Translucent Blue

[ArmorAlley]

What are the most useful translucent blue accessories to get to go with my soon to be Blue & Silver G3?

I already have a FireWire Fujitsu Dynamo MO-drive, a Macally iKey keyboard and the VGA-version of the Apple Studio Display (rev. B, I think). The DA-15 version would be nice but I have never seen that in translucent blue or for an affordable price.

I'm using an ADB Kensington TurboMouse at the moment. A translucent version of that would be great, even if it is only USB. I also have the Bondi blue keyboard and the puck mouse. They are both in the B&WG3 (soon to be B&SG3) box.
What other goodies are worth looking out for?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Can’t complete the setup without a translucent blue table

 

[ArmorAlley]

Can’t complete the setup without a translucent blue table
View attachment 55870

The smaller table below looks really good although what I'd use it for, I don't know.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

You can't see very well in this photo (taken from a screenshot of a youtube video I made, I'm not home right now), but it's an extra shelf in the larger table, attached to it. It's a pretty neat table, although clearly made specifically for the original iMac. It isn't really very large, and is wider at the front then at the back. Perfect for an AIO, not so much for a desktop and monitor side by side.

It's more of an eMachines E-One blue actually, less of a bondi or blueberry blue. It's super neat though, got it with my Blueberry iMac.

 

[Dude.JediKnight]

Not sure if ink is still available for it, but I certainly remember the Epson Stylus Color 740i printer from back in the day. We had the non-i version (standard 740 in beige/grey). It was a fairly good printer, but eventually got replaced by a more modern 3-in-1 printer/scanner/copier unit. It’s blue plastic is a pretty good match to the original bondi iMac and the Blue & White G3. I’m sure there were many others printers like this, with similar translucent plastic pieces, but this is the one I always remember.




Also, there were translucent blue Zip 100 USB drives available at that time. If you don’t already have one installed internally in your tower, it’s a useful thing to have to move files to/from older Macs with SCSI Zip drives. Granted, it’s not a perfect color match, but they were still available and useful in that era, at least until CD burning became more mainstream.



I also remember things like USB hubs, external drives, and other computer accessories all getting the colored plastic treatment as well, though offhand I can’t recall any particular brands or specific models. Maybe there are Mac mail order catalogs from that era archived somewhere? I’m sure those would probably have a lot of those computer accessories pictured (and for sale back then) that would match the ‘bondi iMac’ and the later ‘flavored iMacs’ look.

Not sure how easy those items would be to find these days, but there were so many made during the height of the G3 iMacs, and for several subsequent years. At the least, it’d give you some specific items and brands to keep a lookout for.

 

[Skate323k137]

I still use one of these blue VST floppy drives on a regular basis:

LOT of 2 VST USB FLOPPY DRIVE WITH COLOR KIT FDUSB-M YD-8U10 TEAL GRAY EXTERNAL | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LOT of 2 VST USB FLOPPY DRIVE WITH COLOR KIT FDUSB-M YD-8U10 TEAL GRAY EXTERNAL at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[TAMFan]

Not sure if ink is still available for it, but I certainly remember the Epson Stylus Color 740i printer from back in the day. We had the non-i version (standard 740 in beige/grey). It was a fairly good printer, but eventually got replaced by a more modern 3-in-1 printer/scanner/copier unit. It’s blue plastic is a pretty good match to the original bondi iMac and the Blue & White G3. I’m sure there were many others printers like this, with similar translucent plastic pieces, but this is the one I always remember.

View attachment 55874


Also, there were translucent blue Zip 100 USB drives available at that time. If you don’t already have one installed internally in your tower, it’s a useful thing to have to move files to/from older Macs with SCSI Zip drives. Granted, it’s not a perfect color match, but they were still available and useful in that era, at least until CD burning became more mainstream.

