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Socks for iPod, sneakers, psychedelic iMacs: 10 strange Apple products

Since Steve jobs returned to Apple, “apples” produced one hit after another: the release of the next iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, each time becoming a sensation. However, over the 40 years existence of the company there was everyone: some of the gadgets was clearly a failure, but some are too ahead of their time. Resource Popmech has prepared a selection of 10 ideas Apple, which today many people have forgotten (or not heard at all).

iPod+HP

Apple is not the only company that manufactured your music player like the famous iPod. In 2004, Apple made a deal with Hewlett-Packard (HP) on joint production of the HP iPod (or Apple iPod+HP). At that time Apple didn’t have such a wide range of retail customers, as it is today, and HP has not been a portable music player. The company decided to join forces. Apple used online retailer of HP, and HP got “his” musical gadget. Symbiosis lasted only a year. It is believed that the reason of rupture of relations was the refusal from Apple service players in Aplle Store today because Apple iPod+HP owned HP, not Apple.

MacPhone

Was designed by German designer Hartmut Esslinger in 1982. Steve jobs hired Esslinger when Apple needed to create a single recognizable design. One of the conceptual development of Esslinger Apple MacPhone — landline phone, fully compliant with Apple style and equipped with the Mac operating system. The project was never launched, but became the prototype of the iPhone is so popular today.

Socks for iPod

Special case for the player in a sock. Sale socks for iPod in different colors, the company launched in 2004, offering a pack of 6 pieces at a price of $29. Production was discontinued in 2012.

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Customizable keyboard

In 1993 the company released a custom keyboard Apple Adjustable Keyboard — it can be “broken” in half to make it easier to print. For this option the producers asked for $219, which by today’s standards is approximately $369 — no amount is too small for just a more comfortable typing.

iPod Hi-Fi

Sound system to play music together with the iPod. The product entered the market in 2006 and lasted only a year and a half. The wave of criticism was caused by the lack of pretty important components: the battery, AM/FM radio tuner and compatibility with newer iPod models. If these shortcomings sound system worth $349. According to the official statement by Apple discontinuing the iPod Hi-Fi associated with the decision to focus on iPod and iPhone.

Apple Time Band

The predecessor of the Apple Watch from the distant 1991. It was then that the concept of Apple Time Band was presented in the Japanese magazine Axis: the pocket personal computer can be worn on the wrist like a watch.

eWorld

With the advent and rapid development in the early 1990s, the Internet service provider America Online (AOL), Apple decided to create their own online service for Mac users— eWorld. With the help of eWorld Mac users connected to the Internet, could use their postal operator and a Bulletin Board, and receive news. The service was short-lived: Apple couldn’t compete with AOL as a minimum, because the online service eWorld was only available to Mac users and did not include a web browser.

eMate 300

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Budget touch PDA with operating system OS, Apple Newton, released by Apple in 1997. The device was designed for processing and typing, and sketching. The cost of the laptop was $799. Production eMate 300 was halted with the return of Steve jobs, when all forces were thrown on the development and release of iMac.

Flower Power iMac

In early 2001 Apple released a series of computers iMac Flower Power psychedelic colors and “flowery”. Perhaps Steve jobs nostalgia on 60-m and its hippie past, so decided on this color scheme. In any case, the design buyers seemed too geeky, and the Flower Power iMac was discontinued in the six months since its inception. The same fate waited and pale blue Blue Dalmatian iMac, launched at the same time with “flower” iMac.

Macintosh Bashful

A prototype tablet developed by Apple in the early 80s. Bashful (translated from English. “humble”) — the name of one of the seven dwarfs, disney character cartoon. Despite the name, the proto-tablet was something to brag about: it was possible to connect a keyboard, there was a drive for floppy disks, pen that can write on the monitor and the handle, for which it can be held for easy carrying. Surprisingly, only 25 years later there is the familiar iPad.

The Apple Collection

This is the line of lifestyle products from Apple, current to 1986. After the departure of Steve jobs, his former colleagues released under the brand Apple gadgets or accessories for devices, and hoodies, belts, cups, shoes, jackets, chairs, towels, umbrellas, army knives and playing cards. In The Apple Collection, there was even a sailing Board with the Apple logo. It seems good that they stopped.

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