every mouse Apple has ever produced.

My personal favorite would have to be the original ADB Mouse…I don’t know why, but it looks like the kind of mouse that Kirk and Spock would have used on the Original Enterprise…ya know, assuming they had mice…