Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!

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Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!

Posted 12/02/2008 at 6:01:00am | by Words by Jon Phillips and Illustrations by Adam Benton

It’s a music player, a digital picture frame, a weather station--and a holophone. It’s a do-everything kiosk for all that informs and entertains.

Click image to embiggen

prototype toc No one really needs the iCom. But once anyone sees the iCom, it becomes a necessity--because it’s a gift from the future and probably the coolest tech toy ever created. Simply put, the iCom is a slick, svelte, semi-stationary command station that wirelessly sucks down content from your Wi-Fi connection and showcases it on a touch-controlled display.

If you think its interface bears a resemblance to your iPhone’s, you’re right. The iCom’s LCD screen can display three iPhone app-sized interfaces side-by-side, along with a scrolling toolbar populated with a near infinite number of icons. The iCom comes with most of the “standard” iPhone apps, but you can also download third-party apps, some designed specifically for the iCom’s special talents. Want to turn the iCom into a digital picture frame with a rotating slide show? It can do that. Want it to stream music from your iTunes collection, while running a pulsating light show on the screen? It can do that. Want it to display continuously updated news feeds for weather, sports, and stock information? It can do that.

Or how about this: You can place the iCom in your corporate lobby and set it to display a continuous rotation of feel-good brand messaging. Or you can prop it somewhere in your cubicle and have it suck down fuzzy-wuzzy kitty photos via your “LOLCat-a-Day” app. Whether you display three apps side by side or choose to let one take over the screen, the iCom always presents a visual feast.

And the main course of that feast is undoubtedly the iCom’s holoscreen. In March 2008, Apple filed a patent application for a “realistic holographic 3D display experience,” and now that technology is introduced via the iCom in 360 degrees of outrageous, mind-blowing wonder.

Remember that pulsating light show that synchronizes with your iTunes music? Well, the visual theatrics grow a thousand-fold when you have a go-go-dancing holographic avatar bopping along to the beat. Whether you want the holoscreen to display something as mundane as the current time or as engaging as a real-time holochat session, it’s always a stunning treat for the eyes. And with bundled software, you can design your own custom holochat avatars, should you want to represent yourself as a 300-year-old transsexual lemur or even Steve Jobs.

Help us, Obi-Steve KeJoby! You’re our only hope!

Next, tips on creating your own Apple Fauxtype.

COMMENTS: 65

TAGS: Apple Design, prototypes

COMMENTS

Tricked
Submitted by the_saltminer on Tue, 2008-12-02 08:53

When I read the headline, I thought these were actual prototypes from Apple. Turns out MacLife just made this stuff up. Interesting concepts and pretty 3D renders. But "Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!" implies that MacLife did some investigative reporting when in fact, this is all fiction.

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had a great idea. "Hey,
Submitted by adeletwo6789 on Thu, 2009-10-29 07:33

had a great idea. "Hey, let's coursework | coursework writing | coursework help | custom coursework get someone to swallow an iPod shuffle." In theory it sounded like a plan the entire Internet could get behind. Video of a sword swallower placing the button-less iPod shuffle in a safe place.
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Maybe we overestimated our
Submitted by JonPhillips on Tue, 2008-12-02 09:40

Maybe we overestimated our audience's familiarity with Apple and its practices? Because with all due respect, it's well established that Apple doesn't share *any* prototypes with anyone, ever, let alone "outrageous" ones. Regardless, I apologize for the confusion.
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Jon, are you kidding?
Submitted by user on Sat, 2008-12-06 14:34

You apologize for the confusion? How sincere. Considering that I also initially thought the prototypes were Apple's, I'd like an apology for being called "overestimated."Then I'll apologize for cancelling my MacLife renewal.It was fun while it lasted.

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Yeesh!
Submitted by mathue on Mon, 2008-12-15 09:57

Yeesh! Talk about the ultimate in offended indignation. Apology? You're practically bleeding drama! I guess I just can't understand why someone would go into meltdown mode over this, honestly. If this can set you off one wonders how you would manage to get through any day without going postal every hour. You need to seriously take a king sized chill pill. : )

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Submitted by Bilinmiyo on Fri, 2009-06-19 14:49

Good my dream teacher sikis

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Who is your dream
Submitted by McCain on Tue, 2009-11-17 05:27

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Manipulation of expectations is not honest
Submitted by cyberlogos on Wed, 2009-01-14 19:36

I was absolutely ready to purchase the infamous tribook when I visited this forum and found out it was a hoax to call more attention from the public in here. I am so disappointed and my hope is that the Apple guys read this to make it come true. The cynical comments about diminishing this effect are only accomplices and claque.

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Whu?
Submitted by mathue on Mon, 2008-12-15 10:04

I don't feel there is any apology necessary. Only the overdramatic and adolescent amongst us will get bent out of shape over this. Nicely done and more, more, more!

