The
PowerBook is a line of
MacintoshThe Macintosh, or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced on January 24 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a graphical user interface rather than a...
laptopA laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile use and small and light enough to sit on one's lap while in use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device , speakers, and often including a battery, into a single...
computerA computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century . These were the size of a large room, consuming as...
s that was designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1991 to 2006. During its lifetime, the PowerBook went through several major revisions and redesigns, often being the first to incorporate features that would later become standard in competing laptops. The PowerBook line was targeted at the professional market, and received numerous awards, especially in the second half of its life, such as the 2001 Industrial Design Excellence Awards "Gold" status, and
EngadgetEngadget is a multilingual technology weblog and podcast about consumer electronics. Engadget currently has nine separate websites, all operating simultaneously with each having its own staff, which cover technology news in different parts of the world in their respective languages...
's 2005 "Laptop of the Year".
Prior to the PowerBook's introduction, Apple produced the
Macintosh PortableThe Macintosh Portable was Apple Computer's first attempt at making a battery-powered portable Macintosh personal computer that held the power of a desktop Macintosh....
. At that time, third-party portables that ran Macintosh software were also available, such as the
Outbound LaptopThe Outbound Laptop was an Apple Macintosh-compatible laptop computer. It was powered by a 15-MHz Motorola 68000 processor. Later versions increased the clock speed to 20 MHz....
. In 1999, the line was supplemented by the low-end
iBookThe iBook is a line of discontinued laptop computers sold by Apple Inc. between 1999 and 2006. The line was targeted at the consumer and education markets, with lower specifications and prices than the PowerBook, Apple's higher-end line of laptop computers....
range. The PowerBook and iBook lines were discontinued and replaced by the
MacBook familyThe MacBook family is a range of Macintosh notebook computers by Apple Inc. that merged the PowerBook and iBook lines during the Apple Intel transition. The first model released under this family was the MacBook Pro, which was announced on 10 January 2006 at the Macworld Expo...
by 2006.
PowerBook 100 series and PowerBook Duo
In October 1991 Apple released the first three PowerBooks: the low-end
PowerBook 100The PowerBook 100 was a portable subnotebook personal computer manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced on October 21, 1991 at the COMDEX computer expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Priced at US$2,300, the PowerBook 100 was the low-end model of the first three simultaneously released...
, the more powerful
PowerBook 140The PowerBook 140 was released in the first line of PowerBooks. It was the mid range PowerBook, between the lower end 100 and the high end 170. As with the PowerBook 170, and unlike the 100, this PowerBook featured an internal floppy drive. Codenames for this model are: Tim Lite, Tim LC,...
, and the high end
PowerBook 170The PowerBook 170 was released by Apple Inc. in 1991 along with the PowerBook 100 and the PowerBook 140. Identical to the 140, it was the high end of the original...
, the only one with an active matrix display. These machines caused a stir in the industry with their compact dark grey cases, use of a trackball, and the clever positioning of the keyboard which left room for palmrests. Portable PC computers at the time tended to have the keyboard forward towards the user, with empty space behind it, so this was a surprising innovation. The PowerBook 140 and 170 were the original PowerBook designs, while the PowerBook 100 was the result of Apple having sent the schematics of the Mac Portable to
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
, who miniaturized the components. Hence the terrible PowerBook 100's design does not match those of the rest of the series, as it was actually designed after the 140 & 170 and further benefited from improvements learned during their development. The PowerBook 100, however, did not sell well until Apple dropped the price substantially.
In 1992 Apple released a hybrid portable/desktop computer, the
PowerBook DuoThe PowerBook Duo was a line of small subnotebooks manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1992 until 1997 as a more compact companion to the PowerBook line. Improving upon the PowerBook 100's portability , the Duo came in seven different models...
, continuing to streamline the
subnotebookA subnotebook or ultraportable is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than typical notebooks.This category of computers can range in price from high end high capability models at $2,000 to low end low capability models at $250.These computers are often confused with the...
features introduced with the PowerBook 100. The Duos were a series of very thin and lightweight laptops with a minimum of features, which could be inserted into a
docking stationA Docking station and port replicator provides a simplified way of “plugging-in” a portable computer to common computer peripherals. The use of a docking station quickly enables a laptop computer to become a substitute for a desktop computer, without sacrificing the mobile computing functionality...
to provide the system with extra video memory,
storage spaceA hard disk drive is a non-volatile storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces. Strictly speaking, "drive" refers to the motorized mechanical aspect that is distinct from its medium, such as a tape drive and its tape, or a floppy disk...
