Macintosh Portable prototype hits eBay, unusual keyboard configuration intact

These things show up on eBay all the time, that is where I got mine. It is not rare to find one that is not backlit.

The backlit ones are more difficult to find. The trackball can be moved from left to right, additionally as was stated earlier there were other modules in the event you did not want the trackball.

US$1,750 is far too much for this, i bought mine for US$50.

I don't much in the auction that would give validity to the term "prototype". It is my understanding that most prototype units were made with clear cases. The document accompanying the item, if legitimate, indicates this was an employee owned computer.

The 9 volt battery was there to preserve content of memory while you swapped the main battery (you were carrying a spare on the plane with you, weren't you? :) So you could put the Mac to sleep, swap the battery, then wake up again.

The battery contacts were on the side, somewhere (I forget just where). I don't think it was a "smart" battery like laptop batteries today. So I think you should be able to connect an appropriate power supply to the contacts and have the system boot up. I don't know if the 9 v connector would be appropriate for powering the whole system.

i have a mac portable with a dead lead acid battery. and was pretty surprised when i learned how the AC adapter actually worked.

but IIRC (it is at work... i am not) ... the giant battery itself connects to the computer with a normal 9V style connector. i was able to hook up a random 'universal power supply' thing i got at radio shack at one point that had a 9V battery style connector on it. switched adapter to 9V and it worked.

this would not power the machine by itself. and the real power supply also had to be plugged in as well. i did that... and it was able to power up just fine. long enough for me to grab all the files off the hard drive anyway.

i'll check when i go into the office to see if i did recall correctly.

Got to use one of these when I worked for an Apple dealer in 1991. They had sold it to a lady who ran into an Apple employee on a plane shortly afterwards. The fellow told her she was nuts for buying this, as the first Powerbooks were coming out shortly thereafter (remember this was pre-Internet so no-one, especially Apple dealers, had a clue as to what was coming). She returned the Portable and got a Powerbook when they came out. I ended up using the Portable. I think it was about 16 pounds, so quite a lug. But easier than a Mac SE 30!

The keyboard and trackball are removable on this model, and may be switched at will. This was an interesting design feature.