Flower Power iMac named one of the Ugliest Tech Products Ever


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PC World recently wrote an article naming some of the ugliest Tech products ever…and the flower power iMac made the list.

If you take a look at it, it’s a hard point to argue. That thing is hideous. It came towards the end of the first iMac’s life cycle, and was released with what I think is the best looking of the original iMacs, the Graphite iMac.

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Needless to say, I can’t argue that the flower power iMac has earned its place in history next to the Zune, as one of the ugliest tech products ever.


Kossi Adzo

Kossi Adzo is a technology enthusiast and digital strategist with a fervent passion for Apple products and the innovative technologies that orbit them. With a background in computer science and a decade of experience in app development and digital marketing, Kossi brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the Apple Gazette team.

18 Comments

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  1. The Zune has never been ugly. People that complain about it just see photos. The real brown Zune has a green glow to it and looks fantastic.

  2. I liked the Flower Power iMac, and had one for a number of years. On the other hand, I’m an aging hippie who still misses Jim Morrison.

  3. @zune scene

    I have seen it, held it…I’ve had the full zune experience, and while I don’t know that I would call it the ugliest tech ever…it ain’t pretty.

    And just for the record, putting a green glow on a brown item just reinforces the poop jokes.

    πŸ˜›

  4. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (and all taste is subjective). How any iMac could ever be considered one the ugliest tech products ever, especially compared to the tasteless dreck put out by Dell/hp/Compac etc., is totally beyond me.

    P.S. Don’t judge the FlowerPower/Dalmatian iMacs based on photos. They look totally different in person; kinda like the Bondi Blue color of the original iMac, pretty in person, but not very photogenic. I never owned one myself, but I was always intrigued by the manufacturing process; the images weren’t distorted as they went around bends – not easy to do.

  5. Scott is right.

    There was something fascinating about the way the color was impregnated in the plastic. A friend of mine described the manufacturing process to me. The details escape me now, but the effect was terrific.

    1. My case actually has a clear spot in the flower power graphics which appears to be applied to the inside of a clear plastic shell. Obviously a specific design could not be part of the plastic itself. I wonder If the color fades or changes after time since the plastic does get hot due to the FAN-LESS convection design.

  6. What gives? How could you call having ot look through smoked plastic at all those ugly wires and crt stuff “beautiful”???

  7. I love my Flower Power iMac, but I think it does have serious self-esteem issues — and it keeps wanting to disconnect all the time. The flowers are nice, but the background yellow makes it look like a toilet seat. Whatever happened to that “image morphing” technology that was going to let you customize your hardware, to look any way you want it too? To be honest, I originally ordered the Sage DV+ iMac — which was recalled! So I think I made the right decision. Any Blue Dalmatian diehard dogs out there?!!

  8. The design of the “Flower Power” iMac obviously only appeals to women. Women do use computers you know. Every single article I read on how “ugly” the Flower Power iMac is, was written by a man. The colors on this iMac are soft and pretty pastels with delightful florals throughout. I use mine with the adorable matching desktop wallpaper. If only Apple had produced a matching keyboard and mouse I would be in feminine computer heaven.
    This is not a sarcastic comment, I truly love the Flower Power iMac and you all would too if you were a girl or woman. πŸ™‚

  9. Ugly – you’ve got to be joking, I know at least 3 females in this household who still absolutely love the thing, so much so that I’m looking into the possibilities of trying to upgrade it by incorporating a mac mini into one.

    Actually its a shame with millions of the original imacs still out there that no serious upgrade has ever been attempted.

  10. Rubbish – FLOWER POWER mac is beautiful! When I saw it for the first time, I had to have it. Yes, they look a bit dated now compared to the G5s. I’ve got a G5, but while happy to get rid of my bondi blue (ten a penny!) imac G3, will never let go of the FLOWER POWER! Was sad to see the flower power wallpaper go when updated it to OSX. (Oh and I’m not a hippy!) PCs are ugly! I’m not a mac obsessed PC hater, there are advantages and disadvantages to both of them – but PCs lose on the beauty stakes every time!

  11. Flower Power iMac is flat out the best-ever design of the G3 iMacs. I’m a man. I’m not a hippy. I’m not gay. It’s just a great design. You either get it or you don’t. Methinks people that hate this iMac would also hate the Fender pink paisley Telecaster. Naturally, I also own one of those. Remember the rumour that in the early days a frequent question at Apple job interviews was “Have you ever taken acid?” I think the correct answer was supposed to be “Yes”! Fast forward to 2001 and Apple obviously hadn’t forgotten its roots πŸ˜‰

  12. Still have, and love, a Flower Power iMac. (Mine does not have a yellow background, it’s light grey and white — haven’t seen yellow before. And I can’t see the cords through it like the other Mac pictured. You just have to like flowers!)

    The design is clean and pleasant. It doesn’t take over a room, the way some computers do. I think of it as art. I’ve never thought of it as “ugly”, and I’ve lived with it since it came out.

  13. Hey I finally just got one, having 6 imacs total, and i am proud to have apples shining crown to the bubble imac era!!! It is a museum piece and i am looking forward to the day I sell it for it’s original 1499. list price, in 2080.

  14. I also am not gay, and I am a male…and I want one…if not for anything else but to be different. My office is full of identical HPs (WinXP)…except for the PowerMac 8500/120/G3 at MY desk. This “flower power” Mac would be absolutely show-stopping!