[dashiel]

so i've noticed that the iApps released in the early part of the year tend to foreshadow UI changes to the OS that appears later that year (not saying 10.4 will be out this year).

it seems most iApps have no major visual changes to the UI, but garageband brings up some interesting concepts.

1) obvisouly the most noticeable thing is the "dark side" brushed metal look of the app itself, plus the weird wood grain sides. not sure about the wood bit, but the dark brushed metal is kind of interesting, would have been perfect for panther.

2) if you look at
this page the close up of the app shows aqua shaped buttons, but without the trademark aqua render. i like this one myself. sometimes aqua can be too much in those small pallete windows.

thats all i caught anyone else?

[lookmark]

GarageBand is clearly doing it's own 'tang UI-wise, but I think you're absolutely right that iApps (or any new apps, really) often predict OS X UI directions.

Here's my observations:

- an increasing usage of flatter widgets, and widgets with rounded corners to indicate that they're active objects

- an increasing comfort with darker interfaces (digital pro apps, GarageBand, brushed metal)

- Smart Everything...

[Developer]

Increasing use whatever you want and think looks cool is the direction of the future.

[moonmonkey]

Originally posted by dashiel:
so i've noticed that the iApps released in the early part of the year tend to foreshadow UI changes to the OS that appears later that year (not saying 10.4 will be out this year).

it seems most iApps have no major visual changes to the UI, but garageband brings up some interesting concepts.

1) obvisouly the most noticeable thing is the "dark side" brushed metal look of the app itself, plus the weird wood grain sides. not sure about the wood bit, but the dark brushed metal is kind of interesting, would have been perfect for panther.

2) if you look at
this page the close up of the app shows aqua shaped buttons, but without the trademark aqua render. i like this one myself. sometimes aqua can be too much in those small pallete windows.

thats all i caught anyone else?

Apple are going that way on the website too.
I think its a good idea, I much prefer it.

I just wish they would do it all at once, not bit by bit.

[Maflynn]

I think its way too early to say what the UI will look like in 10.4, Panther is just a few months old.

Mike

[Eriamjh]

I heard 10.4 is going to look gold plated.

"Well... not really. I can't back that up." - Dr. Evil

[Millennium]

GarageBand's UI is modeled after real-life sound mixing boards. That's why it's darker and has the wood on the sides; this appears to be some kind of convention with the makers of such devices. I wouldn't consider it a real indicator of where the UI is going.

[TheSpaz]

Here's my thoughts on GarageBand. Apple is just trying to them that ONE App to look like what the APP actually functions as. It's a music App. That doesn't mean Apple is going to make OS X all wooden and stuff.

Also, those NEW rendered widgets that people are talking about is WRONG. The screenshot that you have seen is a PROMO screenshot (it's actually a high resolution render of a screenshot made for Print and stuff). Ever look at the HUGE posters on the wall at the Apple Stores? Check out the GUI on those... very very similar at first glance... but as you look a little harder... you'll start to notice that it's not a real screenshot because if you make a screenshot that big... you're just gonna see a lot of Jaggedness and pixels.

I don't think this is a pro App, so I think that's why they didn't give it a pro interface. It has that cartoony OS X kinda interface.

That's all I gotta say. Thanks

[TheSpaz]

See the HIGH RESOLUTION images here.

http://www.apple.com/pr/photos/ilife/ilife04.html

These photos and MOCK-UPs are for high quality print and other media. They are not real screenshots... try downloading them and look at them at 100%

[Developer]

Originally posted by Millennium:
GarageBand's UI is modeled after real-life sound mixing boards.

We can only hope that Apple will never model iTunes after the iPod and replace the scrollbars with a scroll wheel.

[Immortal K-Mart Employee]

Final Cut Pro has had a different dark look since the OS9 days and it has not influencing the rest of the UI.

[dashiel]

Originally posted by Immortal K-Mart Employee:
Final Cut Pro has had a different dark look since the OS9 days and it has not influencing the rest of the UI.

i know, i used FCP back on OS9, but imovie3/itunes4 both of which came out before panther had the flatter aqua widgets that are now in panther. the same can be said of the embeded window widgets.

looking at the imovie "about screen" posted here you can see that the title bar has a different look to the current panther. it's looks glossier. the red window widget looks darker, but that could simply be jpeg compression.

-- edit
actuall now that i look closer i think it's just that the window is inactive and an active window behind it is causing the effect

[CatOne]

Originally posted by dashiel:
i know, i used FCP back on OS9, but imovie3/itunes4 both of which came out before panther had the flatter aqua widgets that are now in panther. the same can be said of the embeded window widgets.

looking at the imovie "about screen" posted here you can see that the title bar has a different look to the current panther. it's looks glossier. the red window widget looks darker, but that could simply be jpeg compression.

