Celebrating 20 Years of the Mac
Line Revolutionized Computer Design, Ease of Use
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The original Apple Macintosh
Ridley Scott's 1984 commercial
Talk of the Nation, January 20, 2004 · As fans watched the 1984 Super Bowl, a stark commercial directed by Ridley Scott appeared on the screen. In the spot, a female athlete smashes a large screen projecting the image of an autocratic Big Brother. With that 45-second advertisement, Apple Computer introduced the Macintosh, a line that would come to revolutionize computer design and functionality.
Over the years, the small beige box has undergone numerous transformations (think Bondi blue, ruby and sage.) Macintosh design has influenced everything from paper-clip holders to vacuums. NPR's Neal Conan and guests look at the 20-year history of the Macintosh and discuss how a 17-pound cube, a mouse and a smiley face changed the face of computing.
Guests:
Jef Raskin, creator of the Macintosh and author of multiple books, including The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems
Steven Levy, senior editor and columnist for Newsweek magazine and author of Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything
Lance Ulanoff, executive editor and columnist for the online version of PC Magazine
Related NPR Stories
- Jan. 8, 2004Day to Day: The Mac Turns 20
- Oct. 16, 2003Apple i-Tunes Expands to PCs
- Aug. 13, 2002Andrei Codrescu on MacWorld
- March 23, 2001A First Look at OS X
- Aug. 26, 2002The End of Happy Mac
- Oct. 5, 1999Apple's G-4 Super Computer
- Aug. 7, 19971997: Microsoft Invests in Apple Computer
- July 10, 19971997: Apple Turns Back to Steve Jobs
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