The Macintosh PowerBook 5300c/100 used a 100 MHz processor (PowerPC 603e), shipped with 8 MB or 16 MB of RAM, and included a 500 MB or 750 MB hard drive. The “cs” in the name indicated that its 10.4-inch color display displayed 8-bit color on its 640×480 display.
This was among the first Apple laptop series to use “hot swappable” drive bays (along with the PowerBook 190 from the same year), meaning that users could remove and replace the internal drives without restarting the computer.
This laptop shipped with Macintosh System 7.5.2 and could run operating systems up to Mac OS 9.1. The PowerBook 5300cs weighed 6.2 pounds.
Because this laptop was designed to be as small as possible at the time, it had insufficient internal space for an internal CD-ROM drive. Its design also replaced the rotating back feet of previous PowerBook models with spring-loaded feet that pop out to elevate the angle of the laptop. The case also used a darker shade of grey (almost black) than its predecessors.
PowerBook 5300 computers were infamous at the time for shipping with a few quality problems. Notably, the internal battery on two early models reportedly overheated and burst into flames, a design flaw that Apple corrected by switching from lithium ion to nickel metal hydride batteries. Apple reported that only a few hundred laptops shipped with the early battery and a free replacement was offered. Some users also experienced problems with the display hinges cracking over time and the internal connector ribbons wearing out, leading to screen failure (the screen would show vertical lines or go completely black).
The PowerBook 3400 replaced the 5300 and some of the 5300-series hot-swappable drive bay modules could be used with newer 3400 PowerBooks.
The Macintosh PowerBook 5300c/100 shipped with a 100 MHz processor (PowerPC 603e), 8 MB or 16 MB of RAM, and included a 500 MB or 750 MB hard drive. The “c” in the name indicated its 10.4-inch color active-matrix display (640×480) that allowed 16-bit color on its display or an external monitor.
This was among the first Apple laptop series to use “hot swappable” drive bays (along with the PowerBook 190 that shipped the same year with a similar design), meaning that users could remove and replace the internal drives without restarting the computer.
This laptop shipped with Macintosh System 7.5.2 and could run operating systems up to Mac OS 9.1. The PowerBook 5300c weighed 6.2 pounds.
Because this laptop was designed to be as small as possible at the time, it had insufficient internal space for an internal CD-ROM drive. Its design also replaced the rotating back feet of previous PowerBook models with spring-loaded feet that pop out to elevate the angle of the laptop. The case also used a darker shade of grey than its predecessors (almost black).
PowerBook 5300 computers were infamous at the time for shipping with a few quality problems. Notably, the internal battery on two early models reportedly overheated and burst into flames, a design flaw that Apple corrected by switching from lithium ion to nickel metal hydride batteries. Apple reported that only a few hundred laptops shipped with the early battery and a free replacement was offered. Some users also experienced problems with the display hinges cracking over time and the internal connector ribbons wearing out leading to screen failure (the screen would show vertical lines or go completely black).
The PowerBook 3400 replaced the 5300 and some of the 5300-series hot-swappable drive bay modules could be used with newer 3400 PowerBooks.
The Macintosh PowerBook 1400cs/133 featured a 133 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, 16 MB of RAM, a 1.3 GB hard drive and an 8X CD-ROM drive. The color dual-scan display measured 11.3 inches. The PowerBook 1400cs was similar to the PowerBook 1400c, but the “s” in “cs” indicated a higher quality active-matrix display.
The PowerBook 1400 series was the first PowerBook to use an internal CD-ROM drive and stackable memory modules (allowing more RAM to be installed in the limited space inside a laptop). This PowerBook also included a clear cover on the outer case and shipped with pre-printed “BookCovers” to customize the look of each PowerBook. (A matching dark gray cover was also included for those not wishing to customize.)
Although I have previously included other PowerBook 1400-series laptop examples on my blog, I acquired this model complete with its collection of BookCovers. I wanted to document this laptop along with this interesting design feature not used on an Apple laptop before or since.
