Amazing Apple IIGS Original Hardware Laptop

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Hacker Benjamin Heckendorn, better known as Ben Heck, has shoehorned the motherboard of an Apple IIGS into his own custom-made laptop case.

The Apple IIGS Original Hardware Laptop has a 15-inch color screen, built-in CompactFlash as a pseudo hard drive and stereo speakers.

The amazing piece of engineer has a glowing blue logo that flashes yellow when the disk is busy. Heck even made his own keys for the board, laser-etching each key.

It seems like it must be in danger of bursting into flames at any moment, but Heck says it puts off no more heat than a pocket calculator.

Released in September 1986, the IIGS was a powerful computer for its time, with advanced color graphics and stereo sound — the GS standing for “Graphics” and Sound.”

Heck says the hack was requested by an unnamed party. My money’s on Woz.

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Heck has lot more pictures and video on his site.

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About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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  • Church of Apple

    What, no trackpad?
    Just kiddin, that thing is the jam.

  • http://www.gearsandwidgets.com phoenix

    That’s pretty sweet! I have an old Apple IIGS, I’d love to see it in this form. ;)

  • http://www.catfancy.com miss_lain

    Pretty cool. I had a IIGS once. Beautiful little machine. I felt a pain in my heart to see it torn out of its original case. But its spirt lives on in the nifty looking IIGS laptop.