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iMac G3

The iMac G3, originally released as the iMac, is a series of Macintosh personal computers that Apple Computer sold from 1998 to 2003. The iMac was Apple's first major product release under its CEO Steve Jobs, who had recently returned to the financially troubled company he co-founded after eleven years away. Jobs reorganized the company and simplified the product line. The iMac was designed as Apple's new consumer desktop product—an inexpensive, consumer-oriented computer that would easily connect to the Internet.

Manufacturer

August 15, 1998 (1998-08-15)

August 15, 1998 – March 2003 (4 years and 7 months)

US$1,299 (equivalent to $2,430 in 2023)

March 2003 (2003-03)

The iMac's all-in-one design is based around a cathode-ray tube display; the G3 processor, components, and connectivity were all included in a single enclosure. Apple's head of design Jony Ive and his team developed a teardrop-shaped, translucent plastic case that was a radical departure from the look of the company's previous computers. The company developed new working methods to quickly finish the computer, and new workflows they used for designing future products. The iMac G3 eschewed legacy technologies like serial ports and floppy disk drives in favor of CD-ROMs and USB ports.


Critical response to the iMac was mixed; journalists said the machine would be good for new computer users but bemoaned the lack of legacy technology, and said the mouse and keyboard were uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the iMac was an immediate commercial success, with more than 5 million lifetime sales as Apple's fastest-selling computer.


The original model was revised several times, improving the processor speed, the amount of random-access memory, hard drive space, and other capabilities. The iMac is credited with saving Apple from financial ruin, and for turning personal computers from niche, technical products to mass-consumer fashion. Other computers and consumer products appropriated the translucent plastic look, leading to legal action from Apple. The iMac G3 series was succeeded by the iMac G4, and the iMac G3's position in education markets was succeeded by the eMac.

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ISBN

Bates, Allyson (July 1999). "iMac 333MHz". . Reviews. p. 47. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Breen, Christopher (December 2001). "iMac and iMac Special Edition". . Reviews. pp. 33–34. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Breitzer, Frith (January 2000). "The iMac is Back". . pp. 70–77. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Capps, Robert (December 1999). "Eeny Meeny Miny iMac". . No. 40. ISSN 1088-548X.

MacAddict

Gore, Andrew (July 1998a). "Defying Gravity ... Again". . The Vision Thing. p. 17. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Gore, Andrew (November 1998b). "Reviews". . iMac: Groundbreaking consumer offering lives up to its hype. pp. 32–33. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Gore, Andrew; Epler, Anita (July 1998). "The iMac Cometh". . pp. 17A–17D. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Gruman, Galen (November 1997). "Why Apple Pulled the Plug". . pp. 31–32, 36. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Honan, Mathew (June 2001). "iMac and iMac Special Edition". . Reviews. pp. 68–69. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Honan, Mathew; Schmeiser, Lisa (October 2000). "The Mouse that Roared". . Macworld Expo Buzz Extra. p. 28. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

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ISBN

Kahney, Leander (2013). Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products. Penguin Group.  978-1-5918-4617-8.

ISBN

Michaels, Philip; Snell, Jason (October 2000). "iMac of a Different Color". . Macworld Expo Buzz Extra. p. 27. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Michaels, Philip (March 2002). "The iMac: Flat is Where It's At". . Special Report. pp. 29–32. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

Pogue, David (October 1999). "Meet the iBook". . Features. pp. 62–67. ISSN 0741-8647.

Macworld

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ISBN

Segall, Ken (2013). Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success (2nd ed.). The Penguin Group.  978-1-5918-4621-5.

ISBN

Silvius, Susan (December 1998). "iMac vs. Pentium: No Points for Good Looks". . ISSN 0737-8939.

PC World

Simmons, Mark; Reynolds, David (March 1999). "The Mac of the Future". . No. 31. ISSN 1088-548X.

MacAddict