iPod touch (Generation 4, 8 GB, black, 2010)

Although the iPod touch Generation 4 has a design similar to the iPhone 3GS, its features more closely resemble those of the iPhone 4 that sold at the same time. (The iPod touch lacked the iPhone 4 features of 3G/EDGE phone, A-GPS, and digital compass.)

The iPod touch Generation 4 included a 3.5-inch Retina Display (960×640 at 326 ppi), FaceTime video calling (using Apple ID), an integrated microphone and front-facing VGA camera, 3-axis gyroscope, and a 720p camera (lower quality than the iPhone 4). However, the iPod touch Generation 4 allowed iMovie editing using the iOS version of iMovie available at the time.

The iPod touch Generation 4 used an A4 processor, 256 MB of RAM, and was available with 32 or 64 GB of RAM for storage.

Source: Everymac, Wikipedia

Mobile Me box (2010)

MobileMe is the third in Apple’s iterations of online tools suites. This boxed version of MobileMe was available in 2010 and matched other Apple retail packaging of the time.

The history of Apple’s online services has included:

iTools (released 1-5-2000) with services including @mac.com email addresses (accessed through the Mail app), iCards free greeting card service, iReview web site reviews, HomePage free web page publishing, iDisk online data storage, and a KidSafe directory of child-friendly web sites.

.Mac (pronounced “dot Mac,” released 7-17-2002) with services including HomePage web hosting, iDisk online disk storage service, @mac.com email service (POP and IMAP), iCards online greeting cards, Backup personal backup (to iDisk, CD, or DVD), and McAfee Virex. Later enhancements included an online Mail interface, Back to My Mac remote desktop, Web Gallery, and the ability to add more online web storage and segment it according to purpose.

MobileMe (released 7-9-2008) had a difficult rollout where some users experienced instability over a period of several weeks. Steve Jobs later wrote, “it was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software, and the App Store.” Customers received a free 60-day extension of MobileMe services. Although .Mac removed some services, including iCards and some specific web services, greater iLife integration was added and primary services continued to be expanded and upgraded.

iCloud (beginning Fall 2011) was released with iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S. iCloud includes email, calendar, file across multiple devices, 5 GB of free cloud storage, and offers additional paid tiers for more storage.

For users like me who have been customers since the iTools era, all email domains remain available, including @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com.

This MobileMe software box is from 2010 and features several services on the packaging: online syncing of email, calendar, and contacts; the Find My iPhone or iPad service; online photo and file storage; and an image depicting the ability of MobileMe to share files and information among iPhone, Mac/Windows, and iPad via “the Cloud.”

Source: Wikipedia

Apple DVDs (2010)

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 DVDs from 2010 include:

  • Mac OS X Snow Leopard iLife & iWork Demo Content DVD, Disc 1 of 3 (L421817A-US, October 2010)
  • Aperture 3 Install DVD (Version 3.0, 0Z691-6601-A, 2010)
  • iLife Install DVD (Version 11, 2Z691-6679-A, 2010)
  • Mac OS X Snow Leopard Install DVD (Version 10.6.3, 2Z691-6634-A, 2010)
  • iLife Install DVD, Version 11, Not for resale
  • Mac OS X, Snow Leopard, iLife & iWork, Demo Content DVD, Disc 1 of 3, Not for resale
  • Mac OS X, Snow Leopard, iLife & iWork, Demo Content DVD, Disc 2 of 3, Not for resale

Apple Gift Cards (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)

This collection of Apple gift cards spans the years 2005–2014, and includes gift cards for use in Apple Stores, the iTunes Store, and Starbucks. Apple Store gift cards can be redeemed in brick-and-mortar or online Apple Stores for purchases. iTunes Store gift cards can only be used at the iTunes Store for digital music, video, app, or downloaded purchases.

The special Starbucks card in this collection was sold as a standard Starbucks gift card, but it also allowed two free song downloads in the iTunes Store. When I learned about this offer in 2007, I purchased 25 of these cards at $5 each (the minimum amount allowed for this promotion) and received 50 free song downloads on iTunes (and $125 in Starbucks purchases).

