The Clear G3 Powerbook "101"
Submitted by NaturGirl on May 24, 2004 - 6:36pm.
Apple | Computers | Power Macintosh
This is a clear G3 Powerbook "101". These powerbooks are often referred to as "Lombard", but the "Lombard" was in fact a newer name that included both the "101" and the "Pismo" projects.
This Powerbook was without a trackpad or the attached shielding when it first came into my possession (it was a gift). I took that out of a production model so that I could use the powerbook as a web browser and wireless iTunes receiver for my bedroom. The trackbutton does not have the rubber pad to make it connect closely, so it needs to be clicked a little harder than usual. The reason for the clear case and clear button was for engineers and apple product testers to be able to see the insides while it was running. The clear trackbutton lets you see how the plastic molded piece actually hits the small button on the circuit board when you press on it.
When this model was without it's trackpad, you could see how the hinge for the latch release functioned. I don't want to open the Powerbook up again to reinstall the trackpad as it is getting older and the clear plastics aren't made to be flexible or age very well. It is more fragile than a normal powerbook G3, but it holds up very well for normal use.
I installed OSX 10.3 "Panther" onto it and iTunes 4.5 as well as a cardbus wifi adapter. It works beautifully. There are no dead pixels in the LCD. It has 192MB of ram, 333MHz, and a 4GB HDD... but that was great for it's time.
It will go up for auction on eBay on Sunday, May 30th at 1:15pm PST. The auction will be here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4134160277
As soon as a bid is placed, the "but it now" price will disappear...
I have replaced it with a normal powerbook G3 for my iTunes, and I am sacrificing this rare beauty to try and help me pay some bills. I am including a CD-ROM module, Battery, and Power Adapter so that whomever buys it can enjoy it for it's full functionality as much as I did.