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Melab

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
204
25
What is the industrial design of Windows 8 hardware like? Are there any nice ones that don't have many extraneous looking things on them?
 

SporkLover

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2011
498
1
What is the industrial design of Windows 8 hardware like? Are there any nice ones that don't have many extraneous looking things on them?

Let's put it this way. Much of the new hardware in the computing world is Apple inspired.

so yes, you can find many nice ones that don't look cluttered with buttons and ports.
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
Let's put it this way. Much of the new hardware in the computing world is Apple inspired.

so yes, you can find many nice ones that don't look cluttered with buttons and ports.

So being Apple inspired is clearly a crime and must be punished by massive patent lawsuits. When does that patent sharing agreement end with Microsoft? Maybe Apple can buy out Microsoft and fire all the employees. Yeah man, that would be so fantastic to see them on the streets begging for their supper! :)
 

SporkLover

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2011
498
1
So being Apple inspired is clearly a crime and must be punished by massive patent lawsuits. When does that patent sharing agreement end with Microsoft? Maybe Apple can buy out Microsoft and fire all the employees. Yeah man, that would be so fantastic to see them on the streets begging for their supper! :)

That's quite the inference!

I meant only what I said.... much of the new computing hardware in the world is Apple inspired.

Minimalist designs are king right now and Apple is at the leading edge of that school of design.
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
Let's put it this way. Much of the new hardware in the computing world is Apple inspired.

so yes, you can find many nice ones that don't look cluttered with buttons and ports.

Lets put it this way, yes some tablets are iPad inspired, but it looks like most of the Windows RT/Pro Tablets and new laptops are NOT Apple inspired, they are far more inspired by the Tablet PC's of the early 2000s, with their detachable keyboards, while maintaing a full OS.
 

SporkLover

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2011
498
1
Lets put it this way, yes some tablets are iPad inspired, but it looks like most of the Windows RT/Pro Tablets and new laptops are NOT Apple inspired, they are far more inspired by the Tablet PC's of the early 2000s, with their detachable keyboards, while maintaing a full OS.

Just to be clear.... when I say Apple inspired I am not saying Apple clone.

We can agree to disagree but Apple has had an indelible impact on hardware design and it is apparent in even the current batch of Windows RT/Pro Tablets.

Early-Mid 2000's Tablets were Laptops with swivels and ugly resistive screens that required stylus, and buttons and ports everywhere.

Look at the school of Windows RT/Pro tablets out there now.... all that I have seen adhere to a minimalist design philosophy, are built with beautiful materials, and are simple. Even the detaching keyboard you mention that DOES differentiate the products (although I think Windows 8 does a fine job of that on it's own).... that is all inspired by the school of design that Ives brought to consumers through Apple products. FORM AND FUNCTION.

Sony was pretty good at it from the PC perspective, but Apple is certainly the standout and the lead when it comes to form and function.
 

G51989

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
We can agree to disagree but Apple has had an indelible impact on hardware design and it is apparent in even the current batch of Windows RT/Pro Tablets.

Kinda, but Apple didn't really invent the whole clean look/simple thing. They were just the first to make it popular.

Early-Mid 2000's Tablets were Laptops with swivels and ugly resistive screens that required stylus, and buttons and ports everywhere.

Resistive screens were the norm, because capacitive screens were still FAR to expensive, and there were capacitive based tablets before the ipad, you just paid a BIG DIME for one.

The iPads design really isn't so original either.

20111004-034552.jpg


As seen here. And back then, ports had to exist because Bluetooth/Wireless technology just wasn't there yet. Apple hardly pioneered either, they just made it popular.

Look at the school of Windows RT/Pro tablets out there now.... all that I have seen adhere to a minimalist design philosophy, are built with beautiful materials, and are simple. Even the detaching keyboard you mention that DOES differentiate the products (although I think Windows 8 does a fine job of that on it's own).... that is all inspired by the school of design that Ives brought to consumers through Apple products. FORM AND FUNCTION.

See above, just because the iPad was the first popular consumer tablet, does not mean it was the first.

hp_tc1100_notebook.jpg


Yes, its a swivel, but the Windows 8 tablets take FAR more inspiration than they do from the iPad.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

SporkLover

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2011
498
1
Kinda, but Apple didn't really invent the whole clean look/simple thing. They were just the first to make it popular.

Resistive screens were the norm, because capacitive screens were still FAR to expensive, and there were capacitive based tablets before the ipad, you just paid a BIG DIME for one.

The iPads design really isn't so original either.

As seen here. And back then, ports had to exist because Bluetooth/Wireless technology just wasn't there yet. Apple hardly pioneered either, they just made it popular.

See above, just because the iPad was the first popular consumer tablet, does not mean it was the first.

Yes, its a swivel, but the Windows 8 tablets take FAR more inspiration than they do from the iPad.

I'm not so sure why you are laser focused on the iPad. I'm not. OPs question was about the industrial design of new Windows 8 Hardware.

I stated it's all Apple (note not iPad) inspired. Apples industrial design MO emphasizes minimalism, form, and function. Your pictures do wonders to highlight how the computing industry (I noticed you even have Android devices in there ;) ) migrated to that.

So yes Apple is not necessarily innovative in that they created new computing markets or forms (never claimed that anywho)... they were innovative in that their approach to form and function ensured that their products were wildly successful. Others that wanted to be succesful adopted similar approaches. In the mobile phone space you can see it with just about any make..... HTC illustrates it well. Look at how their industrial design evolved from the HTC TYTN (wonderful phone BTW) to the HTC Touch Pro to the HTC Evo. In the Tablet space look at how things evolved.

So again..... in terms of industrial design just about every piece of new hardware out there is Apple inspired (AND JUST TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, IM NOT SAYING APPLE CREATED NEW MOBILE SPACES, NEW TECHNOLOGY, OR THAT EVERYONE IS COPYING APPLE).
 

Melab

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
204
25
Nobody makes AIO as pretty as Apple. It sure is purdy.

I'll agree with you up until the newest iMac. The curving back is too common in concept devices. Even still, their AIO designs do not come close to their mobile designs.
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
I'll agree with you up until the newest iMac. The curving back is too common in concept devices. Even still, their AIO designs do not come close to their mobile designs.

I don't even like the iPad designs to the latest and greatest Android & Surface. I like the iPhone 5 design, it's truly a work of art.
 

ugahairydawgs

macrumors 68030
Jun 10, 2010
2,965
2,472
Ehh. The only major difference is the band.

For me, the back makes it. Never was fan of the full glass. The glass/aluminum combo is both nice to look at and provides a little better protection against shatter. The fact that it is also lighter is a solid plus.
 

Melab

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
204
25
For me, the back makes it. Never was fan of the full glass. The glass/aluminum combo is both nice to look at and provides a little better protection against shatter. The fact that it is also lighter is a solid plus.

I always thought the new shape of the band was obvious. Hell, I contemplated it before I even knew it used it. Well, just another damn good design aspect ceded to Apple for exclusivity.

I examined the Acer Aspire S7-391 and I like some of it, the display half particularly.

The AIO/super tablet seen in the commercial emphasizing the paint application is good.
 
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