The 404 672: Where we make Frends with Kevin Pearce (podcast)
The 404 Podcast has interviewed professional athletes before, but few are as young, or as inspiring, as today's guest, professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce. At only 22 years old, Kevin is already very accomplished, winning back-to-back Arctic Challenge titles in 2007 and 2008, in addition to being the first man to earn two Air & Style rings in one season.DragCloseThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Kevin sits down with The 404 Podcast to talk about his snowboarding history and an accident earlier this year that left him with a traumatic brain injury. Narrowly escaping death with the support of his friends and family, Kevin also tells us that his miraculous recovery wouldn't have been possible without the help of his brother Adam, who also joins us as Kevin's unofficial photographer in the studio.Kevin's also here to show off his new line of headphones named after his seven-deep crew of snowboarders called "Frends." The group consists of Keir Dillon, Mason Aguirre, Danny Davis, Scotty Lago, Kevin, and Jack and Luke Mitrani, and the current lineup includes five different headphones that range from earbuds to large DJ style cans. In fact, Kevin actually wears a pair with pride on today's episode.Finally, Kevin and his brother David are in New York to participate in this weekend's 2010 New York City Buddy Walk, a one-mile walk to benefit the National Down Syndrome Society and Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. Kevin's already well on his way to raising $10,000 but needs your help to reach his goal, so head over to his donation page and give what you can!Episode 672PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Nine missing Doctor Who episodes recovered
Nine missing Doctor Who episodes recovered
The episodes were recovered by Philip Morris of the Television International Enterprises Archives, who has spent decades scouring the globe for lost TV episodes. He recovered nine episodes: the five missing episodes from the six-part serial "The Enemy of the World" from Doctor Who's fifth season and four of the five missing episodes from the six-part "The Web of Fear" from the same season.(Credit: BBC)Morris tracked BBC shipping records to find the episodes at a relay station in Nigeria. "The tapes had been left gathering dust in a store room at a television relay station in Nigeria," Morris said. "I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words 'Doctor Who'. When I read the story code I realised I'd found something pretty special.""The Web of Fear", which originally aired weekly from 3 February to 9 March 1968, introduced recurring character Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, aka the Brigadier, and the enemy Yetis and was among the most sought after of the lost episodes. Episodes two through six were recovered."The Enemy of the World" was one of the first TV episodes to play with the idea of the evil twin. On future Earth, the Doctor and his companions are horrified to find the planet being run by an evil fascist dictator â€" who happens to look exactly like the Doctor. Episodes two, four, five and six were recovered, and a restoration team has filled in the missing episode three's story using the original audio and 37 episode images.Some fans may be disappointed that "The Power of the Daleks" or "The Tenth Planet" are yet to be found, but the discovery nevertheless marks a landmark day for the series.Of course, 97 episodes remain missing â€" and will possibly never be recovered. In June, Morris issued a statement to the effect that many episodes had simply been destroyed. But, if nine episodes were waiting to be uncovered in Nigeria for 45 years, who knows what else may be lurking in dusty store rooms?The missing episodes have been remastered and will be released by the BBC to iTunes today. "The Enemy of the World" will be released on DVD on 27 November, and "The Web of Fear" in early 2014.In the meantime, avid fans can always seek out the CDs of the rest the missing episodes made from recovered audio.
The episodes were recovered by Philip Morris of the Television International Enterprises Archives, who has spent decades scouring the globe for lost TV episodes. He recovered nine episodes: the five missing episodes from the six-part serial "The Enemy of the World" from Doctor Who's fifth season and four of the five missing episodes from the six-part "The Web of Fear" from the same season.(Credit: BBC)Morris tracked BBC shipping records to find the episodes at a relay station in Nigeria. "The tapes had been left gathering dust in a store room at a television relay station in Nigeria," Morris said. "I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words 'Doctor Who'. When I read the story code I realised I'd found something pretty special.""The Web of Fear", which originally aired weekly from 3 February to 9 March 1968, introduced recurring character Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, aka the Brigadier, and the enemy Yetis and was among the most sought after of the lost episodes. Episodes two through six were recovered."The Enemy of the World" was one of the first TV episodes to play with the idea of the evil twin. On future Earth, the Doctor and his companions are horrified to find the planet being run by an evil fascist dictator â€" who happens to look exactly like the Doctor. Episodes two, four, five and six were recovered, and a restoration team has filled in the missing episode three's story using the original audio and 37 episode images.Some fans may be disappointed that "The Power of the Daleks" or "The Tenth Planet" are yet to be found, but the discovery nevertheless marks a landmark day for the series.Of course, 97 episodes remain missing â€" and will possibly never be recovered. In June, Morris issued a statement to the effect that many episodes had simply been destroyed. But, if nine episodes were waiting to be uncovered in Nigeria for 45 years, who knows what else may be lurking in dusty store rooms?The missing episodes have been remastered and will be released by the BBC to iTunes today. "The Enemy of the World" will be released on DVD on 27 November, and "The Web of Fear" in early 2014.In the meantime, avid fans can always seek out the CDs of the rest the missing episodes made from recovered audio.
