A Brief History of Handles on Apple Computers

Greetings Internet, I am Ken from the Computer Clan and today we're gonna talk about handles on computers. All right then. From the beginning, Apple liked to put unique features into their computers that competitors didn't really think of, and one of these little features, dating all the way back to the original Macintosh in 1984, was a carrying handle.

So today I want to show you more of the other Apple products that had handles built in. We won't cover every one, but we'll cover some of the fun ones. The Apple IIc technically wasn't a Macintosh but it was an Apple computer and this product actually had a built-in handle as well. It came out just a couple months after the original Macintosh did. A couple years in March 1987, the Macintosh SE was released. This is one of my computers in my collection. And it has a similar handle design on the back like the original Macintosh. So it was easy to move around from room to room.

Then we get to the Macintosh Color Classic. This was released in February of 1993 and it featured an all-new design language called Espresso. So it was a little more of a curvy design, but it still had the carrying handle on the back. And if you want to see more of the Macintosh Color Classic in action, you can checkout Vintage Apple Vault, which is the Computer Clan's show these clips are from.

Introduced in May of 1998, we have the iMac. Steve Jobs was back at the company, and the design language was being changed. So we had this all-new beautiful-looking computer with a carrying handle on the back. And the carrying handle actually had ventilation around it, so it doubled as part of the cooling system. Speaking of combining the handle and the cooling system into one feature, a future Mac actually did something very similar.

Introduced in January of 1999, we have the blue and white Power Mac G3. Which was the first new PowerMac G3 system introduced with the new design language to kind of mimic where Apple was going with the iMac design. Now this computer had handles built into the top, and they kind of mimicked the design of the feet that suspended the computer. The joke is that the handles kind of looked like spoilers on a car. So it's like the computer is so fast, we had to add spoilers to it.

So, a nice heavy tower with built-in handles was convenient. And this computer also had another cool feature that Steve Jobs showed off. And I'll show that in a future video. Fast forward a bit to July, we come to the first iBook ever introduced from Apple. The iBook G3 Clamshell. Which is another computer we showed on Vintage Apple Vault. This computer had a fun flip-down handle so you can carry it wherever you walk. The feature didn't live very long but it was still a fun, unique component to this computer.

After the whole iBook introduction, we didn't see handles built into many more computers. We really only saw the handles on the towers because they were big and heavy. But as for the future PowerBooks and the future iMacs, there weren't built-in handles. Then a little while later the handle features kind of subsided aside from the Mac Pro. Which is kind of sad because I really wish I had a handle on my Mac mini. Just kidding, it weighs like two pounds. That would be kind of stupid.

So we're gonna fast forward to September of 2006, where the 20-inch Intel iMac was introduced. And forgive me if I'm stupid but I always used the weird exhaust vent as a handle. I mean it's kind of recessed enough to be used as a handle but also is a vent. Maybe it wasn't a handle after all. I've just been using it that way. Was that stupid of me? After this computer, the handle features really were disappearing from everything Apple. Except for the Mac Pro. They still had the handles on there because the computers were big and heavy.

Introduced in 2008, The 2008 MacBook Air did not include a traditional carrying handle which was seen as an innovative design choice. Introduced in 2012, The 2012 MacBook Pro Retina display laptop still featured a non-traditional carry handle that has been praised by users for its comfort and functionality.

Introduced in 2014, The 2014 12-inch MacBook did not include a carrying handle which was seen as an innovative design choice. Introduced in 2015, The 2015 MacBook did feature a non-traditional carry handle that some users praised for its comfort and functionality while others criticized for being uncomfortable.

Introduced in 2020, The 2020 MacBook Air features a new aluminum unibody design that still does not include a carrying handle. Introduced in 2020, The 2020 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature non-traditional carry handles that some users praised for their comfort and functionality while others criticized for being uncomfortable.

In conclusion, the history of handles on Apple computers is an interesting one, with many unique designs over the years. Each design choice reflects the company's focus on innovation and pushing boundaries in terms of what a computer can do. Whether it was the original Macintosh carrying handle or the latest MacBook Air without a carrying handle, each design has its pros and cons.

