The Macintosh, which was introduced by Apple in January 1984, was the first commercially successful computer to feature a mouse and a GUI instead of a command-line interface. The success of the computer is what led Apple to offer a portable, battery-powered version of the Macintosh in 1989 which it continued to make available until 1991. The Macintosh Portable operated at a blazing 16 MHz thanks to a 68000 Motorola processor.
Many Mac enthusiasts would argue that the Macintosh Portable was the predecessor to the laptops we enjoy today such as the MacBook. Being that the computer has a special place in computer history, the only thing more coveted than getting your hands on a production version of the Macintosh Portable would be to actually own its prototype. In a development that is sure to make Mac enthusiasts’ heads explode, such a prototype is being offered on eBay.
The seller of the prototype states that it is in “mint, flawless, clean” condition, but there is one key thing to note. The computer won’t turn on. That’s because the lead acid battery which came with the computer no longer holds a charge and the computer requires some charge in the battery to turn on.
The computer is labeled “demonstration unit only” and “not for sale” and is accompanied by a signed form which shows that the prototype was checked out of Apple Computer in August of 1990. The prototype also comes with the original, soft-shell case, a system update floppy, and its original power adapter. At the time of writing this article no one had yet bid on the Macintosh Portable prototype, but if you’d like to be the first one the starting bid is $1,750. The auction is scheduled to close on December 31st at 12:28 PST.
0 comments:
Post a Comment