Anatomy of an Icon: Inside the Apple IIc

Earlier this year Apple released its thinnest and lightest portable computer yet, the MacBook Air, to great fanfare. But it wasn't the first time for such an event: Twenty-four years ago critics hailed another Apple computer--its first portable ever--as a masterpiece of compact industrial design. The Apple IIc marked an important milestone for Apple's stalwart Apple II line, squeezing the power of a full-size IIe into a svelte 7.5-pound package. I recently disassembled this marvel of 1984 simplicity on my home workbench, and found that the IIc is beautiful not only on the outside but on the inside as well. Let's take a look.