Apple Powerbook

Apple Powerbook was designed, manufactured and marketed by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1991 to 2006. This line of Apple Mac laptop computers was targeted at the professional market. The first three Apple Powerbooks, namely, the low-end PowerBook 100, the more powerful PowerBook 140, and the high end PowerBook 170, were released by Apple in 1991. They had compact dark grey cases, had trackballs and had the keyboard positioned in such a way, so as to create palm rests.

Out of the three PowerBooks, the Apple Powerbook 140 and 170 were original designs whereas the PowerBook 100 had miniaturised components and was quite different from the other two. Apple released the PowerBook Dou in 1992. This thin and lightweight laptop could be connected to a monitor and could also be inserted into a docking station to provide the system with extra video memory, connectors and storage space. In 1994, the PowerBook 500 series was introduced and code-named Blackbird. It featured DSTN (520) or active-matrix LCD displays (540 and 550), stereo speakers, and was the first computer to make use of a trackpad.

Apple launched the PowerBook 1400, the PowerBook 2400 and the luxury model PowerBook 3400 as a resurgence to PowerBook 5300, which didn’t do too well. In 1994, the PowerBook G3 series was launched which sported dramatic curves and a jet-black plastic case. The PowerBook G4 series was introduced in 2001. It was made in two different designs. One was enclosed in a titanium body having a 15" screen and a black keyboard and the other had an aluminium body along with an aluminium-coloured keyboard, available in 12", 15" and 17" sizes.