Author: Javier Rivera
When nostalgia for my childhood computer first hit me as an adult, the first thing I did was look for a way to emulate the system on my modern setup. Having already experimented with emulators like Catakig and Stop the Madness in the ’90s and early 2000s, it wasn’t difficult to find Virtual ][—one of the best Apple II emulators for modern Macintosh computers. However, after moving to “bare metal” and using real Apple IIe Platinum and Apple IIc machines,…
Introducing the Floppy Emu ][ a sleek, 3D-printed case crafted specifically for BMOW’s Floppy Emulator. This innovative case is designed to echo the iconic faceplate of the Apple Disk ][ drive, seamlessly integrating with the original metal enclosure for a classic yet modern upgrade. The new and improved design prioritizes ease of assembly, allowing users to effortlessly slot the emulator into place. Simply connect the necessary cables, and your setup is complete—ready to bring new life to your vintage computing…
Experience the nostalgia of vintage computing with our meticulously crafted 3D-printed recreation of the iconic Apple M0100 mouse. Designed to work seamlessly with Apple II computers (II+ and IIe require a mouse card), IIc, and IIc+ via direct connection to the rear DB9 port, this device incorporates a sophisticated converter that translates DB9 signals to optical for flawless performance. Our mouse has been rigorously tested with the Apple IIc, Apple IIc+, Apple IIe (with mouse card), Macintosh 128, and Mac…
Introducing the amazing 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – A Fusion of Nostalgia and Innovation! I am thrilled to unveil a product that seamlessly blends classic design with updated technology: The 3D recreation of the iconic Apple II Joystick, keeping all the classic features with brand new mechanical parts. The moving parts brand new, adapted to work seamlessly with Apple II’s that use the DB9 port. The switches are brand-new Matias key switches, a new version of the ALPS keys…
We start September with great news from ReactiveMicro, the Apple II innovator that provides the community with modern solutions for our vintage hardware, like the Power Supply replacements for all Apple II and /// computers. The new product is a composite to HDMI converter, optimized to be used with retrocomputer signals like the apple II. As most people know, modern monitors, mostly the large LCD, OLED and large screens are created for large pixels (4 & 8K) while the composite…
MacEffects, LLC, creator of the clear Macintosh SE case, just released the kickstarter for an Apple IIe case, and it’s fantastic! From their project:Our custom case will make your Apple II stunningly unique, yet still recognizable by its classic shape. You will have the ability to peer inside the system at its beautifully engineered internal components. This will instantly revitalize your computer and will allow it to serve as an amazing display that is sure to be a conversation starter in…
When it comes to Apple II, I’m easy to please. Every time I see a new product or something that gives new use, combines new technology and makes my retro computing more fun, I’m very happy with it. Now add some lights to the equation and let me control it within the computer – I’m in heaven! That’s just what Plamen Vasilov from a2heaven did: the newDisk II LED, is a perfect addition to the retro gadgetry. It allows me…
The Apple II floppy emulator options have been shrinking lately, with availability being limited to a few devices. From the CFFA 3000 last run to most other devices deprecated, there’s only two or three available right now. That’s why KbooHK coming into the Apple II community is quite welcome, and their product promises a great deal by supporting the new .Woz file format. The Wdrive is a small device, very well designed and built, It is a real floppy replacement…
Charles Mangin from Retroconnector has released a version for two players! Here is the info from his site: One of the first games I ever played on my family’s Apple IIe was the Jordan Mechner master work, Karateka. Fight the bad guys, save the princess – it’s a simple but classic formula. My brother and I would take turns making our way through Akuma’s fortress. Even then, we wanted a two player version. Fast forward more than 30 years, and…
I recently had the opportunity to beta test the new ReactiveMicro Apple IIc Plus Universal Power Supply, and it’s a beauty! The Apple IIc Plus was the last version of the already popular portable version of the Apple II. It featured a 4 MHz processor, expandable memory, internal 3.5 floppy drive, and new serial connectors. But the best feature was the lack of “brick on a leash” that plagued the original //c. This gave this model the freedom and portability…
