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32-675: In September 1992, Apple introduced the Macintosh Performa family of consumer-oriented computers. The LC II was repackaged as the Performa 400. When LC II was replaced by the Macintosh LC III in early 1993, the LC II was discontinued in North America, and two new Performa models (the 405 and 430) were introduced in its place. In October, the Performa 400, 405 and 430 were all discontinued and

64-459: A 10 MB memory limit. These limitations limited the machine's ability to take full advantage of the 68030 CPU. Storage : The LC II shipped with one floppy drive as standard, with options for 40 or 80 MB hard drives. While the original LC had two internal floppy drive connectors, the LC II has one. About 5% of the LC units sold had two floppy drives, and internal hard disks were becoming common by 1992, so

96-614: A 12x or 24x CD-ROM. Multimedia : 5500s came with optional multimedia expansion cards, that connect via internal cables. In European models, these were an S-Video card and a Philips TV tuner card that also had an audio input. Black 5500s with this configuration were marketed as Director Edition in North America and Australasia and the 225 MHz version had the phrase printed on the case. Expansion slots : The 5500 has one PCI card slot. Operating system : The 5500 supports System Software versions 7.5.5 through 9.1 – Mac OS X

128-404: A 256 or 512 KB L2 cache (the latter being available only on the 275 MHz model) cache operating at the stock 50 MHz bus speed. Hard disk : The 5500 includes a larger ATA hard disk than its predecessor. The computer came stock with a 2  gigabyte (GB) hard disk, but the 275 MHz model came with a 4 GB drive; a faster SCSI CD-ROM drive (12x in early models and 24x in

160-441: A calendar/contact manager such as Touchbase and Datebook Pro, America Online , educational software such as The American Heritage Dictionary , The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia , The TIME Almanac (on models equipped with a CD-ROM drive), Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing , or Mario Teaches Typing , and a selection of games such as Spectre Challenger , Diamonds , and Monopoly . Another software package that only

192-428: A consequence of these issues, Apple overestimated demand for Performa machines in 1995 while also underestimating demand for high-end Power Macintosh models, leading to significant oversupply issues. Introduction of new Performa models slowed as a result: whereas Apple had introduced 20 different Performa models around the world from May to December 1995, the number dropped to four in the first seven months of 1996. For

224-494: A dot-29 or dot-39 pitch shadow mask CRT monitor. Professional models, in contrast, were sold à la carte with keyboard and mouse bundles chosen by the dealer or sold separately; monitors sold with high-end Macintosh models typically used Trinitron tubes based on aperture grille technology. While the Performa models resembled their professional counterpart on the system software and hardware level, certain features were tweaked or removed. The Performa 600, for instance, lacked

256-506: A geographic area had only one reseller. To prevent these conflicts, Apple split the Macintosh line into professional and consumer models. The professional line included the Classic, LC, Centris, Quadra, and Power Macintosh lines, and continued to be sold as-is (i.e., no consumer software bundles or limited features). The consumer line was given the name "Performa", and included computers similar to

288-440: A headphone jack on the front, a stereo miniphone jack on the back. Memory : Unlike the 5400, the 5500 has no soldered on-board memory. There are two JEDEC-standard DIMM slots (168- pin, 60 ns or faster, 2K refresh rate, 5-volt buffered EDO DIMMs), which can support up to 64 MB each, for a total maximum memory of 128 MB, 8 less than the 5400. Cache : The processor makes use of 32 kilobytes (KB) of L1 cache , with an option for

320-417: A new LC II-based model called the Performa 410 was introduced which became Apple's new entry-level computer. The LC II continued to be sold in some markets for some time after that. The LC II was Apple's highest-selling Macintosh product in 1992. The LC II retains the original LC's 16-bit system bus and 10 MB RAM limit, making its performance roughly the same as the earlier model. The main benefit of

352-405: Is a family of personal computers designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1992 to 1997. The Performa brand re-used models from Apple's Quadra , Centris , LC , Classic , and Power Macintosh families with model numbers that denoted included software packages or hard drive sizes. Whereas non-Performa Macintosh computers were sold by Apple Authorized Resellers, the Performa

