The first Mac SE prototype...?

[Robert Tripoux]

Hi,

As you are the best site on prototype Macintosh, I'm submitting you this one, which is probably the unique EVT1 survivor of the Mac SE project. 

When I first saw it circa 1986 on the marketing mgr desk of the Apple offices in Les Ulis (France), it was complete, with the prototype Aladdin power supply, squirrel cage fan, inner metal frame, hdd and motherboard. But I could only salvage the enclosure later, when it was thrown to the bin.

This very first stage Mac SE prototype enclosure was made by Apple Product Development team, starting from a Macintosh Plus enclosure : this is NOT a fake or an individual hack-built one.

How did I get it? It was probably brought in back in the french Apple offices while Jean-Louis Gassée (the former Apple France manager) became VP of product development at Apple in Cupertino.

Does anyone have more to say or retrieve about this unit ?

Rgds.

Robert

 

[bibilit]

Hi,

This is great, so only the front bezel was new while the back was a modified Plus one ?

I can also see what looks like a Pippin and a Djinn modem in the background...correct ?

 

[olePigeon]

I want a Djinn.  It begs to be set up right next to a Color Classic.

 

[Robert Tripoux]

so only the front bezel was new while the back was a modified Plus one ?

I can also see what looks like a Pippin and a Djinn modem in the background...correct ?

Both rear and front parts were modified, starting from Mac Plus parts. And yes, in the background there is also a gray Pippin controller, an AppleDjinn modem, a Color OneScanner and a LC630 style (6360?) PPC machine with Performa 6500 Pci Mlb and prototype Audiovision 13 monitor... And you can't see my other jewels, like PPC Color Classic, Paladdin all-in-one or iCeball PowerBook 2400 prototypes!

 

[markyb86]

You can tell that this started as a plus, just by the bevel on the front. This is an awesome acquisition, even in it's condition.

 

[bibilit]

And you can't see my other jewels, like PPC Color Classic, Paladdin all-in-one or iCeball PowerBook 2400 prototypes!

Some pictures maybe ??

 

[galgot]

Yes, enough teasing ! show us !

 

[Robert Tripoux]

Ok, you probably deserve it... So i've looked in my private yard, and dropped some small samples on a bed for a quick shooting. 

Enjoy (especially the least common ones, like the PC Card or the dev boards).

 

[TheWhiteFalcon]

Oh. My. Gosh.

You have a Tenth Anniversary Macintosh!

Is this your site? http://www.journaldulapin.com/2011/10/28/prototype-quelques-powerbook-et-mac-portables/

 

[galgot]

Wow ! thanks.

Never seen these white Powerbooks before !

 

[Robert Tripoux]

This is not my site, nor the other mentioned.. but these are from my collection, good catch! And yes, I also had this clear Mac Portable, a clear 12 inch monochrome display (the one for the LC), a clear Mac SE... and even a stock Twentieth Anniversary Mac. But they were lost, stolen, left for scrap, ... or, for the Spartacus, given to an italian Mac museum...

 

[olePigeon]

Wow, some of those look like very early prototypes... heck, maybe even design concepts rather than prototypes.  Maybe plastic tests right after whatever came out of Frog (usually cardboard, wood, and/or foam.)

I love that prototype keyboard.  Looks reminiscent of the IIgs keyboard.  Is it a IIgs prototype keyboard?

 

[bibilit]

What is the story of all those beauties ?

 

[unity]

Wow, I love seeing such specimens! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Robert Tripoux]

Formerly, Apple mostly relied on external third party or Apple US/PAC modems designed specifically for these countries or regions;  in France there was legacy of contracting local modem makers to design or build Apple branded modems (Sectrad, Hello, or Solectron Bordeaux for the Newton modem).

But when Apple designed the first Portable/PowerBook, a worldwide design team was created internally to handle the different telecom regulations in Europe. So the European Research & Development center (ERD) was created in Le Pecq near Paris, to design most of the worldwide modems and software needed for the Macs and PowerBooks (the internal 2400 PowerBook modem, the different Express Modem boards and soft engine,  the Geoport Telecom Adapter pod, but also the French AppleDjinn and Djinn Pro or the 33.6k CommSlot modem, the PowerBop wireless CT2 hardware module, the Apple Telecom software 1/2/3 and scripts or the never released Apple Telecom 3.5 suite, the never release all-in-one Paladdin Mac communications suite...)

When Apple decided back to outsource all internal modems boards to Asante, Global Village, then Ambit on the PowerBook G3 Series and iMac, the whole european engineering team was fired, and the offices were closed.  But I was friend with several wiz(es) from there, and I was invited when they were abandoning the site. So I could save some units from the bin, including early development units and boards. 

The remainder came from the different Apple friends I had in Europe, who all knew I was a fan of such type of products. Like the early IIGS white keyboard (fitted with two female ADB ports). 

 

[olePigeon]

How common were Djinns in France?  I never see them on eBay, and wouldn't mind getting one.

 

[Robert Tripoux]

How common were Djinns in France?  I never see them on eBay, and wouldn't mind getting one.

They were mainly sold by France Telecom, the historic french phone company, so they could be found on the rare computer swaps,or on our local "Craig-style-list" named LeBonCoin: 

Here's one I just found, for around twenty bucks: http://www.leboncoin.fr/informatique/773121220.htm

Just remember that there was the original 2400bds AppleDjinn (with a serial cable coming from back of enclosure  and the j11 connector on the side), and the 14400Bds AppleDjinnPro (with female serial and RJ11 connectors on the back); the power supplies also differ in voltage and connector... Good luck !

 

[olePigeon]

Cool, I'll take a gander.  I wanted to get one and replace the innards with a Teleport Platinum.  They look to be about the same size.

 

[Robert Tripoux]

And the BookCaSE that I got from Uchishiban-San...