Category: Mac

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Wireless Keyboard (original, French layout, 2003)

The original Apple Wireless Keyboard was released on September 16, 2003. It was based on the design of the white Apple Keyboard with white keys in a clear plastic case. Unlike the wired version, it did not have USB ports to connect external devices.

The Wireless Keyboard connected using Bluetooth and operated on four AA batteries. The batteries were accessed on the bottom of the keyboard behind a cover secured by two plastic screws that could be opened by turning one-quarter turn using a coin.

This keyboard can be used with Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.2.6 or later.

This particular Wireless Keyboard has a French key layout.

Source: Wikipedia.org

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Apple USB Keyboard (blueberry, 1998)

The Apple USB Keyboard was released with the original Bondi blue iMac in 1998. This keyboard used translucent plastics to match the iMac models that shipped with them for the next two years and was available in Bondi blue, blueberry, strawberry, lime, tangerine, grape, and graphite.

The bottom of the keyboard included a support leg that allowed the keyboard to lay flat or tilt up. The keyboard included a full row of half-height function (fn) keys, a keypad, and a dedicated power key in the upper-right corner.

Source: Wikipedia.org

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iBook G4 (Mid-2005, 2005)

The iBook G4 (Mid-2005) featured a 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 512 MB of RAM, a 40 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive, a slot-loading DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive, and standard AirPort Extreme (802.11g)/Bluetooth 2.0. The screen was a 12.1-inch TFT XGA active matrix display at 1024×768. The case was opaque white, rather than the translucent white used in earlier iBook models. 

This iBook model added a Sudden Motion Sensor and scrolling trackpad. The Sudden Motion Sensor stopped the hard drive from spinning if the iBook was dropped, thus minimizing damage and potential data loss. This was the first consumer-level Apple laptop to gain scrolling trackpad features, allowing users to use two-finger scrolling and two-fingering panning (a feature first introduced in PowerBook G4 laptops).

This and other iBook models were used extensively in the schools where I served as Technology Director among teachers and students. At the time, 1:1 laptop programs had just been adopted in a few school districts (where every student is issued a laptop for learning throughout the school day). At the time of the iBook G4, only one public school district in Chicago’s North Shore had adopted a 1:1 program for students, while most school districts had begun to issue laptops to staff and administrators.

References: EveryMac.com

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iMac Core 2 Duo 24-inch (2009)

The iMac Core 2 Duo 24-inch featured a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (two independent processors on a single chip), 4 GB of RAM, a 640 GB hard drive, a slot-loading DVD-R DL SuperDrive, a built-in iSight video camera, and built-in stereo speakers. The screen was a 24-inch glossy TFT Active Matrix LCD display at 1920×1200. Ports included four USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 800 port, Gigabit Ethernet, and a Mini DisplayPort. Wireless connectivity included a built-in AirPort Extreme.

The iMac Core 2 Duo (Early 2009) models differ from a previous similar aluminum iMac design by adding a tapered foot.

I used this iMac extensively as my primary home iMac for graphics and GarageBand music projects.

Source: EveryMac.com

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MacBook Air 13-inch (Mid-2013)

The MacBook Air 13-inch (Mid-2013) featured a “Haswell” 1.3 GHz Intel Core i5 processor (with two processors a single chip), 4 or 8 GB of RAM, and 128 or 256 GB of flash storage. This laptop has 8 GB of RAM and a third-party upgrade to 512 GB of flash storage from OWC. Ports included analog audio out, a Thunderbolt port, two USB 3.0 ports, and one SD (SDXC) card slot. Wireless connectivity included 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The MacBook Air is known for its thin case that tapers between 0.11 to 0.68 inches. It weighs 2.96 pounds. The screen is a 13.3 widescreen TFT glossy display at 1440×900.

Source: EveryMac.com

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iMac Core 2 Duo 20-inch (2007)

iMac Core 2 Duo 20-Inch featured a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (two processors on a single chip), 1 GB of RAM, a 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive, a slot-loading DVD+R DL SuperDrive, a built-in iSight video camera, and built-in stereo speakers. The screen was a 20-inch glossy TFT Active Matrix LCD at 1680×1050. Ports included three USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 400 port, a Firewire 800 port, Gigabit Ethernet, and mini-DVI. It also included built-in AirPort Extreme.

The exterior aluminum case had a black plastic back. The iMac Core 2 Duo also shipped with a matching aluminum Apple Keyboard with a design similar to the keyboard on the MacBook at the time.

Source: EveryMac.com

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Power Mac G4 Cube (450 MHz, 2000)

The Power Mac G4 Cube featured a 450 MHz G4 processor, 64 MB of RAM, a 20 GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive, a slot-loading 5X DVD-ROM drive, and supported an AirPort 802.11b wireless card. Two other configurations were available, but this is an original model. 

