15 Apple Prototypes You May Have Never Seen 7 Sep 2010, 2:17 am

Sure, Apple wears many hats. Its a consumer electronics company, a music store, a mobile phone manufacturer, a retail store operator, etc. But, first and foremost it is a design company. Find below 15 Apple prototypes that you may have never seen.

The Knowledge Navigator was a dream of Apple’s then-CEO John Scully in the ’80s. It’s not clear if the technology for the navigator even exists today, as it would have had a touch screen, superb text-to-speech translation, and a super cool ‘butler’ that users could speak to and order around (think “Computer” on Star Trek’s USS Enterprise).

The weighted LCD screen on this svelte computer makes it look like an art piece Gordon Gekko would have in his office just to show off. It’s said to be designed by well-known German industrial designer Richard Sapper. This was actually featured in MoMa.

The TimeBand looked to be in the concept phase in the early ’90s. It’s not very clear what the piece would have done other than play the radio and give users a more manly alternative to the cuff bracelet. Found it interesting to post saying how an Apple board of director member wanted to use the new iPod shuffle as a wrist watch.

WALT, which stands for Wizzy Active Lifestyle Telephone, was a predecessor to the iPhone, though incomparably clunkier. It had a touch screen and digital address book and could be used as a fax machine.

Pippin made it to the marketplace, but if you’ve heard of it, you’re among the minority. When the gaming console (and network computer) was released in the US in 1996, Sony and Nintendo already had a firm grip on the digits of gamers. Japanese toymakers Bandai made the console and reportedly sold a measly 42,000 before it was discontinued

The Penlite, or Macintosh PowerBook Duo Tablet, was a combination of a Mac computer and tablet PC. Apple canceled development on this potentially-cool system in the mid-’90s to focus on the failed Newton pads.

Above, a Newton prototype. Newton’s were Apple’s personal digital assistant, or PDA, which were known in the ’90s for futuristic handwriting recognition software. Development ended in 1998, but some die hard Mac fans are still hoping for a revival.

It’s no wonder a boxy-looking flatscreen like this one never took off. Even with the wireless keyboard, the screen frame is overpowering and leaves no room for adjustments.

The Apple Texas Ranger is said to have been the result of a joint effort between RKS and Alan Kay (one of the developers of Macintosh interface) to build a kid-friendly computer with CD-ROM and pen-to-screen touch capabilities.

Above, an Apple combination of a PDA and GPS for cyclists. The idea is pretty neat, but do people really need a flashy distraction when they’re on the road?

The Apple IIp, or 2p, was an early portable concept said to have been in development in 1989.

This keyboard-free system, which looks like it was is development in the early ’90s, was likely aimed at artists and MacPaint users.

The Apple Paladin is a rare prototype all-in-one device. It combines a Duo 230, 160mb HD, OS 7.1, a Stylewriter 1200, and an Apple Scanner.

Modularity seems like a winning solution to design problems. Trouble is, people become bewildered by too many configuration options. Case in point you could configure this system as a pen-based tablet computer, a notebook with keyboard and touchpad, a full desktop computer, and more. The display module is a self-contained tablet computer. At your main work site you could dock the tablet with a desk module and use the keyboard cordlessly. The desk module would provide more storage, enhanced networking and video, and expansion slots.

The main unit of this dynamic prototype is curved just like today’s desktop Macs. but there the resemblance ends. This main unit swivels on the four-footed pedestal so you can get at the floppy disk, drive on one side and the CD-ROM drive on the other side. You can swing the main unit without dragging cables because the ports are in the pedestal. The flat display swivels and tilts independently. The display frame contains a microphone, speakers, and an infrared transceiver that connects cordlessly with the keyboard and its built-in trackpad. The emphasis of this radical approach is how you interact with the Mac, not on the Mac itself.

Holy Cow! People Actually Played Duke Nukem Forever! 5 Sep 2010, 11:44 pm

It seems the long lasting, semi vaporware joke of the the tech industry may not actually be a joke for much longer. In Germany Seattle at PAX 2010 Duke Nukem forever got a playable demo and a tagged release date in 2011. Don’t count me as a skeptic but haven’t we been down this road before?

