Mac Spotting

[B S Magnet]

Sampling a new episode from an old, threadbare genre, format, and franchise, albeit with a Canadian twist:

This is from Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.

If it sounds familiar, it’s identical to the 2000s format made popular by Vincent D’Onofrio, as set in New York. The only difference is D’Onofrio’s methodical, implicitly neurodivergent Goren is named Graff. As the name suggests, this is actually filmed in Toronto. Other than that, watching it amounts to an on-screen self-indulgence along the lines of “I bought a pint of ice cream to eat at home all by myself in one sitting”: bad, but you go through with it anyway.

The above is from an obvious, “ripped from the headlines”-themed episode — namely, that of a coarse, populist mayor who gets caught on video smoking crack. ::makes_shifty_eyes_right_and_left::

Above, the department’s tech specialist is seen walking in with one of those new-fangled Silicon Macs — probably a 13-inch MacBook Air or a 14-inch MacBook Pro. As this was the sole shot with a Mac cameo, this was the best I could do. Gleaning what I could from brief glimpses of the bottom case, this is probably one of the models to make a slight return to the unibody-like form factor following the Touchbar-era thin series. As I don’t pay close attention to the Silicon stuff, the MBA or MBP guess is a crude one.

There are also a couple laptops in the background, very much out of focus, but those could just as easily be from Dell or another make which plants their brand mark on the centre of the lid.

 

[B S Magnet]

Here, from a six-part mini-docuseries on Netflix called Rotten (on corruption, poor safety regulations, monoculture factory farming, and species collapse, and how all of it impacts the food on your table), an interviewee is working on a post-2012 iMac. Judging by the proportions of the display “chin”, this is likely a 27-inch [update, see end] 21.5-inch model.

Given when the mini-docuseries was released (2018–19), and given the above screencap, the interviewee is probably running Sierra or maybe High Sierra. Given the lead time for editing and readying for distribution, this probably preceded Mojave by a few months, at the latest.

Update:

OK, I was incorrect. It appears to be a 21.5-inch model, based on the proportions to itself, the third-party extended keyboard, and in eyeing the 21.5-inch iMac in the same room where I have been watching this mini-docuseries.

There are, in fact, two iMacs in that guy’s office, but the other is out of the way, off to the left edge and paired with, I think, an A1048 keyboard:

 

[TheShortTimer]

Damon Albarn in the 90s, using what looks like a Colour Classic model. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

 

[TheShortTimer]

An annotated guide to the (date unknown) studio of graphic artist Jamie Hewlett - creator of Tank Girl and co-creator of Gorillaz. A Mirror Door G4 can be seen underneath his desk.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Hewlett again, this time in a photo that was taken during the "Humanz Tour" and using what looks like a 13" MBP.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Ok, not an example of Mac spotting but still an interesting instance of Apple spotting. From the 1983 comedy Trading Places, the character of Mortimer Duke played by Don Ameche reads the WSJ and an advert for Apple's Xmas offerings can be seen on the rear page.

Needless to say, a duo as mean-spirited as the Duke Brothers certainly wouldn't be treating anyone around them to an Apple computer - or any computer for that matter.

 

[ojfd]

It would be interesting to know whether it was a coincident or careful product placement.

 

[TheShortTimer]

It would be interesting to know whether it was a coincident or careful product placement.

I strongly suspect that it was the latter.

Consider this well positioned edition of "Science Journal" that features an advert for the Jameson brand on its rear cover:

 

[TheShortTimer]

Images taken from the 2022 documentary Ron Carter - Finding the Right Notes (and well worth watching in my opinion.)

Aleksandra Denda and her colleagues use MacBooks (and iPhones) to conduct a livestream session featuring Carter and to manage the social media aspects.

In Carter's apartment, both he and Dave Baron both use their Macs to take part in what appears to be a Zoom video conference.

Confirmed to be Zoom, as the program can be seen running on Carter's iMac in the image below:

 

[swamprock]

Ok, not an example of Mac spotting but still an interesting instance of Apple spotting. From the 1983 comedy Trading Places, the character of Mortimer Duke played by Don Ameche reads the WSJ and an advert for Apple's Xmas offerings can be seen on the rear page.

Needless to say, a duo as mean-spirited as the Duke Brothers certainly wouldn't be treating anyone around them to an Apple computer - or any computer for that matter.

"5 dollars. Maybe I'll go to the movies.... by myself." 🤣🤣🤣

 

[swamprock]

From "Rush- Beyond the Lighted Stage", 2010 documentary about the band.

I'll assume this is a 2006-2007 15" Macbook Pro, belonging to the late Neil Peart, as he's seen lounging near the machine in an earlier shot. No shot of the keyboard anywhere in the doc, though:

Alex Lifeson (guitarist), watching and commenting on an old documentary about him and his family that was filmed when he was a teenager for Canadian television, on a 2008 or 2009 Macbook Air:

I'll have to dig around my other videos, but I do recall another, older backstage documentary where Neil was holding a 12" Powerbook G4.

 

[TheShortTimer]

"5 dollars. Maybe I'll go to the movies.... by myself." 🤣🤣🤣

Let's not forget that it was a joint gift...

 

[ojfd]

From "Rush- Beyond the Lighted Stage", 2010 documentary about the band.

Well, mentioning documentaries or other kind of videos with musicians using Macs in this thread is close to cheating
Every studio, especially in States, had one. Macs ruled that world for a very long time.

