AirPort Extreme (Generation 3, Apple Service part, Early 2009)

According to Apple, this AirPort Extreme (Generation 3) provided “simultaneous dual-band wireless 802.11n networking. When you set up your AirPort Extreme Base Station, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks.”

The AirPort Extreme Generation 3 had 5 ports:

  • 1 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port (for DSL/cable modem)
  • 3 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) (for Ethernet devices, such as printers or computers)
  • 1 USB port (for a USB printer, hard disk, or hub)

This device is packaged as an Apple Service part and does not include the retail packaging. The box, labeled Part Number 661-4908, contains the three parts needed to repair or replace the device including a power adapter, a power plug (North America), and a base station.

This AirPort Extreme model was available for less than 8 months before it was replaced by the Generation 4 model. It measured 6.5 x 6.5 inches square and was 1.3 inches tall. It weighed 1.66 pounds.

Sources: Apple (manuals), Wikipedia

iBook G3 (600MHz, PowerPC 750cx, 14-inch, Early 2002)

This 14-inch iBook was announced at the January 7, 2002, Macworld Expo in San Francisco, CA, as Apple’s “top end of its hugely popular iBook line of consumer notebooks.” Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing at the time, noted that “The iBook is the best consumer and education notebook on the market and our most popular portable ever.” Schiller added, “The new iBook line now offers customers the additional choice of a 14-inch display and is more affordable than ever.”

The iBook G3 14-inch (Early 2002) featured a 600MHz PowerPC 750cx G3 processor. It shipped with 256MB RAM, a 20GB hard drive, and a tray-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW). The laptop had a white translucent case made from impact-resistant polycarbonate. The 14.1-inch TFT active matrix display had 1024×768 native resolution.

Wired connections included USB, FireWire, 56K modem, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, and a VGA video-out port. It also allowed an AirPort wireless card to be added. This laptop shipped with Mac OS X version 10.1.2 and Classic Mac OS 9.2.2.

This 600MHz iBook (model M8413) weighed 4.9 pounds and originally sold for $1,499.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom), EveryMac

AirPort Time Capsule 802.11n (Generation 3, 2TB, 2009)

The AirPort Time Capsule was a device that combined Apple’s Wi-Fi base station with a built-in hard drive that allowed network-attached storage (NAS). This example (A1355) is the third of five generations of this product released between 2008 and 2013. Apple described this product as a “Backup Appliance” that was designed to work with its Time Machine software that was released with Mac OS X 10.5.

Using the Time Machine software, Time Capsule creates backups of the operating system and files wirelessly and automatically, thus eliminating the need for an external hard drive. Time Machine made hourly backups of the files that were changed and managed older backup images to save space. The initial backup of a computer using Time Machine could take several hours (or overnight) on an 802.11n wireless network, but subsequent hourly backups occurred instantly and far more quickly (depending on file sizes).

This Generation 3 model used the same design as Generations 1–4: 7.7 inches square and 1.4 inches tall. The Generation 3 included the following interfaces:

  • One Gigabit Ethernet WAN port for connecting a DSL or cable modem
  • Three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for connecting computers or network devices
  • USB port for connecting a USB printer or USB external hard drive
  • 802.11n wireless

Time Capsule used a Hitachi Deskstar hard drive, the same hard drive sold with Apple’s Xserve server products. The Hitachi Deskstar met or exceeded 1 million hours mean time between failures (MTBF) status, common for server-grade hard drives.

Sources: Apple, Wikipedia

AirPort Extreme 802.11ac (Generation 6, 2013)

The AirPort Extreme was a wireless base station that combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, Network-Attached Storage (NAS), and other features. Apple released a total of seven AirPort Extreme Base Station models. This Generation 6 was the final model.

The original version of the AirPort Extreme Base Station used the “flying saucer” form factor. Generations 1–5 used a flat square form factor with rounded corners. The final Generation 6 model kept the concept of a square with rounded corners, but the base station used a tower design, measuring 3.85 inches x 3.85 inches and 6.6 inches tall.

