Brushed metal
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Brushed metal is metal that has been brushed, most often with sandpaper. The most commonly used metal for brushing is stainless steel.
The term is commonly used to describe a graphical user interface design used in Apple Computer's Mac OS X operating system for Macintosh computers. It can be compared with the Aqua interface. Apple's Human Interface Guidelines state that the brushed metal interface should be used for programs that mimic the operation of, or interface with, common devices. Thus, we find iTunes (the very first application to sport the brushed metal theme) and the latest versions of Calculator both using brushed metal because they mimic real-world devices, while iSync features the theme because it interfaces with PDA's.
Brushed metal primarily differs from Aqua in its appearance, but there are a few functional differences. Brushed metal windows can be moved by clicking any part of the window; Aqua windows can only be moved by clicking within the title bar.
Brushed metal has come under increasing criticism by user interface purists, who point out that Apple frequently violates its own rules for the use of brushed metal. Arguably the most well-known of these are the arguments pointed out by John Gruber on his commentary website, Daring Fireball (http://www.daringfireball.net).
The most notable of the supposed violations is Safari, Apple's web browser, and the Macintosh Finder itself. With the release of Mac OS X v10.3, Apple further expanded its list of acceptable uses for brushed metal to include windows that navigate lists of information. This absolves the Finder, but Safari's use of brushed metal remains a mystery. Opponents of the theory point out that even Apple's guidelines for the use of brushed metal are inconsistent, and that the motivation behind the alternative appearance's existence is unclear.
Continuing the growth of Apple-sponsored, non-Aqua themes, Apple also introduced a Pro theme that is used in its high-end video and music production software.