iBook

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2002

Design in time. When are computers really made for people? Design and technology are crucial in deciding that. At all events, the question of how people relate to their computers is a factor: how does the computer communicate its technology and what kind of handling does it permit? The design of the Apple iBook facilitates a very uncomplicated relationship with the user. AirPort technology for wireless networks, FireWire, USB and Ethernet interfaces establish fast links with peripheral devices. The Mac OS X operating system facilitates Internet access even when the user is on the move. It detects whether the connection is made at home, at school or in the office and establishes it automatically.

Technology is combined with a functional yet soft design to produce a utility object with a new quality. The computer becomes part of the experience of everyday living and lends it a specific aesthetic dimension.

This aesthetic appeal is generated by use and finds expression in the high-quality materials. The iBook is flat and compact. The monitor screen is very large (12.1" or 14.1") in proportion to the housing which is made of a polycarbonate plastic that is also used for bullet-proof glass. A magnesium internal frame braces the iBook against everyday rough handling and the hard disk is rubber mounted to cushion against impact. The iBook has no flaps, caps or levers that could break off or get in the way.

The Apple iBook has been carefully designed for everyday use in today's digital world. It is an authentic part of digital reality, meeting it on its own terms and offering well designed content. Design accordingly becomes a logically integrated factor and provides digital reality with an appropriate housing. And that at the right point of technological development - design in time.