Category: Accessory

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Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series Weight-Saving Device (1999)

This Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series Weight-Saving Device (model 825-4548-A) is the exact size of the battery inside a Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series laptop (333 MHz to 500 MHz “Lombard” and “Pismo” models with bronze keyboards). These PowerBook laptops had two bays, each capable of supporting a device module (i.e., floppy drive, CD-ROM drive) or a battery.

To make the laptop lighter, the device modules and/or batteries could be removed and replaced with this Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series Weight-Saving Device. One was included with each Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series laptop. According to the technical information, the laptop could weight nearly 8 pounds:

“Macintosh PowerBook G3 Series with a 14.1-inch display, battery, internal modem, and CD-ROM expansion bay module: 3.54 kg (7.8 lb.)”

Source: Apple

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Apple PlainTalk Microphone (platinum, unopened)

This is the second version of the PlainTalk Microphone produced by Apple. The first version was round. This model has a unique curvy shape with a flat bottom with a lip to allow it to sit flat on top of a computer display. This microphone was compatible with desktop Power Mac models up to and including G3 iMac models. It measures 50 x 25 x 60 mm.

The microphone is powered by an internal amplifier that receives its power from its elongated tip of its 3.5 mm jack plug. The extra-long tip makes this connection proprietary.

The microphone is omnidirectional, but records only in mono.

Source: Radio Museum

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Mini-DVI to VGA adapter

Beginning in 2005, Apple released several computers with a Mini-DVI port, including the 12-inch PowerBook G4, Intel-based iMac, the MacBook Intel-based laptop, the Intel-based Xserve, the 2009 Mac mini, and some late model eMac computers.

The port was used until 2008 when it was replaced with the Mini DisplayPort. This adapter allows a Mac with a Mini-DVI port to be connected to a VGA display.

Sources: EveryMac, Wikipedia

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Lightning to USB Cable (2012)

Apple has sold and included their Lightning to USB Cable in various formats and packaging options. This version of packaging is part number MD818ZM/A. It specifies that the Lightning to USB Cable is “Compatible with all models with a Lightning connector.”

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iSight Carrying Case (2003)

The original iSight Camera from Apple was an external cylindrical camera with a FireWire connection that shipped with a variety of mounts for use on different Mac computers of the time.

The iSight Carrying Case is referenced in the Setting Up iSight section of the iSight User’s Guide with a diagram, “iSight includes the following components.”

iSight carrying case
Flat-panel display and flat-panel iMac mount
eMac and desktop mount
iSight
Cable adapter
FireWire cable
Magnetic display mount
PowerBook and iBook mount

Source: Apple

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iPod 6-pin–to–4-pin FireWire Adapter (for iPod Generation 3, 2003)

The iPod 6-pin–to–4-pin FireWire Adapter was specifically included with the iPod Generation 3 (Dock Connector) to make it compatible with Windows computers. According to the iPod User’s Guide:

To use iPod with a Windows PC, you must have:
• A Windows PC with 500 MHz or higher processor speed
• Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, or Windows XP Home or Professional
• iTunes 4.2 or later (iTunes is included on the iPod CD). To be sure you have the latest version of iTunes, go to www.apple.com/itunes.
• iPod software (included on the iPod CD)
• Built-in FireWire or a FireWire card installed, or built-in USB 2.0 or a USB 2.0 card and the optional iPod Dock Connector to USB 2.0 + FireWire Cable

Although all Mac computers at the time had a 6-pin FireWire port built in, Windows computers had many different possible ports. For Windows, the iPod Generation 3 could support three connectors: USB port (USB 2.0 recommended), 6-pin FireWire 400 port (IEEE 1394), or 4-pin FireWire 400 port (with included adapter).

The 4-pin FireWire adapter only supported data transfer, it could not charge the iPod.

Source: Apple (manual, Identify your iPod model)

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Xserve Power Cord (2003)

This short (11-inch) power cord shipped with a later version of the Xserve or the Xserve RAID, a rack-mount server from Apple produced from 2002–2009. This short power cord was ideal for a rack-mounted server to conserve both rack space and weight.

The Apple Xserve had the ability to house two power supplies so there was redundancy in the event one power supply failed. According to one of the Xserve User Guides:

Power supply and power supply bays—A removable power supply for the Xserve. The power cord connects here. You can install two 750- watt power supplies for redundancy; either supply can take over the full load for the Xserve if the other supply fails or is removed.

The original Xserve User’s Guide specifies that it only ships with a long power cord: “You can use the long power cord supplied with the server, or another cord…” Thus, this power cord likely shipped with a later Xserve model. The Xserve RAID User Guide acknowledges that the Xserve RAID may have shipped with more than one type of power cord (“If you received more than two power cords, use the ones with plugs compatible with the electrical supply for your location.”)

Source: Apple (Xserve, Xserve RAID)

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Stickers for programmable function keys (for original iBook, 1999)

The original “clamshell” iMac shipped with a set of Stickers for programmable function keys in various icon designs. These stickers were designed to be used above the top row of F (function) keys across the top of the iBook.

Many of the iBook F-keys were pre-assigned:
F1 and F2—brightness (down and up)
F3 and F4—volume (down and up)
F5—num lock (number lock to allow use of a built-in number keypad)
F6—mute

However, the F7–F13 keys were unassigned. Using the Keyboard System Preferences, users could easily assign functions to these keys. The set of stickers were included to allow users to mark the functions with a custom sticker to help them remember the key’s function.

Although these stickers shipped with all original iBook “clamshell” laptops (blueberry, tangerine, graphite, indigo, and key lime), I have found no Apple documentation that explains their use. I have two versions of the stickers, a blue-gray set from the original iBook release, and a light gray version from the later iBook models.

Source: EveryMac

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Macintosh Display (DA-15) to VGA Adapters (platinum, clear, and black)

During the 1990s when Apple produced external CRT displays, they built DB-15 video ports into Macintosh computers. Product manuals of the time referred to the port as the “Macintosh video port” and in the later 1990s, the “Monitor port.”

An Apple Service Source document for the Power Macintosh/Server G3 Minitower shows the port in a diagram labeled as the “Monitor Port.”

I have three different versions of this adapter that allows a Macintosh with this DB-15 monitor port to be used with a “standard” VGA monitor. The three versions I have are platinum, clear, and black. The black example is unopened. All three designs have the Apple logo.

Source: Apple

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Apple Video Card Accessory (DA-15)

During the 1990s when Apple first entered the external display market, they used the DB-15 video port. Product manuals of the time referred to the port as the “Macintosh video port” or later, the “Monitor port.”

An Apple Service Source document for the Macintosh LC Series/Quadra 605 (Macintosh LC, Macintosh LC II, Macintosh LC III, Macintosh LC 475, Macintosh Quadra 605) specifies the video standard as: “DB-15 monitor port for built-in video; DA-15 connector.”

This Apple Video Card Accessory (part number 513-0091-A) allowed “standard” VGA monitor to be used with a Macintosh computer.

Source: Apple