-- edit
actuall now that i look closer i think it's just that the window is inactive and an active window behind it is causing the effect

Well, I think it may be because GarageBand looks to be a slight retooling of Soundtrack, which is a Pro App. The Pro Apps (Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Shake) all have the "dark" look. And if you've used Soundtrack, much of GarageBand will be VERY familiar

[andreas_g4]

Originally posted by TheSpaz:
See the HIGH RESOLUTION images here.

http://www.apple.com/pr/photos/ilife/ilife04.html

These photos and MOCK-UPs are for high quality print and other media. They are not real screenshots... try downloading them and look at them at 100%

As you can see here, the Apple "screenshots" (at least this one) have an resolution of 288 dpi, which is 72 x 4. If it was a complete mock-up, wouldn't it rather be 300 dpi?
I have no clue how those images are made, but it seems for me as they are just using the original UI data, rendered four times the usual resolution. What du you think?

[movabi]

I would rather Apple concentrate on making the finder and othe system services faster and more reliable. UI is last on my list. Functionality and functional features are priority. enough icandy. gimme meat and potatoes.

my 2 cents... take it or leave it

[andreas_g4]

Originally posted by movabi:
my 2 cents... take it or leave it

[ZackS]

Originally posted by Developer:
We can only hope that Apple will never model iTunes after the iPod and replace the scrollbars with a scroll wheel.

I know you're joking but they already learned their lesson about this with Quicktime Player 4.

[MindFad]

Originally posted by andreas_g4:
As you can see here, the Apple "screenshots" (at least this one) have an resolution of 288 dpi, which is 72 x 4. If it was a complete mock-up, wouldn't it rather be 300 dpi?
I have no clue how those images are made, but it seems for me as they are just using the original UI data, rendered four times the usual resolution. What du you think?

That's exactly why it's 288�to keep their scaling consistent. It's what I would do anyway, if I were in charge of making the mockups. Makes sense.

[ReggieX]

Originally posted by Immortal K-Mart Employee:
Final Cut Pro has had a different dark look since the OS9 days and it has not influencing the rest of the UI.

That's also because it was a Macromedia product. I mean, check the serial number entry box and the preferences dialog. Totally Macromedia crap

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by ReggieX:
That's also because it was a Macromedia product. I mean, check the serial number entry box and the preferences dialog. Totally Macromedia crap

Well duh. Does that also mean that since Garageband has wood panelling that the 10.4 Finder will look the same?

[Insecure bone]

I dont think Apple is going to make the brushed wood look in the next version. you have to give apple credit, because they're really clever, so i think this look is just for garage band, because it's themed for the garage look and feel. i think apple is going to adopt the dark metal look, like in the pro apps, because mac os x is heading toward a much more distinguished look.

[Misanthrope]

Originally posted by andreas_g4:


As you can see here, the Apple "screenshots" (at least this one) have an resolution of 288 dpi, which is 72 x 4. If it was a complete mock-up, wouldn't it rather be 300 dpi?
I have no clue how those images are made, but it seems for me as they are just using the original UI data, rendered four times the usual resolution. What du you think?

I looked at the image, and I think it's a total PS mockup. Certain elements just don't seem...real. It's hard to describe, but there's too much detail in that photo. I could be wrong, but someone with a keen eye may want to compare this PR photo with the final product. I'm quite confident differences will be spotted.

[swiz]

Originally posted by Misanthrope:
I looked at the image, and I think it's a total PS mockup. Certain elements just don't seem...real. It's hard to describe, but there's too much detail in that photo. I could be wrong, but someone with a keen eye may want to compare this PR photo with the final product. I'm quite confident differences will be spotted.

Most of the PR images have the Photoshop paths embedded in them, so yes, some aspects are partially Photoshop created. The G5 images for one.

[MindFad]

Originally posted by swiz:
Most of the PR images have the Photoshop paths embedded in them, so yes, some aspects are partially Photoshop created. The G5 images for one.

Yeah, almost all of the lighting on Apple's PR product images is faked or fixed up. Hell, even the reflections on the iMacs handle are faked.

[kovacs]

Look at these widgets they look great !

[andreas_g4]

Originally posted by swiz:
Most of the PR images have the Photoshop paths embedded in them, so yes, some aspects are partially Photoshop created. The G5 images for one.

Right, didn't think of that. I remember a shot of the 17" iMac that had the display paths from the 15" model.