View attachment 55875

I also remember things like USB hubs, external drives, and other computer accessories all getting the colored plastic treatment as well, though offhand I can’t recall any particular brands or specific models. Maybe there are Mac mail order catalogs from that era archived somewhere? I’m sure those would probably have a lot of those computer accessories pictured (and for sale back then) that would match the ‘bondi iMac’ and the later ‘flavored iMacs’ look.

Not sure how easy those items would be to find these days, but there were so many made during the height of the G3 iMacs, and for several subsequent years. At the least, it’d give you some specific items and brands to keep a lookout for.

Perfect recommendations - two go-to peripherals back then!

 

[TAMFan]

I already have a FireWire Fujitsu Dynamo MO-drive, a Macally iKey keyboard and the VGA-version of the Apple Studio Display (rev. B, I think). The DA-15 version would be nice but I have never seen that in translucent blue or for an affordable price.

What do you mean by the DA-15 version? I'm pretty familiar with the models from around that time, just not this particular name... are you referring to the ADC version (the single cable from screen to Mac) that was made around the G4 Cube time?

 

[ArmorAlley]

What do you mean by the DA-15 version? I'm pretty familiar with the models from around that time, just not this particular name... are you referring to the ADC version (the single cable from screen to Mac) that was made around the G4 Cube time?

The first Apple Studio Display (15" LCD) came with the standard Macintosh video plug (15-pin: 8+7) and this was the rev. A model.
The one that I have has a VGA plug and it is the rev. B model, if my memory is correct.
I have never seen the rev. A model and I'm not sure if it is translucent blue (as mine is) or whether it is graphite (which would have been before graphite was the colour of the G4s),

 

[ArmorAlley]

@Dude.JediKnight That printer is beautiful! I'm not sure that I want an inkjet though. And, of course, the Zip-drive. That is a good candidate.
@Skate323k137 That VST floppy is exactly the sort of thing I am looking for. Thanks for the ebay link too. i have a SuperDisk but it doesn't work (alas).

 

[Skate323k137]

@Skate323k137 That VST floppy is exactly the sort of thing I am looking for. Thanks for the ebay link too. i have a SuperDisk but it doesn't work (alas).

Hey no problem!

I use that exact drive with both a G3 iMac and my newer 2020 iMac, so needless to say, it's well supported.

 

[TAMFan]

The first Apple Studio Display (15" LCD) came with the standard Macintosh video plug (15-pin: 8+7) and this was the rev. A model.
The one that I have has a VGA plug and it is the rev. B model, if my memory is correct.
I have never seen the rev. A model and I'm not sure if it is translucent blue (as mine is) or whether it is graphite (which would have been before graphite was the colour of the G4s),

Ah, gotcha! Everymac calls it "DB15" so I got confused... and I forgot that it had the older Mac display connector -- I had one back in the day, and would love to have one again sometime. Very rare though. Mine had a few dead pixels, so Apple replaced under warranty, but didn't have the Rev A's anymore so they sent me a Rev B blue one... which I now regret somewhat.

ANYWAYS... They are neither blue nor graphite (that's the DVI one that came after the blue VGA). The Rev A version of the Studio Display was a translucent dark (charcoal?) grey and purple. The photo in this article mostly does it justice, though I don't think the purple was as translucent because in normal day-to-day situations it's not nicely backlit like that

For whatever it's worth, my vote would be the Rev B blue model to match the iMacs

 

[mg.man]

I have a SuperDisk but it doesn't work (alas)

Translucent Blue? If not, I have one, but am after a 'clear' USB cable... maybe we can work something out?

 

[jeaster33]

Found a whole thread about this topic over at MacRumors:

Pre and Post iMac G3 uses of Translucent Plastics

Preamble: The use of translucency – especially in plastics – as a design choice, has a long history. Despite some uses earlier in time, the first substantial experimentation with colourful translucency came in the mid 1990s, mostly in Japan (it seems). Then, after Apple experimented with some...

forums.macrumors.com

Enjoy!