2023-10-10 14:18:00
The iMac G3, introduced more than 25 years ago, marked a revolution in the market by replacing old technologies with new standards — such as “killing” the floppy disk reader in favor of CD and USB — and making the internet more accessible, in addition, of course. , having practically saved the company from bankruptcy at the end of the 1990s.
Adding to the impact that the computer had on the industry and on the manufacturer itself, a company known as “Elo Touch Solutions” had created, in 1999, a modified version of the iMac G3 that featured a touchscreendesigned with a focus on service kiosks for hospitals and other environments.
It is an unofficial version, therefore, the technology embedded in this modified computer has no relationship with Apple, and as far as historians can assess, big tech never had any intention of launching a machine with a “touch” screen in the years 90.
Recently, YouTube channel Michael MJD released a video showing a rare modified version with a touch screen of the iMac G3. The technology in question used acoustic sound waves to determine where the user touched the screenand interestingly, it was able to measure touch pressure even before 3D Touch.
Check out the model in the video below:
The iMac G3 modified by Elo Touch Solutions had a screen adapted with a transducer that detected the position of the user’s finger and responded like a mouse command. This technology was called “iTouch”, and it allowed different people to use the machine quickly without using a mouse or keyboard.
Of course, in addition to adapting the hardware, the company needed to create a modified version of the software with drivers capable of processing the touches made by the user on the CRT screen. This set was so powerful that it could sense how hard the user pressed the screen — something that possibly inspired Apple to develop 3D Touch on the iPhone.
Curiosity
25 Jan
Economy and market
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The machine cost US$1,599 (about R$8,099 in current conversion), which was three hundred dollars more expensive than the original version of the iMac G3 with 32 MB of RAM, 2 MB of VRAM and 4 GB of storage.
Although it has never commented on this possibility, many believe that Apple intends, in the future, to launch notebooks with touch screens, however, it is possible that this decision will affect sales of the iPad, which is the ideal product option that combines practicality and cell phone portability with the advanced features of the Mac.
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