Do you use tone controls or an equalizer-
Do you use tone controls or an equalizer?
I can't name one truly high-end preamp with tone controls, and that's because most audiophiles wouldn't dream of altering the signal in any way. Home theater buyers see things differently, so virtually all AV receivers have bass and treble controls and many employ auto setup programs that feature extensive speaker and room correction processing. Some say the processing improves the sound. Personally, I'm far from convinced these calibration systems really do that, they change the sound, but the results are too inconsistentto be counted on. If your receiver has auto setup, try turning it off, and see if it improves or degrades your sound. Apple's iTunes has extensive equalization controls, and countless phone apps offer more ways to alter the sound. I don't have a problem with any of this. If you want to boost the bass, or add more sizzle to the highs, go for it. I rarely indulge; I prefer to use the best sounding headphones and speakers I can, and take the sound as is. Whatever works.Steve Guttenberg/CNETI've noticed with headphones the listening environment can radically influence the perceived tonal balance. For example, my Velodyne vPulse in-ear headphones have way too much bass at home, but on the New York subway the bass balance sounds "flat." That's because there's a lot of low-frequency rumble and noise on the subway that masks or covers up the low frequencies in the music. Buses, cars, and planes also have a lot of rumble and noise, and headphones with extra bass oomph can partially compensate for some of that. Headphones that sound great at home tend to sound bass-shy on the subway. With speakers, room placement issues come into play. A speaker that measures "flat" in the lab will never sound flat in your living room. The floor, ceiling, walls, and furniture all change the sound of speakers, and moving speakers to different places in the room can dramatically change the sound, for better or worse. Some self-powered speakers have "tone controls" on their backsides; my Emotiva Airmotiv4s sport bass and treble adjustments. I use them to fine-tune the sound on my desktop.Some people like a lot of bass, and tone controls or an equalizer will let them shake the foundation as much as they please. Share your thoughts on the effectiveness of tone controls, equalizers, and AV receivers' correction systems in the Comments section.
I can't name one truly high-end preamp with tone controls, and that's because most audiophiles wouldn't dream of altering the signal in any way. Home theater buyers see things differently, so virtually all AV receivers have bass and treble controls and many employ auto setup programs that feature extensive speaker and room correction processing. Some say the processing improves the sound. Personally, I'm far from convinced these calibration systems really do that, they change the sound, but the results are too inconsistentto be counted on. If your receiver has auto setup, try turning it off, and see if it improves or degrades your sound. Apple's iTunes has extensive equalization controls, and countless phone apps offer more ways to alter the sound. I don't have a problem with any of this. If you want to boost the bass, or add more sizzle to the highs, go for it. I rarely indulge; I prefer to use the best sounding headphones and speakers I can, and take the sound as is. Whatever works.Steve Guttenberg/CNETI've noticed with headphones the listening environment can radically influence the perceived tonal balance. For example, my Velodyne vPulse in-ear headphones have way too much bass at home, but on the New York subway the bass balance sounds "flat." That's because there's a lot of low-frequency rumble and noise on the subway that masks or covers up the low frequencies in the music. Buses, cars, and planes also have a lot of rumble and noise, and headphones with extra bass oomph can partially compensate for some of that. Headphones that sound great at home tend to sound bass-shy on the subway. With speakers, room placement issues come into play. A speaker that measures "flat" in the lab will never sound flat in your living room. The floor, ceiling, walls, and furniture all change the sound of speakers, and moving speakers to different places in the room can dramatically change the sound, for better or worse. Some self-powered speakers have "tone controls" on their backsides; my Emotiva Airmotiv4s sport bass and treble adjustments. I use them to fine-tune the sound on my desktop.Some people like a lot of bass, and tone controls or an equalizer will let them shake the foundation as much as they please. Share your thoughts on the effectiveness of tone controls, equalizers, and AV receivers' correction systems in the Comments section.
Djay for iPad fulfills your mixmaster fantasies
Djay for iPad fulfills your mixmaster fantasies
I'm not a musician, nor am I a DJ. I do fantasize about it, though, hence my obsession with DJ Hero, and my amateur songcrafting in GarageBand. I'd never buy a full-fledged turntable, nor would I know what to do with it. However, I'm a big fan of what's been accomplished on Djay, a new turntable app for the iPad.Algoriddim's Djay app isn't cheap--at $20, it's in the high end of the App Store economy--but what it does matches what you'd expect from a regular PC/Mac application. In fact, it's a close replica of a $49.95 Mac application they also make. Two turntables pull up any tracks loaded onto your iPad, and then the two "discs" can be effortlessly mixed. BPM, volume, crossfading, and even scratching can all be incorporated.What this means is that Djay can easily be a simple party-mix crossfading app, or it can be a musical experimentation tool. The app responds beautifully, and album art even turns on the turntables.For me, it's a distraction that will last for days. I can see this app catching on very fast...I expect the NYC bar scene to rapidly incorporate "iPad Djay Nites" to the point of nausea.Djay had a previous app for the iPhone, but it was limited to remotely accessing iTunes files on a Mac. Local file access is a huge plus, except for one caveat: Djay won't play DRMed music. That's not a problem with current iTunes music, but you could be screwed on some older downloads.There are some awesome perks, though: not only can the app auto-mix your tracks and adjust BPM accordingly, but you can record your mixes in-app for playback later. Even better, Djay supports AirPlay, enabling wireless audio output.Djay has me more excited about my iPad than I've been in a while. It's an extremely impressive display of what the iPad's still capable of doing, as well as a clever use of the screen/finger real estate.Jerry Goldsmith/Billy Joel mashups, here we come.
I'm not a musician, nor am I a DJ. I do fantasize about it, though, hence my obsession with DJ Hero, and my amateur songcrafting in GarageBand. I'd never buy a full-fledged turntable, nor would I know what to do with it. However, I'm a big fan of what's been accomplished on Djay, a new turntable app for the iPad.Algoriddim's Djay app isn't cheap--at $20, it's in the high end of the App Store economy--but what it does matches what you'd expect from a regular PC/Mac application. In fact, it's a close replica of a $49.95 Mac application they also make. Two turntables pull up any tracks loaded onto your iPad, and then the two "discs" can be effortlessly mixed. BPM, volume, crossfading, and even scratching can all be incorporated.What this means is that Djay can easily be a simple party-mix crossfading app, or it can be a musical experimentation tool. The app responds beautifully, and album art even turns on the turntables.For me, it's a distraction that will last for days. I can see this app catching on very fast...I expect the NYC bar scene to rapidly incorporate "iPad Djay Nites" to the point of nausea.Djay had a previous app for the iPhone, but it was limited to remotely accessing iTunes files on a Mac. Local file access is a huge plus, except for one caveat: Djay won't play DRMed music. That's not a problem with current iTunes music, but you could be screwed on some older downloads.There are some awesome perks, though: not only can the app auto-mix your tracks and adjust BPM accordingly, but you can record your mixes in-app for playback later. Even better, Djay supports AirPlay, enabling wireless audio output.Djay has me more excited about my iPad than I've been in a while. It's an extremely impressive display of what the iPad's still capable of doing, as well as a clever use of the screen/finger real estate.Jerry Goldsmith/Billy Joel mashups, here we come.
Report- Apple readying 24 million units of next iPhone
Report: Apple readying 24 million units of next iPhone
Apple sells a lot of phones, but 24 million is a big number even for them. For comparison, Apple has sold a little over 50 million total since the original iPhone's debut in 2007. So how to explain the supposed sudden surge in iPhone supply? Digitimes could be wrong of course, though it does have some good sources in the contract manufacturing world.Other possible explanations could be that Apple is planning big price cuts on this model, which could move more units. Or, and this would jibe with reports that the company's building a CDMA phone, it could be planning to add more carrier partners. More outlets to sell the phone would mean more supply.Digitimes, an IT trade publication, had some other details too: The next iPhone will have an ARM Cortex A8 processor and 512MB of memory, which is double what's currently available on the iPhone 3GS. The next iPhone will have an in-plane switching (IPS) panel like the iPad, according to Digitimes, and a 960x640 resolution. There will also be new technology that allows a wider viewing angle and better viewing in sunlight, according to the report. Apparently, Apple wants to improve the iPhone's utility as an e-reader and will be promoting iBooks on the iPhone. The panel is also reportedly 33 percent thinner to make more room for a larger battery.The new iPhone is expected to be introduced June 7 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. What is believed to be a prototype version of the device made headlines when it was found in a bar and sold to Gizmodo for $5,000 last month before Apple asked for it back.
Apple sells a lot of phones, but 24 million is a big number even for them. For comparison, Apple has sold a little over 50 million total since the original iPhone's debut in 2007. So how to explain the supposed sudden surge in iPhone supply? Digitimes could be wrong of course, though it does have some good sources in the contract manufacturing world.Other possible explanations could be that Apple is planning big price cuts on this model, which could move more units. Or, and this would jibe with reports that the company's building a CDMA phone, it could be planning to add more carrier partners. More outlets to sell the phone would mean more supply.Digitimes, an IT trade publication, had some other details too: The next iPhone will have an ARM Cortex A8 processor and 512MB of memory, which is double what's currently available on the iPhone 3GS. The next iPhone will have an in-plane switching (IPS) panel like the iPad, according to Digitimes, and a 960x640 resolution. There will also be new technology that allows a wider viewing angle and better viewing in sunlight, according to the report. Apparently, Apple wants to improve the iPhone's utility as an e-reader and will be promoting iBooks on the iPhone. The panel is also reportedly 33 percent thinner to make more room for a larger battery.The new iPhone is expected to be introduced June 7 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. What is believed to be a prototype version of the device made headlines when it was found in a bar and sold to Gizmodo for $5,000 last month before Apple asked for it back.
Report- Apple orders 12 petabytes of storage
Report: Apple orders 12 petabytes of storage
Apple is said to be beefing up its storage capacity with an order of storage equipment from Isilon Systems that tops out at 12 petabytes. The news, which was picked up by AppleInsider earlier today, comes from a source at Isilon who told site StorageNewsletter that Apple was the buyer, and was making the purchase to "manage the video download of its customers using iTunes." CNET has contacted Isilon for comment on the report.EMC announced plans to acquire Isilon five months ago for $2.25 billion, a 29 percent premium on the company's stock price at the time. The company is known for going after large-scale data management projects, and has customers like Sony and Kodak, as well as media companies like ABC and XM Satellite Radio. Before getting too excited that this is incontrovertible proof of Apple's plans to launch a storage locker for user content, it's worth noting Apple is still in the process of readying its North Caroline data center, which the company has stated will go online this spring. The company also has an existing data center facility in Newark, Calif., it purchased in 2006 that could be due for a new wave of hardware upgrades.According to a report published by Bernstein Research last month on Apple's upcoming data center, Apple spent an estimated $1.7 billion on IT assets during fiscal year 2010. That number, the report estimates, could jump up to $2.6 billion this year. The new North Carolina facility, which is said to be 500,000 square feet, can squeeze somewhere between 95,000 to 120,000 servers, something Bernstein said could "easily" cost hundreds of millions of dollars. StorageNewsletter's report says this 12-petabyte buy "probably" makes Apple the largest Isilon customer yet.
