Pattern Language
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From the Archives: frog’s Early Apple Tablet
Because of all the hype and buildup surrounding next week’s (supposed) launch of an Apple tablet, including thoughts by our own Mark Rolston in the New York Times on how said tablet may or may not succeed in the marketplace, the folks here at frog design opened up the archives to find some early prototypes our designers created for a young Steve Jobs back in the early 80s. Yes, good innovation can take a while.
The “Bashful” — named after the story-book dwarf in Snow White — was created alongside the Apple II computer series as an extension of the Snow White design language that frog Founder Hartmut Essligner helped create for the company in 1983. Concepts for this early pre-touch tablet included one with an attached keyboard and one with a floppy disk drive and convenient handle for maximum portability. An attached stylus helped the user interact with the screen. One frog/Apple tablet concept also included an attached phone.
Enjoy.
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this is why
apple eaten - January 23, 2010
can't believe they didn't try to sell this then. would love to hear their 'logic' in rejecting this product.
The ad is here on youtube
marc - January 25, 2010
The ad is here on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve3_acz3XOA
What's with all these pings?
Camille - January 27, 2010
Anyway, I love reading Design Mind online. And I think that now-archaic Apple tablet looks awesome. I wonder why it wasn't embraced by the market at that time? Too high-tech for the period?
ha! almost a netbook.
Sebastian - January 28, 2010
ha! almost a netbook.
ha! almost a netbook.
Sebastian - January 28, 2010
ha! almost a netbook.
The design and the style of
Multivariate Testing - April 26, 2010
The design and the style of the Apple tablet looks incredible.I am wondering when this will be available in my local market.The product seems to be portable but I am not agreed with the concept of floppy disk drive.The concept of floppy disk drive is old and now days no body use floppy disk.
early apple tablet :P
logotipos - May 14, 2010
This is an excellent design for 1983, even just the design concept of it is a huge step forwards of everything being done at the time. The lPad rules though :P
Joao dos logotipos
Great
Tom Yates - June 15, 2010
haha and old school netbook!
flash back
vitamins - June 29, 2010
Yup they have thought of it long before but the technology was very limited back then. I bet that classic device cost almost like a second hand auto mobile during it's time.
The style where great and
Shiloh Street - June 30, 2010
The style where great and its very handy and the color is very antique.
Saved by the Bell
earl greyer - July 21, 2010
I think I would have liked to see Zach Morris carrying this around. Can you imagine how many people would have purchased this? I bet it would be at least as many as those who buy superbowl tickets and it probably would have been less expensive, too!