 

[swamprock]

Well, mentioning documentaries or other kind of videos with musicians using Macs in this thread is close to cheating
Every studio, especially in States, had one. Macs ruled that world for a very long time.

Point taken, but I already considered that That is why I posted the musicians using them in personal ways, rather than in studios.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Just as a reminder - this is the PowerPC subforum. We don't need to post about every modern Mac in every show that has one (which is tons of shows.)

 

[ojfd]

I was going to say that I personally would disqualify MacBook Pros and Airs as well, because they're everywhere, but @Anonymous Freak nailed it.
So, PM6100 to G5 from now on, heh?

 

[B S Magnet]

Just as a reminder - this is the PowerPC subforum. We don't need to post about every modern Mac in every show that has one (which is tons of shows.)

The thread is titled “Mac Spotting”. Its original post long (2013) preceded the existence of a separate forum for Early Intel Macs (2021).

In my book, as an occasional contributor on this thread, both before and after that 2021 milestone, any Apple product on screen* is fair game.

I’ve posted screen captures of Macs in film and television, and I’ve also posted caps of Apple II-series Macs, NeXT workstations, and even Intel and Silicon Macs in older films and music videos.



* The line of “nope” I’ve drawn: when the Mac or Apple product is seen in a show or film on Apple’s streaming network. I came to that personal decision earlier this year whilst watching the series Constellation. Every appearance of Apple’s products in those shows and movies are unambiguous placements in self-promotion — mostly all still supported by the company.

 

[TheShortTimer]

The thread is titled “Mac Spotting”. Its original post long (2013) preceded the existence of a separate forum for Early Intel Macs (2021).

Quite right. It's "Mac Spotting" not "PPC Mac Only Spotting" and the OP never expressed any objections to Intel Macs being discussed.

In my book, as an occasional contributor on this thread, both before and after that 2021 milestone, any Apple product on screen* is fair game.

I’ve posted screen captures of Macs in film and television, and I’ve also posted caps of Apple II-series Macs, NeXT workstations, and even Intel and Silicon Macs in older films and music videos.

Again, as you've rightly pointed out, the thread is called "Mac Spotting" and the posts are accordingly reflective of that.

Point taken, but I already considered that That is why I posted the musicians using them in personal ways, rather than in studios.

It's really not "cheating" @swamprock because there were no objections from anyone when I posted images from documentaries of Hans Zimmer using Macs in the course of music production/sound engineering. Likewise with the extensive contributions by @B S Magnet regarding Macs and the music world.

I'll have to dig around my other videos, but I do recall another, older backstage documentary where Neil was holding a 12" Powerbook G4.

Please share the images. I'd love to see them and I'm sure that I won't be alone.

 

[TheShortTimer]

From a 2007(?) episode of Border Security: Australia's Front Line aka Nothing to Declare.

At Sydney Airport, customs staff inspects an Apple laptop of a U.S. traveller to determine whether his adult video collection breaches Australian regulations. This is carried out in full view of other passengers.

The footage isn't clear enough for me to ascertain the model. At a rough guess, I think it might be a PowerBook G4 12". Anyone fancy having a go?

 

[MarkC426]

From a 2007(?) episode of Border Security: Australia's Front Line aka Nothing to Declare.

At Sydney Airport, customs staff inspects an Apple laptop of a U.S. traveller to determine whether his adult video collection breaches Australian regulations. This is carried out in full view of other passengers.

The footage isn't clear enough for me to ascertain the model. At a rough guess, I think it might be a PowerBook G4 12". Anyone fancy having a go?

Yes it does look like my 12" G4.....👍

 

[TheShortTimer]

Yes it does look like my 12" G4.....👍

Cheers matey.

Images taken from the 2018 documentary Free Solo. (Parodied and subverted here if you'd like a good laugh.)

Alex Honnold uses what appears to be a 13" MacBook Air. There's a blurry shot of the right-hand side SD card slot which confirms this likelihood but I've omitted it due to the lack of clarity.

Quite fitting that for a documentary about his bid to scale El Capitan, Honnold is running the eponymous macOS release on his computer - or at least retains its wallpaper.

 

[ojfd]

It's really not "cheating" @swamprock because there were no objections from anyone when I posted images from documentaries of Hans Zimmer using Macs in the course of music production/sound engineering.

If you have time (I don't) check how many Macs you can spot in this Anne Dudley interview:

The rest of those from Spitfire Audio are also interesting and have plenty of Macs.

This one is quite geeky. 6 core MacPro

 

[TheShortTimer]

If you have time (I don't) check how many Macs you can spot in this Anne Dudley interview:

Anne Dudley from The Art of Noise? Thanks for sharing on the mere presence of her alone.

 

[B S Magnet]

Anne Dudley from The Art of Noise? Thanks for sharing on the mere presence of her alone.

I cannot think of any other Anne Dudley on planet Earth who is so at home with digital tech and a baby grand (and, well, string arrangements galore). She’s a giant: anyone should be so fortunate to get to stand on her shoulders.

 

[ojfd]

I cannot think of any other Anne Dudley on planet Earth who is so at home with digital tech and a baby grand (and, well, string arrangements galore). She’s a giant: anyone should be so fortunate to get to stand on her shoulders.

Yeah, I remembered that you were fond of that ABC album, when I posted the video.

I liked this line of hers: "I did degrees and things".
And one by her husband: "Don't get me started on stems".