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I agree that Apple's attention detail in design is excellent. I would say, however, that they tend to fail miserably in terms of ergonomics. A few examples: [
by blehn 17y ago
I agree that Apple's attention detail in design is excellent. I would say, however, that they tend to fail miserably in terms of ergonomics. A few examples:
[1]All Apple mice. The latest, Magic Mouse, is like instant carpal tunnel.
[2]All Apple displays. They tilt, but you can't adjust the height...seems absurd to me.
[3]The unibody Macbooks. Sharp edges are extremely uncomfortable for wrists (odd for a company so committed to rounded corners).
Apple often sacrifices ergonomics in favor of aesthetics. That said, most consumers probably don't use the devices enough to notice the ergonomic shortcomings.
- ilamont 17y agoAgree on [1] -- remember the hockey puck mouse on the old iMacs? Steve Jobs actually said it was "the most wonderful mouse" when he unveiled it at Macworld (see http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/01/01/steve-jobs-greatest-macworld-video-hits-1998-2008?page=0%2C1 http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/01/01/steve-jobs-greate...) On [2], the old "half-dome" iMacs let you adjust the height and even swivel the display horizontally almost 90 degrees in either direction. I owned one, and really liked how the display could be adjusted to point almost anywhere -- it was great for letting the kids look at the screen. One problem with the more recent iMacs is it's very easy to pull out the power cord from the back of the monitor if you swivel vertically when the cord is taut. In terms of iPhone ergonomics, I am curious how Apple will update the body in the next generation. There is a lot of room for improvement, IMHO.
- blehn 17y agoyeah, the hockey puck mouse was just pitiful. The head-scratcher for me with the new mouse is the gesture of 2-finger swiping (laterally) while your other three fingers are (presumably) stationary on the mouse. It makes my hand ache just thinking about it. loved the fully articulating arm on the old iMac--one of the sacrifices they've made in their quest for aesthetic minimalism (which I appreciate, mind you, it just sucks that you can't move the display easily anymore).
- GHFigs 17y agoone of the sacrifices they've made in their quest for aesthetic minimalism I don't imagine it was solely aesthetic. The articulating arm required a huge amount of dead weight in the base to support ever-larger screens. The 20" iMac G4 weighed about the same as the current 27" iMac.
- bensummers 17y agoStandard VESA mounts are available for iMacs and Apple displays. Bolt one on (slightly easier said than done on an iMac, but the cinema displays are fine) and attach to an arm of your choice, and the problem is solved. http://www.computingplus.co.uk/monitor-arm-range.htm http://www.computingplus.co.uk/monitor-arm-range.htm
- blehn 17y agoYou're right, but most of them are ugly, complex, and cumbersome to install (not to mention, expensive). Might as well have a PC at that point. I suppose sound ergonomics and simplicity often conflict, given the inherent complexity of the human body.
- bensummers 17y agoI use one attached to a proper adjustable desk. It just looks like an iMac floating in the air, and you can push and pull it whereever you want it to go. Of course, look at it from behind and it's obvious it's not Apple, but it's pretty minimal. They sent an installer. I'm sure it's possible to do it DIY, but it's not quite as simple as normal flatpack. The cost of using a computer too much is fancy furniture and slightly less beautiful equipment. :-(
- elai 17y agoSwivel, tilt and rotate would be a great feature to add to the new e-ips imacs.
- jacobolus 17y ago> Sharp edges are extremely uncomfortable for wrists If your wrist is hitting the corner you’re doing something very wrong w/r/t ergonomic laptop use. Your hands should be floating above the keyboard, and your arms straight out from there.