From Macintosh to iPhone: 50 years of Apple gadgets celebrated in new museum

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. iconic / aɪˈkɒn ɪk / (adj.) – very famous, important, and easy to recognize, often representing a place, idea, or time
    Example:

    The singer became an iconic figure in pop music.


  2. found / faʊnd / (v.) – to start or create an organization, company, or institution
    Example:

    The company was founded by two young entrepreneurs.


  3. reconstruction / ˌri kənˈstrʌk ʃən / (n.) – the process of building something again or repairing something that was damaged or destroyed
    Example:

    After the fire, the reconstruction of the shop took two years.


  4. prototype / ˈproʊ təˌtaɪp / (n.) – the first model or example of something new, made to test and improve it before producing the final version
    Example:

    Engineers tested the prototypes before production.


  5. eye-catching / ˈaɪˌkætʃ ɪŋ / (adj.) – describing something that attracts attention quickly, especially because it looks interesting, colorful, or unusual
    Example:

    She wore an eye-catching dress to the party.


Article

Read the text below.

The innovations of Apple Inc. are on show at the new Apple Museum in the Netherlands. It traces 50 years of the iconic brand’s innovations, from its first experimental models to the world-changing iPhone.


Located in Utrecht, the museum features a wide collection of Apple products, including early machines from the 1970s, the original Macintosh, and later devices that helped shape personal computing.


“The museum is set up in a way that when you enter, you start in the garage, which is where it all began, and it’s not so that it was their headquarters, but it tells a lot about the two people that founded Apple, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, and what the basis is of their vision behind the products,” says Ed Bindels, museum founder.


“So, step-by-step, we’ll tell them things about how the logo developed, about the design language they use. So, I hope when people leave this museum, they know more about Apple, and if they use an Apple product, they look different to that product. That’s what we hope.”


The journey through the museum starts in a garage—or at least a reconstruction of one. This was where Steve Jobs worked away on the prototypes, exploring what could be created with electronic components.


One of the most eye-catching items in the museum is the Apple 1, as it represents the very beginning of Apple’s story. It marked the first product sold by Apple, which was co-founded by Wozniak and Steve Jobs.


Apple Museum board member Antonie de Kok says, “These are unique. They are very valuable. One has just been sold for more than one million (dollars) because there are only a few left, and it’s the start of Apple as we all know it now. This was the first thing they ever developed.”


Museum officials say it is Europe’s largest Apple Museum, with over 5,000 items from computers to posters, iPads, iPhones, and other items produced by Apple.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The new Apple Museum displays common items like phones and computers as special exhibits. Do you think everyday objects should be shown in museums? Why or why not? What everyday item today do you think might be displayed in a museum in the future? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • The Apple 1, the first product sold by Apple, is now very valuable because only a few still exist. Why do you think old technology can become valuable over time? Do you keep old items or gadgets, or do you prefer to replace things quickly? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The museum begins with a garage, showing how Apple started with simple experiments. Do you think great ideas often begin in small or simple places? Why or why not? What kind of place helps you think creatively or come up with ideas? Discuss.
  • The museum highlights devices like iPads, iPhones, and other items produced by Apple that had a big global impact. What technology has had the biggest impact on your daily life? Why? Do you think new technology always improves people’s lives? Why or why not? Discuss.