200 Greatest Apple tech, apps & innovations

Many millions of people have been drawn to Apple products for a variety of reasons. For us it was the intuitiveness of the Macintosh IIcx, a big beige slab that we could write and capture and process screenshots on. The first Apple experience for many others may have been the first iPod that revolutionised how we listen to music, or the eye-popping colours of the iMac G3 range that was so cool that everyone wanted one in their home.

Although many of us use Apple products in a professional capacity, they have also become integrated into our social and family lives too, allowing us to record the growth of our children and speak face-to-face with loved ones on the other side of the planet. So there will undoubtedly be an Apple product that you cherish above all others and we hope that we have done it justice in this special 200th issue of iCreate. Of course, Apple has produced many more breathtaking products than the ones we have showcased here, but these are the Macs, iDevices, gadgets and peripherals that have been voted for by the iCreate staff and contributors past and present and you, the readers.

We hope you enjoy this nostalgic look back through Apple’s greatest hits and recall the devices that helped to break new ground and redefine how we use and interact with technology today. Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for…

200 Apple logo stickers (1980)

Apple has been bundling free logo stickers with their products since the early days and it has certainly proved a canny move. As well as being able to spread brand awareness, it has also given the customers a badge of honour to show that they belong.

199 No instructions (1999)

Apple prides its products on being so intuitive that you don’t need an instruction manual, so it doesn’t bother providing them. The ‘Help’ menu in Finder tells you everything you need to know and you can now also download manuals in iBooks.

198 Shortcuts (2018)

One of iOS 12’s most exciting new apps wasn’t even installed with the update, you have to grab it from the App Store. It allows you to automate tasks on your iOS device and control everything using Siri. Early days but expect it to develop very quickly.

197 Mac Performer 275 (1993)

This is essentially the same as the Color Classic II but was only sold in Asia, making it something of a rarity. It featured a 33MHz 68030 processor and 4MB of RAM, and came in a sleek, all-in-one case.

196 Songs of Innocence (2014)

Though quite a few people complained of feeling ‘violated’ after Apple pushed a free copy of the latest U2 album into everyone’s iTunes library, the act certainly grabbed headlines!

195 iBooks (2010)

Launched in conjunction with the iPad, iBooks is Apple’s own ebook reading application but, like Shortcuts more recently, it didn’t appear as a default app in the iOS 4 update – you had to search for it in the App Store. A clever way to drive traffic to Apple’s online marketplace? Most certainly, but it was well worth the effort. With a tidy interface and a decent array of display options, iBooks made reading on your screen feel natural and, like iTunes, it features instant access to an online digital book store where you can swell your virtual library quickly and easily. Recently rebranded just Books, the app primarily receives EPUB content, but users can also add their own EPUB and PDF files and also incorporate VoiceOver to turn them into audio books, albeit in a monotone voice devoid of emotion.

194 Apple Hard Disk 20SC (1986)

Apple’s first SCSI-based hard drive for the Apple II and Macintosh range of computers boasted 20MB of memory (which was quite considerable at the time) and cost the modern equivalent of close to £3,000.

193 Macintosh TV (1993)

Apple’s first attempt at computer-television integration consisted of a black version of the Macintosh LC 500/Performa 520 that could switch its 14-inch Sony Trinitron CRT from being a computer display to a TV screen, thus eradicating the need in your home for both. It came with a credit card-sized Sony remote and a matching black keyboard and mouse.

192 Automator (2005)

First arriving with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger), Automator is a default Mac app that allows users to automate tasks using a drag and drop interface to create workflows that mimic tasks of a repetitive natural that you would otherwise have to painstakingly perform manually. Easy to use and a great time-saver.

191 The Dock (2001)

Though a more primitive version called Launcher was available on Macs from 1993, one of the standout features of Mac OS X when it was released in 2001 was the introduction of a strip where your most-used apps could be added for easy access and multitasking. This Dock remains integral to macOS and iOS.

190 Find My Friends (2011)

Apple’s mobile tracking app lets you add family members and then access their location on a map, perfect if you have teenage tearaways on a curfew! You can also use it to see if any friends are nearby or check on employees.

189 Apple LocalTalk Connector (1985)

Originally released to connect the LaserWriter printer with Macs before they later switched to Ethernet, the design of this cable influenced all of Apple’s connectors and peripherals that followed.

188 Apple IIc (1984)

The fourth generation of the Apple II was also Apple’s first attempt at making a truly portable computer. The compact unit (which is what the ‘c’ stood for) included a built-in 5.25-inch floppy drive in a notebook sized version of the Apple II that could be taken anywhere – the fact it had 128KB RAM, 80-column text and Double-Hi-Resolution graphics didn’t hurt also!

187 Cinema Display 22” (1999)

Apple’s line of flat-panel monitors started with this to coincide with the launch of the Power Mac G4. The high-density plastic frame and easel-style stand (as well as a resolution of 1600x1024) made it an instant hit.

186 Macintosh IIvx (1992)

The last of the Macintosh II family of computers, at least in name. The fact is that the IIvx should have been the first in Apple’s new Centris line, but the trademark check on that name didn’t come through in time for the release. An internal CD drive was an optional extra.

185 iPhone 3GS (2009)

Twice as fast as the standard iPhone 3G (the ‘S’ stood for speed) released the previous year, this model also introduced some key software additions in the form of video recording and voice control. The excessive heat it gave out also made it a decent hand-warmer.

184 Music Memos (2015)

Launched alongside a GarageBand update in 2015, Music Memos allows iOS musicians to capture riffs and melodies in an interface akin to Voice Memos, add basic drum and bass lines and then export the lot to GarageBand for further tinkering.

183 iMac G4 (2002)

Consisting of an LCD monitor mounted on an adjustable arm protruding from a dome-like base, the iMac G4 was aptly nicknamed the ‘iLamp’ thanks to it adopting the appearance of a desk lamp. Apple Pro Speakers were also available as an optional extra.

182 Pippin (1996)

Who could forget Apple’s foray into the console market? Oh, everyone. The Pippin used classic Mac OS architecture and was intended as an open standard platform – Apple licensed the tech, third-party companies produced the systems. Sadly, it never worked out.

181 Messages (2009)

Apple’s instant messaging app first appeared as a built-in app for the iPhone with iOS 3, and then replaced the Mac’s iChat app in 2012. Since then it has become a free, universal way to communicate across all Apple platforms thanks to iCloud integration.

180 Macintosh Quadra 900 (1991)

The first of Apple’s computers to be housed in an 18.6-inch ‘tower’ form, the Quadra 900 came with 4MB RAM which was expandable to 256MB – an astronomical amount for the time. It also boasted a three-mode key-lock system.

179 Power Macintosh 8100 (1994)

The high-end model of the first generation of Power Macs, the 8100 replaced the old Quadra line, yet inexplicably kept the same casing, which was notoriously hard to