,
connectorConnector may refer to:* Electrical connector, a device for joining electrical circuits together** Audio and video connector** Gender of connectors and fasteners** Power connector** RF connector** MIL-STD-1553** Circular connector...
s, and could be connected to a
monitorA monitor or display is a piece of electrical equipment which displays images generated by devices such as computers, without producing a permanent record. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure...
. The model did not sell as well as expected, although several companies have since adapted the design.
Both the 100 & 200 series PowerBooks were intended to tie into the rest of the Apple desktop products utilizing the corporate
Snow White design languageThe Snow White design language was an industrial design language developed by frog design founded by Hartmut Esslinger. It was used by Apple Computer from 1984 to 1990...
incorporated into all product designs since 1986. However, unlike the Macintosh Portable which was essentially a battery powered desktop in weight and size, the light colors and decorative recessed lines did not seem appropriate for the scaled down designs. In addition to adopting the darker grey colour scheme which co-ordinated with the official corporate look, they also adopted a raised series of ridges mimicking the indented lines on the desktops. The innovative look not only unified their entire product line, but set Apple apart in the marketplace and had the added benefit of masking fingerprints while the ridges provided added traction with which to grip the PowerBook. These early series would be the last to utilize the aging Snow White look, with the 190 adopting a new uniquely Apple look along with the introduction of the 500 series.
The first series of PowerBooks were hugely successful: capturing 40% of all laptop sales, a fact that Apple did not capitalize on. The original team left to work at
CompaqCompaq Computer Corporation was an American personal computer company founded in 1982, and is now a brand name of Hewlett-Packard.The company was formed by Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto — former Texas Instruments senior managers...
, setting back updated versions for some time. When increasing processing power, Apple was hampered by the overheating problems of the
68040The Motorola 68040 is a microprocessor from Motorola, released in 1990. It is the successor to the 68030 and is followed by the 68060 In keeping with general Motorola naming, the 68040 is often referred to as simply the 040...
; this resulted in the 100-series PowerBook being stuck with the aging
68030The Motorola 68030 is a 32-bit microprocessor in Motorola's 68000 family. Released in 1987, the 68030 was the successor to the Motorola 68020, and was followed by the Motorola 68040. In keeping with general Motorola naming, this CPU is often referred to as the 030 .The 68030 features an on-chip...
which could not compete with newer-generation
Intel 80486The Intel i486 was the first tightly pipelined x86 design. Introduced in 1989, it was also the first x86 chip to use more than a million transistors, due to a large on-chip cache and an integrated floating point unit...
-based PC laptops introduced in 1994. For several years, new PowerBook and PowerBook Duo computers were introduced which featured incremental improvements, including color screens, but by mid-decade, most other companies had copied the majority of the PowerBook's features, and Apple was unable to regain their lead.
The original PowerBook 100, 140, and 170 were replaced by the 145 (updated to the 145B in 1993),
160The PowerBook 160 is a portable computer that was released by Apple Computer along with the PowerBook 145 and PowerBook 180 in October 1992. At the time it constituted the mid-range model replacing the previous PowerBook 140 in processing power...
, and
180The PowerBook 180 was a portable computer released by Apple Computer, Inc. along with the PowerBook 160 in October 1992. At the time it constituted the new top-of-the-range model replacing the previous PowerBook 170. Its case design and features are the same as that of the 170, but it shipped with...
in 1992, with the 160 and 180 having video output allowing them to drive an external monitor. The PowerBook 180 had a superb-for-the-time active-matrix grayscale display, making it popular. In 1993, the
PowerBook 165cThe PowerBook 160 is a portable computer that was released by Apple Computer along with the PowerBook 145 and PowerBook 180 in October 1992. At the time it constituted the mid-range model replacing the previous PowerBook 140 in processing power...
was the first PowerBook with a color screen, later followed by the
180cThe PowerBook 180 was a portable computer released by Apple Computer, Inc. along with the PowerBook 160 in October 1992. At the time it constituted the new top-of-the-range model replacing the previous PowerBook 170. Its case design and features are the same as that of the 170, but it shipped with...