So there you have it, thanks for watching. And I'll see you in the not-too-distant future.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Greetings Internet.I am Ken from the Computer Clan and todaywe're gonna talk abouthandles on computers?All right then.From the beginning,Apple liked to put uniquefeatures into their computersthat competitors didn't really think of,and one of these little features,dating all the way back to theoriginal Macintosh in 1984,was a carrying handle.So today I want to show youmore of the other Apple productsthat had handles built in.We won't cover every one,but we'll cover some of the fun ones.So the Apple IIc technicallywasn't a Macintoshbut it was an Applecomputer and this productactually had a built in handle as well.It came out just a couple monthsafter the original Macintosh did.So a couple years in March 1987,the Macintosh SE was released.This is one of mycomputers in my collection.And it has a similar handle designon the back like the original Macintosh.So it was easy to movearound from room to room.Then we get to theMacintosh Color Classic.This was released in February of 1993and it featured an all newdesign language called Espresso.So it was a little more of a curvy designbut it still had thecarrying handle on the back.And if you want to see moreof the Macintosh Color Classicin action you can checkout Vintage Apple Vault,which is the Computer Clan'sshow these clips are from.So introduced in May of1998, we have the iMac.Steve Jobs was back at the company,the design language was being changed.So we had this all newbeautiful looking computerwith a carrying handle on the back.And the carrying handleactually had ventilationaround it so it doubled aspart of the cooling system.And speaking of combining the handleand the cooling system into one feature,a future Mac actually didsomething very similar.And we'll get to that in a bit.So introduced in January of 1999,we have the blue and white Power Mac G3.Which was the first new PowerMac G3 system introducedwith the new designlanguage to kind of mimicwhere Apple was goingwith the iMac design.Now this computer had thehandles built into the top.And they kind of mimicked the designof the feet that suspended the computer.The joke is that the handles kind oflooked like spoilers on a car.So it's like the computer is so fast,we had to add spoilers to it.So, a nice heavy towerwith built in handles.(clicking)That was convenient.And this computer alsohad another cool featurethat Steve Jobs showed off.And I'll show that in a future video.So, feel free to stick around for that.Fast forward a bit to July,we come to the first iBookever introduced from Apple.The iBook G3 Clamshell.Which is another computer weshowed on Vintage Apple Vault.This computer had a fun flip down handleso you can carry it wherever you walk.The feature didn't live very longbut it was still a fun, uniquecomponent to this computer.After the whole iBook introduction,we didn't see handles builtinto many more computers.We really only saw thehandles on the towersbecause they were big and heavy.But as for the futurePowerBooks and the future iMacs,there weren't built in handles.Then a little whilelater the handle featureskind of subsided aside from the Mac Pro.Which is kind of sad because I really wishI had a handle on my Mac mini.Just kidding, it weighs like two pounds.That would be kind of stupid.So we're gonna fast forwardto September of 2006,where the 20 inch InteliMac was introduced.And forgive me if I'm stupidbut I always used the weirdexhaust vent as a handle.I mean it's kind of recessedenough to be used as a handle.But it also is a vent.Maybe it wasn't a handle after all.I've just been using it that way.Was that stupid of me?After this computer, thehandle features reallywere disappearing from everything Apple.Except for the Mac Pro.They still had the handles on therebecause the computer was big and heavy.Handles were necessary.But no new design featureda handle built into ituntil the 2013 Mac Pro.So this is a late 2013 Mac Pro.Had a built in handle around the top.And that is also wherethe exhaust vent was.So again, it was twofunctions into one feature.Exhaust vent and handle.And that was it.Ever since then, Applehas not built a handleinto any of their other products.Which is totally okay, right?I mean look at the iMac Pro.Sure, it's a $13,000 computerand it weighs, what, 21 and 1/2 pounds.You don't need a handleto transport that around.Anyway, the handle was a cool featurebut I think it justlived its life, you know?It's needed as much anymore.But let me know what handledesign was your favoriteand let me know what other unique featuresApple started killing offthat you really liked.Like MagSafe perhaps.That was a cool one, bummer.And do stick aroundbecause I have more uniqueApple features I want to showon future TidBytes videos.And if you want to geta more in depth lookinto individual Apple products,I highly recommend checkingout the Computer Clan show,Vintage Apple Vault.So there you have it, thanks for watching.And I'll see you in thenot-too-distant future.\n"