| Apple Computer, Inc. launched the first iBook series of laptop computers in 1999. Targeted chiefly towards end-user consumer and education segments, it was an affordable performance solution compared to its cousins, the PowerBook and the MacBook Pro series. It was introduced to the Mac community during a keynote presentation at the Macworld Conference & Expo in New York on July 21, 1999. The iBook was basically the iMac rolled out for the premium customer base, structured within a compact laptop form factor, built out of translucent, clear plastic having fruity colors; Tangerine, Blueberry, Graphite, Indigo and Key Lime. The iBook was the first mainstream computer featuring an internal wireless networking solution built around the display casing.
The radical design was a deliberate eye-candy intention, camouflaging the host of features packed underneath the hood. The iMac, predecessor to the iBook, featured a Power PC G3 processor with sufficient RAM and storage space. The iBook went a step further with the then latest PowerPC G3 chip running at 300 MHz, a 66 MHz system bus, a fixed 32 MB of RAM, and 3.2 GB of hard disk estate. The iBook offered memory expandability to a maximum of 544 MB in earlier models, with the final models sporting an inbuilt 64 MB Ram expandable up to 576 MB. The graphics sub-system featured the ATI Rage Mobility 128 GPU chip implemented on a 2x AGP interface for faster and richer graphics delivery in latter models as against the 4 MB ATI Rage Mobility in earlier models.
Apart from few enhancements, the latter models had a G3 366 MHZ or 466 MHz processor, a 10 GB drive, and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive depending on the configuration. The Mac operating system was upgraded to Mac OS 9.0.4 from the older Mac OS 8.6 giving significant performance boost and functionality. All the iBook G3 laptops had a 12.1 inch Active-matrix TFT display capable of a maximum 800 x 600 resolution. USB, Modem, and Ethernet were standard connectivity options, whereas the Airport 802.11b standard was offered as an optional upgrade component. The first iBooks released were available in Tangerine and Blueberry colors followed by Graphite, Indigo and Key Lime. The unit would weigh 6.6 lbs with the battery. The series was discontinued from production in May 2001. |
