Apple: Plastics are Past Peak

Just a few questions... Isn't it a better idea to use metals for recycling purposes alone ? For computers, metals (aluminum in this case) may prove to provide more durability and it seems that for recycling purposes, metals do better.

You can use different metals for many things as they are recycled where most plastics tend to end up as landfill. Recycling plastics may just be more toxic in the long or short run.

It is rather sad that we are designing for obsolescence rather than durability. As I compare my present computer to my old Heath/Zenith 286, it is apparent that the new computer would have fit nicely into the old case. It is still a motherboard on standoffs, with a backplane for the other boards to plug into. The keyboard was much sturdier, as was the case. The power supplies are similar in power output and even the connectors are the same. The new case is slightly more streamlined, but it is mostly out of sight. I will hold on to the old computer for a while longer, at least as long as Mrs LG will stand for it.

The suggestion that Apples switch to aluminium means that plastics may have passed their peak makes me think of Mark Twain's famous quote: " Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Apple uses aluminium to make their products look different, and they do a good job at that. But if fashion moves away from aluminium, or when all their competitors leap on the same bandwagon, they will need to find a different differentiator.

It's probably wise to remember that, in general, plastics use less energy to manufacture and process, can incorporate more designed in features, and require less finishing effort. Aluminium can be recycled quite easily, but I don't think that in the future smelting entire PCs will be considered environmentally sound. Some disassembly will amost certainly be required and within that scenario plastics can also be recovered quite effectively.

The trend towards miniaturization has driven the industry back to metals. Wall thicknesses dictated by plastic design limit the ability to design ever thinner products. If a plastic existed that could be molded thin enough and had the required material properties, no doubt it would be used over metals.

A plastic that thin and strong does exsist....but it cost more than ...lets say thin aluminum. Cost first, profit second, design third....the antithesis of the American dream.

Costs more, and even though it isn't the main heat sink, it probably doesn't dissipate as much heat me thinks. Either way, there are plenty of cool coatings and surface treatments you can do to aluminum to spice things up.