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Run 500 hard-to-find Apple II programs in your web browser
Sure, it's easy to find ways to run classic Apple II programs like The Oregon Trail or Prince of Persia. But what about that obscure educational title you remember using as a kid? Is it doomed to be forgotten? You might not have to worry. The Internet Archive has announced that its web-based emulation catalog now includes over 500 relatively tough-to-find Apple II programs that might otherwise have disappeared forever. If you remember using the likes of The Quarter Mile or The Observatory, you can fire it up without having to dig your old computer out of storage.
Old Atari games had graphics glitches because of CPU bottlenecks
Now that we know how the graphics worked on the Nintendo Entertainment System and Commodore 64, The iBookGuy wants to tell us all about how the Apple II and Atari 2600 got their groove on. In the latest video he says that the Apple II actually used two different techniques for producing visuals depending on whether you had a monochrome or color monitor unit. And the reason white text on a black background appears almost rainbow-like in nature on color machines has to do with pixel placement. For example, blue and green being next to each other on screen requires perfect alignment lest you want white mages to have spots of the former bleeding into them.
Karateka Classic punches its way to Android and iOS on May 16th
While Jordan Mechner's Karateka burst back onto the scene through its 2012 remake, that wasn't good enough for purists who really just wanted a port of the 1984 original. Consider their wish granted, as Karateka Classic is coming to both Android and iOS on May 16th. The release goes the extra distance to recreate much of the Apple II-based fighting experience, warts and all -- would-be warriors can even choose a monochrome screen palette or hear a floppy drive churning away. About the only concessions to modernity are touch control, playing tips and a Sands of Time-style rewind feature. At 99 cents, Karateka Classic is undoubtedly a cheap nostalgia trip... even if it does trigger that fear of birds we thought we'd cured ages ago.
Lego Apple II is gorgeous
Lego: nothing is quite as appealing to grown-up nerds. This love affair is magnified when the brick-based creation is a piece of Apple history. This awesome mix of bricks and computer memorabilia is showcased in this replica of an Apple II by Chiu-Kueng Tsang. When assembled, this Lego creation looks just like the Apple II shown above. It has a replica keyboard, two floppy drives and a greyscale monitor. Inside the computer portion are daughter cards and other internal bits. You also gotta love those little Apple logos on the monitor and the drives. You can check out some photos of the Lego Apple II in Chiu-Kueng's Flickr gallery. Image copyrighted and used with permission. [Via Make and Gizmodo]
YouTube playlist: Apple II games
Hey, it's Friday! Besides Tim Cook going on a media tour recently there's not much going on, so let's reminisce. I grew up with an Apple II and this video playlist of old games for the venerable platform had me watching in awe as someone with more skill than I deftly played through games like Aztec and Castle Wolfenstein. To this day those creepy, scratchy Nazi guard voices haunt me. To cleanse your palate, try some lemonade. And below is a video of the Computer Chronicles talking about the "upcoming" Apple IIc and IIgs. Good times, great oldies.
Apple II torn down, restored to glory
Todd Harrison got his hands on an old Apple II and meticulously restored the computer to working condition. He details the process in a lengthy blog post that covers everything from cleaning the external case to inspecting the layout of the logic board. It's more than just a simple tear-down, Harrison's description is filled with historical information about both the components and programming language that make up the Apple II. There's also gorgeous high-res photos of the disassembly process, so you can marvel at the intricate design of one of Apple's early model desktop computers. You can check out the narrative of the restoration on Harrison's website and watch a video walk through on his YouTube channel. [Via Make]
Apple II Plus gets torn asunder and restored in this modern teardown (video)
Breathe in that vintage electronics musk, because it's not going to last -- at least for Todd Harrison, a computer hobbyist based in Mesa, Arizona. You see, for Todd, much of his appreciation for old equipment comes from tearing the units apart and restoring 'em to a like-new condition. Fortunately for us, he's taking everyone along for the ride in this teardown and cleanup of the Apple II Plus. Those with an appreciation for all things vintage will certainly want to put some time aside for his two video tours -- which rack up to nearly a full hour of computing marvel. In the process, Todd shares a few tips and product recommendations for those looking to strip 30 years worth of grime from the casing, and he also reveals himself to be a bit of a hardware nerd: you'll find a detailed look at the Apple logic board, an explanation of the memory banks and see how the Apple II Plus can be expanded to 64K of RAM with the use of a language card. Peeks at the 6502 CPU from MOS Technology and the Applesoft BASIC ROM from Microsoft are also on deck, in addition to a bit of a surprise that Todd found lurking within the Apple Monitor III. With that said, cancel your evening plans and hop the break for the complete tour.
