1997: The entire Mac world has been on a roller coaster ride for the last year. Good news: Power Computing, Motorola, Umax, Daystar, and others were making Mac OS computers. They were offering performance, features, and prices that made them a legitimate alternative to Apple’s own hardware. They seemed to be growing the Mac market […]
I have a horrid confession to make: I like Microsoft Word. Oh, and I balance my budget at home using Excel spreadsheets. And I use Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) for my web browsing.
The 6000-series was the first and only Mac clone built using a CHRP (Common Hardware Reference Platform) motherboard. It was the only Mac clone with a G3 on the motherboard. It was also the last StarMax model, as Motorola exited the Mac clone business at the end of 1997. The 6000 was announced on July […]
You’ve decided to keep your old Mac and increase its capabilities. It’s users like you that keep the add-on manufacturers in business. Modems and CD-ROMs are usually external and can easily move from one Mac to another, so I won’t be addressing them.
Since you’re here, I’ll assume you have a low-end Mac (any Mac or clone that doesn’t have a G3). There are many factors to consider in deciding whether you’re better off upgrading your current Mac or buying a newer computer.
1997 – I’ve been using Macs since 1986, when I designed a 54-page booklet on a friend’s newly upgraded Macintosh (upgraded to a Plus with 1 MB RAM!) with Aldus PageMaker 1.0 and a LaserWriter printer. I sold Macs from 1987 to 1991, seeing the introduction of the first expandable Macs (SE and II in 1987), the […]
1997: The bad news is that my phone line at home doesn’t support a digital connection. 🙁 The good news is that a 34 kbps connection is much, much faster than a 14.4 kbps one. 🙂
1997: Can You Plug All Types of People into One Type of Computer? That’s what Microsoft asks in its current print ads. Their answer: No.
1997: There’s been a whole lot written in the past week about Gil Amelio’s resignation. Most of it is a mixture of a few facts and a lot of speculation. From my perspective, these are the facts:
The S910 was Umax’s most powerful, most expandable computer, differing from the S900 primarily in its use of a socketed 1 MB level 2 cache and in not having 16 MB of RAM on the motherboard. The S910 reversed the order of PCI slots compared to the S900, which helped video pros get around some […]
This article was written by Michael Brandenburg after Rodney was disfellowshipped by the Macon, GA, Worldwide Church of God (WCG) congregation. It was originally published on the MarkTab Ministries website, which no longer exists.
The MaxxBoxx 860 is based on the Nitro motherboard (also used in the Power Mac 8600) and shipped with 180-225 MHz Power PC 604e CPUs. The MaxxBoxx cube-shaped cases have a whopping 10 drive bays. MaxxBoxx clones were only sold in Germany. WARNING: This model does not support Mac OS 7.6.0. The only upgrade from […]
This article was written when Rodney was disfellowshipped by the Macon, GA, Worldwide Church of God (WCG) congregation. It was originally published on the MarkTab Ministries website, which no longer exists. It is copyright by Rodney O. Lain. Links have been retained when possible, but many go to the Internet Wayback Machine.
The PowerBook 2400c was designed to replace the discontinued Duo series – particularly the 2300c – with something very small and light (just 4.4 lb./2.0 kg). Although the keyboard is slightly smaller than usual, those who have 2400s just love these small PowerBooks. And with its 8.5″ x 10.5″ dimensions, the 2400c had the smallest footprint […]
The PowerCenter Pro was available in desktop and tower configurations, with speed ranging from 180-240 MHz using the PPC 604e processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. These computers had a 60 MHz bus speed which made them faster than comparable machines at the time. Got a Power Computing machine? […]
The 5000-series was Motorola’s second generation Mac clone. Based on the Tanzania II motherboard with a 50 MHz bus, these tower computers provide excellent performance at a reasonable price. All models include an EDI hard drive, ATAPI CD-ROM player, and five-year warranty. The StarMax 5000 and 5500 use the same tower case as the StarMax […]
The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (or TAM) was a radical change from existing computers. The slim unit (just 2.5″ deep) uses the same kind of LCD screen usually found in laptops. Bose Acoustimass stereo speakers surround it, along with a large subwoofer in the base power unit, for really exceptional sound. 20th Anniversary Mac 20th […]
The PowerBook 3400c, running a PowerPC 603e processor at 180 to -240 MHz, was designed as a no compromise laptop and was billed as the world’s fastest notebook computer when it was introduced in early 1997. It was also the basis for the first PowerBook G3. The 3400c was the first PowerBook based on Intel’s […]
The Power Mac 9600 was the last Mac with six PCI expansion slots. It also has 12 memory sockets and no onboard video, so one PCI slot must be occupied by a video card. It shipped from the factory with an ixMicro TwinTurbo video card especially adapted for Apple. The 300 and 350 MHz versions […]
The Power Mac 6500 replaced the slower 6400 and uses the same tower configuration. It was available in 225 MHz to 300 MHz configurations. The logic board of the 6500 is based on the “Gazelle” architecture, which is shared by the 20th Anniversary Mac and Power Mac 5500, the latter being essentially the same computer with […]
The Power Mac 5500 was the second PCI-bus Power Mac with an integrated monitor; it replaced the slower 5400. It shipped in 225, 250, and 275 MHz versions. Xemplar distributed a 225 MHz educational version in the UK as the Power Macintosh One. A black 275 MHz “Director’s Edition” was available in Australia. The 5500 was […]
The Power Mac 7300 is pretty much the same computer as the 7600, except that it has a faster CPU and a special cover that makes it harder to dismantle the case (important in settings where users might steal memory, drives, etc.).
