Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Remember the U2 iPod? That and 9 other Apple product flops

Not everything created at Apple was a home-run hit.

EVERYONE KNOWS APPLE excels at innovation and thinking differently. It’s the company that gave us iPods and iPhones, iPads and MacBooks…(and the list goes on and on and on). But not every Apple invention was a grand slam. Here’s a look at 10 old Apple products that just didn’t hit their intended mark. The Apple III (1980-81) image

via Apple 2 History

The Apple III was the first Apple computer not designed by Steve Wozniak. The result? A super buggy machine, a motherboard that got too hot too fast, and frequent crashes. Chips would pop out of their sockets, resulting in severe problems with the entire system. The Apple Lisa (1983-5) image

via Apple

The Lisa was a personal computer designed by Apple during the 80s. It was slow and hard to use. It also cost $9,995 at launch. In 1986, Apple gave up and offered to let Lisa owners trade them in and buy a normally $4,100 Mac Plus for $1,500. The Apple Macintosh Portable (1989-91)

image

via Ebay Here’s a not so fun problem to have: The Mac Portable sometimes failed to turn on even when plugged in due to its battery design. Plus, it was 16 lbs. What’s so portable about that? Apple Newton (1993-98) image via moparx/Flickr This tablet failed because of its shoddy battery life and hard-to-read screen. It was also so infamous for its terrible handwriting recognition that it inspired a mocking from The Simpsons. But it also inspired aspects of future OS designs. Plus, we all know how we feel about tablets now. Apple Pippin (1995-6) image via Wikicommons PlayStation, Nintendo, and Sega consoles were already out and more popular, so game developers and users ignored the Pippin when it hit the market. Priced at $600, the console was predicted to sell 300,000 units in its first year. Estimates put actual sales at somewhere between 12,000 and 42,000. 20th Anniversary Mac (1996-7) image via eBay Apple’s Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh is a limited-edition personal computer that was released in celebration of the company’s 20th birthday. It cost almost $8,000. Despite its poor sales, the TAM remains a popular item amongst dedicated Macintosh collectors. As of 2010, complete working machines with boxes were selling for $1,000. Apple eMate (1997-8) image The eMate was actually a good machine and went on to inspire the PowerBook series. But Apple never made the Emate available for anyone outside educational purposes, which limited the machine from spreading across the entire spread of Apple users. Interesting fact: To this day, Apple has never released the sales figures from the Emate. The “Hockey Puck” mouse (1998-2000) image via eBay Often referred to as the “hockey puck mouse”,  the disc design got attention…but for all of the wrong reasons. Its small size made it awkward to grasp, and its round shape made it tricky to orient. It only lasted for two years, and was discontinued in 2000. The Power Mac G4 Cube (2000-1) image via AP Photo/Richard Drew, File Despite its innovative design, critics complained the G4 was too expensive. It didn’t even come with a monitor! Plus, early models suffered from a manufacturing issue that led to cracks in the clear plastic case. The U2 iPod (2000-4) image via Amazon/screenshot As part of the partnership between the company and band, Apple created a U2-branded iPod, offered U2′s single “Vertigo” exclusively through the iTunes store, produced an iPod commercial featuring U2 (see below), and created the first-ever digital box set featuring all of U2′s albums. The iPod wasn’t a hit. Its launch price was $50 higher than its identical white and chrome model, and offered little (if any reason) to purchase it. - Caroline Moss How Google Glass might change photography for good> 10 messaging apps that are worth downloading> Explainer: Why did Snapchat turn down Facebook’s $3 billion offer?>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Published with permission from
View 43 comments
Close
43 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles Coughlan
    Favourite Charles Coughlan
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 7:48 AM

    Spot on, our own antivaxxers, antivaxxers and conspiracy theorists are anti Ukraine and will have the same opinion when the warmonger Putin overthrows Moldova,

    121
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Johnes
    Favourite John Johnes
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 8:24 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: your comment is above and beyond dum.

    110
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Staines
    Favourite Mick Staines
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 9:35 AM

    @John Johnes: actually most anti science nutjobs I’ve known, watch RT news every night.

    70
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute artur fil
    Favourite artur fil
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 10:50 AM

    @Donal Desmond: I strongly recommend to watch documentary on Netflix “How become a tyrant” epizode 2 that will give you some idea about SH.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Van-Standen
    Favourite David Van-Standen
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 11:08 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: Geopolitics is not a simplistic team sport, in which you have to pick a side and blindly support them no matter what, while waving their colours to identify yourself to others as a loyal supporter.

