# The Incredible Machine



## fryke (Apr 14, 2003)

In reference to a very, very old game (but only loosely connected, so just forget about it if you don't know the game, anyway...), here's a question: "What would be your favourite Macintosh of all time, if it had live hardware upgrades (processor, RAM, harddrive, optical drives...)?"

Here's mine, just to further explain the question...

PowerBook 180. (Was the high-end PowerBook circa 1993.) Imagine that baby with a 867 MHz G4 or 900 MHz G3 processor. Imagine it had a slot-in DVD/CD-RW Combo drive. The 8-bit greyscale active-matrix screen would still rock for me. Best screen on a notebook I've ever seen. Maybe with a higher resolution, but for my writer-needs, it'd still be enough at 640*400, I guess. ;-)


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## abyard (Apr 14, 2003)

Clamshell iBook, it looks like no other laptop (it has been said that it resembles a toilet seat though).

The screen was brilliant, lovely keyboard and it had a handle.

Now if it had a higher ram ceiling (say a 512Mb), 2x USB ports and it could support an external monitor (1024x768 would be enough) I would still be carrying around my Apple handbag today.



The Incredible Machine...
I used to waste away my lunch breaks with the PC version, was it available for the Mac?


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## toast (Apr 14, 2003)

eMac with 800MHz G4, 512RAM.


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## kenny (Apr 14, 2003)

I would have to say the PowerBook 2400c..  That was the last of the sortof-sub-notebook machines that Apple did. It didn't have an internal optical drive, and was probably too small to fit one even today (a slot-loader _might_, but I doubt it) but who cares? In today's terms, it would have FireWire, USB, internal AirPort (it would probably have to loose the PCCard slots though) and an updated screen (at least 1024x768), with a G4/867 (like the 12" PB), 1GB of memory, and a 40GB harddrive. Heck, they could probably make it just a little slimmer while they're at it. But it would still only weigh 4.7 pounds...


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## fryke (Apr 14, 2003)

Isn't what you describe, Kenny, more or less the PB 12"? In fact, quite exactly? Okay, the RAM... But now that there are 1 GB DDRAM DIMMs for those...


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## kalantna (Apr 14, 2003)

PowerMac 9500 or 8500 AV, with a dual gig, 2 gb ram, any 128 mb 3d card, and 3 120 gb hard drives.


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## senne (Apr 14, 2003)

Maybe the Performa 6400. I loved it.
Or the new iMac G4 1Ghz 17".


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## Ricky (Apr 14, 2003)

The original iMac.
'Nuff said.


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## xyle_one (Apr 14, 2003)

in my cloest is an old mac from 91 or 93.. i love that thing. 
and the incredible machine was a very addicting game, i wish i had it now....


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## ~~NeYo~~ (Apr 14, 2003)

I am kinda "new" to apple's 'n' all! I've always loved the Clamshell iBook design, like some1 said, it looks so "different" to all the other Laptops on the Market. What are the limitations with them, Spec Wise? ... I am farely confident the top spec would be 466Mhz G3, CPU Wise, but besides that, i have no idea ... in terms of RAM, HDD, etc etc ... i wouldn't mind getting one, kinda cheap, jus for notes and stuff really... i don't "Need" a laptop, so paying TONNES for one is crazy in my eyes ( i could instead upgrade my G4 in my Cube or something ) ...

Speaking of Which, the Cube ... yup, altho its been nothing short of a Lil' B*****D Since i gotit, about 3 months ago, i still love it, a few times i've had to strip the thing bare, and it takes some doing to get it all back together, but in a sense, it makes it all the more satisfying, when it powers up! (or is that my own SHOCK?! ) 

Yea, the Cube would be close there too ... and i love the Original iMac too ... I'd love one of those "on the cheap" too! 

Strangely, its more of the OLDER Stuff that Appeals to me: 

All 3 i named, i think were available through the Year 2000, and pretty much (inc iMac) are Rare Species now 

Edit ... Also, i used to have a G3 500 (66Mhz Sys Bus) iBook, would the speeds of the two be VERY much the same? Now i have a Desktop, much more powerful, the speed in the laptop wouldn't be "required", but it would run "X" as apposed to "OS 9" ... I think i read it can take 1x 512Mb ... maxing @ 576Mb?... but on eBay, a seller quotes 320 as being the Max?

*confused*


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## fryke (Apr 15, 2003)

You can up an original iBook to 320 MB of RAM and put Mac OS X on it. Even Jaguar. Don't expect very good performance, though, and the 800*600 would probably drive you crazy for some things, but if it's for writing in TextEdit, it's a great baby and lasts a while. However: It's not that light an iBook...


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## kenny (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by fryke _
> *Isn't what you describe, Kenny, more or less the PB 12"? In fact, quite exactly? Okay, the RAM... But now that there are 1 GB DDRAM DIMMs for those... *



heh.. I guess it is. Although, i got the spec wrong. The 2400c was 4.4 pounds according to Apple. But the rest of it... you're right. That' probably why I found the 12" book so appealing. 

Ok, let me try again... The 20th Anniversary Macintosh. Oh wait. That would be the iMac, wouldn't it?


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## powermac (Apr 15, 2003)

Macintosh SE, that is the little machine that could. When I got that machine, I wouldn't leave. Great little Mac, still have it, and yah, still use it occasionally.


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## fryke (Apr 15, 2003)

Reminds me that I once wanted to install a 6 GB harddrive in my Colour Classic. However, I dunno if I can still find the system disks. ;-)

And I'd have to make a backup of some kind...


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## larry98765 (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by fryke _
> *Isn't what you describe, Kenny, more or less the PB 12"? In fact, quite exactly? Okay, the RAM... But now that there are 1 GB DDRAM DIMMs for those... *



Huh? Does that mean that PB 12" has a higher ram ceiling than 640MB?

