Tag: USB

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Macintosh Products Guide CD (Spring 1999)

This CD was packaged in an orange sleeve from the ADC (Apple Developer Connection). The packaging lists the contents:

Macintosh Products Guide

“Have you ever wondered if the right software or hardware existed to perform a specific task on your Mac? Or have you heard about some of the latest products for your Mac and wished you had a convenient resource to learn more about them?

On this CD you’ll find Apple’s Macintosh Products Guide, the only tool you need to help you locate information on over 12,000 software and hardware products for the Macintosh platform. Here you’ll learn about the hottest products available for your Mac, including games, productivity applications, printers, scanners, image editing applications, utilities, digital cameras, USB peripherals for the iMac, and much, much more. And many of the products listed in the Macintosh Products Guide have direct links for easy online purchase.

We’re sure you’ll find the Macintosh Products Guide on the web an invaluable resource for all your product information needs—one you’ll turn to again and again. With that in mind, be sure to visit the Macintosh Products Guide web site for the latest information on the wide range of products available for your Mac. Point your browser to www.apple.com/guide.”

Source: Apple

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USB Ethernet Adapter (2008)

Apple describes this adapter as a “Apple USB Ethernet Adapter with built-in 4.6-inch USB cable” and its model number is A1277.

According to Apple, this adapter allows you to “Easily connect your Mac computer to an Ethernet network with the Apple USB Ethernet Adapter. Small and light, it connects to the USB 2.0 port of your Mac and provides an RJ-45 connector that supports 10/100BASE-T performance.”

Source: Apple

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30-pin to USB Cable (1 m, 2012)

Apple’s 30-pin to USB Cable was sold in a variety of packaging options over the years. This cable charged devices with a 30-pin connector, including iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Apple’s product overview stated, “This USB 2.0 cable connects your iPod, iPhone, or iPad — directly or through a Dock — to your computer’s USB port for efficient syncing and charging or to the Apple USB Power Adapter for convenient charging from a wall outlet.”

Apple also included a list of compatible devices. Although the USB 2.0 is backwards-compatible with USB 1.0 and works with computers with USB 3.0, the specifications only include devices that use USB 2.0: iPhone 4s, iPhone 4, iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 3G, iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (2nd generation), iPod nano (6th generation), iPod nano (5th generation), iPod nano (4th generation), iPod classic 160GB (2009), and iPod classic 120GB (2008).

This example is unopened in retail packaging. Although Apple was no longer selling devices with 30-pin cables, this product was still available on Apple’s website as of January 2021.

Source: Apple

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Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock (2015)

The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock was a 4.1-inch diameter, 0.5-inch thick charging pad for the Apple Watch that used the same inductive charging connector that shipped with the Apple Watch. The white base of the dock had a microfiber, padded texture. The polished-chrome charging disc was mounted on a hinge that could pivot from a flat position to a 45-degree angle.

According to Apple:

“With the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock, you can charge your Apple Watch in a flat position with its band open, or on its side. When docked on its side, your watch automatically goes into Nightstand mode, so you can also use it as your alarm clock. The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock uses the same inductive charging connector that comes with Apple Watch. It charges all Apple Watch models and sizes. And it connects via the Lightning to USB Cable and Apple 5W USB Power Adapter.”

The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock has also shipped with Apple Watch Edition models and has been available since 2015 with a Lightning connector built into the base. As of 2020 it still shipped with a Lightning-to-USB (USB-A) cable.

This example is the standalone product with the original packaging.

Source: Apple

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Lightning to USB Cable (1 m, 2015)

Apple has sold and included their Lightning to USB Cable in various formats and packaging options over the years. This version of the product and packaging is part number ZM826-0420-B. Apple specifies that the Lightning to USB Cable is “Compatible with all models with a Lightning connector.”

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Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable (1 m, 2019)

The original Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable was available in two versions, a white plastic back and a steel back. The Magnetic Charging Cable that shipped with aluminum Apple Watch models had the white plastic back, and Magnetic Charging Cables included with Stainless Steel and Edition models had the steel back. When purchased separately, the Magnetic Charging Cable used the steel back.

This 1-meter version of the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable has a USB-A plug. A version is also available with a USB-C plug, referred to on Apple’s website as an Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable. These cables were available in three lengths, 0.3 m, 1 m, and 2 m.

