PRODUCT DESIGN
With more than 278,000 translucent blue objets sold in the first six weeks of its US release, the iMac is pulling Apple out of the tar pits, and its success has inspired prolific imitation, er, flattery. Hey, even Andy Grove likes it.
Competition for the hottest matching iMac peripherals is heating up: Japan's Uchishiba Seisakusho is selling Cozo computer speakers. Chia Shin launched the macally iHub, iMouse, iKey, and iBall. Imation and Newer Technology are offering disk drives. And TaskFlex Workspace Systems brings you the complete teal-feel desk.
But never mind those piddly copycat peripherals. Stephen Dukker, president and CEO of start-up emachines, is cloning the entire concept. This spring his company plans to ship the eStation, an iMac-style all-in-one Windows computer, starting at a rock-bottom $599. "The new Beetle is successful for the same reason the iMac is," says Dukker. "The PC industry is ready for a fashion statement."
Still, the PC heavyweights - Dell, HP, Micron Electronics - refuse to think different. They say research tells them consumers like beige and gray boxes just fine, thank you very much. Of course they may change their minds after Apple's next big launch, a consumer portable in the iMac line.
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