Don’t Like iTunes New Gray Look? Easily Add The Color Back (and move the Widgets Too!) 3 Sep 2010, 11:01 pm

The thing I love about MacOS X is how with the Terminal you can pretty much customize anything. A string here, a boolean there. Well with a tiny bit of typing you can bring back that punch of color to the dreary iTunes 10.

First download the iTunes color resources

Make sure you Quit iTunes

Then, right click and “Show Package Contents” on iTunes to show ‘Contents’ folder. Back up and replace your /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/iTunes.rsrc with the included file.

When you open iTunes it will now have the color icons.

A bonus tip, if you want the normal stoplight buttons back, Close your iTunes, open Terminal and paste in this “defaults write com.apple.iTunes full-window -1″, hit enter. The next time you open iTunes the widgets will back back in their “normal” place.

Think the Smart Car is Big? Check out the Peel! 3 Sep 2010, 2:41 am

Wow, and I thought the Smart car was a death trap. Look at this! For ONLY $19,335 (OUCH!) you can snag one of the limited run Peel P-50 cars.

Sized 50 inches across the wheelbase, with a dimension of 52.8 inches (length) by 39 inches (width) by 47.2 inches (height), and a mere weight of 130 pounds. I weigh more then that!

If you are bizarrely interested you can plunk down $775 to reserve one.

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Download iTunes 10 NOW 2 Sep 2010, 11:47 am

Download iTunes 10 from Apple Now!

Download Now (Mac) (Mirror) or For Windows

Why Wait? Download iOS 4.1 GM Now for your iPhone and iPod Touch 2 Sep 2010, 9:19 am

While we are waiting for iTunes, might as well let everyone know that iOS 4.1 GM has been made available to all iPhone developers. The cool thing is that iOS 4.1 will work on ANY iPhone or iPod Touch regardless if it is a developer phone or not.

Use the mirror links below to get your hands on iOS 4.1 early. Be sure to credit us when linking!

iPhone 3G – iPhone1,2_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw – Multiupload
iPhone 3GS – iPhone3,1_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw – Multiupload
iPhone 4 – iPhone1,2_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw – Multiupload
iPod Touch 2G – iPod2,1_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw – Multiupload
iPod Touch 3G – iPod3,1_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw – Multiupload

IMPORTANT: These files are not hosted on this server nor was it uploaded by anyone at this organization. They are provided for reference only.

Evolution of the Playstation, and How it Almost Was the Nintendo Playstation 2 Sep 2010, 2:58 am

If you know your gaming history, you already know one of the most infamous events in all of console time was Nintendo and Sony’s collaboration to make a hybrid SNES/CD-ROM machine called the “PlayStation.” For those who already had SNESes, they could theoretically buy a separate CD-ROM drive that plugged into the bottom of the console (if you still have an SNES, check the bottom of it….there’s a little door there where it was going to hook up). To make a long story short, Nintendo later decided it didn’t like elements of the original contract that handed most of the CD profits over to Sony, so they stabbed them in the back. Sony got so angry they made the console independently, and got revenge by taking over the market for two whole generations until the Wii.

The original Sony Playstation might have looked like this. Below find some more pictures of the evolution of the Playstation.

“Best Inflatable Toast On The Market Today” 1 Sep 2010, 10:49 pm

This, Yes THIS, is the reason I love the internet.

First you would wonder why someone would want to buy an inflatable toast slice for $2.99, but it’s popularity with Amazon customers show the manufacturer may be on to something!

The reviews are hysterical. Timothy says: “For those occasional laundry day mishaps, when you forget that you have a piece of toast in your pocket… and let’s face it, who hasn’t been there? I found that this product holds up far better than real toast in this situation.” Or Joanna: “If you are going the low-carb lifestyle, you know that all you get is one slim slice of toast per week. This toast is inflatable, and it’s made of vinyl, so it isn’t even digestible by the human digestive apparatus, meaning you get a big slice and it won’t throw off your ketogenesis.”

I love it!

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Plex Nine (and iOS App) Now Available For Download 31 Aug 2010, 10:48 pm

Don’t wait… Download Plex Nine now!

Download Now (Mirror)

The iBottle Opener – Let Your iPhone Do More The Make Calls! 31 Aug 2010, 1:22 pm

So what if your iPhone can’t make calls… At least it can open a beer! If you have an iPhone 3G / 3Gs the iBottleOpener will not only protect your phone it will save you the effort of reaching into your kitchen draw! Priced at just $19.95.

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