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384-422: Is not officially supported on this machine. However, it can be run with XPostFacto but is not recommended, due to the 5500's lack of a G3 processor and RAM ceiling of 128 MB. In the general case, 128 MB of RAM is the minimum required for OS X to run (a G3 iMac can run OS X with this amount of RAM), but only on machines with a G3 processor. While Apple had by this point retired the "Performa" and "LC" brands as

416-558: The Power Macintosh 5260 and 5400 that preceded it, the 5500 is an all-in-one design, built around a PowerPC 603ev processor operating at 225, 250 or 275 megahertz (MHz). Apple originally produced the Power Macintosh 5500 for the educational market as a replacement for the previous year's Power Macintosh 5400 . It is the last All-In-One from Apple to be housed in the Power Macintosh 5200 LC 's form-factor; its replacement,

448-496: The Power Macintosh G3 All-In-One , introduced a significantly different design. The 225 and 250 MHz models were produced in beige and black, whilst the rarer 275 MHz models were only black. External ports : External ports include two LocalTalk / GeoPort serial ports, a DB-25 SCSI port, an ADB port, a stereo sound input port, a built-in microphone above the monitor, stereophonic sound output ports,

480-461: The level-2 cache of the Macintosh IIvx it was based on. Unlike the professional Macintosh lines, each individual Performa bundle was given a unique model number, in some cases varying only by the software bundle or the specific retailer that sold that model. This was intended to accommodate retailers, who could advertise that they could beat their competitors' price on equivalent models while at

512-482: The 68030 processor in the LC II is its onboard paged memory management unit , which System 7 uses to enable its new virtual memory feature. Apple had opted to get a quick update to the LC out the door instead of spending the additional time required to do a full architectural update, which would happen the following year with the Macintosh LC III . The LC II was sold at the same time as the Macintosh IIsi , which

544-636: The Launcher (an application launcher similar to the macOS Dock ), and the Performa Control Panel, which included several unique configuration options. The functionality of all three components were eventually folded into the operating system itself. Versions of System 7 with the additional software had a 'P' appended to the end, such as 7.1.2P which was included with the Performa 630 in mid-1994. Software bundles usually included ClarisWorks , Quicken ,

576-479: The Performa was equipped with was called MegaPhone, a screen-based telephony (SBT) application developed by Cypress Research. Blanks indicate missing data. According to Apple, all of these models are obsolete. Source: "Apple Macintosh Performa Specs (Mac Performa Specs): EveryMac.com" . Power Macintosh 5500 The Power Macintosh 5500 is a personal computer designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Computer from February 1997 to March 1998. Like

608-646: The early 1990s, Apple sold computers through a chain of authorized resellers , and through mail order catalogs such as those found in the latter third of MacWorld Magazine . A typical reseller sold Macintosh computers to professionals, who purchased high-level applications and required performance and expansion capabilities. Consumers, however, purchased computers based on the best value, and weren't as concerned about expansion or performance. To reach these customers, Apple wanted to sell their computers through department store chains (such as Sears ), but this would conflict with existing authorized reseller agreements, in which

640-443: The late-1996 holiday period, sales of Performa-branded machines had dropped year-over-year by 15 percent, reflective of a company-wide drop in fourth-quarter revenues by one-third compared with 1995. In February 1997, just days after Steve Jobs returned to the company, Apple refreshed its entire line of desktop computers, retiring a dozen Performa models based on the Power Macintosh 6200 and 6400 with no replacement, and reducing

672-411: The professional line. Early Performa models were not sold with the "Macintosh" brand in order to get around the authorized reseller agreements. The Performa line was marketed differently from the professional line. To satisfy consumer-level budgets, the computers were sold bundled with home and small business applications. Most models were also bundled with a keyboard, mouse, an external modem and either

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704-440: The range of Power Macintosh to six computers (plus a few Apple Workgroup Server variants). The official end of the Performa brand was announced on March 15 as part of sweeping changes at the company that included layoffs of a third of the company's workforce and the cancellation of several software products. By early 1998, Apple's lineup was reduced to four computers: One desktop, one all-in-one, and two minitowers (one of which

