Happy 40th Anniversary, Apple!

Like others, I thought it will be fitting for me to recount some simple milestones in how I got started in Macs and Apple.

iBook 1

This is my very first Mac – the iBook G4 12-inch.

I could not remember exactly which generation it was, except for the fact that I took ownership of it in December 2004. It was the very last one made in Taiwan before the production was shifted to China.

It was the cheapest computer (even among the PCs!) at the time that my university offered, and I got one partly for that reason (also receiving the news around the same time that my cousin ordered the almost 4000 dollar 12-inch Powerbook).

I did not like Mac OS X at the start, and it took me a while before I grew to like it, and then love it. Mingling among other Apple users (there were very very few of them in school then) helped, and I eventually got involved in MacNUS.

Photo 44

This was me during one of the Matriculation Notebook Fairs held at the Yusof Ishak Hall, I was tending the Apple (Diversitec) booth of course. I spend most of my time drinking iced tea since there were not many customers on most days then.

iBook + LG setup 3

Eventually this became my official room setup, after finding out the wonders of screen spanning on Mac OS X. I purchased a Apple Pro Keyboard (the white one) and paired it with probably the Razer Pro mouse for the setup.

iMac Setup 1

Then my very first desktop Mac appeared in my life – the 2007 Aluminium iMac 24-inch. This was the very first of the aluminium iMacs that will span all the time until today.

iMac Setup 4

The iBook got relegated to being the “side desk computer”. For the first time there was not a single Windows computer in my room.

By the way, in case you are wondering, all my Macs are still working fine today. The 2007 iMac is still in regular use on my desk, especially for podcast production, and my iBook is still running fine as well.

iMac Setup 280907 - 011.JPG

This eventually became the setup (before I started buying other newer Macs) involving my first Mac notebook and Mac desktop. Can you spot the iPods?

MUGS0108 - Group 1.jpg

I also got to know some of my longest friends since getting involved with the local Mac User Group. The group is largely dead, but three of the friends I got to know then I still talk to on a very regular basis.

2014 Mac setup - 1

What is your Apple story?

MacRyu’s Mac Setup 2014

So in 2007 I posted my old setup based around my 2007 24″ Aluminum iMac and 12″ iBook on Flickr.

Then in 2011 I posted my revamped setup based on the same iMac but with a relatively new 2010 MacBook Air.

After another 3 years and spending the last 12 months not bothered with updating this site, I want to reboot this site with my first decent post – my current Mac setup.

And here it is.

2014 Mac setup - 1

The iMac, now in its seventh year of service, has been semi-retired and is only used sparingly these days. Its main duties have been taken over by the 2012 11″ MacBook Air, which is connected to a Crossover 27″ high resolution monitor (2560X1440, LG’s IPS panel, the same ones used in the current 27″ Thunderbolt Display) via Dual-link DVI, which I run in clamshell mode for the time being. It will be eventually replaced by the next Mac Mini, whenever that thing is refreshed, because running clamshell mode can be a pain in the arse for long term use.

2014 Mac setup - 2

The iMac is these days used as a BT machine, iTunes server or for casual file access when I don’t want to turn on 4 switches just to access or print a file. It has been upgraded with a OCZ SSD last year, and boots into Mavericks in about 6 seconds flat, which is extremely speedy for a 7 year old machine. It is also connected to my HDD docks for serious backing up duties.

2014 Mac setup - 4

The Harman Kardon Soundsticks III is the world’s favourite computer speakers (they are almost always in every celebrity’s home or desks, just watch TV!) and I finally saved enough to get them last year. The iPad mini stand was a real replica of the see-through acrylic ones found in authentic Apple Stores, and was a gift from my brother a few weeks ago. Also on the table are docks for my iPhones (the 5S is being used to take the photos, that is why it is not in its modified Belkin dock), iPads, and other pieces of tech toys including the PS Vita 2002, Cowon Z2, Nexus 4 and the Xiaomi Note+. Oh and I love my Starbucks Reserve Mug.

2014 Mac setup - 3

Yes, those are the Sony consoles hiding in the dark corner.

Hopefully this site will still be around in 2017, when I will (most probably) post my updated Mac setup again.

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