Snow Leopard brochure (2009)

This Snow Leopard brochure, titled “Mac OSX Snow Leopard: Installation, features, and refinements” describes the 2-step installation process and outlines the main features of Mac OS X, Version 10.6.

Features that are described include:

  • Exposé
  • Safari 4
  • QuickTime X
  • Microsoft Exchange Support
  • Universal Access
  • Several different “Refinements” to its Leopard predecessor

Each of 5 panels are square and measure 125mm. Folded out, the entire brochure is 625mm long. The brochure is primarily white and printed in full color.

Source: Apple

Make Your iLife Grow brochure (2005)

This 4-page brochure measures 5.5 x 6.5 inches and is printed on heavy, matte-finish paper. The brochure describes how to use iLife ’05 apps to “make your iLife projects bloom” and “Expand your creativity and share your photos, movies, and music with the world.”

The “grow” concept is presumably an extension of the artwork on the iLife ’05 packaging—a bright red flower blooming from a bright green root system of stylized graphics of music and video creation imagery.

The back of the brochure is an advertisement for iWork ’05. The brochure also includes a separate installation guide and a set of “Software Coupons” that served as Proof of Purchase for the iLife suite.

Source: Apple

Why Macintosh? complete box set (1997)

One of my Apple collection entries includes a set of books I titled the “Macintosh Advantage Collection (1996)” that contains the following materials:

  • 50 Macintosh Advantages book (1996)
  • Why do People Prefer Macintosh? brochure (1996)
  • Why Macintosh? brochure (1996)

I recently acquired a brown cardboard shipping box measuring 11.5 x 8.75 x 6.5 inches, complete with its original shipping label to its original recipient—a former Apple sales rep. Apparently, the three items I cataloged above are a part of a larger collection for potential Apple customers that was used in late 1990s.

The shipping label refers to this box as Apple part 52241, and based upon the part numbers that follow, this box contains all its original contents. I have listed the part numbers below and matched them to their items. At the end of each part number an asterisk is followed by a number, likely indicating the quantity of each item (all quantities are “1” in this box, except for the 5 Apple logo window clings).

Curiously, two of the VHS video tapes in the box include both the NTSC and PAL formats—an odd choice since, generally, only NTSC was used in the United States.

Part number list and box contents:

  • 52241—Part number for entire box
  • L02206A—6-color Apple logo sticker set
  • L02270A—Apple’s Operating System Strategy, March 1997, VHS tape (NTSC format) L02270APAL—Apple’s Operating System Strategy, March 1997, VHS tape (PAL format)
  • L02222A—Apple and NeXT: Combining unparalleled ease of use with industrial-strength performance, Information About Apple’s OS Strategy, January 1997, 8.5 x 11-inch whitepaper, 4 pages
  • L02181A—Apple Technology Update—Mac OS 7.6, January 1997 VHS tape (NTSC format)
  • L02177A—The 1997 Apple MacAdvocate CD-ROM. (Spring 1997)
  • L01760A—Macintosh or Windows? Spring 1996 VHS tape (NTSC format)
  • L01760APAL—Macintosh or Windows? Spring 1996 VHS tape (PAL format)
  • L01856A—Personal Computer Satisfaction: An Independent Study of People Who use Both Macintosh and Windows 95 Computers (Evans Research Associates) (1996)
  • L01973B—Go figure: A Quick Look at Some Important Apple Facts, 1.97 10-panel, full-color brochure (1997)
  • L01970A—Apple logo window clings (quantity 5)
  • L01667A—Why Macintosh? booklet (1996)
  • L00440C—50 Macintosh Advantages, Why Macintosh computers are better than PCs running Windows 95. 1996, 8.5 x 11-inch booklet
  • L01749A—Why do People Prefer Macintosh? (Why people think Macintosh computers are better than PCs running Windows, in their own words.) April 1996, 8.5 x 11-inch booklet
  • Not listed on box, likely sent with Mac OS 7.6 VHS tape: L02182A—Mac OS 7.6 At a glance tri-fold brochure (2-color)

While the above books are detailed in my previous post, a fascinating new addition to my collection is the seemingly innocuous Apple and NeXT whitepaper. The 4-page document is the first printed source I have seen that describes Apple’s plan to proceed after their acquisition of NeXT. The whitepaper describes the “Rhapsody” project—the operating system that eventually becomes Mac OS X—the basis for the macOS we use today, over 25 years later. The whitepaper includes this description:

“Rhapsody is the code name of the first system software effort planned from the prospective union of Apple and NeXT. Its intent is to extend the existing strengths of both companies to provide a computing environment that is both stronger and more flexible—and, ultimately, better able to meet the needs of our customers.”

This Why Macintosh? complete box set is a fascinating glimpse into Apple’s pre-Internet communications plan with customers at a pivotal time in their history—just after Steve Jobs returned to the company.

