- PowerBook 140
Infobox Computer
name = PowerBook 140
developer =Apple Computer
type =Laptop
photo =
caption = Apple Macintosh PowerBook 140
first_release_date = 140: October1991
145: August1992
145B: July1993
discontinuation_date = 140: August1992
145: June1993
145B: July1994
processor = 140:Motorola 68030 , 16 MHz
145/145B:Motorola 68030 ,
25 MHz
baseprice = 140: US $3,199cite news
last = LePage
first = Rick
title = PowerBooks: price-competitive and technologically brilliant.
work =MacWEEK
date =October 22 ,1991 ]
145: US $2,999
145B: US $1,649The PowerBook 140 was released in the first line of
PowerBook s. It was the mid range PowerBook, between the lower end 100 and the high end 170. As with the PowerBook 170, and unlike the 100, this PowerBook featured an internalfloppy drive . Codenames for this model are: Tim Lite, Tim LC, Replacements, and Leary. In 1992, it was replaced by the PowerBook 145, which was essentially a speed bump, though thePowerBook 160 essentially superseded it as the new mid-line model.Features
Intended as a replacement for the Portable, the 140 series was identical to the 170, though it compromised a number of the high end model's features to make it a more affordable mid-range option. The most apparent difference was that the 140 used a cheaper, 10" diagonal
passive matrix display instead of the sharperactive matrix version used on the 170. Internally, in addition to a slower 16MHz processor, the 140 also lacked aFloating Point Unit (FPU) and could not be upgraded. It also came standard with a 20MB hard drive compared with the 170's 40MB drive.The 140 was introduced with System 7.0.1, specifically to support new power management and other unique hardware features. However, due to the RAM prices in 1991, combined with its already high list price, the 140, like the 100 & 170, only had 2MB RAM soldered directly onto the logicboard, which critics felt was restrictive for use with System 7. Further, since localized versions of System 7 were not yet available worldwide, the Japanese 6.0.7
KanjiTalk version of Apple's System software, was modified to support all three new PowerBooks and released as version J-6.0.7.1. [System J-6.0.7.1 ReadMe, 1991, Apple, Inc.] [ [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://apple.ism.excite.co.jp/page/PowerBook%2B170%2BSpecial%2BEdition.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D6.0.7.1%2B%2522powerbook%2B170%2522%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DG%26pwst%3D1 http://apple.ism.excite.co.jp/page/漢字Talk+6.0.7.html] ] As a result, this version was unofficially adapted for use with the standard 6.0.7 allowing many users to run System 6 on their PowerBooks, rather than upgrading on-board RAM with an expensive proprietary RAM card (a 2MB card was US $300). [ [http://school.anhb.uwa.edu.au/personalpages/kwessen/web/misc/powerbooksys6.html System 6 on a PowerBook 140/170 ] ]Design
Though released at the same time as the
PowerBook 170 andPowerBook 100 , both the 140 and 170 were designed entirely by Apple, while the 100 was being miniaturized by Sony from the full-sizedMacintosh Portable . As a result, the 140 represents the very first notebook computer created by Apple, with the 100 actually representing the first design improvements, though it's internal architecture is the oldest in the series.PowerBook 145
The PowerBook 145, manufactured by
Apple Computer , was a speed bumpedPowerBook 140 , increasing the processor speed from 16 MHz to 25 MHz. The standard hard drive was upgraded from 20MB to 40MB. The 145 also introduced a new feature for the battery-conscious: users would be able to program the 145 to sleep or completely shut down whenever the clamshell unit is closed. Though a direct descendant of the 140, the 145 was actually the replacement for the PowerBook 100 as the low-end model, the 140 havening been superseded by the new mid-level 160.It was replaced by the PowerBook 145B in June 1993. The only codename for this model is:
Colt 45 PowerBook 145B
The PowerBook 145B was a laptop made by
Apple Computer . The PowerBook 145B was the same as the 145 that came before it, but with a lower price and 2 moreMiB of RAM soldered to the motherboard. The only codename for this model isPikes Peak .Unlike previous Mac models but like the
Performa s, the 145B did not ship with a full set of system disks. System 7.1 was preinstalled on the internal hard disk, and a single system start-up disk was included. The package also included two utilities that provide basic backup and restore functions.The 145 was superseded by the
PowerBook 150 as the next consumer model PowerBook.pecifications
References
External links
* [http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=112183 Apple.com's PowerBook 140 specifications]
* [http://www.apple-history.com/body.php?page=gallery&model=140&performa=off&sort=family&order=ASC apple-history.com's section on the PowerBook 140]
* [http://compresource.scribblewiki.com/PowerBook_140 PowerBook 140 at The Computer Resource]
* [http://www.applefritter.com/node/334 A prototype PowerBook 140.]
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