The Desktop Macs Need More Sex Appeal

January 10th, 2008 at 2:00 PM - Columns and Opinions by John Martellaro

Apple makes products that people love to feel, love to own, and love to show to their friends. However, when it comes to the desktop Macs which are often married to the largest displays, Apple has taken a hard, long duration turn into ugly. Thatis not going to make a lot of Apple enthusiasts very happy.

From the earliest days of Apple, Apple desktop computers have been a delight to look at. The operational effect is that of the technologists who feel as if theyive walked onto the bridge of the starship Enterprise every time they enter their den.

Appleis Mac Pro

Face it, the iMac is a very nice computer. Itis fashionable, but the all-in-one concept is designed for the casual, every day Apple customer. One is not going to feel the surge of techno-geek effusiveness unless the desktop reeks of acromania: Fibre Channel, RAID, PCI-Express, Blu-ray, HDMI, graphics cards cooled by liquid helium, and maybe just for fun, a faint red or purple glow underneath that growls and scintillates with the pulse of quad processors.

Regrettably, the monstrous 8 processor Mac Pro has turned into an oh-so boring business machine for scientists and video professionals. The Mac itself, as an objet diart is gone. Weid all been hoping for a new industrial design for the Mac Pro, something that would send its cheese grater looks and brutal, sharp handles into design history. As it is, the new Mac Pro is best hidden under desk. It has no use as a desirable thing in itself. Come to think of it, a closet down the hall is a better destination. An air-conditioned closet. David Sobotta recently referred to the Mac Pro as the equivalent of a Ford Excursion.

Iim hoping that Macworld 2008 will bring another Mac into the Apple stable of Macs to drool over. A quad-core beauty that is not only powerful enough for the scientist or engineer (or editor) at home, but something worth admiring and placing under or next to a 30-inch display.

Perhaps Apple is done with that. Perhaps Apple just plans to keep on making ugly Xserves and Mac Pros for Pixar and Lucasfilm. Something highly industrial and, well, business-like. Then they can focus on fashionable consumer electronics: iPhones, iPods, iTablets, and high-definition TV.

Even so, I believe Apple could still make a lot of money and make a lot of customers very happy with an appealing, affordable desktop system for technical consumers, small business, and art, video, sound and science at home. Something that caters to us, the misfits, the rebels, and the troublemakers.

Because we see things differently.