Finally, several months later than originally expected, Apple has taken the wraps off of their new build-to-order Apple Store for resellers. This new extension to the Apple Store allows national, regional, and local resellers to order custom-built systems for their customers, instead of only being able to provide the standard pre-built configurations that Apple provides. Details and feel-good marketing shmooze are available in Apple's press release on the subject.

We can actually hear several of you who are saying "So what? People who want to buy Macs have been able to custom-build one at the Apple Store since last November." Ah, but Grasshopper, perhaps you are not schooled in the arcane ways of the business world. Several companies only allow their employees to buy equipment from specific approved vendors, so the Apple Store often isn't an option for them, and so they were stuck buying Macs that weren't exactly what they wanted, because the closest preconfigured system had a modem they didn't need, or not quite enough RAM. The reseller BTO capability changes all that. And likewise, there are also "normal" consumers who would rather do business with their preferred and trusted local reseller than with Apple directly, and now those folks also have the freedom to buy exactly what they want, no more and no less.

As expected, the BTO Apple Store for resellers currently only allows vendors the ability to custom-build Power Mac G3's and servers. PowerBooks are still limited to the six pre-built configurations. (Or five, since the 292/14" model can't be had for love or ready money.) However, we hear that Apple plans to add PowerBooks and other "additional products" to the system in the future.

When we recently brought up the disturbing trend of PowerBook G3's arriving at dealers and customer homes just rattling around loose inside their big cardboard boxes, we drew a comparison to the inexplicable phenomenon of giant stocking ladders sitting in the middle of the Apple sections in CompUSA stores all across the country, blocking access to the display computers and/or software. Occurrences of both scenarios were widespread, as determined by dozens upon dozens of "regular joe" field reports, yet there was no official acknowledgement from any concerned party that the bizarreness was even happening, let alone any assurance that the problem would be fixed.

However, we're pleased to note that at least the PowerBook packaging mystery has been remedied. According to an article last week in Computer Retail Week, Apple has acknowledged the problem with the "two foam end blocks" packaging design, and has now changed to a new polystyrene case that sounds more like what Apple used in the past when shipping PowerBooks; you pull the top half off, and there's your new laptop, nestled happily in the center. That's a much less gut-wrenching experience than the previous packaging provided, which involved opening the cardboard box, noting the loose foam blocks with an air of questioning tentativeness, and finally letting out a horrified shriek upon realizing that the PowerBook is protected only by the plastic bag in which it's been wrapped.

It's a testament to the durability of the new PowerBooks that "very few" of the "freeboxed" laptops were returned to Apple because of damage. The very fact that most PowerBooks can survive a cross-country trip while rattling around inside a cardboard box is pretty damn impressive, if you ask us. Still, when it comes to laptop computers, mileage counts for a lot; if a freeboxed PowerBook is going to need repair after one year's worth of heavy travel instead of three years for a well-packaged one, we're glad to see that Apple has fixed the problem. But we still haven't heard from anyone why Apple changed the original PowerBook packaging, which consisted of a cool alienesque inflated plastic tube thing that wrapped all around the laptop and cushioned it on all sides. The CRW article only mentions that that packaging was changed "after a short time," without explaining why. The few PowerBooks we saw protected by the inflated thingy arrived perfectly cushioned and ready to rock. Oh well; presumably Apple had its reasons. Now perhaps someone can shed some light on what the deal is with the CompUSA ladders?

As few will dispute, the iMac is the most stylish computer ever to come out of Silicon Valley, with the possible exception of the old jet-black NeXT cube. And it's pretty much a lock that the iMac is the most stylish computer that a consumer could ever afford. (If you take a look at what passes for style on the Wintel side of the fence in terms of their low-cost offerings, you may just need some Dramamine afterwards.) But there's just one teensy problem: what if Bondi Blue clashes with your decor? After all, while it's certainly a pleasant hue, it's not exactly a neutral color, if you catch our drift. In some environments, a Bondi Blue iMac would look as out of place as a Bob Mackie sportcoat worn with swimming trunks and snorkeling gear.

The possibility of custom-color iMacs, which has come up in the past, has turned up again, this time in a Don Crabb piece at MacCentral. The original rumors we'd heard were that Apple was planning on offering a choice of three or four translucent colors as a $40 build-to-order option at the online Apple Store, but nothing more has come of that cool idea. Now Don has received reports that Apple may be considering building iMacs in the school colors of educational institutions who commit to buy a certain number of units. It sounds like a great idea, though with some of the color combinations in use at some of these schools being just butt-ugly, there's a distinct chance that school-colored iMacs will lose a sizeable chunk of their visual appeal. Regardless, the customer is always right, and if it sells more systems to the schools, we say "go for it." By the way, Don's a little bit late with the whole "school colors" idea, as faithful AtAT viewer David Puett made the recommendation a week ago: "Here is a suggestion for the iMac. You know all of those schools that are recommending it to the students. Well, wouldn't it be cool if Apple would make the iMacs sold at the school in the school's colors? I think it would be majorly cool, IMNSHO." Once again, we see that AtAT viewers are always on the cutting edge of Mac design ideas...

So, while we're skeptical that non-Bondi Blue iMacs will see the light of day anytime this year, at least people at Apple are thinking about it. If a custom color program doesn't cut too heavily into the iMac's profit margin, it could be a real selling point. In fact, if Apple does allow custom-built colors for the two-tone iMac, it will catch up to the NeXT cube in one important respect: basic black goes with everything, but so would the iMac.