Tag: 1994

Posted on

Media Album: Apple Marketing Communications CD-ROM Collection (1994, 1995)

This Media Album is a white vinyl 2-ring binder that measures 135mm x 185mm x 40mm. It contains 7 plastic CD pages, CD-ROMs, and 2 card stock inserts (1 folds out into 3 panels).

The interior card stock page includes the welcome message:

“Check out all of the cost-saving, high-impact Apple marketing materials on your three new CDs-especially the new lifestyle images!”

Each of the plastic CD pages contains a CD-ROM on one side and a paper insert on the other side that describes the contents of the CD. CDs include a Marketing Toolkit for the Performa line of Macintosh computers, Product Photo Libraries, Media Toolkits, and 3 Media Image Discs. All CD-ROMs are from 1994 and 1995.

The CD-ROMs contain a variety of file formats and applications designed to run on Macintosh Systems of the time (many do not open or run on modern macOS computers). Several of the images are compressed with now-defunct file concatenation formats (e.g., Stuffit). Other images appear to be in a now-unreadable Kodak PhotoCD format. However, a few folders contain JPEG images that can be opened (in 2023)—after manually appending each file name with “.jpg” so it can be recognized.

Source: Apple

Posted on

Apple Educator Advantage CD booklet (1995)

Based upon my own recollection, Apple offered a program called the “Apple Educator Advantage” to educators around 1993–2004. I personally participated in the program between 1999–2003. I first recall the program as a low-interest buying program for teachers and school staff that was set up through a school district’s administration center and offered to school staff. Educators were able to make purchases at the same discounted pricing offered to school districts and then pay over time.

The Apple Educator Advantage program was started at a time before Apple Stores existed, before online purchasing was commonplace, and continued to be offered a few years after Apple Stores began opening around the United States.

This CD booklet was likely offered to school staff who participated in the Apple Educator Advantage program. This booklet is made from frosted vinyl and measures 7.5 x 9.25 inches. The front and back flap have internal pockets that hold paperwork such as software licenses, and the two inside pages can hold 2 CDs each.

This CD booklet contains the following software:

  • ClassMaster 2.0 (TECHBYTE Internation, 3.5-inch disk)
  • Apple Teacher Productivity (CD, 1994)
  • Claris Organizer (CD, 1995)
  • SuperPrint (1991)
  • Smithsonian’s America (1994)

Source: Apple

Posted on

Newton 4MB Flash Storage Card (1994)

All Newton devices had at least one PCMCIA memory card slot. According to Engineering360 (the world’s largest online destination for engineers):

“PCMCIA memory cards and storage cards are used to add memory (RAM, SRAM, Flash, etc.) and/or storage capacity (hard disks, CD-ROM, etc.) to computers. PCMCIA is an acronym for the Personal Computer Memory Card Association, the organization which develops and maintains standards for PCMCIA cards. Originally, these devices were known as PC cards because they were designed to add memory to portable computers.”

The original MessagePad and the 100 series Newtons (100, 110, 120, 130) had one Type II card slot, the MessagePad 2000 and 2100 had two Type II card slots, and the eMate 300 had one Type III card slot.

This Newton 4MB Flash Storage Card added 4MB of internal storage to a Newton device.

Sources: Apple Newton UK, Engineering360

Posted on

Macintosh Compact Discs for Performa 630CD, 635CD, 638CD (1994)

In the mid-1990s when Apple computers regularly shipped with CD-ROM drives, Apple began to include plastic booklets with both the system software for the computer and a collection of third-party CDs.

This Macintosh Compact Discs book from 1994 is for the Performa 630CD, 635CD, and 638CD. This specific CD book shipped with the Performa 638CD. It contains a CD with the system software for the Performa 630CD, 635CD, and 638CD.

Third-party CDs included the following:

  • The Family Doctor (Creative Multimedia)
  • Wacky Jacks (StarCore)
  • 5 A Day Adventures (Dole Food Company)
  • TIME Almanac (Compact Publishing, Inc.)
  • 3D Atlas (Electronic Arts)
Posted on

Apple CD media (1994)

My collection of Apple CD and DVD media includes operating systems, applications, software collections that shipped with devices, promotional media, diagnostic tools, and educational content. In general, Apple-branded CD or DVD examples in original packaging have been presented separately, while single discs or collections of discs are presented chronologically.

Apple CD from 1994:

Apple Macintosh CD, Macintosh LC 575 (SSW Version 7.5, CD Version 1.0, 691-0305 A, 1994)

Posted on

Apple TV/Video System (1994)

The Apple TV/Video System was a kit consisting of two hardware components, software, a handheld remote, and user manuals. The system allowed any Apple Power Macintosh, Macintosh Quadra, Macintosh LC, or Macintosh Performa to “Watch TV, capture video images, and create multimedia—all on your Macintosh.”