. In 1994, the last true member of the 100-series form factor introduced was the
PowerBook 150The PowerBook 150 was a laptop created by Apple Computer in 1994. It was the last member of the PowerBook 100 series to use the original case design, the most affordable of the series when introduced, and also the last consumer model. It was 8 MHz faster than its predecessor, the PowerBook 145B...
, targeted at value-minded consumers and students. The
PowerBook 190The PowerBook 190 and its companion PowerBook 190cs are laptop computers manufactured by Apple Computer as part of their PowerBook brand, introduced to the market in August 1995. The two models differ only in their screen: The 190 had a 9.5" greyscale display, while the 190cs featured a 10.4" color...
, released in 1995, bears no resemblance to the rest of the PowerBook 100 series, and is in fact simply a Motorola 68LC040-based version of the
PowerBook 5300The PowerBook 5300 series was the first generation of PowerBook laptops manufactured by Apple Computer to use the PowerPC processor. Released in August 1995, these PowerBooks were notable for being the first to feature hot-swappable expansion modules for a variety of different units such as ZIP...
, and the last PowerBook model to be manufactured using a
MotorolaMotorola, Inc. is an American, multinational, Fortune 100, telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets, and also designs and sells wireless network infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal...
68kThe Motorola 680x0/m68k/68k/68K is a family of 32-bit CISC microprocessors. During the 1980s and early 1990s, they were popular in personal computers and workstations and were the primary competitors of Intel's x86 microprocessors. Although no modern desktop computers are based on the 68k,...
-family processor). However, like the 190, the 150 also used used the 5300 IDE-based logic-board architecture. From the 100's 68000 processor, to the 190's 68LC040 processor, the 100 series PowerBooks span the entire Apple 68K line, with the 190 even upgradable to a
PowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM. Originally intended for personal computers, PowerPC CPUs have since become popular embedded and high-performance processors...
processor. The PowerBook Duo spanned the 68030 line of processors and sold through the PowerPC transition to the
G3The PowerPC 7xx is a family of third generation 32-bit PowerPC microprocessors designed and manufactured by IBM and Motorola . This family is called the PowerPC G3 by its well-known customer Apple Computer...
processor with the
2300The PowerBook Duo was a line of small subnotebooks manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1992 until 1997 as a more compact companion to the PowerBook line. Improving upon the PowerBook 100's portability , the Duo came in seven different models...
, also based on the 5300's internal architecture.
In February 2005,
Mobile PC magazine named the PowerBook 100 its choice as the "#1 gadget of all time."
PowerBook 500 series
Apple's PowerBook product line declined during this time period. 1994 saw the introduction of the Motorola 68LC040-based PowerBook 500 series, code-named Blackbird. These models of PowerBooks were much sleeker and faster than the 100 series, which they replaced as the mid and high-end models. The 500 series featured
DSTNDual Scan, also known as dual-scan supertwist nematic or DSTN, is an LCD technology in which a screen is divided into two sections which are simultaneously refreshed giving faster refresh rate than traditional passive matrix screens. It is an improved form of supertwist nematic display that offers...
(520) or active-matrix LCD displays (540 and 550), stereo speakers, and was the first computer to use a trackpad (although a similar technology had been included on the pioneering
Gavilan SCThe Gavilan SC was an early laptop computer, and was the first ever to be marketed as a "laptop".The brainchild of Gavilan Computer Corp. founder Manuel Fernandez, the Gavilan was introduced in May, 1983, at approximately the same time as the similar Sharp PC-5000...
11 years earlier); it was also the first portable computer to offer built-in
EthernetEthernet is a family of frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the ether...
networking. The PowerBook 500 series was the mainstay of the product line until the
PowerBook 5300The PowerBook 5300 series was the first generation of PowerBook laptops manufactured by Apple Computer to use the PowerPC processor. Released in August 1995, these PowerBooks were notable for being the first to feature hot-swappable expansion modules for a variety of different units such as ZIP...
. The 500 series was the first PowerBook to feature PCMCIA slots, although this was an optional feature which required the user to sacrifice one of the two available battery slots to house the PCMCIA expansion cage.