The G4 Cube is known for its size and design. The computer is 7.7-by-7.7-by-7.7 inches, but sits inside a clear acrylic base that overall is 9.8 inches tall. The Cube is the only Mac to ship without an internal speaker. Instead, it shipped with USB-powered spherical speakers designed by Harman Kardon. The USB audio amplifier had a standard mini-plug headphone jack, but no audio input.

Built-in ports included two FireWire 400 ports and two USB 1.1 ports. The Cube used a silent, fanless, convection-based cooling system similar to the cooling system used in iMac computers at the time. 

The New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) holds a G4 Cube in their collection, listing Jonathan Ive and the Apple Industrial Design Group as the artists/designers of the work.

I used the first G4 Cube I acquired as my home iTunes server. Since it had no audio-out port, I used a USB dongle to add a 3.5mm headphone jack which I split to left/right RCA plugs to connect to my analog stereo amplifier. I used a connected 15-inch Apple Studio Display to control the Cube. The Mac mini replaced the Cube a few years later as my home media computer.

Source: EveryMac.com, Wikipedia.com, MoMA.com

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Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (1997)

The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh, sometimes referred to as the “TAM,” is a truly unique Macintosh.

It featured a 250 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, 32 MB of RAM, a 2.0 GB hard drive, a vertical 4X CD-ROM drive, S-video input, TV/FM Radio capability, a floppy Superdrive, and a custom Bose-designed speaker system. The TAM uses a unique ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) keyboard with an integrated trackpad and Italian leather palm rest. It did not ship with a mouse. The TAM includes a base unit that houses a subwoofer and the computer’s power supply, connected by a thick cable.

When powered on, the TAM plays a startup chime unique to this computer.

Apple manufactured 12,000 Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh computers and released 11,601 of them. When first offered, the price was $7,499. Halfway through its product cycle, Apple dropped the price to $3,500. When the product was discontinued in March 1998, the price dropped to $1,995.

When released, the Apple website devoted six full web pages to the TAM. One page boasted “Concierge Service” for TAM owners that described a “Three-Year Limited Hardware Warranty,” “Three-Year Call Telephone Support,” and a setup service:

“On-Site Setup. Apple will arrange to have your TAM delivered to your doorstep. A trained field technician will set up the hardware and basic software, make sure the system is operational, and answer questions you may have about the system.”

Another webpage highlighted the use of the TAM in the 1997 movie Batman and Robin (that also featured the eMate 300).

The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh was created to celebrate April 1, 1996, the twentieth anniversary of the day that Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne formed Apple Computer. The TAM was announced on March 20, 1997.

The TAM was among the first design projects involving Jonathan Ive, Apple’s long-time CDO (Chief Design Officer).

The release of the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh marked the appearance of Apple’s first all-in-one desktop computer to use a flat panel display. Another all-in-one flat panel Apple desktop would not be released until 2002 when the first flat panel iMac was released.

Sources: EveryMac.com, Wikipedia.com, Apple at web.archive.com

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Mac mini (Late 2014)

The Mac mini Late 2014 included a Core i5 “Haswell” 2.6 GHz Intel processor (with two independent cores on a single chip), 8 GB of SDRAM, and a 1 TB hard drive. Ports included two Thunderbolt 2 ports, four USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi/Bluetooth 4.0, and an SDXC card slot.

This and all Mac mini systems ship without a display, keyboard, or mouse. This model’s case is primarily aluminum with a black plastic back and base.

All Mac mini systems I have owned have served as my iTunes server allowing access to iTunes music/Apple Music, streaming video content, saved digital movies, and other media. This was the first Mac mini I owned with a direct HDMI connection to my primary home TV (others used VGA and DVI connections).

Source: EveryMac.com

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Mac mini G4 (original, 2005)

The Mac mini G4 featured a 1.42 GHz G4 processor, 256 MB of SDRAM memory, an 80 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive, and a slot-loading 8X DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive. This is the original Mac mini and was sold as a budget Mac that came with no display, keyboard, or mouse. This computer was a great low-cost option for someone switching from Windows to Mac who already owned a display and USB keyboard and mouse.

The Mac mini G4 had ports including DVI (with a DVI-to-VGA adapter included), USB 2.0, FireWire, and a headphone/line out jack. The original Mac mini supported a wireless AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth card as an option. After July 26, 2005, AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth were provided standard.

The entire computer was 6.5 inches square, 2 inches tall, and weighed 2.9 pounds.

From the day the Mac mini was released, I have always had one permanently connected to my living room stereo system and/or flat panel television and used the Mac mini as my iTunes server. I had previously used a Power Mac G4 Cube for this purpose. With this original Mac mini, I was still using a CRT-based TV so I connected to it remotely. 

Source: EveryMac.com