Apple I

Apple I (Apple-1)

Developer	Apple Computer
Type	Personal computer
Release date	July, 1976
Discontinued	September, 1977
Base price	US$666.66
CPU	MOS 6502 @ 1 MHz
Memory	4 KB standard expandable to 8 KB or 48 KB using expansion cards
Graphics	40×24 characters, hardware-implemented scrolling

The Apple I, also known as the Apple-1, was an early personal computer. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak.^[1]^[2] Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer. The Apple I was Apple's first product, demonstrated in April 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California. It went on sale in July 1976 at a price of $666.66^[3], because Wozniak liked repeating digits^[4] and because they originally sold it to a local shop for $500 and added a one-third markup. About 200 units were produced. Unlike other hobbyist computers of its day, which were sold as kits, the Apple I was a fully assembled circuit board containing about 30 chips. However, to make a working computer, users still had to add a case, power supply, keyboard, and display. An optional board providing a cassette interface for storage was later released at a cost of $75.

The Apple I is sometimes credited as the first personal computer to be sold in fully assembled form; however, some argue that the honor rightfully belongs to other machines, such as the MOS Technology KIM-1, Datapoint 2200, or more commonly the Altair 8800 (which could be bought in kit or assembled form at extra cost). One major difference sets the Apple I apart — it was the first personal computer to use a keyboard.

Excerpt from the later Apple II 'Red' manual, including Steve Wozniak's handwritten diagrams for the definition of shape tables

The Apple I's built-in computer terminal circuitry was distinctive. All one needed was a keyboard and an inexpensive video monitor. Competing machines such as the Altair 8800 generally were programmed with front-mounted toggle switches and used indicator lights (red LEDs, most commonly) for output, and had to be extended with separate hardware to allow connection to a computer terminal or a teletype machine. This made the Apple I an innovative machine for its day. In April 1977 the price was dropped to $475.^[5]. It continued to be sold through August 1977, despite the introduction of the Apple II in April 1977, which began shipping in June of that year.^[6] The Apple II was otherwise identical to the Apple I, except it added more RAM, color graphics, sound capabilities, additional expansion slots and was notably contained in a styled plastic case with an integrated keyboard. Apple had dropped the Apple 1 from its price list by October 1977, officially discontinuing it.^[7]

As of 2008, an estimated 30 to 50 Apple Is are still known to exist, making it a very rare collector's item. An Apple I reportedly sold for $50,000 at auction in 1999; however, a more typical price for an Apple I is in the $14,000–$16,000 range. A software-compatible clone of the Apple I (Replica 1) produced using modern components, was released in 2003 at a price of around $200. ^[8]

Timeline of Apple II Family models

See also: Timeline of Apple II Family

See also: Timeline of Apple Macintosh models and Timeline of Apple products

References

^ IOL Technology - Co-founder tells his side of Apple story
^ NPR : A Chat with Computing Pioneer Steve Wozniak
^ Approximately $2,427.58 in 2007 dollars, using CPI inflation
^ Wozniak, Steven: "iWoz", page 180. W. W. Norton, 2006. ISBN 13:978-0-393-06143-7
^ April 1977 Price List | Applefritter
^ Bill of Sale | Applefritter
^ October 1977 Price List | Applefritter
^ replica 1 | Applefritter

Price, Rob, So Far:the First Ten Years of a Vision, Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA, 1987, ISBN 1-55693-974-4
Owad, Tom (2005). Apple I Replica Creation: Back to the Garage. Rockland, MA: Syngress Publishing. Copyright © 2005. ISBN 1-931836-40-X

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Apple I

v • d • e

Apple Model Navigation

Replaced	Current Model	Successor

none	Apple I	Apple II

Preceding Family Model	1976	Following Family Model

v • d • e Apple hardware before 1998

Apples	Apple I · Apple II family (II, II Plus, II Europlus, II J-Plus, IIe, IIc, IIGS, IIc Plus) · Apple III family (Apple III, III Plus)

Lisas	Lisa · Lisa 2/5 · Lisa 2/10

Macintosh desktops	Compact Macintosh family (128K, 512K, XL, Plus, 512Ke, SE, SE/30, SE FDHD, Classic, Classic II, Color Classic, Color Classic II) · Macintosh II family (II, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, IIsi, IIvi, IIvx) · LC family (LC, LC II, LC III, LC 475, LC III+, LC 520, LC 550, LC 575, LC 580, LC 630, 5200 LC, 5260 LC, 5300 LC, 5400 LC) · Performa family · Macintosh TV · Quadra family (700, 900, 950, 800, 840AV, 610, 650, 660AV, 605, 630) · Centris family* (610, 650, 660AV) · Power Macintosh family* (6100, 7100, 8100, 6200, 5200, 9500, 7200, 7500, 8500, 6300, 5260, 5300, 5400, 7600, 6400, 4400, 5500, 6500, 7300, 8600, 9600, G3) · 20^th Anniversary Mac

Laptops	Macintosh Portable · PowerBook family: (100 series (100, 140, 170, 145, 160, 180, 165c, 145B, 180c, 165, 150) · Duo series (210, 230, 250, 270c, 280, 280c, 2300c) · 500 series (520, 520c, 540, 540c, 550c) · 190 series (190, 190cs) · 5300 series (5300, 5300cs, 5300c, 5300ce) · 1400 series (1400c, 1400cs) · 3400c · 2400c · G3)

Servers	Workgroup Server (95, 60, 80, 6150, 8150, 9150, 7250, 8550, 7350, 9650) · Network Server (500, 700)

Other projects and accessories	300 Modem · 3.5" Drive · Apple Keyboard (Adjustable, Extended) · AppleFax · AppleCD · Disk II, IIc · Hard Disk 20, 20SC · IIe Card · Interactive Television Box · LocalTalk · Apple Mouse · Newton (MessagePad series (100, 110, 120, 130, 2000, 2100), eMate 300) · Paladin · Peripheral Cards (80-Column Text, Accelerators, Clocks, Processors, Serials) · Pippin · PowerCD · AppleDesign Powered Speakers · Printers (Color Printer, Dot Matrix Printer, ImageWriter, LaserWriter, Scribe Printer, SilenType, StyleWriter, Portable StyleWriter) · QuickTake (100, 150, 200) · QuickTime Conferencing Camera 100

See also: Apple hardware since 1998.

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