736-455: The return of Steve Jobs to the company. The Performa brand's lifespan coincided with a period of significant financial turmoil at Apple due in part to low sales of Performa machines. With a strong education market share throughout the 1980s, Apple wanted to push its computers into the home, with the idea that a child would experience the same Macintosh computer both in the home and at school, and later grow to use Macintosh computers at work. In

768-535: The same time ensuring that they did not actually carry the same models as their competitors. To help consumers choose between the options available to them, Apple created multiple paid advertisements including "The Martinettis Bring Home a Computer", a thirty-minute " storymercial " about a fictional family that purchases a Performa computer that aired in December 1994. Apple's strategy for selling Performa machines in department and electronics retail stores did not include

800-694: The second connector was removed. Video : The LC II's logic board has one video RAM slot, which is filled with a 256 KB SIMM as standard; the high-end configuration was shipped with a 512 KB SIMM instead. VRAM SIMMs from the original LC are supported in the LC II. Upgrades : Apple sold a $ 599 upgrade kit that replaced the LC II's logic board with that of the LC III. Introduced March 23, 1992 (and discontinued March 15, 1993): Introduced September 14, 1992: Introduced April 12, 1993: Introduced October 18, 1993: According to Apple, all of these models are obsolete. Macintosh Performa The Macintosh Performa

832-526: The sort of specialized training Apple offered to its dealers. This resulted in situations where Performa display models were often poorly taken care of; the demo computers crashed , the self-running demo software not running or the display models not even powered on. Apple tried to address the training issue by hiring their own sales people to aid the store sales staff, most of them recruited from Macintosh user groups. Despite this, however, many returned Performa computers could not be serviced properly because

864-435: The stores were not authorized Apple service centers. The problem was compounded by retailers favoring Microsoft Windows , especially after the introduction of Windows 95 . Computers running Windows were generally cheaper, and encouraged by manufacturer spiffs , advertising co-ops, and other promotion programs. In addition, many stores preferred to sell their own branded white box PCs, something Apple would not allow. As

896-547: The top-end). Video : An accelerated ATI 3D Rage II+ DVD graphics card, containing 2  megabytes (MB) of dedicated SGRAM and allowing for resolutions up to 832x624 at 32 bits per pixel, 1152x870 at 16 bpp, and 1280x1024 at 8 bpp. An optional video connector kit is available which adds a DB-15 output port to the back; the output of this display mirrors the main screen, suitable for presentations. Floppy disk : The 5500 includes Apple's standard SuperDrive 1.44 MB floppy drive. CD-ROM : All 5500 configurations include either

928-406: Was more than $ 800 more expensive than the LC II, but did not have its 10 MB memory limit, 16-bit data bus, and mono audio output. The IIsi also includes a NuBus expansion slot that the LC II lacks, and can be powered on via a button on the keyboard, unlike the LC range which has a power switch on the back of the unit. Case : The LC II retains its predecessor's pizza box form factor . The design

960-601: Was sold as a server product). As part of the restructuring of how Apple sold its computers in retail channels, it partnered with CompUSA to implement a "Store within a store" concept. Apple and related products were displayed and sold in a physically separate location by specialized employees (currently done at select Best Buy stores). The Performa versions of the Macintosh System software introduced some features that were not available on non-Performa Macintoshes. The most notable of these are At Ease (parental controls),

992-617: Was sold through big-box stores and mass-market retailers such as Good Guys , Circuit City , and Sears . The initial series of models consisted of the Macintosh Classic II -based Performa 200, the LC II -based Performa 400, and the IIvi -based Performa 600. After releasing a total of sixty-four different models, Apple retired the Performa brand in early 1997, shortly after release of the Power Macintosh 5500 , 6500 , 8600 and 9600 , as well as

Macintosh LC II - Misplaced Pages Continue

1024-453: Was updated during the LC II's production run when the auto-inject floppy drive was substituted for a manual-inject unit. The revised front bezel no longer featured the horizontal indentation aligning with the floppy drive, a defining characteristic of the Snow White design language . Logic board : The LC II retains much of the original LC's logic board design, including a 16-bit data path and

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