Apple is said to be beefing up its storage capacity with an order of storage equipment from Isilon Systems that tops out at 12 petabytes. The news, which was picked up by AppleInsider earlier today, comes from a source at Isilon who told site StorageNewsletter that Apple was the buyer, and was making the purchase to "manage the video download of its customers using iTunes." CNET has contacted Isilon for comment on the report.EMC announced plans to acquire Isilon five months ago for $2.25 billion, a 29 percent premium on the company's stock price at the time. The company is known for going after large-scale data management projects, and has customers like Sony and Kodak, as well as media companies like ABC and XM Satellite Radio. Before getting too excited that this is incontrovertible proof of Apple's plans to launch a storage locker for user content, it's worth noting Apple is still in the process of readying its North Caroline data center, which the company has stated will go online this spring. The company also has an existing data center facility in Newark, Calif., it purchased in 2006 that could be due for a new wave of hardware upgrades.According to a report published by Bernstein Research last month on Apple's upcoming data center, Apple spent an estimated $1.7 billion on IT assets during fiscal year 2010. That number, the report estimates, could jump up to $2.6 billion this year. The new North Carolina facility, which is said to be 500,000 square feet, can squeeze somewhere between 95,000 to 120,000 servers, something Bernstein said could "easily" cost hundreds of millions of dollars. StorageNewsletter's report says this 12-petabyte buy "probably" makes Apple the largest Isilon customer yet.
Report- Apple compensates Beijing store punch-up victim
Report: Apple compensates Beijing store punch-up victim
Apple has reportedly compensated a customer who was injured outside the company's flagship store in Beijing during a fight that broke out this past weekend over the newly released iPad 2 and white iPhone 4.That fight, which took place on Saturday, stemmed from customers trying to get a hold of the devices, with some being accused of cutting into the line that had formed. As a result, the door of Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing was smashed, and the store closed earlier than usual.In a report published today, the Global Times interviewed Ding Wencheng, who was injured during the altercation. Wencheng told the outlet he was compensated with 20,000 yuan, or around $3,080 after he was allegedly assaulted by a "foreign" Apple store employee. Wencheng told the Global Times he was lining up for a white iPhone 4, a product that had been released the week prior.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether others involved in the incident were also given compensation. In a statement mirroring what was offered to the Associated Press over the weekend, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu told the Agence France-Presse that "the store team acted to protect themselves and our customers by closing the doors and preventing the group from entering," and that "the safety of our customers and employees is our top priority." The iPad 2 continues to be in short supply, even in the U.S. where it was first launched back in early March. Since then it's gone on sale in more than 40 additional countries, including China, where it made its debut last week. During the company's most recent quarterly earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook referred to the task of bringing supply up to demand for the device as "the mother of all backlogs."
Apple has reportedly compensated a customer who was injured outside the company's flagship store in Beijing during a fight that broke out this past weekend over the newly released iPad 2 and white iPhone 4.That fight, which took place on Saturday, stemmed from customers trying to get a hold of the devices, with some being accused of cutting into the line that had formed. As a result, the door of Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing was smashed, and the store closed earlier than usual.In a report published today, the Global Times interviewed Ding Wencheng, who was injured during the altercation. Wencheng told the outlet he was compensated with 20,000 yuan, or around $3,080 after he was allegedly assaulted by a "foreign" Apple store employee. Wencheng told the Global Times he was lining up for a white iPhone 4, a product that had been released the week prior.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether others involved in the incident were also given compensation. In a statement mirroring what was offered to the Associated Press over the weekend, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu told the Agence France-Presse that "the store team acted to protect themselves and our customers by closing the doors and preventing the group from entering," and that "the safety of our customers and employees is our top priority." The iPad 2 continues to be in short supply, even in the U.S. where it was first launched back in early March. Since then it's gone on sale in more than 40 additional countries, including China, where it made its debut last week. During the company's most recent quarterly earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook referred to the task of bringing supply up to demand for the device as "the mother of all backlogs."
Report- AdMob alive and well in iPhone apps
Report: AdMob alive and well in iPhone apps
AdMob may not be locked out of iPhone applications just yet.The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that application developers using AdMob as their in-app advertising provider are having their applications approved by Apple without incident, despite Apple's decision to change the terms of the iPhone developer agreement in a way that appeared to ban AdMob. Back in June, AdMob lashed out at Apple for making this change, saying, "this change is not in the best interests of users or developers."The change to the agreement said that developers were not allowed to use ad networks that collected analytics data and were "owned by or affiliated with a developer or distributor of mobile devices, mobile operating systems or development environments," and was inserted into the agreement weeks after Google finalized its acquisition of AdMob. But two developers told the Journal that their AdMob-equipped ads were recently approved by Apple, meaning the company either forgot to enforce the restriction (unlikely) or has decided to back off that clause as federal regulators take a closer look at Apple's mobile-applications business.Representatives for both companies did not respond to requests for comment on the report. The iPhone is a huge part of AdMob's business, and even if Google is allowed to play on the iPhone it now faces significant competition for iPhone ads with Apple itself, which has started rolling out in-application ads based on its iAds system.
