Apple IIGS Microcomputer
date: label: Date made
content: 1986
name: label: maker
content: Apple Computer
notes: label: Description
content: The computers in the Apple II family were among the most popular personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s. The last model and most impressive of the Apple II family was the Apple II GS (GS=graphics + sound). When it was released in September of 1986—Apple's 10th anniversary—at the price of $999 (without a monitor—or $1498 with an RGB monitor), the Apple II GS competed against other computers such as the Commodore Amiga and the Atari ST.
label: Description
content: The Apple II GS used the Western Design Center 65816 16 bit microprocessor, which ran at 2.8 Mhz. It had 256 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 8 MB. There were seven slots to accommodate an expansion of memory. It was the first computer to utilize the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) which linked standard input device such as keyboards, mice, and graphics tablets. This made it possible for Apple to sell a single set of peripherals that both the Apple Computer and later the Macintosh could use. The IIGS display had a 600 X 200 pixel mode with 2-bit palletized cooler and a 320 X 200 pixel mode with a 4-bit palletized color. The Apple II GS could display 256 colors on the screen. Its ProDOS 16 as system software allowed users to handle any number of open files at the same time.
label: Description
content: The IIGS seemed well positioned to capture a large market. However, by the time it was released, Apple was putting its energy into developing the Macintosh and the IIGS suffered from limited marketing. Apple discontinued the line in December 1992.
label: Description
content: This example of the Apple IIGS is model number A26000, Serial number A2S2-E80113DA2S6000. For related documentation, see 1998.3062.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
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content: Family & Social Life
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content: Work
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content: Computers & Business Machines
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Richard M. and Susan S. Taffet
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1998.0199.01
label: catalog number
content: 1998.0199.01
label: accession number
content: 1998.0199
objectType: label: Object Name
content: microcomputer
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 cm x 18.3 cm x 35 cm; 4 3/4 in x 7 3/16 in x 13 3/4 in