The Incredible 30-Year Evolution Of The Mac
This beauty is the original Apple Macintosh personal computer, released in 1984. It cost $2,495.
The Macintosh 512K, released in September 1984, was identical to the previous Mac, but with quadrupled built-in memory, earning it the nickname "Fat Mac."
Apple released the Macintosh Plus in January 1986 with a $2,599 price tag. This model was the longest-produced in Mac history and included an SCSI port so that users could plug in external devices like hard disks, tape drives, or printers.
The Apple IIGS was released at the end of 1986. Technically, it wasn't a Mac, but is still interesting because Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak put his signature on the first 50,000 units.
In 1987, the Apple Macintosh II became the first Mac to support a color display. Also, note the second floppy disk drive.
The Macintosh Portable, released in September 1989 for $6,500, was Apple's first battery-powered personal computer. However, it was heavy (16 lbs!) and way too expensive.
As a revolutionary follow-up to the Portable, Apple released the PowerBook 100, 140, and 170 models in 1991. They actually WERE portable because they were so much lighter than their predecessor and they generated over $1 billion in revenue for Apple in the first year.
The "Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh" was a limited-edition behemoth released in 1997. The retail price was a whopping $7,499 but check out that leather wrist-pad!
The Macintosh TV had a bit of an identity crisis. It came with a cable-ready TV tuner card and included a CD-ROM drive. It was also the first Macintosh to come in black.
The colorful iMac G3 launched with its translucent case in 1998. It was the first consumer-facing Apple product released after Steve Jobs returned to the company as the CEO.
People hailed the titanium-bodied PowerBook G4s (introduced in 2001) for their modern design, long battery life, and processing power.
The 2002 iMac G4 (left) was nicknamed the "iLamp" thanks to its design. The floating LCD monitor was adjustable.
In 2005, the Mac Mini was the first Macintosh desktop to ship without a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. Apple was going after people ready to make the switch from Windows who already owned monitors.
Apple's first MacBook hit the scene in 2006. It came in white or black plastic and is the best selling Macintosh in history.
When people first learned about the MacBook Air in 2008, the big talking point was that it could fit inside a manila envelope. The first edition didn't sell well, but when it was updated in 2010, it was a hit.
In 2012, Apple released a gorgeous new iMac with an ultra-thin profile. The back of the screen tapers to just 5 mm.
This year, Apple released its latest MacBook Pro that runs 90% faster than its predecessor thanks to a new Intel chip.
Apple also released its latest Mac Pro this year. If you get the most souped-up Mac Pro possible, it will cost $20,934.45.
Now that you've had your fill of Apple innovation...
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