PowerBook 1400-series laptops shipped with seven different BookCovers by six different designers. Although each BookCover is two-sided, one side of each BookCover includes a design from a featured designer, and the opposite side uses a pattern in one of seven different colors with a similar, but uncredited, design. The cardboard envelope containing the BookCovers provides a brief bio of each of the designers:
Jim Mitchell, Sydney Jim Mitchell is a New Zealand artist currently living in Sydney. He is one of the main artists working for Mambo Graphics, Australia’s surf and streetwear company through which his style has become widely recognized. Jim also works for a variety of local and international agencies and magazines, and regularly exhibits his paintings and print work.
Brad Holland, New York One of the best known and most highly acclaimed figures in American Illustration, Brad has led a very prolific and successful career, receiving more medals from the Society of Illustrators than any other artist in the organization’s history. His work includes covers for The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek and The New York Times Magazine. He continues to work, lecture and exhibit throughout the world.
Carlos Segura, Chicago Carlos Segura was born in Cuba in 1956 and moved to Florida at the age of 9. He began his career in New Orleans, moving up to Chicago in 1980 where he worked for several advertising agencies before founding his own design company, Segura Inc., in 1991. This was followed in 1994 with the birth of T-26, (a new digital type foundry) helping Carlos to establish himself as a leading force in American graphic design.
Michael Bartalos, San Francisco Michael Bartalos was born in West Germany in 1959 and is of Hungarian ancestry. Since graduating from the Pratt Institute in 1982, he has worked extensively in the graphic arts in the US and Japan. Recent projects include his children’s book, Shadowville, designs for Swatch watches, and the 32-cent Marathon commemorative stamp for the US Postal Service.
David Karam, San Francisco David Karam is a partner of Post Tool Design, a design studio he established in 1993 with Gigi Biederman in San Francisco. Post Tool, specializing in print, interaction and multimedia design, quickly built up a client list including Warner Records, Colossal Pictures, Sony Music and Swatch Watch and have been featured in magazines such as Rolling Stone, Communication Arts and ID Magazine.
Keiji Ito, Tokyo Born in Tokyo in 1958, Keiji Ito is one of Asia’s leading editorial and advertising illustrators, as well as an new and innovative stage and poster designer. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous shows internationally since 1989. He works out of his Tokyo studio, LopLop Design Inc. and is the author and illustrator of three books: Ninifuni, Datecraft 1994 Timescape and Klin Klan.
I remember using my own PowerBook 1400 for a few years while I was teaching and I designed my own custom BookCovers. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to locate any of my original BookCover designs.
The AppleCD 300e Plus was among a few nearly identical SCSI-connected external CD-ROM drives manufactured by Apple. All AppleCD models used a SCSI (Small Computer System Interface, pronounced “scuzzy”) connection. According to PC Magazine, SCSI was “used in mainframes, servers and storage arrays in the late 1980s and 1990s… The SCSI bus connects up to 15 devices in a daisy chain topology, and any two can communicate at one time: host-to-peripheral and peripheral-to-peripheral.”
The AppleCD had a 1x Read-Only CD-ROM that could read CDs with with up to 750 MB of data. Ports on the back of the device included two 50-pin Centronics SCSI connectors, red and white audio RCA connectors, and device power input. A front input included a mini-headphone audio jack. The AppleCD could read five CD formats: CD-Audio, CD-ROM, HFS, ProDOS, and High Sierra.
Several models of the AppleCD drive were made, including the SC, SC Plus, 150, 300, 300e, 300i plus, 600i, 600e plus, and 1200i. The “e” designates external devices using the same design as this AppleCD 300e Plus.
According to the User’s Guide, “AppleDesign Powered Speakers are the first powered speakers designed by a computer company specifically for use with a personal computer.” The guide goes on to explain that the speakers provide CD-quality sound from both the CD-ROM drive and the computer at the same time. The setup includes both a main speaker and a “satellite speaker.”
The two speakers are meant to be connected by an included speaker wire. The main speaker includes a Subwoofer output jack that allows a non-Apple powered (2 volts peak to peak) subwoofer to be connected.
The maximum sound output is listed at 90 dB at 0.5 meters and 90 Hz. The dimensions are 9.25 x 4.5 x 4.25 inches.
These AppleDesign Powered Speakers represent the first in my full collection of all of Apple’s standalone powered speakers. These speakers were followed by the AppleDesign Powered Speakers II, the iPod Hi-Fi, and eventually the HomePod. The only Apple powered speakers I do not currently own are the rare black AppleDesign Powered Speakers II.
