Bonhams today announced that it will be auctioning several rare prototype Apple devices on November 3, including an unreleased VideoPad.
The VideoPad was intended to be a personal digital assistant (PDA) device similar to Apple's Newton MessagePad series, with Apple testing three versions of the device between 1993 and 1995, including the VideoPad 1, VideoPad 2, and VideoPad 3, according to Bonhams. The auction company says the VideoPad 2 headed to auction is the only surviving concept prototype, and it is estimated to fetch up to $12,000.
The three VideoPad prototypes were based on a conceptual design sketch drawn by Apple's former CEO John Sculley, but the devices were ultimately scrapped by Steve Jobs upon his return to Apple in the late 1990s, according to Bonhams.
The prototype VideoPad 2 features a hinged flip-top design with two screens, although the top screen appears to be missing. The device was apparently going to have a built-in camera for video conferencing, two speakers, a memory card slot, a power socket, and a phone line input, but it was ultimately never released to the public.
The prototype was purchased from an Apple engineer in Palo Alto in 1999, and it comes in its original black leather carrying case with the Newton logo, according to Bonhams. More details are available on the auction website.
“The device was apparently going to have a built-in camera for video conferencing, two speakers, a memory card slot, a power socket, and a phone line input”
Video conferencing over a POTS line and with 1990s technology. It’s no wonder Jobs killed it.
Since that was back then, the memory card was probably an SRAM card. Those were brutally expensive. I still have a couple of them around, for my PIC-1000s(!).
I can just imagine sitting there waiting for the modem to connect before starting my video call. Why would I want to do that at one FPM (frame per minute) when I could just pick up the phone and call the person?
The same reason people fly to meetings instead of call.
We’re spoiled now, but imagine being able to see your mother in California when you were at college in New York back in the 1980s or 1990s.
Tuesday marks 10 years since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away, and those who met him have begun to share stories about his life.
CNET's Roger Cheng today recounted his memory of Jobs visiting The Wall Street Journal's headquarters in New York to offer him and a small group of other reporters an early look at a prototype iPhone, shortly after the device was unveiled in 2007.
Cheng...
Wednesday October 6, 2021 7:14 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs passing away on Tuesday, Apple shared a short film called "Celebrating Steve" on its website, and Apple has now made the video available on YouTube for those who may have missed it.
Apple describes the short film as a tribute to Steve Jobs and a celebration of his life and his extraordinary vision. The video includes many photos and short...
Tuesday October 5, 2021 1:23 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today commemorated the tenth anniversary of Steve Jobs' passing with a special commemorative homepage on its website, including pictures and a link to a short film that captures some of his most memorable quotes and moments at Apple's helm.
The homepage also includes a statement from the Jobs family, reproduced below:
For a decade now, mourning and healing have gone together.
Our...
Friday October 22, 2021 7:34 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
One day ahead of the 20th anniversary of Steve Jobs unveiling the original iPod on October 23, 2001, Apple's former senior vice president of the iPod team Tony Fadell has reflected on his role in creating the device in an interview with CNET's Roger Cheng.
Fadell said that Apple was on a mission to launch the iPod before Christmas 2001. Impressively, he said that he "really got started" with ...
A Steve Jobs and Apple auction coming from Boston-based RR Auction in August will see the sale of several classic Macs and other Apple memorabilia, including a rare Apple-1 computer, an Apple II manual signed by Steve Jobs, a leather bomber jacket worn by Jobs, and more.
The Apple-1 that's going up for sale is from the collection of Roger Wagner, and it was previously sold in April 2002 at...
Tuesday October 5, 2021 10:50 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple CEO Tim Cook today reflected on Steve Jobs in a touching memo to employees that was obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Jobs passed away 10 years ago today at the age of 56 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. In the memo, Cook said that Jobs was a husband, a father, a friend, and a visionary who left an extraordinary legacy behind, adding that not a day goes by that he ...
An Apple II manual signed by Steve Jobs and Mike Markkula sold for $787,484 at auction this month after garnering 46 bids.
The 196 page manual was addressed to Julian Brewer, the son of Michael Brewer. Michael Brewer negotiated distribution rights for Apple in the UK in 1979, and the manual had a personal message inside. "Julian, your generation is the first to grow up with computers. Go...
A video of a seemingly functional AirPower prototype has been shared on Twitter by Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti, in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind look at the elusive charger in action. AirPower pic.twitter.com/bv8gi0NiiL— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) August 5, 2021 The video shows a unique on-screen iOS animation when the iPhone is placed on the AirPower charging mat,...
Friday December 18, 2020 9:49 am PST by Juli Clover
A set of schematics and programming instructions for a prototype version of the Apple II home computer recently sold for $630,272 from RR Auction, the company said today.
The documents were written by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and included five pages of circuit schematics and notes on sheets of graphic paper, a 12-page handwritten programming instruction guide with 28 steps, and six...
Twitter user @DongleBookPro has shared images of a prototype Macintosh Classic with a translucent casing.
The final retail Macintosh Classic used an iconic beige plastic, so it is rare to see one with a clear casing. This allows it to show off many of the Macintosh's internal parts, such as its nine-inch CRT monitor. It also highlights just how much empty space there was within the...
Top Rated Comments
Just needs one more thing…
…Perfect!
Video conferencing over a POTS line and with 1990s technology. It’s no wonder Jobs killed it.
We’re spoiled now, but imagine being able to see your mother in California when you were at college in New York back in the 1980s or 1990s.