The Apple II, as described by Steve Wozniak
Ask the average geek to describe the Apple II and you'll probably hear something about its legacy or software. Ask Steve Wozniak circa 1977, on the other hand, and he'll write you a technical tome -- or at least he did for Byte magazine. Way back when the classic computer was fresh, a young Woz penned an extremely detailed "system description" for the rig, pouring over specifics on the II's graphical capabilities, memory, peripherals, programming language and more. Perhaps in (slightly late) honor of the machine's 35th anniversary, Information Week has seen fit to reprint the extensive examination for your reading pleasure -- assuming you're up to wading through the technical nitty gritty. No? Well, Woz does have a few nuggets of wisdom for the layman. "To me," he says, "a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive." No arguments here, Steve. Read the man's words for yourself at the source link below.
Prince of Persia source code freed from floppies, posted online
You wouldn't think it would take more than two weeks to extract some source code from a pile of 3.5-inch floppies and post it online, but getting files from 1989 to play nice with a MacBook Air is no simple feat. That's why we're so appreciative of Jordan Mechner, who put the time and effort into freeing his creation, Prince of Persia, from its magnetic prison. If you want to try and build the platforming classic for your own system, hit up the source link. Or, just wait for someone else to do it for you -- we're sure it wont take long for some friendly binary formats to hit the web.
Original source code for Prince of Persia posted to Github
Before Ubisoft, there was Jordan Mechner, a Yale University graduate and video game designer. He may not be a household name among younger Apple fans, but vintage Apple aficionados fondly remember his first title, Prince of Persia. The story about this game took an interesting twist recently when the source code for the title, presumed to be lost, was found by Mechner's father. The classic game was published by Brøderbund for the Apple II back in 1989 and became an instant hit. Variations of the game eventually made its way to almost every video game platform thanks to Ubisoft which joined forces with Mechner in the early 2000s. During this transitional time from indie title to video game stardom, Mechner stored the original Prince of Persia disks and forget where he put them. According to Mechner's blog post, his father was spring cleaning and found a box of odds and ends that he sent to his son. Mechner was shocked to discover the original 3.5″ Apple ProDOS disks containing the Prince of Persia source code in that box. With the help of digital archivist Jason Scott, Mechner was able to retrieve the code and view it on his Macbook. He has now shared it on Github for the world to see.
Apple II turns 35, doesn't bother with midlife crisis
It was 35 years ago today that two Steves and a handful of employees introduced the world to a game-changer: the Apple II. Easily recognizable today as one of history's first truly accessible personal computers, it's a bit odd to think that the iconic rig was almost overlooked at its debut at the 1977 West Coast Computer Faire. Even so, the beige box weaseled its way into our homes and schools. $1300 bought the most basic model of the machine that taught a generation of children the dangers of fording a river, rocking a paltry 4KB of RAM and a 1MHz processor. Despite its age, the old Apple II is doing its best to keep up with the times -- making music, going to concerts and even trying out those hip Bluetooth protocols its grand kids are always talking about. Feeling nostalgic? Check out Time's in-depth tribute to the Apple II's history, influence and legacy at the source link below.
