Prototype PowerBook 140 (Clear)

[haplain]

Picked it up from the engineer who built it last night... Best part is, unlike most of these prototypes I buy, this one works! Need a new battery but off the charger she's working like a charm.

 

[bibilit]

really nice.

 

[uniserver]

Super nice, Bad ass, clear stuff is great! What's next a clear portable. ? Haha

 

[TheMacGuy]

Wow hap! That really is bad ass! I wonder how long Apple went though the clear prototype phase (could there be a clear Plus or Power Mac)?

 

[uniserver]

that screen looks really clear/crisp… looks almost like the pb 180 screen, i bet its an active matrix.

 

[macjalm]

Wow, that's really outstanding. An iPowerBook!

 

[sadmanonatrain]

What an interesting find!

But on a side note, would this prototype suffer the structural problems associated with mainstream 1xx series PowerBooks?

 

[uniserver]

probably not… because its clear, the UV just passes right through.

and there is probably no flame retardant in there.

 

[haplain]

Super nice, Bad ass, clear stuff is great! What's next a clear portable. ? Haha

URGH I need one hahah! Yes, that's number one on my list at this point. Too bad the seller and I can't come to some agreement. Oh well, maybe some day.

Yeah, the screen is gorgeous. I was a little scared to start it up but figured might as well. Booted right up like it was nothing. There are a few minor cracks in the case, mostly from over tightened screws, but it's so flawless otherwise.

Wow hap! That really is bad ass! I wonder how long Apple went though the clear prototype phase (could there be a clear Plus or Power Mac)?

Who knows. The more I keep searching for prototype/clear stuff the more I find. After talking with the engineer I bought this from and other Apple engineers it was extremely common for the first few prototype models to be shot in clear. More often than not they were never built into working machines. The guy last night said it was mostly for clearance, fit, form, and that kind of testing. Sometime, and in this example, engineers would build them out as one off custom pieces for fun, or to give to other higher/interested employees. So I guess there could be a Mac Plus or PowerMac that's clear. I've seen an off green Color Classic before that absurd... I know someone with an orange eMate... What's out there continues to blow my mind so I wouldn't be surprised at all.

 

[uniserver]

Man you should line up your clear mac's turn them all on and do a nice family portrait

 

[haplain]

At this point I only have 4 clear units one isn't a computer... Transparent SE, Transparent PB140, Prototype (Transparent) G4 Cube, Prototype Bluetooth keyboard

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

probably not… because its clear, the UV just passes right through.

Quite to the contrary, pigment is what keeps plastics and paint safe from all but surface UV damage. Clear plastics, varnish etc. break down much faster from UV degrading the material thru and thru as opposed to surface only degradation of their pigmented counterparts. Crappy plasticizers leaching out of Spindly plastic too quickly is what causes the brittleness.

Heh! I've got a bare PEx prototype MoBo, does that count as clear! )

Nice one, hap, color me jealous as hell. :-/

 

[uniserver]

hey trash post a picture!!

Ah got you, so leaching pasticizers is what results into the plastic becoming less pliable and more brittle like.

hap post a picture of the BT keyboard !! cool!

 

[techknight]

Yup, about as pliable as bending a dead brown leaf.