The PowerBook 500 series was released as Apple was already moving its desktop machines to the PowerPC processor range, and a future upgrade was promised from the start. This came in 1995, as an Apple daughterboard containing a 100 MHz 603e processor and 8 MB of RAM (which snapped into a slot containing the previous 25 or 33 MHz 68040 processor and the 4 MB of RAM on the previous daughterboard). At the same time
Newer TechnologyNewer Technology is a supplier of upgrades and peripherals for the Apple Macintosh computer. They went bankrupt at the end of 2000 and the company was dissolved, but the name and remaining intellectual property was bought afterwards and used by a new owner....
offered an Apple-authorized 117 MHz daughterboard, which was more popular than the Apple product, and optionally came without any RAM. The company later offered 167 MHz and 183 MHz upgrades containing more memory and onboard cache memory to improve performance. However, the internal architecture of the 500 series meant that the speed increase provided by the 100 and 117 MHz upgrades was, for most users, relatively small.
The 500 series was completely discontinued upon the introduction of its replacement the PPC-based PowerBook 5300, with the low-end (but upgradable) PowerBook 190 replacing the 500's role as the only 68LC040 PowerBook Apple offered.
PowerPC era
The
PowerBook 5300The PowerBook 5300 series was the first generation of PowerBook laptops manufactured by Apple Computer to use the PowerPC processor. Released in August 1995, these PowerBooks were notable for being the first to feature hot-swappable expansion modules for a variety of different units such as ZIP...
, while highly anticipated as one of the first
PowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM. Originally intended for personal computers, PowerPC CPUs have since become popular embedded and high-performance processors...
-based PowerBooks (along with the PowerBook Duo 2300c, both released on the same day), had numerous problems. The 5300 series is widely considered Apple's worst product of the 1995-1996 time period. In its 5300ce incarnation with a TFT of 800x600 pixels, Apple offered a 117 MHz PPC, 32
MBThe megabyte is an SI-multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission and is equal to 10
6 bytes. However, due to historical usage in computer-related fields it is still often used to represent 2
20 bytes. In rare cases, it is used to mean...
of on-board
RAM-Ram, ram, or RAM as a non-acronymic word:As a non-acronymic word Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to:-Animals:*Bighorn Sheep, A North American mountain sheep species*Sheep, an uncastrated male of which is called a ram...
, and a hot-swappable
drive bayA drive bay is a standard-sized area for adding hardware to a computer. Most drive bays are fixed to the inside of a case, but some can be removed....
. With all of these features, though, the 5300ce was quite ahead of other laptop models at the time. Multiple problems with reliability, stability and safety (by some, the model was referred as the "HindenBook" because the lithium ion batteries used actually burst into flame in Apple tests, necessitating a recall and downgrade to nickel metal hydride batteries) were present in the early 5300s. These drawbacks by far failed to meet the quality standard expected for the price. After Apple offered an Extended Repair Program, the series turned into a remarkably attractive machine, but never lost its bad reputation.
Apple recovered from the 5300 debacle in 1996 and 1997 by introducing three new PowerBooks: the
PowerBook 1400The PowerBook 1400 was a notebook computer designed and sold by Apple Computer in the mid- to late 1990s as part of their PowerBook series of Macintosh computers. Introduced in November 1996 at a starting price of $2499, it was the first new PowerBook since the controversial PowerBook 5300...
, intended to replace the 5300 as a general-purpose PowerBook; the PowerBook 2400, intended as a slim, sleek sub-notebook to replace the PowerBook Duo; and the luxury model PowerBook 3400. The PowerBook 1400 and 3400 were in fact the first PowerBooks ever to include an internal CD drive, and were introduced in a time when laptops rarely had one. This eventually became the norm throughout the industry after the PowerBook's adoption. Late in 1997, the PowerBook 3400 was adapted into the first PowerBook G3, codenamed the Kanga. This series was the last PowerBook model to employ a "real" keyboard with 1 cm high keys; all later models have flat keys.
PowerBook G3
The first PowerBook G3 Series (completely redesigned from the Kanga) was released in 1998, although it was still an
Old World ROMOld World ROM Macintosh computers are the Macintosh models that use a Macintosh Toolbox ROM chip, usually in a socket . All Macs prior to the iMac use Old World ROM, while the iMac and all subsequent models until the introduction of the Intel-based EFI Models are New World ROM machines...
Mac.