Happy 35th birthday, Apple II
Harry McCracken has a nice write up on the debut, evolution and legacy of the Apple II (or, ][ as I like to call it). The Apple II was unveiled 35 years ago, and it ushered in the home computing revolution. I am a product of that revolution, as my dad bought an Apple ][ in 1978 and it sits by my desk now, shown in the picture above. There were no computer stores back then so he bought one in the back of a bike shop, where a little hobbyist section had Altairs and other user-unfriendly computers. From then my own path was set, as I wouldn't own a "PC" running anything other than an Apple OS until the 90s. For millions of other Apple customers, the same thing would be true. The Apple II proved to be a great computer for schools, small businesses and homes. Here's to the machine that started it all! Share your memories of the Apple II in the comments.
Prince of Persia creator finds lost source code, cues delicate chip fanfare
No, we don't mean the modern interpretation and its moody sequels -- this is the 1989 original. Jordan Mechner created the first Prince of Persia game for the Apple II. However, the source code ended up lost in the sands of time -- until Mechner's dad discovered a box filled with 3.5-inch ProDOS disks. The creator's now attempting to transfer the code across to his MacBook Air and get it working on modern platforms. We just have to remember how to beat our evil reflection.
Bell & Howell Apple II Plus appears on eBay, like a foundling carved out of onyx
You wouldn't know it by the never ending barrage of black PowerBook's throughout the '90s, or even the onyx MacBooks in the mid-00s, but dark-clad casings from Apple were pretty much non-existent until Cupertino got serious about laptops, excluding of course the ill-fated Macintosh TV. Exempt from the prevailing 'Snow White' design ethos however, were clones machines sold by other companies, like the Bell & Howell's variant of the Apple ][ Plus above. Per Wikipedia, the machine in question was only available through educational channels, notable for its A/V outputs (which you can espy after the break) especially for that purpose. Typical eBay caveats apply, with the buyer selling the machine "as is" -- read sans power supply -- but we can't imagine it'll be long before an Apple collector swoops in and steals the pooch. More pics and your chance to bid on a piece of history await at the source below.
Early Apple employee Jerry Manock remembers Steve Jobs
When you think of notable, early Apple employees, you think of the big names like Steve Wozniak, Andy Hertzfeld, and John Sculley. Beyond these key names are a multitude of lesser-known people who played a crucial role in the early years of the company. One such employee is Jerry Manock, who worked on the Apple II, the Disk II, the III, and Lisa before joining the original Macintosh design team. Manock worked closely with Steve Jobs during his tenure at Apple which stretched from 1977 to 1984. He worked with Steve Wozniak on the Apple II. While Wozniak developed the logic board and internal hardware, Manock was responsible for much of the design of the Apple II. Manock's also know for his choice of Pantone 453, the light beige color that characterized Apple's early computers. Manock now lives in Burlington, Vermont with his wife and family. He has his own design firm and teaches product design courses at the University of Vermont. He recently talked about these early years with Seven Days,a local arts-oriented newspaper that's available in Vermont and online. Manock only had kind things to say about Steve Jobs in his interview. He fondly recalled a time that Jobs recognized Manock for his early contributions to Apple during an annual meeting. Manock attended the meeting unannounced and Jobs spotted him in the audience. He also has some strong criticism of today's design methods that use computers and not hands-on time with the actual materials. You can read the rest of the interview at Seven Days's website.
Stanford archives provide rare glimpse into Apple's early days as mere seedling (video)
Housed in a climate controlled storage facility operated by Stanford University, nearly 600 feet of shelf space is dedicated to preserve documents, videos and memorabilia of Apple and its early days as a young startup. The collection holds rare gems such as interviews with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, both of whom discuss some of the rationale behind Apple's name -- Jobs asserts that it was selected to place his company ahead of Atari in the phone book. Originally intended to furnish Apple's corporate museum, the materials were donated to Stanford in 1997 after Steve Jobs' return to the company, which was most concerned with financial survival at the time. According to the university, more than 20 significant collections have been added to the archives in the subsequent years. The warehouse holds blueprints of the Apple I, user manuals, magazine ads, TV commercials and T-shirts, along with thousands of photographs that document Steve Jobs during his years as CEO of NeXT. Other rarities include a $5,000 loan document -- signed by the two Steve's and the partnership's third co-founder, Ron Wayne -- a spoof of Ghostbusters that starred former CEO John Sculley and other company leaders, who played "Blue Busters" to eliminate IBM, and handwritten sales entries of the very first Apple II's. While the location of the facility is undisclosed, we can only hope that, some day, the collection will be showcased for fanboys, fangirls and the public alike.
