The iMac is an all in one computer that comes from the Macintosh line of computers made by Apple. These are desktop computers, but they differ from the Mac Pro in that they do not have a tower or an actual desktop component. Instead, everything the computer needs to run is right behind the screen, thus the all in one name. This is one of the most popular types of Mac computers for the consumer market. While many professionals who need a computer that is able to work fast will want the Mac Pro, these are still fast computers that are a great choice for the consumer crowd. While the newest models of these computers are very sleek, they were not always that way.
The first iMac actually hit the market all the way back in 1998 – fifteen years ago! These original iMac machines, the iMac G3, had a CRT monitor and a somewhat oval appearance. The monitors had a colored case that was plastic and candy colored. For the time, these were very interesting looking computers and they were unlike all of the other CRT monitors that were on the market.
The innovation continued, and with the newer models, the G4 that came out in 2002, the design changed quite a bit. Instead of the CRT used before, this model had an LCD monitor. The base of the machine, just below the monitor, was a half circle. This was where all the major components of the computer were housed. With the G5 and the Intel iMac, the components were housed in the screen, just as we see in today’s model. However, the model that’s on the market today is surprisingly thin given the power the machines actually have. They’ve gone through plastic versions, as well as aluminum versions with glass covering the front.
Why did Apple come out with the iMac? While they had a good and powerful set of computers, they were not able to crack the regular market, the consumers who were looking for computers. The iMac focused on the simplicity of the machine, making it something that everyone would be able to set up and use. They touted that it only took two steps to set up, and that was a huge part of their marketing campaign.
Even the history of the name of the iMac has an interesting story. The original name that Steve Jobs wanted for the machine was the “MacMan”. However, the ad agency Apple used had an employee, Ken Segall, who thought the name iMac would be a better fit. He believed the “I” could stand for Internet, as well as to stand for innovation, and could make the machine personal. Jobs decided to use the idea, and that was how it came to be, and it was a good move for the brand. If not for that name change, one wonders what we might call the iPod and the iPhone today.
