2

In this Apple commercial for the new MacBook Pro, there are several typewriters as well as a few retro Apple laptops shown. Which typewriters and laptops are being shown?

Screenshots

Order is left to right, top to bottom. Click to embiggen.

Typewriters:

Typewriter 1 Typewriter 2 Typewriter 3 Typewriter 4 Typewriter 5

Computers:

Computer 1 Computer 2 Computer 3 Computer 4

Improve this question
  • The computer looks like an original Macintosh. The first laptop appears to be a PowerBook 165c. – Ken Gober Sep 12 '17 at 2:22
  • Second laptop is probably a 15" PowerBook G4. – Greg Hewgill Sep 12 '17 at 2:33
  • @KenGober You should post that as an answer if you can identify the others. – fi12 Sep 12 '17 at 2:41
  • 1
    First typewriter could be an early Underwood machine, although typewriters looking like that were plenty. Second (the big) one is an IBM Model C or Model D, next an Olivetti travel machine (maybe, hard to tell) , and a Smith Corona electric – tofro Sep 12 '17 at 6:53
  • 1
    If/when the YouTube user OzLandTV, whoever that is, decides to delete this video, or if/when YouTube blocks the clip or the account, the question and the answers will become meaningless. Making a handful of screenshots and embedding them in the question is advised. – Leo B. Dec 30 '18 at 18:24
6

The following is the list of typewriters in order of appearance:

  1. Underwood No. 3 (manual, 1900-1931)
  2. Royal Model No. 10 (manual, 1913-1934)
  3. IBM Model C (electric, 1958-1967)
  4. Underwood Golden Touch Deluxe (manual)
  5. Smith Corona Cornet Super 12 (electric, 1960-1968 for Cornet 10" electric model)

Dates found from The Typewriter Database (https://typewriterdatabase.com/).

Improve this answer
4

I don't know any of the typewriters; those predate me.

The computers, however, are (in order of appearance):

  • Macintosh (the original, later known as 128k to distinguish it from the 512k "Fat Mac")

    The one that started it all, of course. Kinda-sorta-maybe portable.

  • PowerBook 165c

    This was the first Apple notebook with a color display, and the first notebook from any vendor to have a 256-color display.

    On the 1080 HD version of the video, and getting really close to the screen, you actually read the badge on this one as confirmation of the identity.

  • Aluminum PowerBook G4 (15") (Late 2003 or newer, but it could be any year/speed after that; you can't tell from the video because the cases were identical)

    This was the first notebook to come in an aluminum enclosure, and it really set the standard for all Apple "pro" notebooks that have followed it. The case design has been tweaked, but not yet significantly revamped.

    The badge on this one is pretty clear even at lower resolutions. It's just above the keyboard. If it were a MacBook Pro (the first Intel-based Apple notebooks; early versions used a case nearly identical to the PB G4), it would have said "MacBook Pro" under the screen.

  • Some kind of weird, unrecognizable unit without function keys.

It is a bit odd they didn't include the Macintosh Portable, which was the first real portable Macintosh, or the PowerBook 100, which was (I believe) the first sub-notebook (a form factor that would later reappear with the PowerBook Duo series). The PowerBook 100 was also the first notebook to include a built-in trackball pointing device, in a location that would become the industry standard (centered at the front of the unit, underneath the keyboard).

I would have also felt compelled to include one of the PowerBook G3 models (post-Kanga: either Wallstreet, Mainstreet, Lombard, or Pismo), which was the first notebook that I ever thought was "sexy". It also introduced the glowing Apple logo on the lid that is so iconic today (although in the early designs, it was upside down when the lid was open and the computer was in use!).

Improve this answer
  • "the PowerBook 100, which was (I believe) the first "modern" clamshell-style notebook from any vendor" - then there was the Tandy 200 in 1984, Toshiba T1100 in 1985, Tandy 1400 LT in 1987, Compaq LTE in 1989 .... – Raffzahn Sep 12 '17 at 11:42
  • @Raffzahn Ah, you're right. That obviously can't be right. I think I was thinking of it being the first "sub-notebook". – Cody Gray Sep 12 '17 at 11:44
  • which again is a quite debatable classification, isn't it? IIRC, the Tandy 200 is about the same size as a Powerbook 100, give or take a few millimeters. While it was rather slim, it wasn't realy creating any new class at all. – Raffzahn Sep 12 '17 at 11:50
  • @CodyGray Unless you were born after 2015 or so, typewriters were still being made during your lifetime. dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235846/… Granted...the last one went straight to a museum but it also said that "nearly 30 years" since 1985. – cbmeeks Sep 12 '17 at 13:03
  • 2
    I didn't mean all typewriters, @cbmeeks. I've used a typewriter before. I just meant the typewriters shown in the video. I'm also not a vintage typewriter enthusiast. – Cody Gray Sep 12 '17 at 13:04

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.