The startup chime has been replaced by the new MacBook Pros. The camera sound is still used as a screen capture sound, but it's no longer on Macs. "It's definitely the end of an era," says former Apple CEO Jim Boulden.
Play episode from 11:54
chevron_right
Transcript
chevron_right
Transcript
Episode notes
For over two decades, every time you turned on a Mac, you were greeted by a familiar sound. It’s appeared as a punchline in The Simpsons, in movies like WALL•E. It’s a sound some of us tried to hide from our parents as we turned on the computer in the middle of the night. It’s a sound that’s transcended technology; the sound that makes a Mac feel like a Mac. But no longer; the iconic Mac startup chime is going away.
But, while we all recognize the sound, we rarely think of who made it. On the eve of the boot beep's retirement, I talk to creator Jim Reekes about the most fun and iconic sounds he designed during his time at Apple. All the drama, the inspirations, and the hijinks that went into the creation of sounds you hear nearly every day.
Storyblocks: affordable subscriptions for all the stock images, videos, music and sound effects you need. Welcome to Macintosh listeners get a free one-week trial.
Tab for a Cause: Raise money for charity every time you open a new tab.
Be sure to listen to Breakmaster Cylinder's wonderful Let it Beep:
