A tiny replica of the original Macintosh, functional and with a real screen!
An emblematic machine of the '80s, the Macintosh is perhaps the personal computer that really launched the Apple brand. With its inimitable look, integrated mouse and screen, the Macintosh was presented to the press in October 1983, before being launched early the following year. The cost of the machine was significant, but in conjunction with Apple's LaserWriter printer, it gave birth to desktop publishing and was the benchmark for years to come. Inevitably, the machine looks a bit old-fashioned today... but that's exactly what makes it so charming!
The tiny Macintosh Classic replica measures just 62 mm in height © Nick Gillard
Nick Gillard is definitely a computer aficionado. The Briton had fun creating the smallest working replica of the Macintosh in its Classic version. Pictured next to a Coca-Cola can, the beast measures just 62 millimeters in height! The tiny case is 3D-printed, and its chassis requires two parts: the front part and the back part, which are then simply assembled. But to get a working machine, you need something between these two pieces of plastic: Nick Gillard chose Waveshare's RP2040-Zero board. It uses the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and runs via the modified Macintosh 128K pico-mac emulator software.
Among the modifications made to the emulator, Nick Gillard was forced, for example, to review the display issues. Indeed, the Macintosh used a definition of 512 x 342 pixels that is difficult to achieve on today's panels. Nick Gillard turned to an LCD panel with a diagonal of just 2 inches, for a definition of 480 x 640, which he limited to 480 x 342 on the emulator. Spotted by Notebookcheck.net, the machine is already available for purchase... well, not quite, since its creation was a great success and Nick Gillard is currently unable to supply any more. It has to be said that the price he's asking for it (£56, or around 67 euros) remains reasonable, and while a collector's version with miniature packaging is also on offer (£78 or 93 euros), both are currently out of stock.