All of these cards have been redeemed.

Mac Pro (Quad Core, 2.8 GHz, Mid-2010)

The Mac Pro Quad Core 2.8 uses a single 2.8 GHz Quad Core Xeon W3530 processor. The “quad core” designation refers to its single processor with four independent “core” processing centers that can work independently or together to increase computing speed and efficiency. It used 3 GB of RAM (DDR3 ECC SDRAM), a 1 TB Serial ATA hard drive, an 18X dual-layer SuperDrive, and an ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card.

The design of this tower was identical to its Power Mac G5 predecessor, using the same anodized aluminum alloy case with a removable side panel. The sides of the tower were solid aluminum with a light gray Apple logo printed on center. The front and back used a pattern of aluminum perforations as a design element, a structural feature, and as part of the ventilation for the internal systems.

The front of the tower included spaces for two optical drives at the top. On the lower-right was the power button and five ports: 3.5 mm headphone jack, two USB ports, and two FireWire 800 ports.

The back of the tower included five slots. Slot 1 includes a dual-link DVI port and two Mini DisplayPorts. Slot 2 is unused (and uses a ventilated cover), while slots 3–5 are unused. Rear ports include three USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire 800 ports, optical digital audio in/out ports, a 3.5 mm line-out audio jack, a 3.5 mm line-in audio jack, and two independent Gigabit Ethernet ports. Internally, wireless networking options include AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1.

Inside, the Mac Pro includes two 5.25-inch optical drive bays (both are outfitted with Apple SuperDrive drives in this example); four internal 3.5-inch cable-free, direct-attach hard drive bays (this model has three 512 GB drives); and four PCIe 2.0 slots, one with a graphics card installed.

Source: Everymac

SIM Eject Tool (iPad, 2010)

The iPad SIM Eject Tool shipped with the original iPad. This tool is built into the envelope packaging that shipped with the iPad and is referenced in the iPad User Guide:

Remove the micro-SIM card:
1 Insert the end of the SIM eject tool into the hole on the SIM tray.
Press firmly and push the tool straight in until the tray pops out. If you don’t have a
SIM eject tool, you can use the end of a paper clip.
2 Pull out the SIM tray and remove the micro-SIM card from the tray.

The SIM Eject Tool is no longer included with products that include a SIM card. Instead, the Apple website recommends and depicts a somewhat inelegant bent paperclip for ejecting SIM cards.

Back in 2010, the SIM Eject Tool became newsworthy when it was disclosed that Apple had manufactured this tool from a metal alloy known as Liquidmetal. This news came after Apple “entered into an exclusive agreement with Liquidmetal Technologies.” The alloy is described as an “amorphous, non-crystalline material…2.5 times the strength of commonly used titanium alloy and 1.5 times the hardness of stainless steel found in portable electronic devices.” (AppleInsider)

Reports also stated that, “Liquidmetal Technologies has granted all of its intellectual property assets to Apple, under a worldwide agreement that gives Apple the exclusive rights to use the alloy in electronic products” at a cost of nearly $11 million (AppleInsider).

In 2018, Apple was granted patents for parts made of Liquidmetal, but the alloy has not been confirmed as being used in production, aside from this SIM Eject Tool.

Sources: Apple (iPad User Manual, SIM eject page), AppleInsider, Patently Apple

iPad Camera Connection Kit (2010)

According to Apple, the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit supports “standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW, along with SD and HD video formats, including H.264 and MPEG-4.” This connection kit is compatible with iPad Generations 1 –3 (using the 30-pin connector).

The kit consists of two adapters, the Camera Connector USB interface (plug it into the dock connector port on your iPad, then attach your digital camera or iPhone using a USB cable); and the SD Card Reader (import photos and videos directly from your camera’s SD card, connect it to your iPad, then insert your digital camera’s SD card into the slot).

I have both adapters and the original packaging in my collection.