Although it uses the same cleverly designed case as the Power Mac 9600, the 8600 was a less costly, less expandable machine. It has 8 DIMM sockets for memory, four less than the 9600, and three PCI slots, down from six in the 9600. The 250 and 300 MHz versions sometimes had an extra powerful […]
After 12 years making Macs using the Motorola 680×0 family of processors (and one year with Lisa before that), Apple discontinued that last 680×0-based Mac in 1996, marking the end of the Vintage Mac era.
The Power Mac 4400 (7220 in Australia) was Apple’s attempt to build an inexpensive Mac using more industry standard components, such as a chunky PC-like case. It was also available in a PC Compatible system with a 166 MHz DOS card with a 133 MHz Cyrix PR166+ 6×86 CPU (80486 class) and 16 MB RAM. […]
The 6400 replaced the Performa 6360 and used a new tower configuration. It was available in 180 MHz and 200 MHz configurations. The neatest feature: a built-in subwoofer for very rich sound. The 6400 was replaced by the Power Mac 6500. The Performa/Power Mac 5400 is virtually identical to the 6400 – but with a […]
The PowerBook 1400, the first CD-ROM equipped notebook computer, was available in several different configurations over its lifespan, including two screen types (dual-scan and active matrix) and three processor speeds (117, 133, and 166 MHz). The 1400c has an active matrix display, while the 1400cs model uses the less expensive dual-scan passive matrix technology. (That […]
The Performa 6360 replaced the 6320‘s 120 MHz 603e with a 160 MHz 603e CPU. Fortunately, it also had an improved motherboard design that overcame the most egregious failings of the Road Apple x200 series. Although it looks like the earlier models in this series, it’s a whole different machine under the hood – complete […]
The 4000-series was Motorola’s professional-level Mac clone. Based on the Tanzania motherboard with a Power PC 604e CPU, these provide top performance at a reasonable price. All models include an EDI hard drive, an ATAPI CD-ROM player, and an unprecedented (at least in the Mac OS world) five-year warranty. Tanzania-based computers will not boot with […]
The 3000-series was Motorola’s entry-level Mac clone. Based on the Tanzania motherboard with a Power PC 603e CPU, they provided good performance at a lower price than the 604-based 4000-series. All models include an EDI hard drive, an ATAPI CD-ROM player, and an unprecedented (at least in the Mac OS world) five-year warranty. The most common […]
The Village Tronic MacPicasso 320 card is a 7″ NuBus card compatible with 680×0- and PowerPC-based Macs running Mac OS 7.5 up to Mac OS 9.0.4. The MacPicasso 320 and 340 may be the only NuBus video cards to include a VGA port.
The SuperMac C600 (Apus 3000 series in Europe and Asia) was Umax’s least expensive minitower. Introduced at 160 MHz in August 1996, Umax was selling 280 MHz models by mid-1997. The C600 was designed around a modified Tanzania motherboard with a daughter card for 3 PCI slots and 1 Comm-2 slot. The C600 was the first […]
The PowerBase was available in low profile and minitower configurations, with speed ranging from 180-240 MHz using the PPC 603e processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. Tanzania-based computers will not boot with a dead PRAM battery. Try replacing the battery before attempting to replace the power supply on a […]
The Genesis MP+ arrived in August 1996 in dual- and quad-processor versions based on the PowerPC 604e processor, an improved version of the 604 CPU found in the earlier Genesis MP. Note that many of these were introduced only two weeks before DayStar chose to discontinue producing Mac OS computers on 25 August 1997. DayStar sold […]
The SuperMac C500 (known as the Apus 2000 series in Europe and Asia) was Umax’s entry level computer, perhaps the model that best met their corporate goal of making quality Mac OS computers at prices that could give PCs a run for their money. It may have been the least expensive Mac OS computer of its […]