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PowerBook Duo
The PowerBook Duo is a line of subnotebooks manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1992 until 1997 as a more compact companion to the PowerBook line. Improving upon the PowerBook 100's portability (its immediate predecessor and Apple's third-smallest laptop), the Duo came in seven different models. They were the Duo 210, 230, 250, 270c, 280, 280c, and 2300c, with the 210 and 230 being the earliest, and the 2300c being the final version before the entire line was dropped in early 1997.
Weighing 4.1 pounds (1.9 kg) and slightly smaller than a sheet of paper at 10.9 in × 8.5 in (280 mm × 220 mm), and only 1.4 in (36 mm) thick, it was the lightest and smallest of all of Apple's PowerBooks at the time, and remains one of Apple's smallest notebooks ever produced. The Duo had the most in common with the original MacBook Air which only included one USB 2.0 port, one video port (requiring an adapter) and one speaker port, but no ability for expansion.
The PowerBook Duo line was replaced by the PowerBook 2400, which was slightly larger in size than the Duos, but still only the fifth-smallest behind the 12-inch PowerBook G4 which succeeded it as fourth-smallest. Although both featured much more onboard functionality, they lacked docking ability.
The Duo line offered an ultraportable design that was light and functional for travel and expandable via its unique docking connector. However certain compromises were made to achieve this level of portability. The Duo series used an 88% of standard desktop-sized keyboard which was criticized for being difficult to type on. Likewise, the trackball was reduced in size from even that used on the PowerBook 100. The only usable port which came standard on the Duo was a dual printer/modem EIA-422 serial port.
There was a slot for an expensive, optional, internal 14.4 Express Modem and no provision for built-in Ethernet. This somewhat limited configuration meant the only way to move data in or out of the laptop in a stock configuration, without purchasing additional accessories, was via a relatively slow AppleTalk connection, which was not practical in the event of hard drive problems. Compensating for these limitations, the initial Duo offering provided for a considerably higher RAM limit of 24 MB (as compared to the 100 series' 14 MB), and a standard 80 MB hard drive (versus the 100's 40 MB drive). The debut year for the Duo only offered a passive matrix display on both the mid-level and high-end models, in contrast to the high-end of the PowerBook 100 series—the PowerBook 170 and 180 (in which the Duos shared the same processors). With their crisp active matrix displays, both were already in great demand over the lower-powered models with passive matrix displays. The following year, Apple replaced the Duo models with both an active matrix display and a color active matrix display, the latter becoming the de facto standard of the PowerBook line. The respective Duo models are easily differentiated by their display method and processor. All other features are identical.
The initial launch of the PowerBook Duo occurred in October of 1992 with the Duo 210 and the Duo 230. The two machines were almost identical, with both having a 9.1" 4-bit grayscale passive matrix LCD and a Motorola 68030 (the Duo 210 at 25 MHz and the Duo 230 at 33MHz). The Duo 210 came with an 80 MB hard drive, while the 230 had options for either 80 MB or 120 MB. Both came with 4 MB of RAM, upgradable to 24 MB via a DRAM card. The Duo 210 retailed for $2249, while the slightly faster 230 was $2609.
In October of 1993, Apple released the Duo 250 and the 270c. The Duo 250 was essentially a 230 with a much improved active-matrix display and a 200 MB hard drive. The Duo 270c had a color active matrix display, but in addition to displaying 256 colors at 640x480, it could display 16-bit color (32,768 colors) at 640x400 - the first for any notebook computer. A redesigned motherboard included a Motorola 68882 math coprocessor and could accept up to 32 MB of RAM. Both the Duo 250 and 270c shipped with a new high capacity Type II nickel-metal-hydride battery, which promised 25% more capacity.
Released in May of 1994, the Duo 280 and 280c were the Motorola 68LC040 replacements to the 250 and 270c. Both have the same displays as their 68030 counterparts, but the 33 MHz 68LC040 was substantially faster, and can support up to 40 MB of RAM. The 280c also shipped with a new Type III battery, which had 15% more capacity over the prior Type II.