The iBook G3/500 featured a 500 MHz PowerPC 750cx (G3) processor; 64 MB or 128 MB of RAM; a 10.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive; a tray-loading CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive; and optional AirPort (802.11b) card. The screen was a 12.1-inch TFT XGA active matrix display (1024×768). The case of the laptop was translucent white (a similar later model used an opaque white case).
This iBook replaced the previous iBook models that were much larger and came in one of five colors (including blueberry, tangerine, graphite, indigo, and key lime).
EveryMac.com reports that four versions of this laptop were available: 64 MB RAM with CD-ROM drive ($1299); 128 MB RAM with DVD-ROM drive ($1499), 128 MB RAM with CD-RW drive ($1599); and 128 MB RAM with DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive (build-to-order direct from Apple, $1799).
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.
The original iMac was introduced on May 6, 1998, and shipped August 15, 1998. It featured a 233 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, a 4.0 GB EIDE hard drive, and a tray loading CD-ROM drive. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
The original iMac was available in one color called “Bondi blue,” named for the blue-green color of the water at Bondi Beach near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. “Bondi” is an [Australian] Aboriginal word meaning “water breaking over rocks.”
This was the first consumer computer product released after Steve Jobs returned to Apple as interim CEO. The iMac was primarily credited with returning Apple to profitability and re-establishing Apple’s commitment to simplicity and design, but at the time was criticized for dropping the floppy disk drive and adopting the emerging USB standard.
The “i” in “iMac” has been described by Apple to represent “Internet,” but Steve Jobs also specified the “i” to mean internet, individual, instruct, inform, and inspire in a presentation in 1998.
Although the original iMac was not meant to be user-upgradable, it did contain what was referred to at the time as a “mysterious” slot behind the hinged side door called the “Mezzanine” slot. Inside the iMac was a Mezzanine connector soldered on to the motherboard. Officially, Apple never explained its purpose, but a few developers created expansion products that used the slot and/or port. I installed one such port in a few iMac computers in 1999, namely the Griffin iPort that added an Apple serial port and video-out port. Although the Griffin iPort didn’t use the Mezzanine internal connector, it did use the Mezzanine slot to make the ports available.
The Revision A iMac (M6709LL/A) and Revision B iMac (M6709LL/B) are identical with the exception of graphics systems. Revision A (August 15, 1998) had an ATI Rage IIc graphics with 2 MB of VRAM, and Revision B (October 26, 1998) had an ATI Rage Pro Turbo graphics with 6 MB of VRAM.
The iMac G3/350 (Summer 2000, indigo) featured a 350 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 64 MB of RAM, a 7.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 24X CD-ROM drive, and a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system. The all-in-one case design was transparent indigo blue with a 15-inch CRT display.
This model does not support FireWire (400) or AirPort (802.11b), even though its predecessor added support for both technologies. However, this model included a slightly larger hard drive (7.0 GB compared to 6.0 GB), a slightly better video processor, and replaced the Apple USB Keyboard and round Apple USB Mouse with the Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse. This model sold for $200 less than the previous model at $799.
Due to the price drop, this model was purchased for many schools to update the computer labs common at the time. In my Technology Director position at the time, we upgraded at least three computer labs from tray-loading iMac to slot-loading iMac computers due to the price drop.
The PowerBook G3 was a member of the “PowerBook G3 Series” family, but more commonly referred to by its “Wallstreet” codename. It featured a 233 MHz PowerPC 740 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, a 2.0 GB hard drive, and a 20X tray-loading CD-ROM drive. Three different screen sizes were available: 12.1-inch STN (passive matrix), 13.3-inch TFT, or 14.1-inch TFT color display.
The Wallstreet PowerBook G3 Series included dual hot-swappable bays that could both hold batteries or expansion modules in a 3.5-inch left bay and a 5.25-inch right bay. It also included dual PC card slots and the 13.3-inch and 14.1-inch models had S-video out.
This Wallstreet PowerBook is one of two examples in my collection. This model has a VST Zip drive in the right bay and a battery in the left bay.
Original pricing for the Wallstreet PowerBook G3 Series was $2,999 to $3,500 with other custom configurations available.
