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Apple

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

By Mark W. Kaelin January 15, 2008, 3:31 AM PST

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Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

A blueberry iBook

A blueberry iBook

With an innovative design that was meant to grab your attention, the original clamshell iBook from Apple generated almost as much buzz in the IT world as the more recent iPhone. In 1999, personal computer users were generally stuck with the familiar black rectangle laptop, but the iBook only came in blueberry and orange and was shaped like a clamshell (toilet seat?). But what was the iBook like on the inside — we find out in this TechRepublic Cracking Open.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Backside

Backside

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

CD-ROM drive

CD-ROM drive

A CD-ROM and an AC power connector are the only other ports.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

A closer look at the battery

A closer look at the battery

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Without battery

Without battery

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

A closer look - screws

A closer look - screws

As we look closer at the empty battery compartment we can see some of the screws we will have to remove to get inside our iBook. Note that they require an Allen wrench.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

A last look before cracking it open

A last look before cracking it open

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

The keyboard seems small to me

The keyboard seems small to me

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

LCD exposed

LCD exposed

While it may not be cracked it is very dirty. A close examination does not reveal any clues about why the LCD quit working.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Seems okay

Seems okay

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Frazzled wires

Frazzled wires

The connections at the base where the two clam shell halves join seem a little frazzled — perhaps that is where the problems lay.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Lots of plastic

Lots of plastic

While just getting started with the cracking open, several themes become obvious. The iBook contains lots of plastic parts and lots of screws. By the time I am done there will be over 50 loose screws and several more will still be left that I didn’t see the need to remove.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

The easy way in

The easy way in

Apple hid the upgradeable parts, what few there are, under the keyboard which just pops out of its housing.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Time to get cracking

Time to get cracking

The first thing to come out is the PCMCIA AirPort WiFi card. Under it is a metal plate held in place by two screws.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Power circuitry

Power circuitry

The power circuitry is situated along the front edge of the iBook.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

What lies beneath

What lies beneath

The aluminum foil like blanket must be covering something important.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

No stereo

No stereo

Not going to get much more than beeps out of this speaker.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Keyboard ribbon

Keyboard ribbon

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Life after iBook

Life after iBook

I’m going to see if this card will work in my old IBM z50 Workpad.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Pretty lights

Pretty lights

The sides of the iBook lit up when it was on — how unnecessarily cool is that. Perhaps this is why my new PC has neon lights inside of it.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Light source

Light source

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

The back of the LCD panel

The back of the LCD panel

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Oh Canada

Oh Canada

On the flip side, the modem card wrapping indicates a Canadian influence.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Electronics

Electronics

The main logic board has many additional electronics. The Maxim chip in the right corner for example is an SSOP.

This part shows quite a lot of dirt — must have been some air flow here. Perhaps heat played a factor in our blueberry iBook’s demise.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Graphics?

Graphics?

The most likely explanation for this chip is video, but I could find no reference that would tell me straight out. I do know that you can still purchase it.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Power PC

Power PC

With IBM all over it, this must be the Power PC CPU.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

A whopping 3GB

A whopping 3GB

Capacity sure has grown since 1999. The Zune and iPod we cracked open earlier had 4GB.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

From afar - stage right

From afar - stage right

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

From afar - stage left

From afar - stage left

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Metal plates

Metal plates

This monstrosity covered most of the chips in the iBook. It had about 10 screws holding it in place.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Animals

Animals

I am guessing there were some animals near this iBook at one time.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Hinges

Hinges

The combination of plastic and metal in the hinge between the two clamshell pieces strikes me as flimsy. Yet, this is where the handle to the iBook was attached.

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Overview angle one

Overview angle one

Cracking open the original Apple iBook G3 clamshell

Overview angle two

Overview angle two

The Apple iBook G3 was considered innovative for its time in 1999, but I found the components to be fairly standard. The only real innovation was in the way the iBook looked.

Personally, I didn’t like the look back then and it has not grown on me up to now. But the insides of our iBook make for a good TechRepublic Cracking Open Photo Gallery.

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By Mark W. Kaelin
Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, software, hardware, gaming, finance, accounting, and technology geekdom for more than 30 years.
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