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PowerBook Duo AI simulator
(@PowerBook Duo_simulator)
PowerBook Duo
The PowerBook Duo is a line of subnotebooks manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1992 until 1997 as a more compact companion to the PowerBook line. Improving upon the PowerBook 100's portability (its immediate predecessor and Apple's third-smallest laptop), the Duo came in seven different models. They were the Duo 210, 230, 250, 270c, 280, 280c, and 2300c, with the 210 and 230 being the earliest, and the 2300c being the final version before the entire line was dropped in early 1997.
Weighing 4.1 pounds (1.9 kg) and slightly smaller than a sheet of paper at 10.9 in × 8.5 in (280 mm × 220 mm), and only 1.4 in (36 mm) thick, it was the lightest and smallest of all of Apple's PowerBooks at the time, and remains one of Apple's smallest notebooks ever produced. The Duo had the most in common with the original MacBook Air which only included one USB 2.0 port, one video port (requiring an adapter) and one speaker port, but no ability for expansion.
The PowerBook Duo line was replaced by the PowerBook 2400, which was slightly larger in size than the Duos, but still only the fifth-smallest behind the 12-inch PowerBook G4 which succeeded it as fourth-smallest. Although both featured much more onboard functionality, they lacked docking ability.
The Duo line offered an ultraportable design that was light and functional for travel and expandable via its unique docking connector. However certain compromises were made to achieve this level of portability. The Duo series used an 88% of standard desktop-sized keyboard which was criticized for being difficult to type on. Likewise, the trackball was reduced in size from even that used on the PowerBook 100. The only usable port which came standard on the Duo was a dual printer/modem EIA-422 serial port.
There was a slot for an expensive, optional, internal 14.4 Express Modem and no provision for built-in Ethernet. This somewhat limited configuration meant the only way to move data in or out of the laptop in a stock configuration, without purchasing additional accessories, was via a relatively slow AppleTalk connection, which was not practical in the event of hard drive problems. Compensating for these limitations, the initial Duo offering provided for a considerably higher RAM limit of 24 MB (as compared to the 100 series' 14 MB), and a standard 80 MB hard drive (versus the 100's 40 MB drive). The debut year for the Duo only offered a passive matrix display on both the mid-level and high-end models, in contrast to the high-end of the PowerBook 100 series—the PowerBook 170 and 180 (in which the Duos shared the same processors). With their crisp active matrix displays, both were already in great demand over the lower-powered models with passive matrix displays. The following year, Apple replaced the Duo models with both an active matrix display and a color active matrix display, the latter becoming the de facto standard of the PowerBook line. The respective Duo models are easily differentiated by their display method and processor. All other features are identical.
The initial launch of the PowerBook Duo occurred in October of 1992 with the Duo 210 and the Duo 230. The two machines were almost identical, with both having a 9.1" 4-bit grayscale passive matrix LCD and a Motorola 68030 (the Duo 210 at 25 MHz and the Duo 230 at 33MHz). The Duo 210 came with an 80 MB hard drive, while the 230 had options for either 80 MB or 120 MB. Both came with 4 MB of RAM, upgradable to 24 MB via a DRAM card. The Duo 210 retailed for $2249, while the slightly faster 230 was $2609.
In October of 1993, Apple released the Duo 250 and the 270c. The Duo 250 was essentially a 230 with a much improved active-matrix display and a 200 MB hard drive. The Duo 270c had a color active matrix display, but in addition to displaying 256 colors at 640x480, it could display 16-bit color (32,768 colors) at 640x400 - the first for any notebook computer. A redesigned motherboard included a Motorola 68882 math coprocessor and could accept up to 32 MB of RAM. Both the Duo 250 and 270c shipped with a new high capacity Type II nickel-metal-hydride battery, which promised 25% more capacity.
Released in May of 1994, the Duo 280 and 280c were the Motorola 68LC040 replacements to the 250 and 270c. Both have the same displays as their 68030 counterparts, but the 33 MHz 68LC040 was substantially faster, and can support up to 40 MB of RAM. The 280c also shipped with a new Type III battery, which had 15% more capacity over the prior Type II.