Apple I
The Apple I, also known as Apple-1, Apple Computer, and Apple Computer 1, is an 8-bit home computer designed by Steve Wozniak and first sold by Apple on 1976-04-11. The computer uses a MOS 6502 clocked at 1 MHz for its CPU, shipped with 4 KB of RAM standard (upgradable to 8 KB internal or 48 KB external), and 256 bytes of ROM. Display uses a Signetics 2513 which allows for 40×24 characters with hardware scrolling. The board has built-in video and keyboard controllers, but wasn't sold with a monitor or keyboard. Storage required an expansion card and would allow the user to read and write to an external cassette recorder. Wozniak also wrote a custom BASIC interpreter for his computer originally called Apple BASIC, but, was later referred to as Integer BASIC.
Production only lasted for a little over a year. On 1977-06-10, the vastly superior Apple II was introduced, which was far more successful. In order to help eliminate support calls, Apple gave a trade-in discount for the Apple II before finally discontinuing the Apple I on 1977-09-30. Most of the computers that were traded in were destroyed which makes the Apple I especially rare with only 62 confirmed to still exist. The computer is now fully emulated in software and many hardware clones exist.
Personal
I never knew anything about the Apple I growing up, and only inferred its existence from the number on the Apple II. I heard a little bit about it from computer documentaries I watched in my teens, but that was about it. In my 30s, I discovered that MESS could emulate the Apple I, and I booted it up and played around with it for a few minutes. However, I didn't have a manual, couldn't find any interesting software for it, and wouldn't know how to load it anyway. The more I've become interested in computer hardware development, I've become more interested in the board, but I still haven't done much with it. I've played a few games on it, but that's about it.
Software
Media
Hardware
The Apple I motherboard.
Documentation
Manual - Operation Manual.
Manual - Preliminary Apple BASIC Users Manual.
Advertisement - 1976.
Font
Videos
Links
- scullinsteel.com/apple1 - Online emulator with software.