Source: Apple

Xserve brochure (2003)

This brochure provides information about Apple’s Xserve line of rack-mounted servers, produced between 2002–2011. According to Apple, Xserve was a:

“powerful 1U rack-mount server designed with Apple’s legendary ease-of-use for groundbreakingly simple set up and remote management. Designed from the ground up as the perfect complement to Apple’s UNIX-based Mac OS X Server software, Xserve is ideal for business and education customers. Xserve provides exceptional performance in a compact 1U rack-mount server… Xserve includes an unlimited user license to Mac OS X Server software, offering users a perfect combination for file/print service, video streaming, database applications, computational clustering and web and mail serving.”

Three basic Xserve models were sold: Xserve G4, Xserve G5, and Xserve Xeon.

This brochure is 9 x 12 inches, printed on matte paper, and features a side pocket on the back cover in which current product data sheets could be inserted. The brochure profiles several uses for Xserve including mission-critical applications for fraud prevention, UNIX development, public school network services, and fast file sharing in a creative environment.

My brochure included education-oriented materials in the back pocket, including Apple Remote Desktop, Mac OS X Server, Xserve, and Xserve RAID. In the various school districts where I served, I have used all of those products in the past.

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.

iPod mini magazine ad (2004)

This iPod mini magazine ad from 2004 includes two light blue pages and a set of four iPod mini devices in gold, pink, blue, and green—die-cut with a perforated edge. The iPod mini devices are actual size and look identical to the actual devices.

The back page of the ad features the silver iPod mini with the headline “Little. The next big thing.”

The ad measures 7.875 x 10.8125 inches, and the cut-out iPod mini devices measure 3.625 x 2 inches each.

What’s the difference between a Mac and a PC? magazine insert (2006)

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

This magazine insert’s cover is all white with black text (in Apple Myriad Bold) that asks, “What’s the difference between a Mac and a PC?” Inside, the left panel answers with the question: “Where do we begin?” and the copy:

“PCs are for the stuff we have to do, like pie charts and spreadsheets. Macs are for the stuff we want to do, like photos, music and movies. On a PC, viruses and crashing are “normal.” On a Mac. Everything just works the way it should. And unlike PCs, a Mac comes ready to do all the things you want, the day you bring it home. Sound like differences you could get used to? Read on.”

The right panel of the insert provides a 5.375-inch square “insert-with-in-an-insert” accordion-folded brochure glued in place. Panels feature either full-color iMac screens showing Mac features, photos of other Macs (MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini), and one panel has the headline, “Why you’ll love a Mac.” followed by additional text.

The back cover features two quotes from prominent journalists.

Folded, the insert measures 7.75 x 10.75 inches. Fully unfolded, the inside brochure measures 32.25 inches wide.

We rewrote the book magazine insert (PowerBook G3, 1998)

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

This early magazine insert example is an advertisement for the Macintosh PowerBook G3 laptop. The images on the front, back, and inside covers are photographed with stunning black backgrounds using shadows and light to reveal interesting aspects of the laptop’s design. The cover reads, “We rewrote the book.”

Open, the 2-panel spread includes the copy: “Presenting the new PowerBook G3. It’s been rethought and reengineered from cover to cover. It’s sleek. It’s intelligent. It’s endlessly adaptable. Oh, and one other thing.”

The insert fully opens to reveal a mini-poster with a white background that shows an open PowerBook G3 with a screen showing a shark with teeth bared and the headline, “It eats Pentium notebooks for lunch.”

The back page lists product specifications with the headers “Good,” “Better,” and “Best” to represent the three configurations available.

Folded, the size of the insert is 7.5 x 10.25 inches. Fully unfolded the mini-poster is 15 x 20.5 inches.

Say hello to iPod magazine insert (2001)

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

This example is an advertisement for the new (at the time) iPod. The headline on the cover reads, “Say hello to iPod.” An iPod is pictured along with its earbuds.

Open, the 2-page spread reveals the right panel with an iBook running iTunes and the headline “1,000 songs on your Mac.” A dotted line labeled “Super-fast FireWire auto-updating” connects to the (actual size) image of the iPod on the right panel with the headline, “1,000 songs in your pocket.”

The back panel features several iPod screens depicting the iPod user interface (on the LCD grayscale display).

Folded, the size of the insert is 7.5 x 10.5 inches. Fully unfolded it is 15 inches wide.

Get a new Mac for $99. magazine insert (Mac OS 8.5, 1998)

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

The front page of this advertisement is just the words (in the Apple Garamond font) “Get a new Mac for $99.” with the Apple logo.

The 8-page folded and stapled insert opens to the first 2-page spread showing a Mac OS 8.5 CD in a hand with the headline, “Introducing our most powerful Macintosh yet. (Shown actual size.).” The center spread highlights Sherlock, Apple’s then-new search tool. The final spread highlights new Mac OS features for PowerPC Mac models.

The back cover shows the software box and the headline, “Small investment, big return.”

Folded, the size of the insert is 7.5 x 10.5 inches.