Source: Apple (Australia), Wikipedia

iPhone 4 Bumper Case (orange, 2010)

The iPhone 4 Bumper Case was released in 2010 along with the iPhone 4. Unfortunately, this case was placed in the middle of a famous and rare Apple public relations issue, “Antennagate.” The design of this case is very simple, a plastic and rubber bumper that surrounds the outer edges of the iPhone 4 providing drop protection, a gripping-rubber lip that prevents the front and back of the iPhone 4 from making contact with a surface when placed flat, and a barrier that prevents holding the phone in a manner that may affect antenna performance.

MacWorld described the bumper case: “It consists of a stiff, plastic band that covers the entire metal edge of the iPhone 4, combined with relatively tough rubber around the front and rear edges to hold the Bumper in place.”

Antennagate was a name given by the media to a phenomenon that was reported soon after the iPhone 4 release on June 24, 2010, where the cell phone signal would drop if the phone was gripped in a way that covered the integrated antenna. Apple’s reaction was to hold a press conference 22 days after the iPhone release, hosted by Steve Jobs, who confirmed the iPhone 4 issue (and mentioned the same issue was present on competitor phones), presented several customer purchasing and phone performance statistics, and offered the black version of this case for free (or refunded previous bumper case purchases).

Apple offered this case in black, orange, blue, pink, green, white, dark gray, and later, (PRODUCT)RED.

Sources: MacWorld (case program, review), PCWorld, AppleInsider

iPad Case (for Original iPad, 2010)

This iPad Case was the only case made by Apple upon release of the original iPad in 2010. Like the iPhone case market, iPad cases became—and continue to be—a major business for both Apple and third-party manufacturers. Then and now, Apple’s case offerings vary in reviewer reception.

This original iPad Case was described by iLounge as a design in the middle of the pack. Specifically they state, “Using a protective lid…that folds around the back to become a prop-up video stand, the case is made from vinyl-like PVC plastic and has a microfiber interior. It’s designed to provide access to the device’s side buttons, headphone port…exposing the screen when you want to flip the lid open.” iLounge also correctly points out that the material “gathers marks and dirt in ways that no other case does, and the flip-closed front isn’t secured to the rest of the case in any way.”

This case, despite my best efforts at cleaning it, indeed suffers from marks that could not be removed. However, the original iPad that it was protecting was in perfect condition, thus speaking to its effectiveness at protecting the device.

The iLounge reviewer likes the case’s ability to fold and become a stand for viewing video. Interestingly, the reviewer overlooks the case’s ability to be flipped and set at a lower angle to make typing easier. This oversight is not unusual for 2010 when the iPad was often viewed only as a content consumption device, rather than acknowledging that it could also be used effectively for content creation.

Source: iLounge

iPhone 4 Bumper Case (black, 2010)

The iPhone 4 Bumper Case was released in 2010 along with the iPhone 4. Unfortunately, this case was placed in the middle of a famous and rare Apple public relations issue, “Antennagate.” The design of this case is very simple, a plastic and rubber bumper that surrounds the outer edges of the iPhone 4 providing drop protection, a gripping-rubber lip that prevents the front and back of the iPhone 4 from making contact with a surface when placed flat, and a barrier that prevents holding the phone in a manner that may affect antenna performance.

MacWorld described the bumper case: “It consists of a stiff, plastic band that covers the entire metal edge of the iPhone 4, combined with relatively tough rubber around the front and rear edges to hold the Bumper in place. ”

Antennagate was a name given by the media to a phenomenon that was reported soon after the iPhone 4 release on June 24, 2010, where the cell phone signal would drop if the phone was gripped in a way that covered the integrated antenna. Apple’s reaction was to hold a press conference 22 days after the iPhone release, hosted by Steve Jobs, who confirmed the iPhone 4 issue (and mentioned the same issue was present on competitor phones), presented several customer purchasing and phone performance statistics, and then offered this iPhone 4 bumper case (in black) to customers for free via an app. The press conference was held on July 16, 2010, and cases began shipping in 3 weeks. Customers who had already purchased the iPhone 4 Bumper Case via credit card were given a refund.

In addition to black, Apple offered this case in orange, blue, pink, green, white, dark gray, and later, (PRODUCT)RED.

Sources: MacWorld (case program, review), PCWorld, AppleInsider