End All Be All 20th Site
http://tam.axon.net/
The above site is the best on the web for 20th Anniversary Macintosh fans, and has an extensive "For Sale" and "Want To Buy" sub board. This is where I found my 20th machine (they were going for around 2 grand 3 years ago, depending upon condition) and I had 2 great years with it before I sold it to a guy who already had one, but wanted another to use as an MP3 jukebox player (sorta like a BIG iPod with the best sound around)
They were limited to a run of 10,801 machines, (why that particular number, I have no idea) and, yes, were based on the 603e chip. When they first came out, the price was in the neighborhood of $8,000.00. When Steve came back (he had nothing to do with this machine) he ordered the back stock to be liquidated at any cost. Apple quietly reduced the price to $1,999.99 and when word got out, they flew out of the warehouses, much to the chagrin of those who bought them at the original asking price.
They hovered at the market for about 2 grand for quite a while, but as time went by, unless you found one of these beauties in its original packaging UNTOUCHED, 2 grand wasn't considered a fair price anymore. So anywhere between $800.00 and $1,200.00 is typical these days.
To have one of these things was truly a joy. My favorite thing was to have friends come over and casually mention to them that I just purchased a computer. Expecting an "Apple Mac Whatever," their jaws dropped when I picked up the remote control from the couch in the living room, pointed it in the direction of the office, pressed a button, and watched the device turn on with a resounding, sub-woofer enhanced start up tone that was exclusive to the 20th.
Still sitting on the couch, I tuned in some of my favorite FM stations, and then flipped over to the TV option. I hadn't even gone near it yet! And that was just the beginning...
Touch a button and the lid flipped down to reveal the cd drive. Playing cd's were almost as good as listening to them on my home stereo. Oh, heck, I could go on and on...it was a piece of art, and still is.
But time marches on. I got tired of the small screen, compared to the several cinema displays I use at work everyday, and the slow processor. And the 20th can't run OS X.
Damn, just talking about it makes me miss it again, but it's in a good place. One thing I had hoped to see at MWSF this year was a machine that celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Apple (which was a week before MWSF). I still have a hope that perhaps sometime this year Apple might go "wacko" and build some limited edition WOW! machines for nuts like me willing to shell out SERIOUS cash for something that looks like nothing else in their lineup, but it's not likely with Steve back at the helm.
Besides, for the first time since owning the 20th, I've considered buying a Mac for home. (I use the G4PowerBook from work when I want a computer at home) The new iMac has enough "coolness" factor for it to warrent a place in my home office...but think of the possibilites of Revision 2 of the iMac! Or maybe Apple WILL have a little fun and make a 25th Anniversary iOMYGOD machine...
Waiting, wondering, frustrated, oh dang it all...
Scott
