This website is created by a vintage computer enthusiast and dedicated to the legendary Apple Computer 1. The very first computer of one of the today's most valuable companies. From a historical standpoint, the Apple-1 may not be the most important computer. But it is one was the most important.
Just because it was the cornerstone on which the Apple corporation was built. Without this first computer, Apple might not exist.
APPLE-1.INFO and APPLE-1.ORG ARE NOT ASSOCIATED IN ANY WAY WITH THE APPLE INC.
Here you find the Apple Inc. website. The Apple-1 was the first ever product and computer distributed by Apple.
This website has no ads, does not use cookies, will not track you and is hosted in the European Union.
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Apple-1 prototype
The Apple-1 computer is the most valuable microcomputer.
In 1976, engineer Steve Wozniak, while working at HP, built the Apple-1 computer from scratch. He finished his work in March 1976. Together with Steve Jobs and Ronald G. Wayne, both working for Atari, they founded the company Apple Computer that would make history and change the world.
Before Steve Wozniak created the Apple-1, he built just 13 years old a transistor-based calculator and at the age of 19 a computer called the Cream Soda Computer together with Bill Fernandez. Bill Werner got the chips for it. Bill Fernandez introduced Steve Jobs to Steve Wozniak.
Later Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs sold together illegal phone phreaking boxes, called Blue Box. Those were invented by John Draper aka (Captain Crunch). Steve Wozniak (aka Crazy Pollack) met him and started to build his own Blue Boxes. Wozniak tried to use the Blue Box to prank the pope. He called the pope claiming Henry Kissinger would speak.
Steve Wozniak designed the Apple-1. Only 200 Apple-1 were produced in total. According to Steve Wozniak, 175 were originally assembled.
Steve Wozniak wrote in an email, that a few were made in a pre-production run. This is given by the pictures of the Apple #2 listed in the Apple-1 Registry. Clearly a pre-series model of the Apple-1. None of the pre-production Apple-1 have been seen for many years.
Despite so many articles about the Apple-1 designed in a garage, it happened in Steve Wozniak's apartments (Villa Serra Apartments, today The Markham Apartments).
The unusual display section is a result of the so-called 'Computer Converser' which Steve Wozniak and Alex Kamradt designed as a terminal. The idea came from an article in the magazine Popular Electronics 1975.
The motherboard was designed by Howard Cantin (an Atari employee at the time). Steve Jobs bought the components from Cramer Electronics (today Arrow Electronics) on a net 30 day term. All Apple-1’s components including IC sockets were soldered in a factory.
The IC chips were placed in Steve Jobs' parents' house. Steve Job's sister and Daniel Kottke equipped the mainboards. His sister made just a few before Daniel took over the work. She bent too many pins of the chips while watching TV. First 50 boards in the house, next 50 in the garage. Steve Wozniak showed up about once a week and corrected any mistakes in the garage. As soon as a few mainboards were equipped, those were delivered to the Byte Shop.
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The final Apple-1
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Apple Cassette Interface
The final product was a mainboard with usually 4 or 8 KB and an expension slot. Later a cassette interface was created as well.
The first 50 Apple-1 were sold to the Byte Shop, owned by
Paul Terrell, who met Steve at the Homebrew Computer Club. Without this contact, the Apple Company might not exist. The Byte Shop was one of the first personal computer retailers. Paul Terrell was visionary and wanted to offer a fully assembled computer for little money. Only later did Paul Terrell realize that a complete computer in Steve Jobs' eyes meant the assembled board. Keyboard, cassette interface and tape recorder had to be bought.
East Coast: Later Stan Veit bought an Apple-1. He was the owner of the east coast's first computer store. He showed this computer at the Association of Computer Machinery and in the beginning nobody believed him that the Apple-1 would be a computer.
According to Daniel Kottke, a car dealer contacted Apple and wanted to use the Apple-1 computers for his business. This was by far the most lucrative idea. But it never happened.
All Apple-1 came out without a case, keyboard and power supply.
For the first time the Apple-1 computer was presented August 28-29, 197 at the PC76 - Personal Computing Consumer Trade Fair in Atlantic City, NJ, USA (black and white picture).
It was by the way the first national personal computer show. Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Daniel Kottke presented the Apple-1 at Stan Veit's booth.
Woz created the first Apple II in 1976 as well. According to Daniel Kottke he had the Apple II prototype in a shoe box. Already capable of colors. He took it to the West Coast Computer Faire.
The Apple-1 registry is since 2010 the original list of all known Apple-1. The registry is full of information, pictures collected in countless hours.
This list is an institution on the internet for owners, enthusiasts, Apple-fans, auction houses and the press to refer to.
Apple-1 computers are an important and rare piece of history and the purpose of the Apple-1 Registry is to preserve information, history, location and conditions of the few remaining Apple-1, since too much information has already been lost or forgotten.
With some efforts an interactive Apple-1 was created. You find an explaination which part and chip is responsible for the various task of a computer.
Steve Wozniak, Apple-1 designer, engineer, co-founder of Apple Computer. Apple employee #1.
Steve Wozniak's website
Steve Wozniak talks about the Apple-1
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer. Apple employee #2.
Ronald G. Wayne, co-founder of Apple
Ronald G. Wayne's website
Homebrew Computer Club
Apple-1 Registry - a list of all Apple-1 computers and much more
The Apple-1 - Information about the Apple-1 and a display of a private Apple-1 collection
Mike Willegal’s website. Mike created the Apple-1 Registry, which has been continued by Achim Baqué since 2018. Mike also created the famous Apple-1 replica called "Mimeo".
Applefritter, all about Apple computer and Apple-1 owner's club.
Any form of reprint or reproduction (including excerpts) only with written permission.
