Apple III

Apple Computer's third desktop, unveiled to user-group reps at Apple's pre-NCC sessions in May 1980 (Pi's Bernard Urban attended on Apple's invitation). Headline specs (per Urban and the trade press):

• "65028" hardware emulation of a 6502 at 2 MHz (2× Apple II speed), 128K addressable
• 80 columns, upper/lower case
• 16 HI-RES color modes (vs Apple II's 6)
• Redefinable character set ("even to making your characters look like birds in flight")
• Apple II "emulate mode" runs old programs (paddle-using programs need modification)
• Built-in floppy + daisy-chain three more
• Exotic OS designed to "let you write programs like the Woz himself"
• Reset moved; Control+Reset combination required
• 12″ B&W monitor needed for 80-column legibility; RGB for color
• Software coming: Word Painter, Visicalc III
• Pricing: $4,300 to $7,800+

Apple repeatedly assured Pi (via Urban) that the Apple II remained the mainstay for the foreseeable future. InfoWorld reported (per Efron's Nov 1980 Digest) that Apple III shipping to dealers began September 1980.

How Pi has treated it

• 1980-02 — V02 N02 — first rumors (4 MHz, 80-col, not 6502, possible 16-color HI-RES)
• 1980-03 — V02 N03 — WCCF rumors confirm via Faire roundup
• 1980-05 — V02 N05 — formal unveiling reported in Urban's editorial
• 1980-07 — V02 N07 — Paul Sand slide presentation
• 1980-11 — V02 N11 — InfoWorld reports shipping in progress

Related

• Apple II
• DOS 3.3
• Visicalc III
• Apple Computer Inc.