The Apple Macintosh personal computer is an iconic piece of tech history—with an emphasis on the word history. Compared to the 32-bit PCs of yesteryear, today’s hardware is so advanced that it often feels like trying to compare a gas-guzzling Ford Model T to today’s all-electric cars.
The Macintosh’s throwback graphics and interface still elicit a certain degree of nostalgia, however. Combine that emotion with one of the best examples of computing miniaturization on the market, and you get a DIY project that pays homage to the computer’s earliest days while celebrating how far the tech has come since then.
I turned a CLOCK into a vintage Mac!
YouTube channel This Does Not Compute recently showcased their journey to turn a tiny desk accessory into a full-fledged Macintosh computer. The basis is simple—a novelty digital alarm clock housed inside a case designed to accurately mirror the PC’s 68000 era. All that’s needed is to clean out the toy’s innards, then mount a Raspberry Pi 2 CPU and wire it to an 2.8-inch LCD screen. Emulator software loaded onto an ejectable microSD card mimics early Apple operating systems, with some additional configurations to ensure that retro look and feel. Ironically, this includes ensuring that the LCD screen’s touchscreen capabilities are turned off.After all, Apple wouldn’t integrate similar technology until it debuted the iPhone in 2007.
However, there are a few minor drawbacks to the project. The modifications currently disable the original clock’s brightness and volume buttons, and the display ratio doesn’t quite match the original Macintosh. Still, it’s an admirable attempt to recapture some of those early Apple vibes. It might not support any of your favorite apps, but it seems like a fun way to disconnect from today’s tech for at least a little bit at a time.
