Apple Studio Display CRT (17-inch, ADC, 2000)

At the Macworld Expo in New York CIty on July 19, 2000, Apple announced three new Studio Display designs “in stunning crystal-clear enclosures”—two flat panel displays and this CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) Apple Studio Display.

The displays, designed to complement Apple’s Power Mac G4 Cube and Power Mac G4 professional desktops, shared three distinct features:

“each is powered from the computer, eliminating the need for a separate power cord; each has a two port powered USB hub for convenient connection to desktop USB devices, such as keyboards, USB speakers and digital cameras; and each utilizes the Apple Display Connector, a revolutionary new cable that carries analog and digital video signals, USB data and power over a single cable and features a quick latch connector.”

Steve Jobs noted that “These new beautiful displays perfectly complement our new extraordinary computers. Their innovative design helps clean up desktop cable clutter, and makes set-up a breeze.”

According to Apple’s press release, “The 17 inch (16 inch viewable) Apple Studio Display features a Natural Flat Diamondtron CRT, extraordinarily sharp text and ColorSync internal calibration to keep colors accurate over time. [The] Display…features both futuristic styling and a unique electrical design that supports multiple resolutions at over 100Hz vertical refresh rate.”

The site 512 Pixels provided several additional comments, writing that the “Studio Display (17-inch ADC) was the last standalone Apple display to feature a CRT. At 17.4 inches it was deeper than it was wide. At 45.8 pounds, it was heavier than a iMac G3.” They also comment on the industrial design of the display:

“Instead of hiding the display’s guts inside opaque plastics and metal shield, the 17-inch ADC has a crystal clear case that allows anyone to see the internal workings of the Naturally Flat Diamondtron CRT suspended inside. By revealing all, the Studio Display (17-inch ADC) has nothing to hide. Its transparency and minimalism is pure Apple.”

According LowEndMac, the Apple Display Connector (ADC) used in this display is a proprietary display and data connector developed by Apple. It is a modification of the DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connector that combines analog and digital video signals, USB, and power all in one cable. This connector was used by Apple between 2000–2004.

Sources: Apple Newsroom, 512 Pixels, LowEndMac

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).

iMac (original, Bondi blue, 1998)

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.

Source: EveryMac.com, LowEndMac.com, Wikipedia, and Business Insider

iMac G3/500 DV SE (Summer 2000, graphite)

The iMac G3/500 DV Special Edition (Summer 2000) featured a 500 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 128 MB of RAM, a 30.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 4X DVD-ROM drive, a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system, and two FireWire 400 ports. The screen was a 15-inch CRT display.

The iMac G3/500 DV Special Edition (Summer 2000) is similar to the iMac G3/450 DV+ (Summer 2000) released at the same time, but was offered in graphite and snow rather than indigo, ruby, and sage. It was referred to as a “Special Edition” model because it had a faster processor, twice the RAM, and a larger hard drive (30.0 GB instead of 20.0 GB).

This iMac model also replaced the Apple USB Keyboard and round Apple USB Mouse with the Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse.

Source: EveryMac.com

iMac G3/333 (strawberry, 1999)

The iMac G3/333 featured a 333 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, and a 6.0 GB EIDE hard drive. The screen was a 15-inch CRT display.

This iMac was offered in five different colors: lime (lime green), strawberry (pinkish-red), blueberry (bright blue), grape (purple), and tangerine (orange-yellow). The previous version of this iMac was offered in the exact same colors.

Apart from the faster 333 MHz processor, this iMac was identical to the iMac G3/266 before it.

Source: EveryMac.com

iMac G3/266 (grape, 1999)

The iMac G3/266 featured a 266 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, and a 6.0 GB EIDE hard drive. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.

This iMac was offered in five different colors: lime (lime green), strawberry (pinkish-red), blueberry (bright blue), grape (purple), and tangerine (orange-yellow). Previously, the iMac was available only in Bondi blue (blue green).

This iMac is grape.

The iMac G3/266 models had similar specifications to the Revision B iMac line before, but shipped with a larger 6.0 GB hard drive and lacked the “Mezzanine” internal expansion slot and IrDA.

Source: EveryMac.com

iMac G3/600 (Summer 2001, snow)

The iMac G3/600 (Summer 2001) featured a 600 MHz PowerPC 750cx (G3) processor, 256 MB of RAM, a 40.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive, a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system, and two FireWire 400 ports. This model was available in graphite or snow. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.

This iMac model represented a major default operating system switch for Apple. As of January 7, 2002, this iMac shipped with MacOS X 10.2 as the default operating system along with MacOS 9 pre-installed.

The color of this iMac is “snow.” At the time, other iMac colors were transparent, but Apple’s version of “snow” is opaque white.

Source: EveryMac.com

iMac G3/350 (Summer 2000, indigo)

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.

Source: EveryMac.com

Macintosh Performa 200 (1992)

The Macintosh Performa 200 featured a 16 MHz 68030 processor, 2 MB of RAM, and either a 40 MB or an 80 MB hard drive. The case was designed in the classic Macintosh all-in-one design. The screen was a 9-inch monochrome CRT display.

The Performa family was sold from 1992 to 1997 and re-branded existing Macintosh computers from Apple’s Quadra, Centris, LC, and Power Macintosh families. Performa family computers were sold at “big-box” stores (e.g., Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears), while non-Performa computers were only sold at Apple Authorized Resellers. 

The Performa 200 was among the first Performa models (based upon the Macintosh Classic II), along with the Performa 400 (based upon the LC II), and Performa 600 (based upon the IIvi). Apple sold sixty-four different Performa models in five years—all based upon other models—thus creating brand confusion. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, the Performa family was one of the many cuts made to return the company to financial solvency.

I currently have two Performa models in my collection. 

Source: EveryMac.com and Wikipedia

Macintosh Classic (1990)

The Macintosh Classic was a less expensive interpretation of the Macintosh Plus with an updated case design that still retained the classic Macintosh look. It featured an 8 MHz 68000 processor, 1 MB of 2 MB of RAM, and either a 1.44 MB disk drive or a 1.44 MB disk drive, and a 40 MB hard drive. the screen was a 9-inch monochrome CRT display.

The Macintosh Classic was the first Mac to sell for under $1,000 (at $999).

Source: EveryMac.com