 |  |
| | |
It's a 400-MHz model with 128 MB RAM, 16 MB VRAM, a 12 GB hard drive, internal 100 MB Zip drive, an internal 24x CD/4x DVD ROM drive, and an internal 56K modem. I also got the Apple 17" display, which looks just smashing next to my upstyled Blue & White G3. You can view all the technical specifications from my order information or an abbreviated system profile.
I ordered it online the day it was made the second-fastest Apple Macintosh from the Apple online store. That was the most expensive purchase I had ever made online. I wasn't really worried about the security of the transaction - it just happened to be the largest purchase. It took two excruciatingly long weeks to get here, but I could monitor its progress at Apple's web site, and then on the UPS web site.Unfortunately, the DVD did not work when my G3 arrived. It was fixed under warranty (it had a faulty DVD MPEG-2 decoder card), but that was another two weeks I had to be without it. That was especially annoying, since I don't really plan on using the DVD right away - I got it so that I could read DVD-ROMs when the time comes that software starts being distributed on DVD.
It is pretty cool. It should be powerful enough to last me another 4 years or so, and for now, it can run anything I throw at it. As far as the design goes, it took some getting used to. The fold-down easy-access door made it a breeze to install my ixTV card and cables (see the picture to the right? I can watch cable on my Mac!). The handles on each corner are more decorative than anything else, but they are very sturdy when I do need to move it. And the bright blueberry color? Well, I've gotten used to that, too. The whole CPU/monitor/keyboard combination does make my office desk seem more fun. And what's a computer good for if not fun?
On October 18, 1999, I got my Time-Warner cable modem service, called Road Runner. For just $18 more a month than AOL (my previous ISP and location of my home page for almost 5 years), I get about a 50x speed increase in download times, 24-hour-a-day continuous access, and all without using a phone line! I had heard unpleasant stories about there being problems with the Road Runner service for Macs, especially under System 8.5, but I took the plunge anyway.
MacCentral - the site I use to get late-breaking Macintosh newsApple Insider - a site dedicated to tracking any rumors or inside information at Apple (pretty reliable, but it's still mostly speculation)Apple's site - if you want the official word, go to Apple
MacWorldMacAddict