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Only Skin Deep (3/2/00)
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We all know that Apple's legal department doesn't hesitate to go after companies who rip off its products' distinctive design for their own computers. There are cases pending against Future Power, Daewoo, eMachines, and Sotec for their various and sundry iMac ripoffs. But what of copycat products that aren't actually computers? We seem to recall a Japanese TV set that looked just like an iMac, and we never heard anything about a lawsuit there. And even farther afield is that infamous Timex alarm clock that looked just like an iMac after being locked in a cartoon steam room for too long. Again, no word of any lawsuit-- though the clocks themselves don't seem to be sold anymore, so it's possible that a stern letter from Apple Legal did the trick.
Anyway, the reason we bring this up is because faithful viewer Howard Adkins pointed out a new product coming out on the market: the Sumdex iShuttle. Sumdex says that "the first thing you will notice about the Sumdex iShuttle is its enticing design and a stunning shape that is sure to attract attention." Well, the first thing we noticed about it is the way that it egregiously steals the iBook's enticing design and stunning shape. We've got our iBook right in front of us as we look at the little iShuttle photo on Outpost.com's iShuttle product page, and we have to say, the resemblance is pretty startling: it's got the same colors (even referred to as Blueberry and Tangerine) in the same places, and even the handle is right where the iBook's is. All that's missing is the Apple logo in the middle of the field of Ice.
As for what the iShuttle is, it appears to be a laptop bag. We suppose you could put an iBook inside it, but that seems a little odd. We see it more as a sort of Halloween costume for the more boring Wintel laptops; buy an iShuttle and your boxy black Dell notebook can pass itself off as a stylish iBook in public-- provided Apple Legal lets Sumdex sell these things at all, that is. At least Sumdex is showing a little originality-- they're ripping off the iBook instead of the iMac.
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SceneLink (2131)
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 3/2/00 episode: March 2, 2000: Apple-authorized resellers may soon be allowed to sell new Macs over the Internet-- but only to existing customers. Meanwhile, Palm stock shoots through the roof on its first day out; is Apple partially responsible for its success? And Sumdex has a new laptop bag coming out that bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain consumer portable we all know and love...
Other scenes from that episode: 2129: The Options Multiply (3/2/00) Anyone who thinks the Mac is just another computer obviously doesn't own one, right? We all know it's more than a CPU, a hard drive, some RAM, and a bunch of pretty colored plastic; the whole is insanely greater than the sum of its parts, which is why the Mac draws fervent loyalty unheard of in other computer circles... 2130: Palm: The Other Apple (3/2/00) All you recklessly E-Trading stock junkies who just cashed in big following this Palm IPO, don't forget to thank those who made your sudden windfall possible. There are a lot of people out there who made a lot of money when Palm's stock zoomed to a staggering first-day high of 165 before finally closing at 95 or so...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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