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The Apple years while Steve Jobs was away
As one of the founders of Apple Computer Inc., Steve Jobs became synonymous with the brand. But his relationship with the company wasn't always so hallowed and harmonious. After internal disputes with Apple's board of directors in 1985, Jobs left the company to pursue other projects, including NeXT Inc. and Pixar. Although he'd piloted the Apple brand from the start, the company carried on without him until his return in 1997 during which time he rebooted the company and turned out "world-changing" products. Join us in the gallery below as we look at some of the hardware that Apple made while Jobs was away.
Remembering the TAM
Our friend Hadley Stern at Apple Matters reminds us that that on this day in 1997 the Twentieth Anniversary Mac (or TAM) was offered for sale to a mystified public. Originally slated to sell for about U.S. $9,000 it was reduced at introduction to U.S. $7499.00. It was delivered and set up by a concierge, and at the time it was pretty radical, at least in looks. It was a thin, upright design, with an 800x600 LCD screen, a TV Tuner, and a Bose Audio system with a sub-woofer and power supply that sat under your desk.Only 12,000 were made, but many remained unsold. The price soon dropped to $3500.00 and in March of 1998 it was closed out at $1999.00. That outraged original owners, and Apple responded by giving them a new Apple laptop.I was able to grab one of the TAMs at $1600.00 and at that price I thought at least it would make a nice music system and second computer. Unfortunately, the system developed a nasty audio buzz. I wasn't alone, and many of the units had to be returned for a fix.Performance specs weren't too great. It was limited to 128 MB of RAM. Most of the internals were similar to the components of the then current PowerMac 5500 and 6500, although the TAM had a custom motherboard. I added a processor upgrade sold by Newer Technology, which kicked the speed from 250 to 400 MHz. That helped, but the upgrade required a new back for the TAM that didn't enhance the slim profile. Of course the TAM was a statement computer, not a howling fast desktop. Here is a link to the specs. Although Steve Jobs was said to have hated the TAM (he was in exile from Apple at the time) you can see some of the early evolution of the iMac in the design.There are still quite a few of the TAMs out in the world, and there are some web sites dedicated to keeping the flame alive. You can't run OS X on them, so you had to max out at OS 8 or 9.Jerry Seinfeld had one, and it could be seen on the set of his TV show in the final season. I parted with mine long ago, but it was always a good conversation piece when people dropped by, and the 90's ultra-modern design doesn't look out of place at all today.Thanks to Apple Matters for reminding us about the TAM.
Found footage: 20th Anniversary Mac intro video
Earlier this week, we pointed out an unboxing video of a pristine 20th Anniversary Mac. Of course, they're underpowered by today's standards, but many Apple collectors love them. To find one still sealed in its original factory box is a rare indeed.During the video, we got a look at the obnoxious introductory QuickTime that shipped with these things, which begins, "There are some things in life which capture one's soul." Capture my soul? You mean the TAM is a ghost trap? Check out the fancy CG graphics, self-important narration and the glinting TAM itself. Many thanks to propstoyou22 for sending us the video.
20th Anniversary Mac unboxing video kind of makes us wish product had never existed
There aren't many ways to hop in the time machine and enjoy old-school hardware the way it was meant to be enjoyed, and that's what makes virgin unboxings of vintage equipment so very special. If even for just a few moments, it's an opportunity to pretend that you're in a bygone era where computers, portables, and miscellaneous gizmos held a mystique that has long since been replaced by the monotony of modern ubiquity. We want to emphasize that "just for a few moments" part, a phrase clearly lost on the proud recipient of a new-in-box 20th Anniversary Macintosh -- an aberration in the Apple family tree that cost a staggering $7,500 back in 1997, so we imagine there weren't many tycoons sitting around with enough cash, tech savvy, and collector mentality to buy one and leave it sitting untouched in its cardboard for ten-plus years. Despite the rarity and coolness of this gentleman's find, we found ourselves screaming "just get to the [obscene] unboxing already," "Batman & Robin is the movie you're trying to think of, now can we please continue for the love of all that's good and holy," and "are you ever going to turn it on, or should I just go ahead and gouge my eyes out now?" by the time the 23-minute marathon had reached its anticlimactic conclusion. Word to the wise: if you're going to take your life into your hands and click through to the movie, do yourself a favor and fast-forward liberally. Meanwhile, we're cool going another 20 years without seeing one of these things.