Although not an official “MagSafe” product, Apple refers to MageSafe technology in the description:

“We wanted to make charging your Apple Watch utterly effortless. So we arrived at a solution that combines our MagSafe technology with inductive charging. It’s a completely sealed system free of exposed contacts. And it’s very forgiving, requiring no precise alignment. You simply hold the connector near the back of the watch, where magnets cause it to snap into place automatically.”

This Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable is shown below along with a 42mm Apple Watch Edition Series 2 (white ceramic case).

Source: Apple

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iPhone XR (packaging, 2018, 2020)

In 2020 Apple made a major change to its iPhone 12 packaging when they stopped including Lightning headphones and a wall power “brick” charger in the box at the time of an iPhone purchase. With these items removed, Apple was able to reduce the size of the iPhone box and reduce the extra packaging associated with the headphones and charger. It was announced that the iPhone 12 would ship only with the phone and a USB-C-to-Lightning charging cable.

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, announced at an October 2020 Apple event, “Customers already have over 700 million Lightning headphones, and many customers have moved to a wireless experience with AirPods, Beats, or other wireless headphones. And there are also over 2 billion Apple power adapters out in the world, and that’s not counting the billions of third-party adapters. So we are removing these items from the iPhone box.”

With the iPhone 12 announcement, I was not at all expecting this packaging change to also affect older, but still manufactured iPhone models. At the time of the iPhone 12 release, Apple was still offering the iPhone XR as a lower-end and less expensive iPhone option. Surprisingly, the iPhone XR packaging was also reduced in size and shipped without the headphones and charger. Also, the cable was switched to a USB-C-to-Lightning, replacing the former USB-to-Lightning option.

While the change may contribute to some environmental benefits, the situation was not universally accepted as positive. Some critics noted that, “The move saves the company money, but some of the environmental benefits could be offset by people buying earbuds and chargers separately” (The Verge). From a practical standpoint, some users—namely enterprise, government, and school districts like mine—had not switched to USB-C when this decision was made. As Apple indicated, it is likely that most users likely already have more than one charger and at least one set of Lightning headphones.

The photos here represent my school district’s iPhone XR upgrade affected mid-stream—where iPhone XR models purchased before October 2020 used “classic” packaging, and devices purchased in late-October/November 2020 unexpectedly used the new packaging without an announcement or warning.

Sources: AppleInsider, The Verge

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Mac OS 9 9.0.4 box (2000)

Mac OS 9 was Apple’s final version of its “Classic” operating system. This iteration, version 9.0.4, was released April 4, 2000, and its changes included “Improved USB and FireWire support and other bug fixes.”

This specific boxed version is a 10-client license and features iTools, Apple’s first suite of online services that would eventually become iCloud.

The box also mentions that Mac OS 9 introduces “more than 50 new features” and includes “nine Internet power tools.” The tools include:

  1. Sherlock 2
  2. Multiple Users
  3. Voiceprint Password
  4. Keychain
  5. Auto Updating
  6. Encryption
  7. File Sharing over the Internet
  8. AppleScript over TCP/IP
  9. Network Browser

Source: Wikipedia

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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.

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Macintosh Server G3/300 Minitower (1998)

The Macintosh Server G3/300 Minitower was released in 1998 as the final beige tower design by Apple. This G3 Server used a 300 MHz PowerPC 750 G3 processor, a single 4.0 GB SCSI hard drive (with space for a second drive), and a 24x CD-ROM drive.

This minitower also contained a “Whisper personality card” that added audio input and output ports. According to LowEndMac, Apple had planned various “personality cards,” but only audio (“Whisper”), audio/video (“Wings”), and audio/video/DVD playback (“Bordeaux”) were ever produced.

The case design of this minitower includes a removable side panel and two internal tabs that, when released, allow the entire tower to tilt 90 degrees on a hinge allowing easy access to all internal components. Interestingly, the side door panel latch and internal tabs are made from translucent blue-green plastic, a design aesthetic that would soon become the Mac design norm that same year when the original iMac was released.

Ports on this computer include SCSI; ADB (Apple Desktop Bus); Ethernet (10-100); Mac serial and printer ports; Apple Video (DB-15), line-out and microphone 3.5 mm jacks. Three card slots are available: the first is empty, but ready for a high-speed SCSI port; the second slot has a second high-speed ethernet port; and the third slot adds two USB ports.

The exact factory configuration of the server is shown as: 1MB Cache/128MB/2x4GB UW/CD/10-100 ENET. The model is M4405, and the serial number area specifies a production date of May 27, 1998, at 3:30 PM.

Sources: EveryMac, LowEndMac