These new PowerBooks took design cues from the 500 series PowerBook, sporting dramatic curves and a jet-black plastic case. They were so fashionable that various G3 models became the personal computer of
Carrie BradshawCarrie Bradshaw is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, played by actress Sarah Jessica Parker...
in the long-running
Sex and the CitySex and the City is an American cable television series. The original run of the show was broadcast on HBO from 1998 until 2004, for a total of six seasons....
television show. Debuting at roughly the same time as the G3
iMacThe iMac is a range of all-in-one Macintosh desktop computers designed and built by Apple Inc. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through four distinct forms. In its original form, the iMac G3, the iMac was gum drop- or...
, the "
WallStreet/Mainstreet" series composed of models with varying features, such as different processing speeds (from 233 to 300 MHz) and the choice of 12-, 13-, or 14-inch screens. They all included dual drive bays capable of accommodating floppy drives, CD-ROM/
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
-ROM drives, hard drives, or even extra batteries. A second PowerBook G3 Series code-named "PDQ" was introduced later in 1998, with minor changes in configuration options, notably the inclusion of L2 cache in even the lowest-priced 233 MHz model, which helped overall performance.
Apple introduced two later G3 PowerBook models, similar in appearance (curved, black plastic case with black rubberized sections) but thinner, lighter and with revised internal systems. The
"Lombard" appeared in 1999, (AKA: Bronze Keyboard) a thinner, lighter, and faster (333 or 400 MHz) PowerBook with a longer battery life and had both
USBUSB is a way of setting up communication between a computer and peripheral devices. USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal...
and
SCSISmall Computer System Interface, or SCSI , is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces...
built in and was a
New World ROMNew World ROM Macintosh computers are the Macintosh models that do not use a Macintosh Toolbox ROM on the motherboard, but instead load the Toolbox ROM from disk storage into RAM when needed...
Mac, and then the
"Pismo" in 2000, which replaced the single SCSI port with two
FireWireThe IEEE 1394 interface is a serial bus interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer, frequently used by personal computers, as well as in digital audio, digital video, automotive, and aeronautics applications. The interface is also known by the brand...
ports, updated the PowerBook line to
AGPThe Accelerated Graphics Port is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a video card to a computer's motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics. Since 2004, AGP has been progressively phased out in favor of PCI Express...
graphics, a 100 MHz bus speed, and DVD-ROM optical drives standard, in addition to dropping the "G3" from the PowerBook name. The Pismo revision also brought
AirPortAirPort and AirPort Extreme are local area wireless networking products from Apple Inc. based on the IEEE 802.11 standard ....
wireless networking capability (802.11b), which had debuted in Apple's
iBookThe iBook is a line of discontinued laptop computers sold by Apple Inc. between 1999 and 2006. The line was targeted at the consumer and education markets, with lower specifications and prices than the PowerBook, Apple's higher-end line of laptop computers....
in July 1999. CPU upgrade cards are available for both Lombard and Pismo models.
PowerBook G4
Interim CEO
Steve JobsSteven Paul "Steve" Jobs is an American businessman, and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Jobs previously served as CEO of Pixar Animation Studios....
turned his eye to the redesign of the PowerBook series in 2000. The result, introduced in January 2001, was a completely re-designed
New WorldNew World ROM Macintosh computers are the Macintosh models that do not use a Macintosh Toolbox ROM on the motherboard, but instead load the Toolbox ROM from disk storage into RAM when needed...
PowerBook with a
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color.Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other...
skin and a 15.2-inch wide-aspect screen suitable for watching widescreen movies. Built with the
PowerPC G4PowerPC G4 is a designation used by Apple Computer to describe a fourth generation of 32-bit PowerPC microprocessors. Apple has applied this name to various different processor models from Freescale, a former part of Motorola....
processor, it was billed as "the first supercomputer you can actually take with you on an airplane."
http://web.archive.org/web/20010513103810/www.apple.com/powerbook/ It was lighter than most PC based laptops, and due to the low power consumption of the
PowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM. Originally intended for personal computers, PowerPC CPUs have since become popular embedded and high-performance processors...
it outlasted them by hours.
The
TiBooks, as they were nicknamed, became a fashion item. They were especially popular in the entertainment business, where they adorned many desks in Hollywood. They made some inroads into the desktop market as well, thanks to their large screen. Many other laptop manufacturers followed suit and imitated aspects of the design, especially the wide screen, and sometimes also the silvery metallic casing.