Found Footage: Unboxing a Twentieth Anniversary Mac
It's not every day that you can buy a brand new computer that's over 10 years old, but Alfred DiBlasi managed it: an eBay find of an original Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh, fresh in the box. In the 22-minute unboxing video (more than ample even by our standards) Al and his buddies remove the artifact from another era from its packaging and boot it for the first time. Zoom ahead to the 20:00 mark to watch the delightfully pretentious "Design Is Art" QuickTime intro movie (worth YouTubing on its own, if possible) and enjoy the Michael Hedges-esqe (possibly actually Michael Hedges) soundtrack. While the TAM may have been a poor bargain when it was introduced in 1997 (2 GB hard drive and 32 MB of RAM in a machine costing $7,500?) it still wears a striking titanium gray silhouette, and we know that sleek, forward-looking design can command a premium price today. I hope Al gets all the enjoyment out of it that a decade-old computer can possibly provide. Thanks Eric & Blake!
Libelula rocket-powered helicopter backpack redefines danger
Sure, you can get yourself a personal helicopter or, if you're particularly daring, a jet pack, but what about those that crave yet more danger in short 30-second bursts? As in, rocket-propelled helicopter blades a few inches from your head-type danger. Thankfully, the folks at Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana (makes of some of the aforementioned jet packs) have come to the rescue (so to speak), with their latest high-flying concept, the Libelula rocket-powered helicopter backpack. Apparently, the rockets on the tips of the blades are necessary to keep the whole rig counter-balanced, a job that would normally be done with a tail rotor on an ordinary helicopter. Of course, as you can no doubt surmise by the detailed illustration above, this one's still a ways away from getting its first test flight, but the folks at TAM do have a proven track record, so we wouldn't put it completely past 'em to get it off the drawing board sooner or later.[Via Tech Digest]
Apple fanboy crafts Mac heaven in ultra-mod home
It's one thing to sacrifice your freedom to snatch 39 iPods from a retail shelf in an act of desperation fanboyism, but to devote a substantial chunk of square footage in one's ultra-modern home to Apple is an entirely different type of determination. Sure, we've seen various forms of collections before, but this edition features no fewer than 74 Mac computers, posters galore, and a dedicated bar to boot. In total, Jeremy Mehrle of St. Louis, Missouri has 30 classic Macs situated at the bar, 18 different CRT-based iMacs, various PowerMacs, a plethora of iPod paraphernalia, Mac OS boxes spanning years of development, Apple printers, Newtons, a PowerBook 165c, a Next Cube, four Apple IIs, and to top it off, a 20th Anniversary Mac as well -- and that's still leaving quite a few out. Although we can't fathom how much time, loot, and resources it took to essentially construct an Apple museum with a modernized style similar to Apple retail locations today, we can't help but give credit where its due, so here's your props Mr. Mehrle, now make sure your security system is in working order, okay? Click on through for a few more snapshots, and be sure to tag the read link for all the Mac mania you can handle.[Via ChipChick]
Rig of the Day: TAM
Oh, how I want one of these. The TAM was created in 1997 to celebrate Apple's 20th anniversary, and today it stands as a desirable collectible for Mac addicts and tech geeks in general. They aren't the most powerful machines in the world (a 250 MHz 603e processor just screams inside that grey shell), but it sure would look cool in the living room."TAM" posted by soyburger.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.
Remembering Apple's 20th Anniversary Mac
Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of Apple's existence. Since I haven't seen a whole lot of rumors or speculation as to what awe-inspiring products Apple might launch (if any) in celebration, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on TAM, Apple's Twentieth Anniversary Mac, of which only 12,000 were made. As a nice tech-related reality check: these 250 MHz powerhouses were introduced in 1997 for a whopping $7,499.I'm not trying to waste my time on a prediction or stir up commotion. I simply thought it would be neat to reflect on how Apple celebrated their last decade's anniversary. Check out more details, specs and reminiscience of the TAM over at LowEndMac.
Rig of the Day: The collector
Now, I collect Macs and other Apple goodies, but Flickr user mactarkus has got me beat. Check out the iMacs (is that a flower power in the foreground?), All in One, compact Macs, Mac TV...even a Twentieth Anniversary Mac, which, for me, is the Holy Grail. Two great posters wrap up the collection."Macintosh Fever" posted by "mactarkus"If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
