Prototype Macintosh Portable Available on eBay

**Wiley John Wright** · 12-27-2010, 02:08 AM

Another piece of Apple history is up for sale on eBay, a Macintosh Portable. This unit is a prototype and was not intended for resale. The Mac Portable was Apples first attempt at building a Mac that could be taken with you. There have been quite a few auctions recently offering historic Apple computers. If these auctions are any indication, then this unit should fetch more than its $1750 starting price.

According to the seller, “the label on the bottom notes that it is intended for demonstration purposes only and does not include the necessary certifications.” This Mac Portable is said to be an “absolutely mint, flawless, clean prototype.” Unfortunately, the unit does not turn on at the moment. This is probably due to the age of the unit’s lead acid battery.

This type of battery is not produced anymore and the Mac Portable will not boot without a functional battery. The Mac Portable was widely criticized at the time for its inability to boot up from an AC outlet without an installed battery. Workarounds for this are possible and whoever ends up with this unit will have to put in a little extra work in order to get this Mac Portable working again.

The Apple Macintosh Portable shares a similar architecture to the Mac SE, using a different housing and battery, of course. It was considered portable at the time, but at 16 pounds and 4 inches thick, you could hardly just throw one into a bag on your way to a coffee shop.

The Mac Portable was discontinued in October of 1991 and was soon replaced with something more recognizable by today’s standards, the PowerBook 100 series. Digging up a Macintosh Portable, is sort of like unearthing dinosaur bones; pretty cool to look at and have, but not really that useful in the modern world. Still, the fact that this early prototype is available on eBay will surely make some Mac fan a happy camper this holiday season.

Source: 9to5 Mac

**brandond** · 12-27-2010, 02:14 AM

Why are so many old apple products being resold???

**bplayabball** · 12-27-2010, 02:58 AM

nope, wouldnt buy one.

**GellBrake'rrrr** · 12-27-2010, 03:20 AM

Hahahahaha, "16 lbs", that REALLY makes you think that the iPad is a welter weight!!! Even though mine seems to be very heavy at times. Wow!!! Imagine if the iPad weighed that much....and back then, that was the shizznit!!!

**javiert30** · 12-27-2010, 03:49 AM

Bring it to me, I can fix that...

**khitomer** · 12-27-2010, 04:18 AM

I have one of these mint, but same problem of non functioning battery. Anybody got an idea what it might be worth?

Is there a method of fixing battery or replacing it? I'd love to see this machine in operation if only for the nostalgia!

**z3r01** · 12-27-2010, 08:03 AM

To me it's worth nothing....

**thetoothfairy** · 12-27-2010, 08:20 AM

I am sure it was cool in its time...

**Tech guy** · 12-27-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by khitomer

I have one of these mint, but same problem of non functioning battery. Anybody got an idea what it might be worth?

See how much there selling it on eBay then you can figure it out.

**akafred** · 12-27-2010, 08:39 AM

i would guess if you watch the auction it would give you a idea of what its worth..

Originally Posted by khitomer

I have one of these mint, but same problem of non functioning battery. Anybody got an idea what it might be worth?

**Armored** · 12-27-2010, 09:54 AM

Is it jailbreakable?

**theguyz** · 12-27-2010, 10:21 AM

WTF...... I have seen similiar at pawn shops for like 100 and in good shape and non booting as well.

Time to go searching and ebaying.

Maybe as listed as prototype worth more but who knows.

**plcrules** · 12-27-2010, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by theguyz

WTF...... I have seen similiar at pawn shops for like 100 and in good shape and non booting as well.

Time to go searching and ebaying.

Maybe as listed as prototype worth more but who knows.

wat pawn shop do u go 2? i want in on that

**Zokunei** · 12-27-2010, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by z3r01

To me it's worth nothing....

Lol.

**yomommah** · 12-27-2010, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Wiley John Wright

This type of battery is not produced anymore and the Mac Portable will not boot without a fictional battery.

so... how would someone go about getting/making an imaginary battery?
better question, how did they have this technology way back when?
rofl

**bren132409** · 12-27-2010, 11:57 PM

Am I really the first to point out... "fictional battery"... Where "functional" Should be

xD

**Cer0** · 12-28-2010, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by bren132409

Am I really the first to point out... "fictional battery"... Where "functional" Should be

xD

Well the post directly above yours was the first.

Originally Posted by yomommah

so... how would someone go about getting/making an imaginary battery?
better question, how did they have this technology way back when?
rofl

Fixed.

**EskimoRuler** · 12-28-2010, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by brandond

Why are so many old apple products being resold???

My guess is that it is kinda like a fad right now. One person sold an old one and then another decided it was time for theirs too

**brandond** · 12-28-2010, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by EskimoRuler

My guess is that it is kinda like a fad right now. One person sold an old one and then another decided it was time for theirs too

Yea, it could be

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Thread: Prototype Macintosh Portable Available on eBay

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Another piece of Apple history is up for sale on eBay, a Macintosh Portable . This unit is a prototype and was not intended for resale. The Mac Portable was