Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Here's Apple's first laptop, the Macintosh Portable, made by Apple in the US. It sold new in 1989 for $6,500! and it weighed 16 pounds. It didn't sell well. For their next attempt at a laptop, Apple sought, with the Powerbook 100, a little help from Sony. I've heard everything from "Sony designed and built it, and Apple stuck their name on it" to.. Apple built it but Sony helped Apple to miniaturize the components." I've heard both of these completely conflicting claims from otherwise quite reliable sources. Let's just see where this Powerbook 100 says it was made. It says here, "Made in USA." OK. But that still doesn't rule out Sony--IF they had a plant in the USA then. And, yes, they'd built their first US plant in 1972. Sigh. Well, I've got one more thing to check. ANOTHER Powerbook 100 that I happen to have. Let's look at it and see if it can clarify matters. Ohhhh, no. Quite the opposite. This one says "Assembled in Ireland." Ireland! Hmm. Did Sony have a plant in Ireland? Well, yes, they'd had a plant in Shannon, Ireland since 1960. So, that weighs in favor of Sony making Apple's Powerbook 100 ... unless Apple also had a factory in Ireland. What are the odds of that? Well, it seems that yes, Apple did have a factory in Ireland then. And still does.
Here's Apple's first laptop, the Macintosh Portable, made by Apple in the US. It sold new in 1989 for $6,500! and it weighed 16 pounds. It didn't sell well. For their next attempt at a laptop, Apple sought, with the Powerbook 100, a little help from Sony. I've heard everything from "Sony designed and built it, and Apple stuck their name on it" to.. Apple built it but Sony helped Apple to miniaturize the components." I've heard both of these completely conflicting claims from otherwise quite reliable sources. Let's just see where this Powerbook 100 says it was made. It says here, "Made in USA." OK. But that still doesn't rule out Sony--IF they had a plant in the USA then. And, yes, they'd built their first US plant in 1972. Sigh. Well, I've got one more thing to check. ANOTHER Powerbook 100 that I happen to have. Let's look at it and see if it can clarify matters. Ohhhh, no. Quite the opposite. This one says "Assembled in Ireland." Ireland! Hmm. Did Sony have a plant in Ireland? Well, yes, they'd had a plant in Shannon, Ireland since 1960. So, that weighs in favor of Sony making Apple's Powerbook 100 ... unless Apple also had a factory in Ireland. What are the odds of that? Well, it seems that yes, Apple did have a factory in Ireland then. And still does.
