This Does Not Compute | PowerTower Pro: The Mac Clone That Almost Killed Apple @ThisDoesNotCompute | Uploaded September 2022 | Updated October 2024, 19 hours ago.
Apple's official Mac licensing program in the mid-90s only lasted a bit over two years, but some companies came out with clones so compelling they almost put Apple out of business.
MeowToast 1/2AA battery adapter (not always in stock): etsy.com/shop/GeekyBitRetroPCParts
Music featured at 18:26 by Dan Mason: danmason.bandcamp.com/album/void
Sources:
"For Apple, Clones and Competition," New York Times, December 29, 1994.
"Power Computing swamped by Mac demand," Computerworld, November 4, 1996.
"Mac OS Systems," MacUser, September 1996.
"Power Computing Widens the Gap," Macworld, September 1996.
PowerTower Pro cache module photo: recycledgoods.com/power-computing-corp-power-tower-pro-225-apple-clone-225-45-mhz-processor-3-2-gb-hhd-128-mb-ram-tower
"Quantum Leap," Macworld, July 1998.
"275MHz Mac Powerhouse," Macworld, September 1997.
"Apple Eliminates the Top Clone Vendor," Macworld, November 1997.
Computer Chronicles Mac clones episode: archive.org/details/MacClone95
"The Vast Mac Expanse," Macworld, December 1996.
Power Mac 8500 photo: mediaarchaeologylab.com/collection/apple-power-macintosh-8500180-f8f54c2
"Apple misses mark; reports $708M loss," Computerworld, April 21, 1997.
"Why Apple Pulled the Plug," Macworld, November 1997.
Micropolis hard drive photo: imgur.com/PuaMB
"Double Troubles Send APS to Chapter 11," wired.com/1998/02/double-troubles-send-aps-to-chapter-11
"LaCie to Purchase APS," tidbits.com/1998/03/09/la-cie-to-purchase-aps-2
"Power Computing offers clones with a difference," InfoWorld, October 30, 1995.
Power Computing Mac OS 8 CD photo courtesy Action Retro: youtube.com/actionretro
"Apple shoots its clones and tries to go it alone," InfoWorld, September 8, 1997.
00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - One fast Mac
01:46 - Someone's been in here...
02:24 - Hard drive upgrade from a competitor
04:23 - Lots of RAM
05:10 - Add-in PCI cards
06:32 - Modular CPU card
07:18 - Something's missing...
07:49 - Time for more upgrades
09:15 - Modern PRAM battery replacement
11:37 - OS installation and peripherals
13:25 - These benchmarks suck
14:23 - Putting the power back into this PowerTower
16:01 - The Mac clone drama
19:13 - Death of a clone maker
20:38 - USB problems
21:23 - This thing was pretty badass in its day
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Apple's official Mac licensing program in the mid-90s only lasted a bit over two years, but some companies came out with clones so compelling they almost put Apple out of business.
MeowToast 1/2AA battery adapter (not always in stock): etsy.com/shop/GeekyBitRetroPCParts
Music featured at 18:26 by Dan Mason: danmason.bandcamp.com/album/void
Sources:
"For Apple, Clones and Competition," New York Times, December 29, 1994.
"Power Computing swamped by Mac demand," Computerworld, November 4, 1996.
"Mac OS Systems," MacUser, September 1996.
"Power Computing Widens the Gap," Macworld, September 1996.
PowerTower Pro cache module photo: recycledgoods.com/power-computing-corp-power-tower-pro-225-apple-clone-225-45-mhz-processor-3-2-gb-hhd-128-mb-ram-tower
"Quantum Leap," Macworld, July 1998.
"275MHz Mac Powerhouse," Macworld, September 1997.
"Apple Eliminates the Top Clone Vendor," Macworld, November 1997.
Computer Chronicles Mac clones episode: archive.org/details/MacClone95
"The Vast Mac Expanse," Macworld, December 1996.
Power Mac 8500 photo: mediaarchaeologylab.com/collection/apple-power-macintosh-8500180-f8f54c2
"Apple misses mark; reports $708M loss," Computerworld, April 21, 1997.
"Why Apple Pulled the Plug," Macworld, November 1997.
Micropolis hard drive photo: imgur.com/PuaMB
"Double Troubles Send APS to Chapter 11," wired.com/1998/02/double-troubles-send-aps-to-chapter-11
"LaCie to Purchase APS," tidbits.com/1998/03/09/la-cie-to-purchase-aps-2
"Power Computing offers clones with a difference," InfoWorld, October 30, 1995.
Power Computing Mac OS 8 CD photo courtesy Action Retro: youtube.com/actionretro
"Apple shoots its clones and tries to go it alone," InfoWorld, September 8, 1997.
00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - One fast Mac
01:46 - Someone's been in here...
02:24 - Hard drive upgrade from a competitor
04:23 - Lots of RAM
05:10 - Add-in PCI cards
06:32 - Modular CPU card
07:18 - Something's missing...
07:49 - Time for more upgrades
09:15 - Modern PRAM battery replacement
11:37 - OS installation and peripherals
13:25 - These benchmarks suck
14:23 - Putting the power back into this PowerTower
16:01 - The Mac clone drama
19:13 - Death of a clone maker
20:38 - USB problems
21:23 - This thing was pretty badass in its day
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
