Macintosh
The now simply known as Mac [ MEK ] Macintosh [ mækɪntɒʃ ] from Apple was the first microcomputer with a graphical user interface, which was produced in greater numbers. To date, the staff wear computers from Apple, the Mac product name in combinations such as Mac mini, MacBook, iMac, and Mac Pro.
History
The first Mac was the successor of technically similar but economically unsuccessful and $ 10,000 expensive Apple Lisa. The Macintosh 128k was presented on 24 January 1984 by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The commercial "1984" for the Mac was performed at the Super Bowl XVIII. For the price of 2495 U.S. dollars ( equivalent at that time about 7200 DM / approximate retail price in Germany: $ 10,000) to give a computer based on Motorola 68000 CPU, which was clocked at 8 MHz and 128 kilobytes of memory ( RAM) access could - which quickly proved to be too little. A 3.5 -inch floppy disk drive with 400 Kbytes of memory and an integrated 9- inch monitor completed the first Macintosh.
Like the predecessor Lisa and the Macintosh with a GUI and a mouse was equipped. At the time, this was a completely new concept for personal computers, as all previous systems were operated on the market via keyboard input in a command line. The operating system of the Macintosh originally had no name and was ( with a version number appended ) just called "System". As of version 7.5.1 it was then Mac OS (derived from Macintosh Operating System). It was designed from the outset to use the mouse and contained at that time revolutionary concepts, such as the "Recycle Bin ", with the deletion of files could be reversed, the " desk ", drag and drop, selecting from text or objects for the purpose of changing the attributes and navigating the file system with the help of icons. Other basic concepts that should put the users at that time still widespread aversion to the use of computers, were the undo function and the continuous uniform operation of various application programs.
Despite these innovations, the new computers sold initially only in small numbers. Reasons for this were seen in its high price and the fact that he was removed in its form and nature of use far from what one at that time commonly under a professional computer understood (monitors with green text on black background and typing of long command lines ). It was the successor models of the original Macintosh could bind a larger user base itself, which then reached a high overall market share, but was numerically overtaken by Windows systems. The market share of the Macintosh had fallen by 2000 to a low of depending on the counting method between three and five percent. With the introduction of Mac OS X 's market share increased continuously and reached about 13 % and about 6 % worldwide in the U.S., 2011.
From summer 1994 until September 1997, the Mac OS has been licensed to other computer manufacturers (including Umax and Power Computing ). Resulting from this license Macintosh -compatible computers were called Mac clones.
Products
Timeline of Macintosh models
Current products
The entry level model is equipped with a 2.5 GHz Core i5, 500 GB hard drive. The larger trim level offers a Core i7 processor with a choice of 2.3 or 2.6 GHz, and a hard drive with 1TB storage capacity. Both models have the basic equipment with 4 GB RAM (1600 MHz, DDR3). Optionally, the memory can be increased in both models to 8 or 16 GB. The hard drives Apple offers the possibility to order the Mac Mini with a fusion drive or an SSD. The exchange of memory and hard drive can also be done by the user himself later. The server version is different from the larger trim level only in the second hard drive (also known as fusion Drive or SSD available ) and preinstalled operating system (OSX Server). On the interface side all Mac Minis are identical. The rear of the device houses 4x USB 3.0, 1x FireWire 800, 1x Thunderbolt / Mini DisplayPort, 1x HDMI, depending on an analog audio input and output and an SD Card slot.
Since August 8, 2011 Apple offers in the United States a special, stripped-down educational iMac equipped with a 3.1 GHz dual-core Core i3, 2 GB of RAM ( expandable up to 8 GB ), 250 GB hard drive, as well as a Radeon HD 6750M with 256 MB of graphics memory ( and without the new Thunderbolt port ) should be a reduced performance of the 21.5 "model at the best possible price.
By default, the Mac Pro comes with an Intel Xeon E5 3.7 GHz quad-core. You can also can be equipped with a 3.5- GHz 6-core, a 3.0 - GHz 8-core or 2.7 GHz 12-core Mac Pro either. Are installed graphics card as standard two AMD FirePro D300 ( 2GB memory). You can leave installed ( each with 6 GB memory ), two AMD FirePro D500 (each 3 GB memory) or two AMD FirePro D700. The RAM is standard equipped with 12 GB ( 3 x 4 GB 1866 MHz DDR3 ECC), but can be ( also subsequently) be expanded up to 64 GB.
13.3 " with Retina Display: This MacBook has, like the 15.4 " MacBook Pro Retina, no CD / DVD drive anymore, and the new housing (1.8 cm high, weight approx 1.6 kg ). A retina display was installed, it has a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and a pixel density of 227 ppi. An Intel Core i5 Dual - Core 2.4 GHz or 2.6 GHz is installed, or an Intel Core i7 2.8 GHz. It does not have a graphics processor, but uses Intel's Iris Graphics. The RAM is equipped with 4 GB or 8 GB.
