David Emmons reports: A Radius Rocket only works on a Mac with full size NuBus slots, and is running at least System 7 but no system later then 7.1 (I use 7.1.3, which has the scriptable Finder). It is ideal for a Mac II or IIx/cx whose processors are barely usable with todays software (though I […]
After introducing the inexpensive Classic and LC, the workhorse IIsi, and the wicked fast IIfx in 1990, what could Apple do for an encore?
The Radius Rocket was more than just another Macintosh accelerator* – it was essentially a 68040-based Mac on a NuBus card. With RocketShare, it is possible to put multiple Rockets in a NuBus Macintosh, each Rocket running its own copy of the Mac OS and handling its own set of tasks – or sharing a distributed […]
The PowerBook 170 was the only first generation PowerBook to sport an active matrix screen. With a 25 MHz 68030, it was 2/3 faster than the PowerBook 140. Between the faster CPU, faster screen, and addition of a floating point unit, the 170 was nearly twice as fast as the 140. It was replaced by […]
The PowerBook 140 had a physically larger passive-matrix screen than the PowerBook 100 (although it displayed the same 640 x 400 pixels), a more efficient CPU, and a 2-hour NiCad battery (the same one used on all PowerBook models from the 140 to the 180). It was replaced by the 25 MHz PowerBook 145 in […]
The PowerBook 100 was a big step forward from the Mac Portable. First and foremost, it was just one-third as heavy at 5.1 pounds. Secondly, it was several thousand dollars less expensive.
Introduced in October 1991, the Classic II (a.k.a. Performa 200) was both an upgraded Classic and a replacement for the venerable SE/30. Based on a modified LC motherboard, the Classic II shares a 16-bit data path and a RAM ceiling of 10 MB (the Classic II is slower than the SE/30, even though both use […]
October 1991 saw the introduction of Macs using Motorola’s high-octane 68040 CPU. The Quadra 900 was a full-fledged tower design, although it had only a single front accessible drive bay. The Quadra 700 and 900 were the first Macs with built-in ethernet, using Apple’s AAUIs connector.
October 1991 saw the introduction of the firest Macs using Motorola’s high-octane 68040 CPU. The Quadra 700, built in the same chassis as the Mac IIci, was built as a minitower, although with no front accessible hard drive bays. The Quadra 700 and 900 were the first Macs with built-in ethernet, using Apple’s AAUI connector.
Introduced in 1991, the LaserWriter IIf was a big step forward from the LaserWriter IINTX. It had a much more powerful CPU, a 20 MHz 68030 instead of a 16 MHz 68000, and its 2 MB of memory could be expanded as high as 32 MB. It was one of the first printers with Postscript […]
CPU-intensive applications really take off with the new Radius Rocket 68040 accelerator for NuBus machines.
Although the LaserWriter IIf was a big step forward from the LaserWriter IINTX., the IIg was also a big step forward from the IIf. It was the first LaserWriter with ethernet, and it included two technologies to improve output. FinePrint reduced jaggies on text while PhotoGrade supported over 65 levels of gray in printed output. […]
SCSI Accelerator 7.0 is a set of extensions that work with a Mac Plus running System 7 and allows improved SCSI throughput. As a former Mac Plus owner, I will attest to the fact that they really do work. It’s been a few years, but I believe I had my hard drive interleaved at 2:1 […]
The Personal LaserWriter LS was a low cost 4-page-per-minute QuickDraw printer similar to the Personal LaserWriter SC, but it connected to Apple’s serial port instead of usings SCSI and retailed for $700 less. It is not networkable and does not have Postscript. As a QuickDraw printer, it depends on the host computer to render the […]
Apple took the “underwhelming” Mac Portable, replaced the non-backlit 9.8″ 1-bit 640 x 400 pixel active matrix screen with a backlit display, increased base RAM to 2 MB or 4 MB, lowered the memory ceiling to 8 MB, and replaced expensive the SRAM (static RAM) chips with less-expensive pseudo-SRAM.
I found this one mentioned in the July 1991 MacUser magazine, although the Dynamac IIsf had been announced in January 1991. Where the original Dynamac (1987) was essentially a portable Mac Plus, and the short-lived Dynamac SE/30 (1988) was an Mac SE/30 with a 640 x 480 8-bit video card that also supported the 1152 […]
In March 1990, Apple extended its warranty from 90 days to a full year, finally bringing it to parity with the majority of the computer industry.
