History of PowerPC Macs
We figured that we should have a history selection of PowerPC Macs on our site, to look at some history.
This is a start to what we have planned. For more information, just click on the titles in red. Enjoy!
This is a start to what we have planned. For more information, just click on the titles in red. Enjoy!
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1997/98: PowerBook G3With the original "Kanga" model predating Steve Jobs' return to Apple, this machine looked more like a PowerBook 3400 than a G3 Series. It was the last Apple portable to have just the rainbow logo.
The later "G3-Series", as it was called after Steve returned, received a complete make over with the top of the lid receiving a white Apple logo in place of a rainbow one, while the bezel retained the rainbow logo. It was dropped on the Bronze Keyboard model, as well as ADB, but USB was added. Meanwhile, the machine kept its HDI-30 SCSI connector until FireWire replaced it on the Pismo model. |
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Preparing for the internet generation, the iMac was the first home computer that was simple and easy to connect up with the internet. Announced in May of 1998, this was the first new machine released under Steve Jobs' return.
During it's generation, the casing had 13 different colors, USB, Infrared, and FireWire ports, tray or slot load optical drives with DVD-ROM, and PowerPC G3 processors ranging from 266MHz to 700MHz. Superseded by the iMac G4 in 2002, these started a new beginning for Apple.
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In January, the Power Mac G3 received many new updates, including a new case with the color of the iMac, easy access door, FireWire and USB.
Many praised the new design, and the case lived 5 years until the release of the Power Mac G5's aluminum case. Processors in the B&W ranged from a 300MHz G3 up to a 450MHz G3. These G3s were easy to overclock by changing a few jumpers. Short lived, these saw 2 revisions, with Rev. B fixing issues with IDE hard drives.
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"The iMac to go" iBook laptops were released in July, sharing a magnitude of colors similar to the iMac. This was intended to fill Apple's 4 square of products, with 2 consumer Macs and 2 professional Macs.
The big new thing was wireless internet, and out of the box iBook was ready for 802.11b connectivity using the optional $100 AirPort card. AirPort base stations allowed up to 10 devices to be connected simultaneously. G3's clocked from 300MHz to 466MHz were available. While the original model did not have FireWire, it was added to the line in September 2000. "Special Edition" Key Lime and Graphite models included the option for faster processors and included a DVD-ROM drive.
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Seven months after Apple released the B&W Power Mac G3, the G4 came out in August of 1999. The first model was codenamed "Yikes!" and had the same motherboard as the G3, including a new graphite colored case. These Macs were noted for their easy-access door to internal components.
The graphite models lasted two years, with this series receiving AGP graphics, Dual Processors, Gigabit Ethernet, and Digital Audio ports. The Graphite G4 were discontinued in July 2001 in favor of the QuickSilver G4. |
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2000: G4 Cube
Introduced in 2000, the Cube was aimed at targeting an audience of people between the Power Mac G4 and iMac. Being convection cooled, the only noise heard from the machine is the hard drive. These machines to this day have a cult following making them more expensive for collectors.
Apple "put the Cube on ice" in July 2001 and it was never heard from again.
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The Titanium PowerBook (nicknamed TiBook) was released in 2001. It was the first PowerBook to use the PowerPC G4 chip, which was used for the remainder of the PowerBook's life.
Originally coming in 400 and 500MHz models, Apple added Gigabit Ethernet and higher resolution screens over the years. With the last Titanium model shipping with a 867MHz processor standard, these are the earliest portables to be able to natively use Leopard. They were discontinued in favor of the Aluminum PowerBook in early 2003.
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2001: iBook G3 - Dual USB
Replacing the colorful plastic and rubber iBook G3 "Clamshell" from 1999, Apple's Dual USB or "Snow" iBook introduced a second USB port and a smaller, more professional look. It also brought a physical latch, a first for the iBook line since the clamshell used a latch-less design. Originally coming in 12" models only, Apple later released an 14" model.
The iBook G3 was discontinued in late 2003 in favor of a faster iBook G4.
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Launched in 2002, the iMac G4 was the first desktop Mac since the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh in 1997 to have a built in LCD panel. It used an arm that allowed the user to pivot the display 90° in either direction, also allowing them to bring it down and tilt up and down. Bundled with the iMac was an Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse, both in white and a pair of Harmon/Kardon Orb speakers that connected through the proprietary Mini-Jack which supplied power to the speakers.
After three revisions and 3 screen sizes, Apple replaced the iMac G4 with the iMac G5 in Late 2004.
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Apple released the PowerBook G4 Aluminum "AlBook" originally in 12 and 17" models. It replaced the Titanium-coated PowerBook and included multiple advancements. Later models included USB 2.0 and were the first Apple portables to have FireWire 800.
Apple continued to make and sell the Aluminum PowerBook into 2006, with the 15" being replaced by the MacBook Pro in January and the 17" replaced in April. A true replacement for the 12" model didn't come until 2009 when Apple released the 13" MacBook Pro.
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Built to replace the Power Mac G4, the Power Mac G5 introduced a new case that allowed more air to pass through to cool the very hot running PowerPC G5 processor. This model has quite a few firsts for Apple, such as onboard SATA and 64-bit computing.
The G5 was discontinued in 2006 when Apple released the similar looking Mac Pro, based on the Intel Xeon processor. For a period of a month, Apple sold the G5 alongside the Mac Pro.
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2003: iBook G4
Replacing the long-running iBook based on the G3 processor, the iBook G4 was identical externally to its G3-based brethren, but included a whole new beast inside. The G4 has finally made it to Apple's consumer line of notebooks, along with AirPort Extreme and USB 2.0. It came in both 12" and 14" varieties.
The final revision replaced the ADB based internal keyboard and mouse with USB based ones allowing scrolling. It was also the only iBook to have AirPort integrated. It was discontinued in favor of the white and black plastic MacBooks in 2006.
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2004: iMac G5
When Apple brought out the Power Mac G5 in 2003, it was only a matter of time before the G5 chip rolled down their product line. Their second, and final, product line to receive the G5 chip was the iMac. Named the iMac G5, it shipped G5s clocked from 1.6 to 2.1GHz. It came in 2 screen sizes, 17" and 20" across 3 models. The last revision, released in Late 2005 had a built in webcam, dubbed "iSight", the first Mac to have one built in.
It was discontinued after the Intel switch in 2006 and was one of only two Macs to keep its PowerPC name after the Intel switch.
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2005: Mac mini
Introduced in 2005, it was the very last new PowerPC machine Apple ever created. Based upon a laptop logic board, the Mac mini was a "BYODKM" (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard & Mouse) computer, meaning all you got was the power cord and computer. Like the PowerBook and iBook, it only came with a G4 processor.
The Mac mini still lives on today, however the PowerPC variant was killed in February of 2006 in favor of a new Intel-based mini.
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