Oh, and on topic with this post -- the Mac SE is it. I still have mine. Still works as well as the day (uh, decade, rather) I bought it. Wonder if I could add that to my network?


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## ~~NeYo~~ (Apr 15, 2003)

Fryke .... Are u sure 320Mb? Some places do actually quote you can add a 512Mb to the base 64mb ... i would be quite interesting in a Clamshell iBook if i could go past 320mb, and get 1024*768 Res! You're right, 800*600 would drive me crazy ... well, 1024*768 does now ... but i could deal with that "at a push"

Are there any other things to take note of, with these iBooks? You mention weight, are we looking @ a LOT more than the current iCeBooks?
NeYo


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## Inline_guy (Apr 15, 2003)

Not to steal into this tread to much, but does anyone know if there is a version of "The Incredible Machine" for mac OS X?  IF not someone should make it. 

Now as for my computer.  Since this is my first mac I am rather in live with the new iMacs.  I would like that to be my incredible machine.  And just keep getting better and better.

Matthew


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## mrfluffy (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by ~~NeYo~~ _
> *Fryke .... Are u sure 320Mb? Some places do actually quote you can add a 512Mb to the base 64mb ... i would be quite interesting in a Clamshell iBook if i could go past 320mb, and get 1024*768 Res! You're right, 800*600 would drive me crazy ... well, 1024*768 does now ... but i could deal with that "at a push"
> 
> NeYo *


I saw something on lowendmac a while back saying you could get 512MB chips for the clamshell iBooks.

http://www.macopinion.com/columns/roadwarrior/02/10/22/index.html


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## scruffy (Apr 15, 2003)

An updated 20th Anniversary Mac.

I like the Cube on principle, but they would be coolest on a bare, nearly empty desk, maybe with a glass tabletop.  I am an inveterate clutterer - a Cube would be wasted on me, it would just get buried in my papers...


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## Inline_guy (Apr 15, 2003)

Ohh the cube is a good one.  I am not sure now!  HUmmmm

Matthew


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## Androo (Apr 15, 2003)

Powerbook, the newest model. It is thin, light, weightless, slightly heaver, light in weight, and it looks sexy.....


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## MikeXpop (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by scruffy _
> *I like the Cube on principle, but they would be coolest on a bare, nearly empty desk, maybe with a glass tabletop.*



In a room with a cream-colored couch, and a glass of chardonnay off to the side?

Heh.

Personally, I'd also like to see an updated 20th anniversary mac (without the 10k pricetag though). That monitor was spiffy.


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## anerki (Apr 16, 2003)

The 20th Anniversary Macintosh! 

But with a 17" Widescreen, Dual G4s and all that stuff  

PS: Don't forget to read the comments at the bottom of the page! I would want my Mac delivered like that!


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## fryke (Apr 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by ~~NeYo~~ _
> *Fryke .... Are u sure 320Mb? Some places do actually quote you can add a 512Mb to the base 64mb ... i would be quite interesting in a Clamshell iBook if i could go past 320mb, and get 1024*768 Res! You're right, 800*600 would drive me crazy ... well, 1024*768 does now ... but i could deal with that "at a push"
> 
> Are there any other things to take note of, with these iBooks? You mention weight, are we looking @ a LOT more than the current iCeBooks?
> NeYo *



Oh, seems I'm wrong and there might be a slight possibility that you could actually upgrade it to 640. However: We ARE talking 800*600, and there's no way you're gonna fit a different LCD panel into it without serious help from a computer maker. ;-) ... About the weight: 6.6 lbs for the original iBook, 4.9 lbs for the iceBooks.

Also: If you're gonna mainly write on the thing, I wouldn't get too much RAM... Jaguar is running fine with 320 MB for sure. I had a blueberry iBook before my TiBook (before my new iBook) and was writing on the baby on Mac OS X Public Beta with 64 MB RAM in TextEdit. Sure: That was no machine for using Classic or any big apps, but it was running the Terminal and TextEdit just fine along with the Dock and the Finder. ;-) Also: OmniWeb and Mail.


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## twyg (Apr 16, 2003)

I'd have to say my favorite old mac that I'd like to upgrade was the LC... A cool machine, easy to upgrade, easy to work on, just deadly slow...



Oh, and what about Dark Castle?


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## anerki (Apr 17, 2003)

Still have Dark Castle on a CD here  If you want old games, Railroad Tycoon 1, Creepy Castle, Diamonds, Tristan, Hellcats, Shadowgate, ...


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## ~~NeYo~~ (Apr 17, 2003)

...hmmm! Thanks for the info guys! .. Interesting! ... My Cube Jus Messed up on me ... i think the GF2mx in there was pulled from a PowerMac, the Heatsink is pathetic! ... it won't even boot now, it totally messes up, booting from the Grey Screen, with that animated circular thing, it halts as it attempts to flick to the X Screen  ... i've got a GF3 ADC in the states, jus gotta wait for shipping and all! ....

As for the iBook, hmmmm.... i am very interested, the 800*600 is my only Gripe ... hmmm... i will have to think about that one! ... i still don't *need* a laptop, and i know i could probably get another low end IceBook ... but i like the original design ... and i have been deprieved of a funky CRT iMac as a child too!! 

NeYo


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## pds (Apr 18, 2003)

Take a clamshell, use the whole of the lid to mount a 14 inch screen with full resolution and more vRam. (this 800X600 with 4 megs of vRam is now my main gripe) Ramp up the RAM to  a gig, the hd to 80 and add a few more connections (video and firewire).

Toss in a g4 (or better yet a g5) and a super drive. 

toss in some complimentary stock options 

"Ah, but a man's reach should ever excede his grasp." (Browning)


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