Inside the original Apple Macintosh computer

2014-02-11 1

As the Apple Mac computer turns 30, tech enthusiast Jake Howe opens up one the first machines, made in 1984.

When the first Apple Macintosh computer went on sale 30 years ago there were no queues, but the device already showed the attention to form and functionality that would become the brand's trademark.

Jake Howe picked up his 1984 Macintosh computer for just £5.00 on eBay. At first he didn't even know what he was buying.

"The description was really poor, so I didn't even really know what I was going to get.

So I put a bid on it and then when it arrived and I realised that it was an original from 1984, I was like, oh, this is something special."

At its launch the computer delighted crowds with its compact size, it could be picked up in just one hand, and its high tech capabilities, it could even talk to you.

Apple has always been renowned for its design, but back in 1984 the computer's makers also gave each product a personal touch.

Mr Howe explained: "In the back of the machine you have all the signatures of the people involved in making the Mactintosh and you can see ... up here we've got Steve Jobs' signature".

The first Apple Macintosh was introduced on 24 January 1984 at $2,495, making it the first computer to make graphical user interfaces affordable to middle class homes and small businesses. It had an 8Mhz processor and 128K of RAM.

Lack of memory quickly proved a limitation on graphical performance, and was boosted to 512K in the second model. The 128K version was discontinued in October 1985.

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