We have just passed the 25th anniversary of the iMac’s launch. The desktop computer’s launch was an ambitious attempt at bucking trends in both function and form, and many of our memories from the late 90’s and early 2000’s involve the bold silhouette and striking colors of the iMac G3.
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In a new video by vintage tech YouTuber Michael MJD, an unusual iMac G3 is showcased. Indeed, this iMac features technology that wasn’t widely adopted by the industry for another decade or more: a touchscreen. The iMac in question is actually an “Engineering Prototype” by a company named. Elo was categorized as an official “Value Added Reseller” by Apple, and offered these modified iMac G3s as devices that could be integrated into kiosks.
While touchscreen technology in its most rudimentary form can be traced back all the way to the early 1980’s, this prototype iMac were clearly ahead of its time. Users can interact with the computer not only by touching points of interest to “click,” but dragging items, text, and even pressure sensitivity is also supported.
