Time Machine

Release date September 1989

Take a trip down memory lane with classic Apple hardware

• Processor: 16MHZ 68000 CPU • Memory: 1MB SRAM (expandable to 9MB), 256KB ROM • Hard drive: 40MB 3.5-inch Conner HD • Display: 9.8-inch black and white active matrix LCD screen • Graphics: 640x400 pixel, 1-bit Original price: £3,600/$7,300 Price now: £800/$850

Apple’s first battery-powered Mac featured a sharp black-and-white active matrix LCD screen that folded down to cover the keyboard when not in use, and a built-in trackball that could be removed and relocated to the opposite side of the keyboard depending on the user’s hand dominancy. It also sported a PDS slot that allowed for faster and more powerful expansion cards. The main problem with the Macintosh Portable was that is wasn’t actually very portable. Weighing in at a hefty 16 pounds, two of which were attributed to the battery alone, few felt compelled to lug it around. The active matrix screen, which updated faster than the others on the market and didn’t blur, also ramped up the price of the computer beyond what many could realistically afford.