“It’s red when you’re amorous. Blue when you’re sad. Black when you’re downright angry. No, it’s not your mom’s mood ring, but maybe your next computer,” Rich Duprey writes for The Motley Fool. “Apple filed a patent application back in February that calls for a computer that can “alter its visible appearance” like a chameleon changing the hue of its skin. The envisioned Apple computer would allow the user to alter the hue of its casing through a control panel to match any decor — or mood — the user had… The potential uses for the ‘MoodMac’ are seemingly endless. The case could flash red, for example, for a system error, green when it receives an email, or even pulse different colors while playing iTunes.”
Full article here.
Using Rich’s example, my system would rarely, if ever, flash red! ;^)
I am sorry, but this is just pointless.
If this feature is on the new iMac I will not buy one. This is not worth the extra $200 dollars for having the “cool factor”
I would love for my entire computer to pulse with my music, as my PC-weilding, Dell loving brother in law pulsed GREEN with envy
Keeefe,
Where did you get the information that it will cost an extra $200? Just asking.
Maybe he’s just throwing it out there. They have raised the price based on Flat Panel size and Combo Drive or SuperDrive and processor but NEVER casing. It’s absurd.
nononono.. the cool thing abotu this, as some have mentioned is that apple doesnt’ have to come out with different colour models.. you can have one model that can be made black or orange or whatever..
a black mac.. ooooh neat..
PLUS.. there are certain parts of the casing that would flash for signals etc..
the iTunes Visualizations thing on your mac would be mind-blowing
I like the idea of coming back in the room, and the computer flashing when you have an e-mail, things like that. But a mood ring? A little gimmicky.
“The case ould flash red for a system error” I usually notice that from the front side of the monitor.
If it is based on sub-surface illuminants, I think many colors — like black — would be out of the question. I can only imagine different lite-brite type colors, although I suppose anything RGB is allowable except those towards the darker end of the spectrum that would be very difficult to create from a practical standpoint (the case itself would have to be black, and then you’d have a problem getting the brighter colors to shine through).
I believe Philips (or another tv manufacturer) is selling a flat panel plasma tv that gives off different colors on the wall behind it depending on what color scheme is going on in a movie or whatever. Of course it’s a gimmick, but so what. Imbedding LED’s into a casing would add somewhat to the cost but only a few dollars, certainly not $200. Apple users treat their computers as more then boxes sitting on a desktop taking up room. For many it’s more personal then that.
A number of people seem to imagine that Apple would use a technique like this to make chameleon-0type cases for iPods instead of making a range of differently coloured iPods.
When battery consumption is as frugal as it is on an iPod, it’s hard to see how the extra power drain of LEDs could be justified, so I think that idea’s a non-starter.
Whatever device they have in mind ( IF they actually have a device in mind ! ), it must surely be one that’s powered from the mains or powered from something that is in turn powered from the mains ( like a mouse ).
Also, I’m not so sure that Apple would use a technology like that simply to replace a pigment. It would only make sense if the colour changed dymanically.
But if the colour is to change, I would guess that the colour will change to communicate something to you.
I uhh…. I like bunnys….
i like masturbation…
I pulled the 200 dollars out of my ass…I’m just saying this feature won’t be included for free…we will pay a premium for it, whether its 2 dollars or 200 dollars i dunno…but i dont like it.
I agree with Keefe.
When I first heard about this, I suggested I’d rather see beefier setups in the way of RAM, video card etc, than my money wasted on this idea.
Hopefully tho, if it does to fruition, that it won’t be all models, and/or that it’s very cheap and worth doing without charging a premium. I still think it’s a weird idea and I’m not sure it’d be a feature. Apple tend to do things with style, so I’m hoping it’ll be ok (coz I don’t like the sound of it.)
Actually, it may find appeal more with women than men, since they’re more familiar with changing the colours/nature of personal items – hair color, lipstick, clothes, hand bags etc. (Generalising of course, which I’m sure you all hate.)
Actually, even with the variations over the years of iMacs, G4’s, G5’s, etc, I think Apple have still to surpass the coolest looking computer of them all – the NeXT Computer – both slab and cube.
They’ve gone all homely and funky but rarely do the machines suggest power like the NeXTs did, even the G5’s (although the latest release of LCD screens from Apple are to die for.)
Just my opinion.
Real volume and money is made mostly from teenage girls from
12 to 20…they will scream for one and it will set the new status trend. Sales will rocket if this is done properly.
I picture this occuring on the front panel of the flat screen iMac, not necessarily on the sides of anything…the focus is upon the screen.
This idea must be subtle…not flashing or too bright…think how annoying animated gifs became after awhile. It must appeal to all ages to really work, but the target is teenagers and freshman college students.
It seems that everyone is only envioning this as an eye-candy feature, but there may be a more significant use in mind, i.e. for those of use who have limited eyesight or hearing. How about your computer flashing red when an email is received, blue when a software update is available. etc. It seems Apple has been making some strides in the area of universal access and perhaps that is the primary point of this texhnology, not simply to weed another $200.00 out of your teen daughter.
Just a thought.
…and with limited spelling ability too. Envioning should read envisioning,
Sorry
There is already a peripheral on the market (I forget the name) that connects to your computer via USB, and glows different colors depending on user defined parameters. For example, it can track a stock and show different colors depnding on whether the stock is up or down. It can indicate the weather outside. Lots of different uses are possible. If Apple builds in some of these features, it could be quite useful. You could get information from across the room without even glancing at the Mac’s screen.
Like someone said above, black is unthinkable with LEDs… black is the absence of light, so if the casing’s white and you don’t light the lights, it stays white. Duh!
not if they use CMYK LEDs you big silly!
I have to ask the question every switcher needs to know.
Will it glow beige?
Light is cool — so long as it’s user-configurable and includes an option to disable.
If my iMac ever feels amorous, I intend to move as far away from it as possible. It can mate with the iBook, if it really needs to.
Let’s not forget that uses of this patent are purely speculative at the moment. Apple doesn’t have a strong record of making poorly designed hardware, so it would be fair to wait and see what (if anything) Apple unveils using this technology before speaking of how your money is wated.