The Invisible Newton
From Pen Computing Magazine #10, June 1996, "Newton Notes" column we bring you this article subtitled, "How great designs become appliances" by David MacNeill.
From the Introduction:
"For reasons that no one would want to read about in a computer magazine, I have moved many times in the past three years. As a result, I have had the opportunity to hear comments from a wide variety of people concerning my one constant companion during this time: a Newton MessagePad."

The Invisible Newton: How Great Designs Become Appliances

Macintosh System 7.5 Reviewed
Set the wayback machine. This Charles Stross review, which originally appeared in Computer Shopper begins:
"The new Apple Macintosh system: is it more of the same? Or is it really a cunningly-disguised revolution?
System 7.5 is Apple's latest operating system release. Intended to run on power Macintosh hardware (as well as older 68000-based Macintoshii), it rolls a whole bundle of technologies into Apple's core operating system. Some of what it offers is rehashed from last years' System 7 Pro release, targeted at high-end users; but a lot of it is completely new."

Macintosh System 7.5 Reviewed

Apple Gets an A
"Its Newton-based eMate for schools is both kid-friendly and kid-proof". So begins a 1997 review at BuisinessWeek.com of the quirky and somewhat whimsical eMate 300 "Mini-Laptop", as it was called by some.

Apple Gets an A

Apple Macintosh PowerExpress
The DigiBarn Computer Museum displays this rare Apple prototype. Tons of pictures document this only surviving example.
"The following system (a prototype) was given to us by an anonymous former Apple manager who was a manager of the attempt by Apple of creating a system powerful enough to compete with Avid, which then dominated the nonlinear video editing market. The following was one of fifty systems built by Apple for internal development. According to the manager this is the only one that survived, the other 49 having gone into the crusher."

DigiBarn Systems: Apple Macintosh PowerExpress

MessagePad 130: The Entry-Level Handheld Computer
To compliment the addition of a 1996 Newton MessagePad 130 Ad to The Mothership Advertising and Brochure Gallery we present this page at Oldschool.net detailing the Newton 130.

MessagePad 130: The Entry-Level Handheld Computer

Mighty Mouse
An interesting and in-depth 2002 article from the Stanford Magazine, written by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang detailing the evolution of the Apple mouse.
"In 1980, Apple Computer asked a group of guys fresh from Stanford's product design program to take a $400 device and make it mass-producible, reliable and cheap.
Their work transformed personal computing."

Mighty Mouse

Jobs I’ve Known
An excerpt on Mike Evangelist's Writers Block Live of his new book ‘Jobs I’ve Known’ which will be written online on the site.
It begins:
"Steve Jobs, the Genuine Article
'Unreasonable perfectionist who terrorizes everyone around him' – you see that sort of comment about Steve Jobs so often it’s easy to believe it must be true. But I’m here to tell you it is not. It seems to be next-to-impossible for anyone to write about Steve without perpetuating one or more of the stereotypical images of how he works (i.e. that he always wear a black turtleneck; that no one wants to get in the elevator with him, etc.)
And nearly every article must make reference to the RDF (reality distortion field) that Steve’s deploys to great effect. I have some personal experience with Steve, so feel at least slightly qualified to comment on some of these things."

Jobs I’ve Known

Virtual ][ Version 4.2 Released
Virtual ][, the great Apple II emulator for OS X has been updated to version 4.2.

What's new:
• Added the option to convert diskettes from and to a real Apple II via a serial cable.
• Added emulation of the "no-slot clock".
• It is now possible to print text to the Macintosh clipboard.
• A configured machine can now be made the default machine in one simple step.
• The Preferences window has an option to open the devices drawer to either the bottom or the right side of the window. Opening it on the right side is particularly useful on small screens.
• When an USB game pad is connected, it is now automatically the preferred choice for game control. It used to be a configurable option, but this could easily lead to a seemingly not-working game pad.
• Improved artwork of the Printer button: it finally looks like a printer.
• Solved problems with the game "Alternate Reality The Dungeon" by improving the emulation of the stepper motor in the diskette drive.

Virtual ][

Mac TV
The latest from the talented Tom Hormby at Low End Mac. This time "Mac TV: 12 Years Before the iMac G5 with Front Row" compares the 1993 black Macintosh TV, which was first envisioned as a tenth anniversary Mac, to the new iMac G5.

Mac TV: 12 Years Before the iMac G5 with Front Row

The Beginning ///
To complement the addition of a 1981 Apple III SOS (Sophisticated Operating System) Dealer Spec Sheet to The Mothership Advertising and Brochure Gallery, here is a link to a great introduction to the operation of the Apple III at WAP.org. Written by Richard and Lavona Rann, it was originally published in the January, 1987 issue of On Three Magazine.

The Beginning ///