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huh?
Submitted by bryan1884 on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:19

whats the deal with the legos?

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Legos
Submitted by Roberto Baldwin on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:56

I'm seriously considering ripping apart the Mac|Life Mac mini and rebuilding it with Legos.
Does that make me a super nerd?
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add to my post
Submitted by bryan1884 on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:29

i did want to point out however that I think the tribook and the icom were both very creative!

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The Lego Mac's not the only easily breakable one here
Submitted by pauldacheez on Tue, 2008-12-02 12:52

The problem with the triBook is that the screen's obnoxiously wide. Not only will it annoy people nearby, but imagine some guy accidentally elbowing a screen off...

Also it looks kinda ugly and there's too much bezel between the screens.

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Perfectly cromulent
Submitted by dizastor on Tue, 2008-12-02 15:06

Clicking the image embiggens us all

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its nice to dream
Submitted by djpink889 on Tue, 2008-12-02 15:43

while these products most likely won't become a reality, its nice to dream. i think it would be great to have any of these products. especially the tri-book and icom.

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iCom
Submitted by Applefreak72 on Tue, 2008-12-02 16:40

That's not possible at all!!!

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Most things are "possible" when Apple and technology converge...
Submitted by saintlouisranger on Tue, 2008-12-02 18:34

Hello applefreak72,It seems that Apple can indeed make a silk purse out of a sows' ear. I have been selling the MacBook Air, light, sexy, under powered, over priced with a perception of weakness in the shell and that, "I am afraid I'm going to break it feeling." If folks will spend $2,700 for a 17" MacBook Pro - What would they pay for a triBook? The iCom is a real winner, I can see a number of those devices in every home... Well done to Jon Phillips and Adam Benton. Imaginative and fun...

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Thank you!
Submitted by JonPhillips on Thu, 2008-12-04 11:03

Thank you!
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Nothing new with Tri-book
Submitted by DanKnight58 on Mon, 2008-12-15 08:13

Low End Mac conceived of this six years ago - http://lowendmac.com/rumormill/02/1104.html

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best product never made
Submitted by jbach220 on Sat, 2008-12-27 07:49

As these products were presented I believed them to be real prototypes. The iCom is by far one of the most intriguing concepts I have ever come across. What makes it so convincing as a true prototype is that it is such a typical Mac design. I'm putting this product on watch. As soon as something like this is put into production - whether it be in 12 months or 12 years - there will be one on my nightstand.

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I like the iCom
Submitted by GregA on Tue, 2009-01-20 14:57

I like the iCom concept, and I'm surprised Apple hasn't done something in this area. (forget the holoscreen).

I really think Apple could make a killer product, designed to replace every phone in your home (or business), and also get rid of alarm clocks forever.

Probably based on the iPhone (touch screen, iPhone apps, wifi), but no battery or 3G - just add VoIP, small music speakers, and a wireless buttonless handset on the side.

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Love this idea
Submitted by Estrates on Sun, 2009-01-25 12:56

Seriously... who wouldnt love the compactness of this "netbook"?

One open you can then have additional real estate in an instant without sacrificing resolution. watch blu ray and play widescreen FPS games...now this is the "WOW FACTOR"

I would buy 2 of these in an instant, maybe 3 if the GFX card(s) were acceptable.
Awesome concept, apple should consider this...HP will grab this first though since Apple seems to not accept "outside" concepts, tragedy really.

9.9/10 imo

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legos
Submitted by mago on Fri, 2009-04-17 08:47

WTF the legos dude?

Also, embiggen? That's german??

--- magos para contratar

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GameDock
Submitted by tcbritt on Wed, 2009-04-08 04:30

This concept would work great with the AppleTV box used as the GameDock. The touch control game could be downloaded to the iPhone from the App Store and to the AppleTV through iTunes. The users could begin playing the game on the iPhone while traveling or at work, then could resume or replay the game in its full screen glory on the home HDTV through AppleTV, which the iPhone/iPod Touch used as wireless controller. The accelerometer could provide controls similar to Nintendo Wii, and the touch screen could be implemented as well. Thoughts?

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Believe it or not, these prototypes DO excist
Submitted by BoilerMacUser on Tue, 2009-05-05 18:48

So, I noticed that 50% of the comments deny the existence of any of these products and 50% are all thumbs up.

I can tell you all right now, Apple does have these prototypes and they do work.

I have the proviledge of knowing someone working for the R&D department at Apple. Through this individual, I was able to see these prototypes.

The tribook is amazing....they are planning on making some changes to it before releasing it, but you can definitely count on seeing these hitting retail stores with-in the next 3 to 4 years.

Good bye external monitors!!

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