What was the smallest desktop Mac prior to the Mac mini? Apple’s LC series, which measures just under 3″ tall, although it has as big a footprint as four minis. The Mac LC, introduced in October 1990, was the first of the family.
Introduced as the first sub-$1,000 Macintosh in October 1990, the basic Classic came with 1 MB of RAM, a SuperDrive, and space to mount an internal SCSI hard drive. The hard drive version came with 2 MB of memory and a 40 MB hard drive. RAM expansion was via a 1 MB daughter card with two open slots, […]
The Macintosh Monochrome Display was Apple’s second 640 x 480 grayscale display for the Macintosh. It was introduced with the Mac IIsi and Mac LC in October 1990 and uses a 12″ grayscale CRT. The display was designed to perfectly match the width and curved front of the IIsi and LC.
The Macintosh 12″ RGB Display was Apple’s first lower-cost color display for the Macintosh. It was introduced with the Mac LC in October 1999 to make Apple’s first low-cost color Mac system more affordable
The IIsi shares some features with the SE/30, some with the LC series, and some with the Mac II series. Like the SE/30, it has a 68030 PDS (Processor Direct Slot) for expansion. Like the LC, it has no built-in NuBus slot, is quite short, and has a curved front. But with an adapter, the […]
The Personal LaserWriter SC was a lower speed, lower cost replacement for the LaserWriter IISC. Like the IISC, it connects to a single Mac using SCSI. It is not networkable and does not have Postscript. It is a QuickDraw printer that depends on the host computer to render the page before sending it to the […]
The Personal LaserWriter NT was a networkable 4-page-per-minute Postscript laser printer designed as a lower cost alternative to the LaserWriter IINT.
Six months after moving from 16 MHz to 25 MHz with the IIci, Apple introduced the “wicked fast” 40 MHz IIfx. This was the Mac of choice for graphic designers, offering nearly three times the performance of the IIx – thanks to a lightning fast CPU, a new type of RAM, and special SCSI DMA […]
The Macintosh Display Card 8•24 GC is an accelerated 12″ NuBus video card compatible with 68020– and 68030-based Macs. Acceleration is not available if the card is installed in a 68040-based Mac – in fact, the 8•24 GC control panel will bomb the computer.
The Macintosh Display Card 8•24 (sometimes called the Macintosh Display Card 670) is a 12″ NuBus video card compatible with most 680×0-based NuBus Macs, with the exception of the Centris and Quadra 660AV models. It was introduced in March 1990.
The Macintosh Display Card 4•8 is a 12″ NuBus video card compatible with most 680×0-based NuBus Macs, with the exception of the Centris/Quadra 660AV. It was introduced in March 1990.
In January 1989 – January has always been one of Apple’s favorite months for new product releases – Apple unveiled the best ever compact Mac with a 9″ b&w display, the Macintosh SE/30.
You might not believe the cover from the November 1989 MacUser. They considered the Mac Portable so sexy it was photographed with a swimsuit model for the front cover! (Or maybe so unsexy it needed this treatment.) When the Mac Portable was introduced, it had the same clock speed as the fastest prior Mac (it […]
Building on the success of the Mac IIcx, the IIci offers 56% more power in the same compact case. A new feature was integrated video. The big advantage: Users no longer needed to buy a separate video card. The big disadvantage: The built-in video uses system memory (this is sometimes called “vampire video”).
The Macintosh II High Resolution Video Card is a 12″ NuBus card compatible with 68K- and PowerPC-based Macs running up to Mac OS 8.1. It is not compatible with the Centris/Quadra 660AV.
SCSI Accelerator 2.1 is a set of INITs that work with a Mac Plus running a Mac OS earlier than System 7 and allows improved SCSI throughput. As a former Mac Plus owner, I will attest to the fact that SCSI Accelerator really does work. It’s been a few years, but I believe I had […]
Building on the success of the Mac IIx, the 1989 IIcx offered the same horsepower in a smaller case. This was made possible by eliminating 3 NuBus slots and using a smaller (90W) power supply.
The Macintosh Two-Page Monochrome Video Card is a 12″ NuBus card originally designed to work with the Macintosh Two-Page Monochrome Display. It was introduced at the same time as the Mac IIcx. It is compatible with 680×0- and PowerPC-based Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1. It may be compatible with higher versions of the Mac […]
