| e Mac 128K, Apple gave consumers and business | | | | computer system interface (SCSI) port. This gave |
| people the chance to own a low cost personal | | | | users the opportunity to attach a wide range of |
| computer. By today’s standards, the specs | | | | printers, monitors, CD-ROM drives and hard drives. |
| were not impressive: | | | | Despite the popularity of the Mac Plus, Apple continued |
| Motorola 8MHz 68000 processor | | | | its push for innovation and released two further Mac |
| 128KB of RAM | | | | models in March 1987 — the Mac SE and the |
| 64KB of ROM | | | | Mac II. The main features of the Mac SE werean |
| 2 serial ports | | | | internal hard disc of either 20MB or 40MBan expansion |
| 3.5 inch floppy drive | | | | slotthe Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) for attaching low |
| 9 inch black and white monitor | | | | speed peripheralsan improved SCSIan internal fan |
| Nonetheless, the Mac had advantages over its | | | | With the Mac II, Apple used a new design principle: a |
| competitors. The processor was relatively fast, and | | | | horizontal desktop case and a separate monitor. The |
| the 64KB ROM had built-in applications that freed up | | | | processor was a 16MHz Motorola 68020, and the |
| the 128KB of RAM for other software. In addition, the | | | | RAM was 1MB with the potential to expand to 20MB. |
| 3.5 inch floppy discs stored 25% more data than | | | | Above all, the Mac II ran the 2D graphics application, |
| IBM’s 5.25 inch equivalents. | | | | QuickDraw, making the computer highly desirable for |
| The most significant aspect of the Mac, however, was | | | | media professionals. |
| the graphical user interface (GUI). This gave users | | | | The Mac II was an expensive piece of hardware, but |
| screen icons they could open with a mouse. Until this | | | | Apple redressed the balance in October 1990 with the |
| point, most computers had text-based boxes in which | | | | Mac Classic. This was a personal home computer for |
| users typed commands in order to navigate and | | | | a reasonable price, modelled on the style of the Mac |
| manage software. | | | | 128K. The display was still 9 inches and monochrome, |
| Another GUI feature the Mac introduced was a menu | | | | but there was a 40MB hard drive storage option and |
| bar. This had terms now taken for granted such as | | | | 1MB of standard RAM (expandable to 4MB). Thanks |
| File, Search, and Format, together with pull-down | | | | to its low cost, versatility and reliability, the Mac Classic |
| menus. The future of computing had arrived. | | | | was popular in both homes and schools. |
| Before the Mac | | | | For those who wanted colour, consumers had an |
| The Mac 128K was not Apple’s first computer. | | | | alternative choice in the form of the Mac LC. Apple |
| This distinction went to the Apple I, a personal | | | | introduced updated LC models on a regular basis until |
| hand-built computer kit that was actually a | | | | 1997, although the name changed to Mac Performa |
| motherboard. The kit came without a keyboard, casing | | | | from 1992 for the home rather than student models. |
| or a monitor. | | | | Processors |
| The Apple I appeared in July 1976. In April the following | | | | In 1994, Apple stopped using Motorola processors. |
| year, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the founders of | | | | Instead, the company opted for chips built by AIM, a |
| Apple, introduced Apple II. Although originally supplied | | | | partnership arrangement between Apple, IBM and |
| with cassette tape storage, later models had 5.25 inch | | | | Motorola. These processors were successful for 12 |
| floppy disc drives. These drives worked well with the | | | | years, after which Apple switched again, this time to |
| colour graphics and high build quality to make the Apple | | | | Intel. As a result, Mac owners can now run Windows |
| II ideal for business programmes such as the VisiCalc | | | | XP and Vista on their machines (with the help of |
| spreadsheet. | | | | Apple’s Boot Camp software). |
| Keen to maintain a good relationship with business, | | | | Professional computing |
| Apple went on to release the Apple III in May 1980. | | | | In 1991, the Mac Quadra computer range replaced the |
