It is 25 years since Apple's Clamshell iBook G3 arrived, replete with iMac styling and an innovation - optional Wi-Fi connectivity via Apple's AirPort.

For context, Wi-Fi predated the implementation in the Clamshell iBook G3 by a few years, but Apple's device was the first mass-market consumer device to feature the technology. The styling, however, was quite a change from the more sober hardware of before and since. If a customer was enamored by the iMac of the time, the iBook G3 would be equally welcome. If not, well, it was probably best to steer clear.

Styling aside, the Clamshell was not the most highly specified machine. At the time, we noted that the device came with 32 MB of RAM, a 300 MHz PowerPC 750 CPU, a CD-ROM drive, and a hard drive with capacity starting at 3 GB. The specifications improved during the machine's lifetime, but it could hardly be called a ball of fire.

Compared to the PowerBook G3 of the same era, it was decidedly underpowered and lacked the same external ports. However, it also lacked the same price tag, which started at $1,599. Considerably less than the $2,499 Apple wanted for 1999's PowerBook G3.

We described it as "a cross between Apple's earlier education-oriented portable, the eMate 300, and the iMac."

The iBook G3 was dropped in 2001 but retains a passionate following, like the iMac G3 of the era. The chunky styling is unique, and even if it might have lacked features that were a staple of laptops at the time, such as PC card slots, the device was embraced by consumers and educators alike.

The iBook G3 was also eminently user-seviceable, as were many of its siblings of the era. The battery was replaceable, and the RAM was simple to access. The AirPort card, responsible for wireless networking, was also easy to get at after removing the keyboard. Some users have since replaced the hard drive and optical drive with modern components. A few courageous and skilled users also managed to fit a later iBook 1024x768 screen into the final hurrah for the Clamshell.

The iBook G3 Clamshell was part of Apple's "comeback" and was a factor in the burgeoning "cool" perception of Apple at the time, alongside the iMac. The company has long since moved on, but the Clamshell remains a reminder of times when computers could be fun rather than sleek and slim. ®

https://www.theregister.com//2024/07/24/apple_clamshell_ibook_g3_25/