Apple co-founder Ron Wayne's stash of early documents (eyes-on)
About a week ago, we traveled to the desert to spend two days with Ron Wayne. The 77-year-old Pahrump, Nevada resident has had a number of careers in his long life, working for Atari, a few slot machine companies, developing devices for use on the ocean floor and running a collectables shop in Northern California. In his semi-retired state, Wayne sells stamps and coins to supplement his checks from the government. He's no doubt best known, however, for his role in the founding of the Apple Computer company, alongside Steves Jobs and Wozniak, a role at which he spent a little more than a week. During our time in Pahrump, Wayne was kind enough to let us comb over a number of papers from his days with the nascent computer company. The documents, stashed in a USPS mailer kept by the door of his office, were a veritable treasure trove of information, including pages of pages of plans and pencils drawings of an Apple I enclosure Jobs asked Wayne to build -- his creation was ultimately rejected by Apple and lost to history as the company gained steam. Also stored in the envelope were a facsimile of the contract signed by Wayne, Woz and Jobs, which recently sold on auction for more than $1 million -- in fact, it was Wayne's original copy that hit the auction block. He had parted ways with it for far, far less some time ago. Wayne's Statement of Withdrawal is in the pile as well -- the document effectively ended his term with the company, filed for a $5 fee. Also inside are an Apple I operation manual, with the company's original logo, designed by Wayne himself and an Apple II order form. Check out all of the above in the gallery below.%Gallery-141277%
iStation iPad dock is retro-Apple cool
You were probably born too late to have purchased one of the first computers out of Apple -- the original Apple I. This machine came as a set of completed circuit boards that you had to build your own case for. Many early owners of the US$666.66 computer used wood for the case, since it was cheap and easy to work with. If you like that wooden retro chic, you're in luck -- M.I.C. Gadget has created the iStation dock ($85.90) just for you. The iStation is actually an iPad dock with speakers and a Bluetooth keyboard, and when you prop up an iPad on top of it and take out your contact lenses, it actually looks kinda sorta like an Apple I. For those who like the more modern look of the Apple II, M.I.C. Gadget has also produced a white plastic version. That version actually needs to be Apple II beige to be correct, but who's grading them on accuracy (other than me)? M.I.C. Gadget has a full page of beautiful photographs of the iStation to get you to reach for your wallet, or you can stay here and watch the video showing just how to set up the dock to work with your iPad.
Crapgadget: iStation woos Apple romantics with the glory of the late '70s, fails
Some people buy tablets for their portability and convenience. Others get sucked into the pitfalls of gadget lust, snatching up the latest tech. But for the dedicated fanboy, there's a whole world of unnecessary kitsch just waiting to relieve'em of those hard-earned greenbacks. Enter M.I.C.'s iStation: an iOS dock in sorta, kinda Apple I / II clothing (their claim, not ours) that's ready and willing to cash in on your tech industry nostalgia. Alright, so this $85 setup won't exactly ape those Jobs / Woz lovechildren of the late '70s, but it does pack stereo speakers, a subwoofer, Bluetooth keyboard, USB port, microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack into its wood-paneling. Feeling spendthrifty? Good, then you can fork over the dough at the source below. Or, if you still need convincing, peep the video after the break and soak up the heavenly choral music.
Apple II owners assemble for concert
Apple II owners and enthusiasts in the greater Los Angeles area must clear their calendar this Saturday night. The folks from the Machine Project are trying to organize an evening concert featuring the iconic Apple II. Starting at 8 PM PT on June 25, a 16-step sequencer developed by Jason Torchinsky will be used to elicit beautiful music from a group of Apple II machines. The original Apple II did not have a built-in sound synthesis chip and sent a precision click to the speaker to generate sound. The result is a very mechanical tone that many find annoying. As you can imagine, the music should be... interesting. [Via Make Magazine]
