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This Nostalgic iPhone Mac Dock Is a Mixed Bag

Henry T. Casey Staff Writer
Updated

Apple's history of elegant industrial design has led to a culture where classics can be turned into questionable tchotchkes. Take for example the M4 stand, an iPhone dock made in the image of the original 1984 Apple Macintosh. The M4 case attempts to turn your iPhone into a 1984 Macintosh. Credit: Elago

The M4 case attempts to turn your iPhone into a 1984 Macintosh. Credit: Elago
The M4 case attempts to turn your iPhone into a 1984 Macintosh. Credit: Elago

Not only is this dock a tad overpriced at $35, it's far from a faithful reproduction of the Macintosh 128K computer it references. Unlike Elago's $15 W3 stand for the Apple Watch, this dock stretches the horizontal proportion of the original to an almost-comical exaggeration.

Further, the functionality won't be there unless Apple changes the iOS lock screen. Notifications would be impossible to read, as Apple doesn't show any information on the lock screen in landscape mode. And if you're thinking of using it to replicate an alarm clock (I did for a second), you'd need to waste energy by keeping your display on all the time. The M4 stand displaying a photo of an older version of Photoshop, as that won't run on an iPhone. Credit: Elago

The M4 stand displaying a photo of an older version of Photoshop, as that won't run on an iPhone. Credit: Elago
The M4 stand displaying a photo of an older version of Photoshop, as that won't run on an iPhone. Credit: Elago

And while Elago suggests using the M4 stand with an iPhone connected to a Bluetooth keyboard, as well for watching movies or surfing the web, that doesn't make as much sense at this size. Sure, a stationary stand might make sense for browsing the Internet or streaming Netflix on tablet-sized screen, but the 4.7-inch display panel in the iPhone 7 (the M4 also supports the 6s and 6) requires a little more intimacy.

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MORE: The Best iPhone 7 Cases

Lastly, unlike the W3 watch stand (which allowed you to drop it in and pull it out) the M4 is a little more difficult to use. You need to pull your iPhone out by its lightning cord to remove it, as if you're Lassie, fishing Timmy out of the well.

You'll need to pull your iPhone out of the M4 by its Lightning port. Credit: Elago
You'll need to pull your iPhone out of the M4 by its Lightning port. Credit: Elago

You'll need to pull your iPhone out of the M4 by its Lightning port. Credit: Elago

I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but this is the kind of desk accessory that looks like it puts form above function.

See also : 27 Essential iPhone 7 Tips and Tricks