Apple IIc

Apple's compact, portable Apple II — launched April 24, 1984 at Apple's "Apple //c Forever" event. The //c was a closed, integrated Apple II (128K, built-in 5.25" disk, no expansion slots) priced to be a consumer/portable device. Pi members took to it enthusiastically as a portable computing platform.

Pi coverage

• 1984-06 — V06 N06 — first launch coverage: Robert C. Platt "Apple Owners Guide to the //c"
• 1984-07 — V06 N07 — "RAMDRIVE //c: Low-Cost Storage" (David Gribble)
• 1985-02 — V07 N02 — George Sall "The Apple //c Book: A Review" + "Why I Bought an Apple //e" double-feature
• 1985-03 — V07 N03 — Apple //c SIGNews column launches under Chuck Holzwarth
• 1985-04 — V07 N04 — "Interfacing the //c to HP Laserjet" (E. L. Chang)
• 1985-05 — V07 N05 — Lawrence Husick "Z-80 for the Littlest Apple"; Bugs in //c Systems Disk
• 1985-07 — V07 N07 — "CP/M for the //c: A Review" (Michael O'Keefe)
• 1985-09 — V07 N09 — Raesly "My 640K //c with CP/M" + "HotLink with a //c"
• 1985-10 — V07 N10 — UniDisk 3.5 + composite color monitors compatible

Significance

The //c was the bridge between Apple II as desktop power user platform and Apple II as portable consumer device. Pi's hardware-tinkering culture extended the //c's limited expansion (no slots) through external add-ons (RAM Disks, CP/M cards, hard disks via the IIc's serial ports).

Connections

• Successor product: Apple //GS (Apple IIGS) — launched Sep 1986
• Companion: UniDisk 3.5 (Sep 1985 announcement) — finally brings 3.5" floppies to the //c