The Generation 6 AirPort Extreme 802.11ac was announced on June 10, 2013. It offered three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi at 1.3Gbit/s (three times faster than 802.11n). Time Machine was supported in this model using an attached external USB hard drive.

The packaging listed the following features:

  • Simultaneous dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with up to three times faster performance than 802.11n
  • Compatible with 802,11a/b/g/n/ac-enabled computers, networks, and Wi-Fi devices such as iPhone, iPad, Pod touch, and Apple TV
  • USB port to share a printer or hard drive and access it wirelessly
  • One Gigabit Ethernet WAN port to connect to a DSL or cable modem or Ethernet network; three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
  • Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) security and built-in firewall protection
  • Ability to set up a separate guest network to share your Wi-Fi connection

Sources: Wikipedia, Apple

AirPort Extreme Base Station (Generation 4, 2009)

The AirPort Extreme was a wireless base station that combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, Network-Attached Storage (NAS), and other features.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station Generation 4 (model A1354) was released in 2009 with a white, rounded-rectangle design that was similar to the look of the first-generation Mac mini and original Apple TV. AirPort Extreme Base Station Generations 1–5 shared the same design until a tower-like design was used for the final Generation 6 model.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station measured 6.5 inches square, 1.3 inches tall, and weighed 1.66 pounds. It supported 802.11a/b/g/n wireless network protocols.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station Generation 4 had the follwing interfaces:

  • One Gigabit Ethernet WAN port for connecting a DSL or cable modem
  • Three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for connecting computers or network devices
  • USB 2.0 port for connecting a USB printer or USB external hard drive
  • 802.11n wireless

Sources: Wikipedia, Apple

Re-birth announcement. magazine insert (iMac, 1999)

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, part of Apple’s print advertising included magazine inserts. These inserts functioned like “mini-magazines” within magazines. These inserts were glued with a pliable rubber cement that could be easily removed.

This magazine insert shows the iMac DV Special Edition in graphite and the headline “Re-birth announcement.”

When opened, each page folds out into a three-panel spread. Opened, a two-panel spread shows a slot-loading iMac with several paragraphs of text, and opening the fold-out reveals additional information on three panels. Overall, this magazine insert has three, three-panel spreads. The first spread shows iMac features, the second spread discusses media playing and creation capabilities, and the third spread is devoted to the AirPort base station and wireless.

The back page features all six available colors at the time: Tangerine, Strawberry, Blueberry, Grape, Lime, and Graphite.

This insert is stapled and contains three, three-panel spreads. Folded, it measures 10.5 x 7.375 inches.

Mini-brochures collection (2001)

These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs unfolded into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.

Precious metal. (PowerBook G4 Titanium) (January 2001)
This mini-brochure folds out into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring the Titanium PowerBook G4.

The New iBook. (May 2001)
This iBook mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring the white iBook and the words “Your life. To go.”

Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver) (July 2001)
This Power Mac G4 mini-brochure unfolds into a 2-up layout touting the SuperDrive: “SuperDrive. Superfast.”—then a horizontal 4-up display featuring various tasks that can be performed on the Power Mac G4—and finally an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster featuring a “hero” photo describing the “Quick silver” Power Mac G4 as a supercomputer.

Apple Displays (July 2001)
This mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring Apple’s three LCD displays (15-, 17-, and 22-inch models) with the tagline, “The first family of flat-panel displays.”

iMac (August 2001)
This iMac mini-brochure features an uncharacteristic shot of a snow iMac in a room—instead of on a white background. The horizontal 4-up layout features several tasks that can be completed on an iMac with four photos and the headlines “Surf the Internet,” “Make movies,” “Mix music,” and “Make a photo album.” The fully unfolded 8-up poster features a birds-eye view of an indigo iMac with the headline, “Your digital life starts here.”

iBook (October 2001)
This iBook mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster listing several features (make movies, go wireless, organize your organizer, Mac OS X, rip thousands of MP3s, make a photo album, watch DVDs, burn DVDs, AppleCare) and the tagline “Your life. To go. The new 600MHz iBook.”

