Author: Javier Rivera

ManilaGear, a new Apple II hardware maker, is readying his new 4soniq 4-Channel Sound Card, a beautiful and functional sound card for the IIgs. The 4soniq gives you four separate 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. One 4soniq card unlocks 4 of those channels. Pair it with a second…

A new web store with on demand printing has opened, check it and fulfill your retro wearable! Update: New products added: picasso style graphics, vintage games! http://store.apple2faq.com

The Apple II computers are still very popular among retro hobbyists, but one of the problems some people face is the availability of video display options when their CRT fails. There are still some TVs that accept composite video, but sometimes the display is fuzzy or the colors are inaccurate. Then 80 column display becomes a nightmare, as much of these screens are not clear enough. A2Heaven sent me a pre release of their new product: the Apple II VGA…

I recently got one of the new RamFactor compatible cards from A2Heaven.com. The card is a modern clone of Applied Engineering’s RamFactor memory card. This new version is made with modern 8 MB SRAM, which uses less power and has extra features: a holder to add a small CR2032 type battery to hold the memory state just like the old RamFactor used to. It has a display that will show the current memory bank selected and RAM status. Although it…

A quick update that we have some new items now listed in the UA2 Store – The RAMWorks IIII Kit v1.0. This Kit is mainly designed and meant for the SolderFEST part of KFEST to help add to the show. We will however ship to users since there is a demand for the board and a fun “kit” project for the Apple II. KFEST Delivered Kit: https://goo.gl/SH6NUZ Shipped Kit: https://goo.gl/nc86dZ All details and pics are listed on the item’s page…

Three new memory cards have been announced from Bulgaria’s A2Heaven. The cards, for the Apple II family, add 8 Megabytes of memory and other features: Addon 8MB for Ramworks III Ramworks III expansion to 8MB card , also emulates original Applied Engineering piggyback 2MB card and 512 KB memory extension form Applied Engineering. This card also supports 80 column mode. The display on the card shows the current memory bank selected.           RamFactor compatible card (…

Big Mess O’ Wires has the story of how they resurrected the first DB-19 connector to be made in the 21st century. From the article: “About 15 months ago, I first started looking into the idea of manufacturing new DB-19 connectors. So here’s the thing – how do you go about having something like this made? I had no clue, and it took me over a year. How do you find factories that might possibly build something like this, and…

Discounted early-bird registration for KansasFest 2016, the 28th annual Apple II convention, ends May 31.  On June 1, prices rise $55, so reserve your spot now.  Official KansasFest shirts are extra and optional and must be ordered by June 22; registration for staying on-site closes July 1. Users, programmers, hobbyists, and retrocomputing enthusiasts are invited to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, July 19, through Sunday, July 24, for six days and five nights of sessions, demos, announcements, contests, and…

The Kit is the user installable version of the Universal PSU, and the Upgrade is the service UltimateMicro performs for the user.  We also have a KFEST deliverable option and special show price.  We’re still not sure about holding an informal session, possibly during SolderFest to assist in upgrades, but we’re working on those details and looks like it will happen. The Universal PSU Kit is designed to be installed in your existing Apple II or /// Power Supply Enclosure…

Ultimate Micro just released the Scalable Oscillator v2 for use in the TransWarp GS and ZXIP-GSX.  Each Scalable Oscillator is now custom tailored to fit each board better.  It also now uses a better grade clock IC which provides a cleaner signal, although with this better signal came complexity of design. this item comes with a Power LED to let you know it’s working, and a resettable fuse on the +5v power line to protect the board from any damage…

A famous Apple collector from down under, send us this funny piece…

Retroconnector, the maker of modern connectors and 3D printed cases inspired in Apple II and retro computers, now offers Retro inspired jewelry, desktop gadgets, cases & docks. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroConnector?section_id=18668490

Ultimate Micro unveils the new A2DiskController! It’s a clone of the Apple 3.5″ Drive Controller card which allows 800k and HD 1.44MB 3.5″ Floppy Drives to be connected to your IIe and IIgs systems.  It a great option to allow users to connect 3.5″ Floppy to their IIe, and the only one currently available. Here’s the link to their store product.    

Ultimate Micro just announced two new products soon to be available: The IIgs ROM0 to ROM1 Adapter v2.0 is a redux of the v1 adapter where I used to Machine Pin Sockets stacked together to allow use of a standard ROM in the IIgs.  There is hidden benefit to these new v2 Adapters however.  Since they use a standard EEPROM, users can now do firmware development for the IIgs very simply. https://www.ultimateapple2.com/catalogzen154/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_17&products_id=99 SRAM SOJ to DIP Adapter and it is…

A few years ago I acquired a Franklin 500 computer. This was one of the few Apple //c clones that had extras and enhancements, as well as a “brick on a leash” power supply just like the //c. The excitement lasted me just a couple of days, then the power supply died. I looked around forums and groups in search of a replacement, but being such a ‘rare’ item, there were no replacements. I put away the computer but always…

Yesterday morning I picked up my new iPad Pro. Since the first version of the iPad, I’ve been hoping for a bigger version. Yesterday my wish finally came true. The iPad Pro is physically very similar to the smaller versions – same thickness, nice curvy design, just bigger. Immediately you can feel the speed as everything opened fast and navigations are swift with no lag. The size is really good.  I can read my eBooks and most PDFs at “real” size, including magazines and manuals that…

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Пламен Вайсилов’s VGA adapter for the //c. Needless to say, a lot of people was asking how to get one. Now the website’s store is finally open! Head up to a2heaven Store and get all your goodies from the Bulgarian Woz!  

I just received an Apple //c VGA adapter from Пламен Вайсилов, a prolific Apple II hardware creator. This adapter has a button that lets you switch between video modes: color, green, mono and mono-white. also simulates scanlines in all those modes. Check the video. At the time of this post there has not been pricing and availability announced, keep checking Apple II heaven site. Also important to mention is that this is only NTSC, a PAL version is on the…

This year was my first Kansas Fest, and didn’t arrive on time for the Garage Giveaway. Regardless, I think the organizers do this from their hearts and spend a lot of time and money organizing, gathering, and transporting all goods. They deserve some help, so other than not selling what is giving away for free on eBay, we should chip in any way we can. Found about a GoFundMe page for helping them and I encourage everybody to contribute to…

After I gave a presentation on Retrobrite at KansasFest, people asked me to write about the process, never wrote about Retrobrite as there are so many articles and videos on the internet but finally found some time to write about it. There are many ways to Retrobrite.  I avoid submerging because it’s a waste of peroxide, and maybe toxic for the environment, also don’t wrap in plastic as it allows areas to wrinkle and get more concentrated than others, promoting…