TECH: New Apple Offerings

[William Russell Smith <rssmith@TENET.EDU>]

    These are the new Apple Macintosh computers as of April 3:


    LC 575s have been discontinued.

    LC550   $849

    LC550 Specs: 68030 processor; 4 MB RAM; 160 MB HD.


    LC580   $1349

    LC580 Specs:  8 MB RAM; 500 MB Hard drive; Double speed CD-ROM;
Integrated 14" SONY Trinitron monitor; Video in slot (card not included...
$150 extra); Video out slot (15 pin plug to TV or monitor); LC PDS slot
(will accept any LC card except for Apple IIe cards which will be
discontinued); COMM slot.

    LC630  $1899

    LC630 Specs: 68040 processor; 12 MB RAM (8 Mac/4 DOS); 500 MB HD;
double speed CD-ROM; integrated 14" Sony Trinitron monitor; video in slot;
video out slot; DOS compatible 486 DX2/66 card; COMM slot.

    My comments: as an option the single Simms slot on the DOS card can be
replaced with an 8 MB simms stick and the 4 MB originally there can be
moved to the Mac slots. This would give the best performance for PC
programs and give a boost to Mac programs... about a $320 upgrade option.

   LC5200/75    $1699

   LC5200/75 Specs: PowerPC 603/75 MPU; 8 MB RAM;  500 MB HD; double
speed CD-ROM; integrated 15" SONY Trinitron monitor; video in slot; video
out slot; LC PDS slot; COMM slot (for network card... optional).

   LC5200/75  AV Configuration   $2099

   Specs for AV Configuration include the basic LC5200/75 above plus:
Video in card; video out card; TV tuner card; MPEG card.

   My comments: Nice machine, but the single LC PDS slot will only
accommodate either an MPEG card or a DOS card, but not both.

   More comments: The 75 MHZ is faster than the 90 MHZ Pentium using
native applications; and the whole computer is on a swivel, allowing it to
be turned completely around for demonstration purposes. I feel the 14" and
15" monitors are kind of small for 1995 applications, especially if you
run Windows programs on the DOS card. This should be the last year for
such small monitors, even for schools. 17" monitors will go way down in
price in the coming months for PCs and Apple should take note of that fact.


Russell Smith
rssmith@tenet.edu
Educational Technology Consultant
Region 14 ESC  Abilene, Texas    Ph. 915-675-8647