Stories of Apple » lisa

Meet the Apple 32 SuperMicros

Nicola D'Agostino — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:01:24 +0000

In the original press release from January 1984 one could read that the

Macintosh, along with three powerful new Lisa 2 computers, forms the basis of the Apple 32 SuperMicro family of computers. All systems in the family run Macintosh software.

and that

“We believe that Lisa Technology represents the future direction of all personal computers,” said Steven P. Jobs, Chairman of the Board of Apple. “Macintosh makes this technology available for the first time to a broad audience–at a price and size unavailable from any other manufacturer. By virtue of the large amount of software written for them, the Apple II and the IBM PC became the personal-computer industry’s first two standards. We expect Macintosh to become the third industry standard.”

This was actually a marketing attempt Apple made to capitalize on the distinction between the old 8 and 16 bit and the newer and more powerful 32 bit microcomputers and at the same time a way to present the Mac and the Lisa together to help a bit with the (poor) sales of its’ first computer with a GUI.

The “Apple 32 SuperMicros” monicker was actually used internally at Apple since November 1983 and than used in some of the promotional material the following year, grouping the Mac with three Lisa configurations (without an external hard drive, and with a 5 MB or 10 MB ProFile drive).

The brochure scans are taken from ballistikcoffeeboy ‘s photostream on Flickr.

More hands of Cupertino

Nicola D'Agostino — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:49:53 +0000

In “The hands Cupertino” it’s been stated that notwithstanding Apple’s long and heterogeneous output there is a constant in its promotional iconography: the use of hands.

To make the point more clear here are more examples, taken from a very wide spectrum of Apple products, strategies and eras.

The hands of Cupertino

Nicola D'Agostino — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:01:04 +0000

If you take a look at Apple’s output of information and promotional material there is one thing that stands out: the prominent use of hands.

During its’ thirty year the Cupertino company has conceived, produced and release an incredible amount of products and strategies but has been incredibly consistent in its imagery. Be it the need to explain the workings of the mouse, to show the very small footprint of its computers on the desktop or the reduced thickness of a player, the professional results one can get, the revolutionary interfaces or just how easy the networking is, Infinite Loop’s “hands on” and extremely personal approach is unmistakable and very clear from the iconography of Apple’s ads throughout its history.

Immages taken from Applicando, www.guidebookgallery.org and “courtesy of Apple”.