The Titanium PowerBooks were released in configurations of 400 MHz, 500 MHz, 550 MHz, 667 MHz, 800 MHz, 867 MHz, and 1 GHz. They are the last PowerBooks able to boot MacOS 9.
In 2003, Apple launched both the largest-screen laptop in the world and Apple's smallest full-featured notebook computer. Both machines were made of anodized aluminum (coining the new nickname
AlBook), featured DVD-burning capabilities,
AirPort ExtremeAirPort and AirPort Extreme are local area wireless networking products from Apple Inc. based on the IEEE 802.11 standard ....
networking,
BluetoothBluetooth is an open wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables...
, and 12.1-inch or 17-inch LCD displays. The 17-inch model included a fiber optic-illuminated keyboard, which eventually became standard on all 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks. Two ambient light sensors, located under each speaker grille, adjusted the brightness of the backlit keyboard and the display according to the light level.
The 12-inch PowerBook's screen did not use the same panel as that used on the 12-inch
iBookThe iBook is a line of discontinued laptop computers sold by Apple Inc. between 1999 and 2006. The line was targeted at the consumer and education markets, with lower specifications and prices than the PowerBook, Apple's higher-end line of laptop computers....
, while the 17-inch PowerBook used the same screen as that used on the 17-inch flat-panel
iMacThe iMac is a range of all-in-one Macintosh desktop computers designed and built by Apple Inc. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through four distinct forms. In its original form, the iMac G3, the iMac was gum drop- or...
, but with a thinner backlight.
Later in 2003, the 15-inch PowerBooks were redesigned and featured the same aluminum body style as their smaller and larger siblings, and with the same feature set as the 17-inch model (including the backlit keyboard). This basic design would carry through the transition to the Intel-based MacBook Pro, lasting until late 2008.
In April, 2004, the aluminum PowerBooks were upgraded. The
SuperDriveSuperDrive is a trademark used by Apple Inc. for two different storage drives: from 1988–1999 to refer to a high-density floppy disk drive capable of reading all major 3.5" disk formats; and from 2001 onwards to refer to a combined CD/DVD reader/writer .-Floppy disk drive:The term was first used by...
was upgraded to 4× burning speed for DVDs, the fastest processor available was upgraded to 1.5 GHz, and the graphics cards were replaced with newer models, offering up to 128 MB of video memory. A third built-in speaker was added to the 12-inch model for improved midrange sound. In addition, AirPort Extreme cards became standard for all PowerBooks instead of being offered as an add-on option.
In January, 2005, the specifications of the aluminum PowerBooks were revised once more to accompany a price decrease. Processor speeds were increased to a maximum of 1.67 GHz on the higher specification 15-inch and all 17-inch versions, while the lower specification 15-inch model and the 12-inch unit saw an increase in speed to 1.5 GHz. Optical audio output was added to the 17-inch version. Memory and hard drive defaults were increased to 512 MB and 5400
rpmRevolutions per minute is a unit of frequency of rotation: the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
, respectively, with a new storage maximum of 100 GB on the 17-inch model. Each model also received an enhanced trackpad with scrolling capabilities, a revised
BluetoothBluetooth is an open wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables...
module supporting BT 2.0+EDR, and a new feature which parks the drive heads when sudden motion is detected by an internal sensor. Support for the 30-inch Apple Cinema display was also introduced in the new 17-inch model and was optional in the 15-inch model via a build-to-order upgrade to the computer's video hardware. The SuperDrive now included
DVD+RDVD+R is a format for optical data storage. It is similar to, but incompatible with, the earlier DVD-R standard. A DVD+R is a write-once optical disc with 4.7 gigabytes of storage, generally used for nonvolatile data storage or video applications....
capability.
In October, 2005, the two higher-end PowerBooks were upgraded once again, with higher-resolution displays (1440 × 960 pixels on the 15-inch model, and 1680 × 1050 pixels on the 17-inch model) and faster 533 MHz
DDR2DDR2 can refer to:* DDR2 SDRAM, the computer memory technology* Dance Dance Revolution 2ndMIX, the video game* Discoidin domain receptor tyrosine kinase 2...
(PC2-4200) memory. The SuperDrive became standard equipment and included support for dual-layer DVDs on the 15- and 17-inch models. The 17-inch model was updated with a 120 GB standard hard drive, as well as a 7200 RPM, 100 GB build-to-order option. These drives were also options on the 15-inch PowerBook. The 12-inch model with SuperDrive remained unchanged in this respect, although each new PowerBook boasted a longer battery life.
