Hey, have you noticed the new spate of iMac commercials flooding the airwaves lately? When last we checked, the new ads hadn't been posted to Apple's web site yet, nor have we seen much about them in the press. And in a way, that's not all that surprising, since one of the commercials is just the same old "Three Steps" ad with footage showing off a new iMac DV instead of the older model. The other one we've noticed, though, is new-- and while it's nothing groundbreaking as far as commercials go, we found its underlying message to be both revolutionary and vaguely disturbing.

If you watch a decent amount of network TV, you've seen this ad. It features the now-classic image of a translucent iMac against a stark white background, but this iMac is changing colors, cycling through all available flavors as it spins to show off its stylish curves. The voiceover asks whether you should change your decor to match your iMac, or change your iMac to match your decor. Now, given that the iMac is what's changing onscreen, it's not too hard to guess which answer Apple is pushing to the viewing audience. You can interpret this ad in two different ways. Most people are going to see it as a half-joking way to tout the iMac's choice of colors to new buyers. Others-- like us-- are going to wonder whether it's a half-serious attempt to induce existing iMac owners to buy a new iMac that better matches the new carpet in the den.

So have we truly reached the age of the disposable Mac? Is this ad a subliminal wake-up call to Bondi Blue iMac owners who can now add a better-blending choice of color to their internal list of justifications for replacing their computer after only a year and a half? Think about it: for only $999, Blueberry could match your curtains much more nicely than the greener Bondi ever could, plus you'd get a faster processor, more RAM, better speakers, a quieter environment, a bigger hard disk, and faster graphics. Who could refuse? It won't be long before Apple institutes a leasing program so customers can trade up for new iMac colors whenever they redo their wallpaper. Further in the future, iMacs will become so cheap and color choices will become so plentiful that people will replace their systems every six months just to go with the season's new bedspreads. Imagine iMacs sold in multi-flavor six-packs, with those plastic ring-thingies binding them together; change your wardrobe, and pull a new, matching iMac off the shelf. Where will it all end?