| The company was now a major force alongside | | | | Mac II and gave professional users the best in available |
| Microsoft and IBM in the field of office computers. | | | | power, speed and image capability. Three years later, |
| Mac’s arrival | | | | to match the arrival of the new AIM processors, Apple |
| Apple’s computers were proving successful | | | | began the Power Mac range of high end workstations. |
| with business people, but the home computing market | | | | Power Macs were so popular, they sold more than a |
| had yet to develop. In 1978, Apple began to address | | | | million in under a year and lasted until 2006 when the |
| this by starting work on a machine designed | | | | Mac Pro took over. |
| specifically for personal use. | | | | Portability |
| This was the time Apple began to see the possibilities | | | | Apple was never content to simply develop |
| of GUI. Steve Jobs in particular felt this was an area | | | | home-based and business computers. The company |
| where the company should concentrate its efforts. | | | | always had an eye on producing a machine that was |
| GUI seemed perfect for the home market because it | | | | not just easy to use but light to carry. This vision led to |
| offered users an attractive and simple working | | | | the release of Apple’s MacBook Air in January |
| principle. | | | | 2008, but long before this, Apple produced the Mac |
| The first result of Apple’s efforts was the Lisa, | | | | Portable. |
| released in 1983. Unfortunately, the Lisa was too | | | | 1989’s Mac Portable is a long way from the |
| expensive for the home user market, but it pointed the | | | | MacBook Air. Nonetheless, it was a serious attempt to |
| way forward. The next development was, in fact, | | | | produce a battery-powered computer with the power |
| quick to come with the arrival of the Mac 128K. | | | | of a desktop. Battery life was a remarkable 12 hours |
| Sales of this first Mac were encouraging. They | | | | and there were many original features. Critical |
| improved with the availability of peripherals such as an | | | | reception was excellent, but sales failed to match this |
| external floppy drive, but what really caught | | | | favourable response. |
| everyone’s attention were Apple’s | | | | Despite this, Apple was undeterred and introduced its |
| LaserWriter and PageMaker. The LaserWriter was a | | | | new laptop range, the PowerBooks, in 1991. |
| laser printer first introduced in January 1985; | | | | PowerBooks set the standard for all other laptops, and |
| PageMaker was a desktop publishing programme | | | | over a period of 15 years won numerous awards for |
| initially created by Aldus Corporation for Apple. The | | | | design and pioneering features. |
| combination of Mac, LaserWriter and PageMaker soon | | | | 1998 — present |
| became the heart of the mid-1980s desktop publishing | | | | Having shown what it was possible to achieve with |
| boom. | | | | laptops, Apple further grabbed the attention of the |
| Development | | | | computer world with its 1998 desk-based computers. |
| Meanwhile, Apple continued developing the Mac. In | | | | These were the iMac G3s with their Bondi Blue |
| September 1984, it launched the Mac 512K with four | | | | partly transparent casing. Interest was overwhelming, |
| times more RAM than the original model. The new | | | | and Apple struggled to meet the demand. |
| Mac shared many other specs with its predecessor, | | | | Since then, Apple has maintained its policy of |
| but newly-released software such as MacDraw, | | | | continuous improvement. It has regularly introduced |
| MacProject and Microsoft Excel for Mac extended its | | | | new computer models to suit students, home users, |
| capabilities. | | | | business people and multimedia professionals. As well |
| Apple also introduced its 20MB HD20 hard drive, and in | | | | as the iMac, the Mac Pro and the MacBook Air, there |
| January 1986 brought out its Mac Plus, a computer that | | | | are the MacBook, the MacBook Pro and the Mac Mini. |
| held its own in the market for almost five years. The | | | | All of these are the result of years of experience. |
| Mac Plus was notable for its 1MB RAM that users | | | | They are also the product of a commitment to create |
| could expand to 4MB. It also featured a small | | | | the ideal computers for every possible need. |