15.4 " with Retina display: Since June 2012, a brand new MacBook Pro model is also ( " MacBook Pro with Retina Display ") available, which is not only a new housing ( 1.8 cm high, 2 kg, no built-in optical drive) has, but also a new display with twice the resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels and a pixel density of 220 ppi. was mid-2013, revised again, and is now available with Intel Haswell processors. these are Core i7 quad - core processors with 2.0 GHz, 2.3 GHz or 2.6 GHz. makes Intel's integrated graphics for the Iris Pro graphics, alternatively there is also an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M with 2 GB of memory.
17 ": This MacBook Pro is no longer offered since June 2012.
All MacBooks have an illuminated full-size keyboard with no numeric keypad. The MacBook Pro 13 " is available with a 1 TB hard drive or an SSD with up to 512GB, and with up to 8 GB of RAM. Retina models have options for an SSD with up to 1 TB of storage. Retina models are available with up to 16GB of RAM, this is after the purchase but not expandable.
Name
The Macintosh is named after the McIntosh Apple. The McIntosh apple was the favorite of Jef Raskin, who was a member of the Macintosh design team. An alternative name during the development period of the project was " Bicycle": Apple co-founder Steve Jobs saw the end Macintosh computers referred to as " Bicycle for your mind", but due to the resistance of the development team, the new name did not prevail itself.
For the name Macintosh Apple in 1983 signed a 10 - year licensing agreement with the U.S. hi-fi manufacturer McIntosh Laboratory, Inc..
Hardware
It was typical for the hardware of compact Macintosh models, to unite as all the basic functions on the motherboard. From the beginning ( Macintosh Plus, Macintosh SE, Macintosh Classic, etc.) were integrated graphics, sound and network-capable serial ports in compact cars, shortly after ADB and SCSI and later Ethernet and modem were added. Finally, FireWire and USB are standard. Entry-level devices such as the iMac can be extended only by external connectors. The models of the Pro Series offer by internal PCI and AGP or PCIe slots for greater flexibility.
The processors were initially produced by Motorola and later by IBM. Motorola has, however, completely focused on the production of mobile phones, while IBM PowerPC processors are no longer evolved in for Apple optimized versions. Therefore, following the announcement in 2005, the entire model was converted to Intel processors. On 10 January 2006 the first Intel iMac were presented and also the Intel-based laptop series MacBook / MacBook Pro ( successor to the iBooks and PowerBooks ). That same year, the Workstations ( MacPro ) and servers ( Xserve ) were switched to Intel processors.
With the first iMacs increasingly taking place in-house developments (such as ADB) common components were used (such as USB). Existing industry standards such as ATA were also used in Mac computers standard. Apple's early commitment for WLAN, Bluetooth or Firewire as a young industry standards helped these techniques in the spread.
While Apple continues to develop its motherboard itself, the blocks used in the computer are ( processors, controllers, graphics, sound, network chips) since 2006, the same as in other computers. Instead of the BIOS but the Extensible Firmware Interface is being used. Since the switch to Intel processors, Windows can be installed on Apple computers with the software " Boot Camp ". The technical equipment of Mac computers has no relevant differences to other PCs. Through the compilation, the motherboard design and the design of the overall computer and their own, mostly proprietary operating system, however, Apple will still retain control of the overall device.
For this controlled computer platform Apple designed the operating system itself According to Apple, should be well coordinated hardware and software, which prevents driver problems and improve energy efficiency. Hardware and software are to form as the product of a unit.
Further technical features are or were:
- NuBus slots and PDS slots ( Processor Direct Slot), later PCI slots and AGP or PCIe,
- SCSI, later Advanced Technology Attachment ( ATA) and FireWire
- Apple Desktop Bus (ADB ), later USB
- Video Output: originally a proprietary system with encoding of the Monitor Properties by so-called Sense pins in the connector, meanwhile ADC with combined Signal-/Stromversorgungskabel, current models have the common VGA or DVI monitor connections. Since March 2009, Apple used in all products, the self-developed mini version of the VESA standards DisplayPort.
Operating system
Already introduced in March 2001 the first version of the operating system used to date by Apple for the Macintosh, Mac OS X has over their ( nominative ) predecessors technically virtually no similarities. Mac OS X was developed based on the NeXTSTEP operating system, a Unix derivative. Its production company, NeXT, which Steve Jobs had founded in 1986 after his departure from Apple, was acquired in 1996 by Apple for 400 million U.S. dollars. The kernel of Mac OS X Darwin was baptized, he is an open- source Unix derivative that is derived as the kernel of NeXTStep FreeBSD and Mach microkernel. This makes it possible that a large part of the open source software, which was developed under other open Unix derivatives, can also be used on Mac OS X or can be ported with relatively little effort on the Macintosh.
The kernel called the Aqua interface is based on a relation to the "classic" Mac OS completely redesigned user interface, the design elements (transparency and shadow effects, more detailed icons) partly in surfaces of UNIX/Linux- and Windows systems input found. A first for the Macintosh - - addition, however, also is the operation by typical unix command line available.
With the introduction of Software Boot Camp in April 2006, it was first possible to start a Macintosh computer with an operating system for x86 processors, which allows about the parallel installation of a Microsoft Windows system. This is possible but only with an Apple computer using x86 processors.