Oh, man! A truly virgin 1400.

[J English Smith]

Too rich for my blood, but read it and drool:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-PowerBook-1400C-Vintage-New-Sealed-G3-Ready_W0QQitemZ280461029188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZApple_Laptops?hash=item414cc7af44#ht_500wt_1182

Ah, the old days when school systems had more money than they knew what to do with...gone forever, I fear.

 

[Unknown_K]

I would almost feel bad using that machine if I snagged it. Probably why I stick with used working machines you can get for little or nothing.

School systems do funny things with money. If your IT budget doesn't get spent you cannot ask for an increase in funds the next year, so they will blow it all on something and then complain about the lack of money.

 

[Mars478]

It dissapoints me he opened it. But with a brand new machine you can have vintage mac without the quirks used ones have!

 

[LCGuy]

I have the exact same machine as that (1400c/166), and mine came new in box as well.

Of course though, that was back in December 1997, when PowerBook 1400s were still being manufactured. Either way, I do think its a shame that he opened it, even though its never been used, the fact that its been taken out of the box means that its no longer worth as much as it would have been NIB. Also, that machine doesn't have a 6GB hard drive - the largest drive you could get in a 1400 was 2GB....hell, I'd be surprised if 6GB notebook drives even existed back in 1997, remember this was a time when even 2GB seemed gigantic. Coming from an LCIII with an overstuffed 80MB hard drive, I remember being so sure that I would never fill up the 1400's huuuuuuuuuuge 2GB drive.

 

[Strimkind]

Ahh I wish it was cheaper and shipped to Canada. I'd love to get my hands on the complete unit. I have a few 1400s but none came with any of the original packaging...just the computer.

 

[J English Smith]

Yes, shame he opened it to take the photos, but I guess he felt he had to, to post it. I would have just used a stock 1400 photo, I guess.

Interesting that there's a wireless card (looks like an Orinoco) stuck in the card slot - perhaps all of the system's computers were pre-configured for wireless? That would have been pretty advanced in 1997.

Yes, how the hard drive size and RAM have multiplied. I think my first 386 from 1991 had 40 mb hard drive and 8mb of RAM. I was so tempted by an LC package but that was about $400 more at that time. What I bought was an NEC, which had proprietary everything. That cost added up over time as I upgraded that thing...I think the purchase price with the monitor and HP printer was about $2,400. Ye gods. And last week I was reinstalling Windows 98SE for my old games system and wondering if that OS would even fit on the 2 GB hard drive I wanted to try. (It did.)

And yes, I think the largest HD shipped on the 1400 series was 2 gb - a 6 gb drive would be aftermarket. I know the 1400c/166 units had 2 gb drives.

 

[Unknown_K]

Sounds like it was a slightly used/upgraded system and the seller found a mint box to stuff it in. If I was going to flip a shrinkwrapped item I would not open it.

 

[J English Smith]

There's a bid on it now at $130 + 45 ship, so looks like he's going to get his price...wow.

 

[Byrd]

the fact that its been taken out of the box means that its no longer worth as much as it would have been NIB

I don't think it would matter, or affect the price too much. It's not like it has kept it's value - it'll only get a tiny fraction of what it was once worth!

JB

 

[Green78II]

Here's another one!! a Duo 280c!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/APPLE-POWERBOOK-DUO-280C-BRAND-NEW-IN-BOX-M2332LL-B_W0QQitemZ170443867067QQcmdZViewItemQQptZApple_Laptops?hash=item27af3f03bb

 

[J English Smith]

It went for a lot - over $350 in the end - wow!

The Duo is sweet too...

 

[Temetka]

I know I'm going to get banned for this, but:

I couldn't care less about the 1400s. Yes they were great machines, expandable, and all that. However I just don't like them for some unknown reason.

However that NIB Duo 280c, now that get's my engine going.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the 68k CPU, especially the laptops.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Why would you be banned for talking positively about a 68k over a PPC, on a 68k-related board?

I fully agree. The 1400-series is interesting, sure... But the 68k's are where the fun's at!

Personally, I love the 500-series.

 

[LCGuy]

Personally, I love the 1400 series mostly because the 1400 was my first ever PowerBook, which I've had since new. While yes, they are very upgradable for a PowerBook, I have to admit, the PowerBook G3 series is even better in that department, and can also run OS X.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

My 1400 love also comes from nostalgia. It was my first laptop, a hand-me-down from my brother-in-law who said if I could fix it, I could have it. A new LCD and inverter later, it was back in action. It served me all the way through medical school and a bit after, and it still runs.

 

[J English Smith]

They are amazingly durable, and you've got to love the keyboard. I am using mine less now that I have the Pismos, but I still love to type on them.

I always admired the Duos, never owned one. Thought that was a good idea that Apple got away from...until they "revived" the idea with the MacBook Air. The 1400s are heavy little buggers - right about 7 lbs. "Solid" about says it.

 

[LCGuy]

Oh yeah, I can't believe I forgot about that - the keyboard. Thats another thing I love about the 1400...it has one of the best laptop keyboards I've ever typed on, out of the hundreds of laptop keyboards I've used over the years the only one I've ever used that has a better key action is the one on my MacBook.