With the G3-based Wallstreet, the PowerPC PowerBook finally hit its stride. The 1400c was a budget model with a nice keyboard, while the 2400c was a subnotebook that was scarce in the US but very popular in Japan – the MacBook Air of it’s day. An expansion bay supported CD-ROM and floppy drives, and an active matrix screen made this a useable if somewhat beefy portable. The 3400c was built for speed with a 240MHz PowerPC 603ev (low power) processor, which Apple claimed at the time was the fastest portable computer in the world. ![]() After a disastrous experience with the lackluster, sometimes flammable 5300 line, Apple released the x400 series of portables (1400, 2400, 3400). The early PowerPC era wasn’t kind to Apple, and PowerBooks were hit hardest. The 540c runs Mac OS 8.1 has served a vital role on the VMM network, capable of mounting 3.5″ floppy disks as well as accessing AppleShare volumes from Mac OS versions 7, 8, 9 and X for inter-generational filesharing. Like the 840 AV on the desktop, the 540c represented the pinnacle of 68k PowerBook design. The 540c offered an active matrix color screen, 68040 CPU, a trackpad, dual battery bays, 16 bit stereo sound and built-in ethernet, along with a bold new case style that influenced PowerBook models all the way through to the PowerBook G3 “Pismo” years later. Radical in its day, the PowerBook 500 “Blackbird” series took the Quadra on the road in style. Personally, I remember having my first case of PowerBook Envy at about this time… VMM TV: What’s on your PowerBook? This form factor lasted for several generations, topping off with the color model 180c. The 170 hit the market with a powerful 68030 CPU, built-in modem, 2.5″ laptop SCSI hard drive and an active matrix screen, making it a favorite for business users, writers and students alike. The form-follows-function design was rugged and popular, lasting several generations. The PowerBook 100 Series replaced the Macintosh Portable with a truly portable system, and was the first incarnation of the PowerBook name and battleship grey color. This Mac Portable utilizes the System Picker application to choose startup between System 6.0.8, 7.1 or 7.5.5. Its lead acid batteries pack real heft and never fail to impress visitors to the Museum! The Portable attained a strong cult following over time, and today has become a valuable collector’s item. Unfortunately it was also heavy and expensive, and not a big seller in its day. Essentially an SE in a suitcase, the Portable had a great keyboard, backlit screen, a built-in trackball and vintage Apple styling. The Mac Portable ( aka “Mac Luggable”) was Apple’s answer to the growing cry for a portable Mac in the late 1980s.
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