The specific components in the box included: Apple TV Tuner, Apple Video Player Card, Apple Video Player software, Remote control, and a User’s guide. The box also indicated that “your remote control might look different from the one shown here.” Indeed, the remote pictured on the box is not the one that shipped with any of the systems I have ever seen.

The box also lists the system’s features (in a bulleted list): “Lets you watch TV in a window that appears on the desktop of your Macintosh. Includes a remote control that lets you switch channels, adjust the volume, and control your CD player. Allows you to connect your camcorder or VCR to your Macintosh, and watch the video footage in a window on the display. Lets you capture a single image or a series of images that you can add to reports, letters, and presentations. Features an easy-to-use control panel that gives you one-button image and movie capture. Lets you resize the TV/video window up to the full size of your screen; you can place it anywhere on your desktop.”

Since this system was released before iMovie was created, it also included the Avid VideoShop 3.0 software on CD. At the time, this system was the easiest method for watching TV/video on a Macintosh, and it introduced a low-cost way to edit videos.

I remember that these systems were offered at no additional cost to education with certain Macintosh and Power Macintosh purchases.

Source: Apple

Posted on

QuickTake 100 (1994)

The QuickTake 100 is considered one of the first consumer digital cameras and was only available for about one year, from 1994 to 1995. The QuickTake 100 model was replaced by the QuickTake 150 in 1995 (using the same design) and then the QuickTake 200 in 1996 (a new design manufactured by Fuji).

The camera had 5 button controls: one to control the shutter, and four surrounding a small black/gray LCD panel on the back to control flash, resolution, self-timer, and a recessed button to delete all photos.

The camera sold for $749 and could take eight photos at 640×480 resolution, 32 photos at 320×240 resolution, or a combination of the sizes in 24-bit color. Although the QuickTake 100 had a built-in flash, it had no zoom or focus controls, nor could it preview or delete individual photos from the internal memory. Photos were downloaded to a computer using a serial cable and included QuickTake software. The QuickTake software also included functions such as rotate, resize, crop, and export.

After the Macintosh version of the QuickTake 100 was released, a Windows version followed six months later.

QuickTake cameras also included several accessories, such as a leather cover with a hand strap, a neck strap, a leather case, a battery booster pack (shown here), and a snap-on close-up lens.

Source: Wikipedia

Posted on

PowerBook 520 (1994)

The PowerBook 520 featured a 25 MHz 68LC040 processor, 4 MB or 12 MB of RAM, and a 160 MB or 240 MB hard drive. The screen was a 9.5-inch grayscale passive-matrix display. 

The PowerBook 500 series laptops introduced the “trackpad” to the Macintosh: the cursor followed the movement of your finger on a pad rather than spinning a plastic trackball with your finger. The trackpad has proven to be a revolutionary input device and has been used since in most notebooks. The PowerBook 500 series also introduced the idea of dual-swappable bays that could be used to hold either one battery and a PCMCIA adapter or two batteries.

Source: EveryMac.com

Posted on

PowerBook 520c (1994)

The Macintosh PowerBook 520c featured a 25 MHz 68LC040 processor, 4 MB or 12 MB of RAM, and a 160 MB, 240 MB, or 320 MB hard drive. The screen was a 9.5-inch color dual-scan display.

The PowerBook 500 series laptops introduced the “trackpad” to the Macintosh: the cursor followed the movement of your finger on a pad rather than spinning a plastic trackball with your finger. The trackpad has proven to be a revolutionary input device and has been used since in most notebooks. The PowerBook 500 series also introduced the idea of dual-swappable bays that could be used to hold either one battery and a PCMCIA adapter or two batteries.

Source: EveryMac.com

Posted on

PowerBook 540 (1994)

The PowerBook 500 series laptops introduced the “trackpad” to the Macintosh: the cursor followed the movement of your finger on a pad rather than spinning a plastic trackball with your finger. The trackpad has proven to be a revolutionary input device and has been used since in most notebooks. The PowerBook 500 series also introduced the idea of dual-swappable bays that could be used to hold either one battery and a PCMCIA adapter or two batteries.

The Macintosh PowerBook 540 featured a 33 MHz 68LC040 processor, 8 MB or 12 MB of RAM, and a 240 MB hard drive. The screen was a 9.5-inch grayscale active-matrix display.

The PowerBook 540 was similar to the PowerBook 520 that was being offered at the same time, but the PowerBook 540 had a faster processor and a higher quality active-matrix display.

Source: EveryMac.com