You have your wind up light, your wind up radio and maybe your next computer might be a wind up Mac G3?

Apple really does make the world Think Different. Hopefully this computer will be out before the power is. ==================================================================== http://www.macosrumors.com/2-99-1.html

P1 to feature wind-up power? [potential confirmation] [13:46 EST, 2/23]

A recent article posted at CNN.com confirms recent speculation that the Consumer Portable (codename P1) may include a "wind-up" power source.

Essentially, this power source would be a concealable arm on the side of the Portable's case, which could be spun by hand to generate power for the Portable's Lithium Ion battery. The idea is that this Portable must be able to run the Mac OS, but must also be able to sustain operation for an entire school day (it is expected to be Apple's biggest hit in schools -- ever). To provide both of these abilities without needing to be plugged in, Apple is reportedly licensing the remarkably efficient wind-up technology from a British company that invented it.

Several anonymous sources claiming to be privy to Apple's plans for the webMate, the education-specific version of the P1 (apparently webMate and macMate are the same machine; one is the education-tailored version, the other designed more for the general public; the differences are not entirely clear at present) suggested similar things earlier this week.

Update: Excerpted from the article [credit: CNN]:

The Freeplay radio has been awarded the BBC Design Award for Best Product and Best Design. It's no wonder: A windup generator that could connect to and power any battery operated device, anywhere, could significantly change the lives of many people who don't have ready access to even simple technology. It also has far-reaching implications for technological development. There are plans to include windup technology in landmine detectors, talking books and even the upcoming Apple consumer PowerBook, code named WebMate. "The technology is there and can be adapted to any product," says Philip Goodwin, an industrial designer at BayGen.

Two related CNN links: http://cnn.com/TECH/9701/08/t_t/windup.gadgets/index.html#2 and http://cnn.com/TECH/9708/06/safrica.computer/index.html. These both detail the technology itself -- and the latter suggests that Apple has had this technology on the back burner for some time.. ===================================================================== Leska... is this the perfect iMac companion or what?

Mike =======================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), February 25, 1999

Answers

As a devoted Mac fan (cut me I bleed Apple juice) I can honestly say I WANT ONE!!! I've been setting up the solar system at the house to carry the laptop, along with the essensials, but that would make life soooomuch easier.

On the other hand, as a network tech at the elementary school level, if the windup arm looks anything like the one on the Freeplay radios it won't last a week. You would be amazed at how easily things can be broken. Please, if a designer is reading this, take a cue from the childproof pill bottles. Make it require two hands, a foot and an act of Congress....

-- Annie O'Dea (tarotmaid@yahoo.com), February 25, 1999.

Ooooooo, we're already drooling! It was supposed to already be out. Hhhmm. Apple's already Y2K-savvy; this is a practical way to walk their talk. It'll be a hit! we hope. Tappin it comes out soon because we'll want the second or possibly third generation (not that we have the $$, ahem).

First runs usually need some tweaking. Not sure the service dept will be fixing much the first 1/2 of 2000, so IF we buy *anything* electronic (doubt it) before 2000, it has to be pedestellared by millions first. We're madly affixed to our iMac, but it does do some very odd things (one of the first produced :) We turn it off at night, but it turns itself back on randomly, mysteriously. One night it even surfed the Net by itself; no kidding. Apparently many of the first runs have this strange problem with on/sleep/restart/shutdown; the thing definitely has a mind of its own. Hal ain't just their commercial. So .... us webfeet need a more inert webmate. Thanks for the info, Mike! Off to check it all out - - - - ->

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 25, 1999.

>>We turn it off at night, but it turns itself back on randomly, mysteriously. One night it even surfed the Net by itself; no kidding.>>

Hi Leska:

Have you tried going to Control Panels>Energy Saver> Here there is an icon for selecting scheduled startup and shutdown times. This sounds strange that it surfaced on the net, but it seems that with macs, there really are no rules to how they work. Macs are stubborn little friends at times.

I love my mac as well! Bought it second hand from a graphic designer for the Fuji Film Company. A wind up G3 would be the icing on the cake. Somehow I'll have to scrape together the icing.

-MC

-- MC Davey (Apus1Son@aol.com), February 25, 1999.

I drool.

Ooops, kleenex please.

Seriously, it was 1997 that BayGen and Apple got together on this.

Diane

BayGen & Apple Computer (if the link still works)

Daily Mail & Guardian, Johannesburg, South Africa

http://www.mg.co.za/mg/za/archive/97jul/30jul- news.html#clock

Wednesday, July 30, 1997. 5.00PM.

A Clockwork Apple

WEDNESDAY, 5.00PM AN APPLE laptop is the star of a Botswana technology and education conference -- because it is powered by a clockwork generator. Trevor Baylis, British inventor of a clockwork radio manufactured in Cape Town, connected his radio to a low-powered Apple E-mate 300 computer on show at the conference.

The radio, which includes a power jack in the back, produces enough current to power up and charge the laptop. Mark Floisand, general manager of Apple Computer in South Africa, says the discovery came as a surprise, and he will continue working with Baylis' firm, BayGen, to develop the use of the generator further. Winding the radio for 25 seconds can provide half an hour of electric power.

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 25, 1999.

Hi MC Davey,
There's an iMac BB where ppl ask all sorts of questions & get help; they suggested that in August, did it. Nothing had ever been chosen on the Energy Saver panel. Now they say it's a hardware problem; something needs to be replaced. Just can't bear to be parted from it yet! Warranty good for a year. If they swap it, we'll end up with more HD & speed, but not this perfect color. Maybe if we buy the the WebMate, then we'll take the iMac in for repair. Our Educational buy discount is good for a year :-)

Thanks for that suggestion! Wish it were that easy ;^(

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 25, 1999.