AdMob may not be locked out of iPhone applications just yet.The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that application developers using AdMob as their in-app advertising provider are having their applications approved by Apple without incident, despite Apple's decision to change the terms of the iPhone developer agreement in a way that appeared to ban AdMob. Back in June, AdMob lashed out at Apple for making this change, saying, "this change is not in the best interests of users or developers."The change to the agreement said that developers were not allowed to use ad networks that collected analytics data and were "owned by or affiliated with a developer or distributor of mobile devices, mobile operating systems or development environments," and was inserted into the agreement weeks after Google finalized its acquisition of AdMob. But two developers told the Journal that their AdMob-equipped ads were recently approved by Apple, meaning the company either forgot to enforce the restriction (unlikely) or has decided to back off that clause as federal regulators take a closer look at Apple's mobile-applications business.Representatives for both companies did not respond to requests for comment on the report. The iPhone is a huge part of AdMob's business, and even if Google is allowed to play on the iPhone it now faces significant competition for iPhone ads with Apple itself, which has started rolling out in-application ads based on its iAds system.
Rare working Apple-1 to go on auction block this month
Rare working Apple-1 to go on auction block this month
An operational Apple-1 will go on the auction block later this month, and the rare computer is expected to fetch as much as $392,000.The 37-year-old machine -- thought to be one of only six in working condition -- is expected to sell for between $261,000 and $392,000 at the current exchange rate, according to German auctioneer Breker, which is conducting the sale. As impressive as that range may sound, it's far off the record mark of $640,000 set last December for Apple's first production computer.Constructed in 1976, the Apple-1 is one of only 200 produced.British auction house Sotheby's estimates that only 50 still exist.In a time when most personal computers were sold as self-assembly kits, the Apple-1 broke new ground as the first personal computer sold with a fully assembled motherboard. However, at a retail price of $666.66, the Apple-1 didn't include a casing, power supply, keyboard, or monitor.A cassette storage option could be purchased for an additional $72.The lot up for auction on May 25 includes the original owner's manual as well as a letter signed by Steve Jobs to original owner Fred Hatfield in which the late Apple co-founder offers to exchange the Apple-1 for an Apple 4K II for an additional $400. The back of the circuit board also bears the "Woz" mark of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who built the Apple-1 in Jobs' parents' garage.Early Apple machines have become a recent favorite among vintage computer collectors. While Breker sold another Apple-1 last December for a record $640,000, another Apple-1 sold for $374,500 at Sotheby's last June.
An operational Apple-1 will go on the auction block later this month, and the rare computer is expected to fetch as much as $392,000.The 37-year-old machine -- thought to be one of only six in working condition -- is expected to sell for between $261,000 and $392,000 at the current exchange rate, according to German auctioneer Breker, which is conducting the sale. As impressive as that range may sound, it's far off the record mark of $640,000 set last December for Apple's first production computer.Constructed in 1976, the Apple-1 is one of only 200 produced.British auction house Sotheby's estimates that only 50 still exist.In a time when most personal computers were sold as self-assembly kits, the Apple-1 broke new ground as the first personal computer sold with a fully assembled motherboard. However, at a retail price of $666.66, the Apple-1 didn't include a casing, power supply, keyboard, or monitor.A cassette storage option could be purchased for an additional $72.The lot up for auction on May 25 includes the original owner's manual as well as a letter signed by Steve Jobs to original owner Fred Hatfield in which the late Apple co-founder offers to exchange the Apple-1 for an Apple 4K II for an additional $400. The back of the circuit board also bears the "Woz" mark of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who built the Apple-1 in Jobs' parents' garage.Early Apple machines have become a recent favorite among vintage computer collectors. While Breker sold another Apple-1 last December for a record $640,000, another Apple-1 sold for $374,500 at Sotheby's last June.
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