    The invasion of Ukraine is an illegal act of aggression by Putin and targeting civilians is reprehensible, but its not as simple as starting the clock from the invasion and chanting Russia bad, NATO good, its a lot more complex and long running situation that has brought us to this point, acknowledging the documented reality that nuance and bigger picture exists, is neither supporting Putin, anti Ukraine, or a conspiracy theory.

    Accepting or embracing a simplistic reductive black and white narrative from any side of this situation is frankly just intellectual laziness.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute artur fil
    Favourite artur fil
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 11:11 AM

    @Donal Desmond: Yeah sure you know best . Go back to watching Rossiya Segodnya.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Devenney
    Favourite Francis Devenney
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 11:11 AM

    @Donal Desmond: Of course we remember. I wonder do you remember the reaction to that? The protests in nearly every major city in the world, the countries that point blank refused to support it, the embargos on French produce in the US because France wouldn’t roll in with them. Most people condemned it at the time and most still do. In the same way most people condemn this war now. It’s not an either/or situation and your whataboutry is both banal and pointless.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Desmond
    Favourite Donal Desmond
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 12:35 PM

    @artur fil: Same as watching our national broadcaster RTE. Certainly do not know best, but our own media is not shy in the propaganda game.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rosa Lopez
    Favourite Rosa Lopez
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 12:36 PM

    @Francis Devenney: I don’t remembered it exactly like that. People were against the war while we all thought it was a plot to start a war due to the terrorist attack on the twin towers and USA interests. That was until the the lies/mistake on MDW was confirmed and heavenly published by the media. Shortly after the war broke and the protest then become a small minority. With time they become nothing and after the terrorist attack in Madrid on 2004 and then in London in 2005 the protests were all forgotten and anything related to wars in the middle east was accepted by the public without questions, including the “mistake” made in Iraq.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Desmond
    Favourite Donal Desmond
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 12:39 PM

    @Francis Devenney: Whatabourty is pointless? A bit like denying the past. Most conflicts that take place relates to what happened in the past..History repeats itself. The invasion of Ukraine was wrong, but the hypocrisy of our politicians and media is comical.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Devenney
    Favourite Francis Devenney
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 4:45 PM

    @Donal Desmond: When someone says “this is bad” and someone else says “Yeah, well this other thing is bad too” what is the point of that? It doesn’t contribute at all. It is literally pointless. And as everyone knows the other thing was bad, it is the very definition of banal to make such a statement in the first place

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
    Favourite Jonathan O'Riordan
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 7:35 PM

    @John Johnes: no it is not , some of them are outside the embassy purporting to be “journalists”

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Shepherd
    Favourite Paul Shepherd
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 10:08 AM

    Watching world leaders making daily phone calls to Putin is getting embarrassing at this stage. All it serves to do is boost his ego and feelings of self importance. Like Hitler before him, once he gets what he wants, there will be a new list of contrived grievances and demands. Once again, world leaders will throw their hands up in shock horror at his duplicity.

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Van-Standen
    Favourite David Van-Standen
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 10:46 AM

    @Paul Shepherd: What do you think is the appropriate course of action?

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Desmond
    Favourite Donal Desmond
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 11:10 AM

    @Paul Shepherd: The West especially the U.S. from Vietnam to Afghanistan have learned a lesson that with all their technology wars are not easily won. Not for a second condoning the invasion of Ukraine, but like 1914 the jingoistic propaganda of all sides seem to be heading in that direction. Only difference thus time is the finger on the button. Talking is better than the alternative.

    25
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Shepherd
    Favourite Paul Shepherd
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 11:51 AM

    @Donal Desmond: not much point in talking to a deaf person?

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Desmond
    Favourite Donal Desmond
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 1:43 PM

    @Paul Shepherd: Suppose when I replied to your comment, didn’t realise I was corresponding with the blinkered..A serious comment from you would be appreciated. Like Joe Duffy you seem to be at a loss when faced with a different viewpoint.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cat K.
    Favourite Cat K.
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 8:16 AM

    Like the picture. Pinnochio himself

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pata
    Favourite Pata
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 10:50 AM

    It’s very easy to see it online now. Loads of utterly ridiculous theories and “genuine” “analysis” and understanding of the issue. And while reading through comments on FB pages of Reuters, Euronews and a few others, one can see how they try to divide us on a simple matter of unjustified military invasion and aggression on Ukraine.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Doyle
    Favourite Martin Doyle
    Report
    Mar 13th 2022, 7:09 PM

    How can a country with a population of 146 million people, most of whom don’t have a clue what’s going on, hold the rest of the world to ransom. The rest of the world should be ashamed allowing this to happen. So what if Putin presses the nuclear button he won’t see the next sunrise if he does and by all accounts the world is fkd anyway according to David Attenborough. So stand up for what is right, it’s time to get rid of the worlds dictators and their apologists.

    7
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds