Today in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronze-er
The Lombard introduced USB ports to the PowerBook, although the laptop computer kept SCSI assistance for what ended up being the last time. It dropped ADB support completely and dumped one of the PC Card slots, leaving just one.
Over the life expectancy of the PowerBook G3, Apple phased out ADB and SCSI in favor of USB and the companys Emmy Award-winning FireWire interface. Those changes made the Lombard a genuinely transitional laptop.
As the (actual) name suggests, it boasted Apples zippy PowerPC 750 (G3) processor. Performing at either 333 or 400 MHz, the Lombard clocked in higher than its predecessors. Nevertheless, Apple minimized the L2 cache, which implied that often the laptop ran a bit slower.
May 10, 1999: The third-generation PowerBook G3 can be found in 20% slimmer and 2 pounds lighter than its predecessor, however the majority of individuals keep in mind the laptop computer for its “bronze” keyboard.
It doesnt get a brand-new name to distinguish it from previous laptops in the lineup, fans call it “Lombard” after Apples internal code name (or just the “PowerBook G3 Bronze Keyboard”).
Improving the PowerBook G3 formula
The PowerBook G3 is not my individual favorite of the laptop computer line. (That would be the following years “Pismo” PowerBook, which still stands as one of Apples all-time finest laptop computers.) Still, the Lombard model proved incredibly popular in its day.
In the end, 1999 proved a critical year for the company. The ultra-popular iMac G3 presented in brand-new colors, Apple released Mac OS 9 and the world got a peek of OS X for the first time.
While the new ultra-connected iBook ended up being the most crucial player in Apples laptop lineup that year, the PowerBook G3 Lombard certainly didnt let the team down by any procedure. The $2,499 laptop packed specifications far ahead of what the competition used at the time.
Did you own this specific PowerBook G3 laptop? Leave your comments listed below.
The PowerBook G3 Lombard offered 64MB of RAM, a 4GB hard disk, ATI Rage LT Pro graphics with 8MB of SDRAM, and a 14.1-inch TFT active-matrix color screen. It required Mac OS 8.6 or later on, however could run any Apple operating system approximately OS X 10.3.9.
1999: A great year for Apple
The PowerBook G3 Lombard scored another crowning achievement for Apple. It came the year after Cupertino returned to success, as onlookers waited on the business to trip up.
Nobody could quibble about the laptops battery life, though, due to the fact that Apple improved it significantly over previous designs. The PowerBook G3 Lombard might run for 5 hours on a single charge. Plus, owners might add a 2nd battery by switching out the optical drive in the expansion bay. That doubled battery life to a tremendous 10 hours.
The clear keyboard that gave the laptop its typical name was made of bronze-tinted plastic instead of metal. A DVD drive came as an optional extra for the 333 MHz model, or as standard on all 400 MHz variations.
PowerBook G3 Lombard lastly brings USB ports
The PowerBook G3 is not my individual favorite of the laptop line. As the (actual) name suggests, it boasted Apples zippy PowerPC 750 (G3) processor. Running at either 333 or 400 MHz, the Lombard clocked in higher than its predecessors. Nobody could quibble about the laptop computers battery life, however, because Apple improved it considerably over previous designs. The PowerBook G3 Lombard might run for 5 hours on a single charge.