{"product_id":"apple-macintosh-portable-1989-1991","title":"Apple Macintosh Portable (1989-1991)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e**COMING SOON\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApple Macintosh Portable \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e🥇Apple's First Portable \u0026amp; Battery-Powered Computer \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e🥇First Commercially-Released Portable Computer with an Active-Matrix LCD Screen \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e🥇First Computer to Send an Email from Space \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-102\"\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-102\"\u003eApple Macintosh Portable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-102\"\u003e, launched in September 1989 for a staggering \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-102\"\u003e$6,500\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-102 citation-end-102\"\u003e (or over $7,300 with an optional internal hard drive), was Apple's ambitious first attempt to build a self-contained, battery-powered Mac.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-101 citation-end-101\"\u003ePowered by a fast 16 MHz Motorola 68HC000 chip, it featured a gorgeous 9.8-inch black-and-white active-matrix LCD screen that delivered incredibly sharp visuals with none of the motion blur common on competing laptops.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-100 citation-end-100\"\u003eIt also included a built-in mechanical keyboard and a trackball that could be swapped to either side of the chassis to accommodate left- or right-handed users.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-99\"\u003eHowever, because Apple refused to compromise on desktop-level performance, the computer weighed a massive \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-99\"\u003e15.8 pounds\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-99 citation-end-99\"\u003e due to its heavy lead-acid battery and bulky 3.5-inch hard drive, earning it the affectionate nickname \"the luggable.\"\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-98 citation-end-98\"\u003eCrucially, because the power supply was designed only to charge the battery rather than run the computer directly, a completely dead lead-acid battery meant the computer wouldn't boot up even when plugged into the wall—a flaw that, along with its massive size and eye-watering price tag, kept it from commercial success until Apple redesigned its mobile line into the much lighter PowerBook series two years later.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcquired from: \u003c\/strong\u003eeBay.com \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apple Computer, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Apple Macintosh Portable","offer_id":54608081355062,"sku":null,"price":1989.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.westporttechmuseum.com\/products\/apple-macintosh-portable-1989-1991","provider":"Westport Tech Museum","version":"1.0","type":"link"}