Battery recall
On May 20, 2005, Apple and the
Consumer Product Safety CommissionThe United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created in 1972 through the Consumer Product Safety Act to protect "against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products." its acting chairman is Nancy Nord, a...
announced that Apple were recalling some Apple PowerBook G4 batteries. The joint Apple/CPSC press release states that an internal short can cause the battery cells to overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The press release stated: "Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed." The defective batteries can be returned to Apple for replacement. Approximately 128,000 defective units were sold.
The following units have been recalled:
| Computer model name |
Battery model number |
Battery serial number range |
| 12-inch iBook G4 |
A1061 |
HQ441 through HQ507 |
| 12-inch PowerBook G4 |
A1079 |
3X446 through 3X510 |
| 15-inch PowerBook G4 |
A1078 |
3X446 through 3X509 |
In early August 2006, Engadget reported that a PowerBook had "violently exploded" because of faulty battery.
On August 24, 2006, Apple and the CPSC announced an additional recall of more batteries for the same PowerBook models. The press release specified the following batteries:
| Computer model name |
Battery model number |
Battery serial number range |
| 12-inch iBook G4 |
A1061 |
ZZ338 through ZZ427
3K429 through 3K611
6C519 through 6C552 |
| 12-inch PowerBook G4 |
A1079 |
ZZ411 through ZZ427
3K428 through 3K611 |
| 15-inch PowerBook G4 |
A1078 and A1148 |
3K425 through 3K601
6N530 through 6N551
6N601 |
About 1.1 million battery packs in the United States are being recalled; an additional 700,000 were sold outside the U.S.
These batteries were manufactured by
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
. Sony,
DellDell, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells, and supports personal computers and other computer-related products. Based in Round Rock, Texas, Dell employs more than 76,500 people worldwide ....
,
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
, Lenovo,
HPHewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. HP has its United States offices at the former old Compaq Campus in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, Latin America offices in Miami-Dade County, Florida,...
,
Fujitsuis a Japanese multinational computer hardware and IT services company headquartered in the Shiodome City Center complex in Minato, Tokyo.. Fujitsu's central focus is on providing IT-driven business solutions, but the company and its subsidiaries also offer a diversity of products and services in...
and Acer laptops were also affected.
A number of Powerbook G4 12-inch users have experienced that the replacement batteries see a sharp decline in their charge carrying capacity prompting them to comment that they were happier with the original ones. Apple has yet to comment on this issue.
Discontinuation
At the 2006
Macworld Conference & ExpoProduced by Boston-based IDG World Expo, Macworld Conference & Expo is a tradeshow with conference tracks dedicated to the Apple Macintosh platform. It is held annually in the United States, usually during the second week of January...
, the
MacBook ProThe MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers by Apple Inc. that was first introduced in January 2006 at the Macworld Expo. The MacBook Pro replaced the PowerBook G4 and was the second model to be announced in the Apple Intel transition...
was introduced. The new notebooks, however, only came in 15.4-inch models and the 12-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks were still available for sale at Apple stores and retailers. However the 15-inch was still sold for a while after the MacBook Pro was introduced and while supplies lasted. On April 24, 2006 the 17-inch PowerBook G4 was replaced by a 17-inch MacBook Pro variant. The 12-inch PowerBook G4 remained available until May 16, 2006, when the new
MacBookThe MacBook is a brand of Macintosh notebook computers by Apple Inc. First introduced in May 2006, it replaced the iBook and 12" PowerBook series of notebooks as a part of the Apple Intel transition. Part of the MacBook family, the MacBook is aimed at the education and consumer markets...
was introduced. This made the 12-inch PowerBook 1.5 GHz the final official model of the PowerBook line, ending over 14.5 years of continuous production.
Traditionally, the portable line trailed the desktops in the utilization of the latest processors, with the notable exception of the PowerBook G3 which occurred simultaneously with the desktop Power Macintosh G3 introduction. However, it would continue to trail behind the desktop Macs, never even adopting the G5 processor. This was due primarily to the extreme heat caused by most of the full-sized processors available and unacceptable power consumption. With the introduction of the Intel-based Macs, once again, the MacBook Pro joined the iMac in sharing the new technology simultaneously.
External links