PowerBook G4 (October 2001)
This PowerBook G4 mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster featuring the Titanium PowerBook G4 and the tagline “1 inch thin, 5.3 pounds, DVD, 5-hour battery, AirPort, 15.2-inch mega-wide screen.”

Mini-brochures collection (2000)

These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs unfolded into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.

iMac (July 2000)
This iMac mini-brochure featured the graphite and snow iMac DV Special Edition models. It opened to four horizontal panels and featured all iMac colors of the time—ruby, indigo, sage, snow, and graphite. Features described included Internet, playing DVDs, digital video editing with iMovie, optional AirPort wireless capabilities, and AppleCare. iMac Specifications on the back outlined the four available configurations: iMac DV Special Edition, iMac DV+, iMac DV, and iMac.

AirPort (original, July 2000)
The AirPort mini-brochure opens first to a 2-up layout showing Apple’s Wi-Fi-capable devices at the time (iBook, iMac, PowerBook G3, and graphite Power Mac G4 tower). The brochure then opens to a 4-up horizontal layout showing “Three easy steps to a wireless world.”

Apple Displays (July 2000)
The Apple Displays brochure pictures an Apple Studio Display on the cover (17-inch CRT model). The brochure folds into a horizontal 4-up layout that shows all three available display models at the time along with features—Apple Studio Display (17-inch CRT), Apple Studio Display (15-inch LCD), and Apple Cinema Display (22-inch LCD).

Education Resource CD Winter 2000 (2000)

This Education Resource CD is dated Winter 2000. Its design features a rendition of the glossy 3D tabs on the apple.com website at the time. The toolbox image at the bottom of the CD matched the iTools design. iTools is a precursor to what has become Apple iCloud services.

Apple CD and DVD media (2003)

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 CDs and DVDs from 2003 include:

  • iBook Mac OS X Install Disc 1 (Mac OS version 10.2.3, CD version 1.0, 2Z691-4282-A, 2003)
  • AppleWorks 6 Education Version (Mac OS X, Mac OS 8.1 or later, Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP, Version 6.2.7, 691-4415-A, 2003)
  • .Mac (Version 2.0, 0Z691-4421-A, 2003)
  • iTunes 4 Installer CD with QuickTime 6.2 (Built for Mac OS X v10.1.5 or later, 2003)
  • iTunes 3, iPhoto 2, iMovie 3, iDVD 3 Install DVD For systems with a SuperDrive (Version 1.0, 2Z691-4302-A, 2003)
  • iTunes 3, iPhoto 2, iMovie 3 Install CD For systems without a SuperDrive (Version 1.0, 2Z691-4301-A, 2003)
  • Keynote (Version 1.0, 691-4149-A, 2003)
  • Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Software (Built for Mac OS X v10.2.6 or later, Version 1.1, 2Z691-4661-A, 2003)
  • iMac Software Install and Restore (Mac OS version 10.2.3, DVD version 1.1, 691-4319-A, 2003)
  • AirPort Software Installation (unopened, CD Version 3.0.4, 691-4420-A)
  • Power Mac G4 Software Install and Restore (Mac OS version 10.2.3, DVD version 1.1, 691-4309-A, 2003)
  • Software Bundle (Power Mac G4, 603-2795, 2003)
  • Software Bundle (PowerBook G4 Media, 603-2714-A, 2003)
  • Mac OS X Xcode Tools Install Disc (Requires Mac OS X v10.3 or later, Version 1.0, 691-4591-A, 2003)

Previous software bundles were packaged in cardboard envelopes. In 2003 Apple changed to packaging software bundles in clear plastic packaging, shown here.