CUSTOM OS FOR MAC POWERBOOK G4 SERIAL
CUSTOM OS FOR MAC POWERBOOK G4 PORTABLE

WallStreets are still quite capable machines, and are coveted by many old-school Mac users with an extensive investment in SCSI, ADB, and serial peripherals as these PowerBooks are the last models to support all of these technologies natively. The WallStreets were given a minor facelift the following spring no case changes were made, but the high-end models were bumped to 266 and 300 MHz, respectively, and the 13.3' screen was dropped.

12.1' passive-matrix and 13.3' and 14.1' active-matrix LCDs were the display options, while hard drives ranged in size from 2 to 8 GB. CPUs for these models ran at 233, 250, and 292 MHz, the latter being coupled to an 83 MHz system bus. Introduced in May 1998, the 'WallStreet' lineup included a wide range of available combinations of screen size, hard drive space, and processor speed, thanks largely to Apple's then-new online store, which allowed the creation of custom configurations. However, the form factor survived largely intact until the release of the PowerBook G4, going through two more generational changes along the way. The 'Kanga' PowerBook model was really no more than a hideously expensive (almost US$6,000 new!) transitional machine, something for Apple to sell while gearing up for an all-new PowerBook lineup. They do still run OS 9 well enough, if all you want is a Mac that's easier to carry than a tower.

Their heft (close to 8 pounds) and relatively low-performing 250 MHz G3 saddled with a 50 MHz system bus and hard-to-find batteries make them a reasonable choice mostly for curiosity-seekers. For this reason, it is the only PowerBook G3 which has never supported OS X, even the original version. The very first model, released late in 1997, was in fact little more than the then-top-of-the-line PowerBook 3400 with a G3 processor in it, similar to the 'Yikes!' desktop G4. There are actually four basic flavors of PowerBook G3. Given that most people would be looking to run OS X on any Mac they purchase, we're choosing to focus on G3 and G4-based models of Apple's laptop lineup.

CUSTOM OS FOR MAC POWERBOOK G4 PORTABLE

Apple has been building portable computers since 1989, and they've come to represent a healthy percentage of its sales over the past decade. We conclude our immensely-popular look at used Macs with Apple's portable lineup.

Custom os for mac powerbook g4