Manila Gear released the new 0soniq, which gives you zero channels of sound for your Apple IIgs, instead of the usual one. Each of the 32 oscillators available in the Apple IIgs’ Ensoniq Digital Oscillator Chip (DOC) can be assigned to play on any one of 8 output channels. The 0soniq blocks all 8 of those channels. If you would like to hear those channels, check out our 2soniq stereo or 4soniq quadraphonic sound cards. To enjoy no sound with…
Recently I saw the news about the WiModem232 OLED availability and ordered one immediately. after a smooth transaction and a couple of days finally received it. The device is nice and very professionally made. the OLED really makes it stand out, and after getting an USB power cable started the setup. Had a couple of hiccups as the cable I had was a printer, which differs from the modem one and doesn’t work with the modem. Finally found a modem…
A few months ago i acquired an Apple IIgs, and to my surprise it had a Vulcan drive inside. The Vulcan was an internal combo of hard drive/power supply with a controller card. At that time, the only hard drive options were an external drive or an IDE card. The Vulcan was attractive by combining a strong power supply that also housed the hard drive. It was black colored and looked really nice replacing the internal power supply. The controller…
– One of the simplest cards I’ve ever used, just connect and run! For a long time, the Apple II has enjoyed a plethora of hardware that extends, connects, and enhances it. Among them, speed accelerators have been sought and venerated. The Apple IIe had a few of them: the TransWarp, Titan, Speed Demon, Zip Chip, and Rocket Chip. These products have not been manufactured for 30+ years and hence they are sometimes expensive and hard to obtain, leaving some…
Last year, 8bitdo, a Hong Kong company that specializes in Bluetooth and wireless controllers for retro systems, came out with a special receiver commemorating the Apple II after a successful kickstarter campaign. The key element of this device is the adapter that connects to the joystick port of the Apple II computers and converts it to Bluetooth, allowing the game pad to be used as a joystick on the Apple IIs. Unfortunately the users found out after receiving them that…
Mountain View, CA, 18 May 2017 — Manila Gear today announced the No Slot Clock for the Apple II series of computers. The No Slot Clock lets your Apple II remember the date and time. No Slot Clock – Front Side No Slot Clock – Back Side This brings the amazing functionality of the Dallas Time Chip DS1215 to the Apple ][ and the Apple ][+ computer. No more typing in the date and time every time you boot up! It also…
Contact: Jon Christopher Co John Valdezco https://www.manilagear.com Henry Courbis http://reactivemicro.com Manila Gear Introduces the 2soniq and Announces New Partnership with ReActiveMicro Mountain View, CA, 7 April 2016 — Manila Gear today announced the 2soniq interface card for the Apple IIGS. The card gives IIGS owners the ability to connect 2 powered speakers so they can enjoy stereophonic sound. This is a simpler version of the 4soniq – the quadraphonic sound card with a monophonic input digitizer that the company…
Convert CH Mach III Joystick to Apple II About a year ago I bought a very cheap CH Mach III PC joystick and found some schematics on the web for convert it to Apple II. Everything went fine, the conversion was successful and moved on, even sold the joystick to a fellow enthusiast. A couple of months ago I purchased again two PC CH Mach III joysticks, and started the conversion. This time I couldn’t remember the process and of…
Buckshot is a free to use, open-source image conversion utility for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It is based on a command-line image conversion tool called “bmp2dhr”. It’s mostly a toy to play around with, as it doesn’t support all features available in bmp2dhr, but it works well and is fun for checking out possible conversions. Get Buckshot
The second batch of Apple IIGS VGA Adapters shipped out last week and should now be in their new happy homes. We love hearing about what monitor you are using with the adapter: “Per your recommendation, I am using the adaptor with a Samsung 712N and it is working as advertised. This came just in time for me to fix up a ROM1 GS that I’m going to give to my son-in-law for Christmas.” – Bill from Pottstown, PA Thank you…
