Apple’s Macintosh Duo Dock was a revolutionary product when it was first introduced in 1992. As part of the Duo Dock series of PowerBook Duo computers, the dock was designed to turn a PowerBook Duo into a desktop Macintosh. The Duo Dock was a popular accessory for PowerBook Duo users, and it remained in production until 1995.
The Macintosh Duo Dock was released on October 19, 1992, and its price started at $500. This may seem expensive by today’s standards, but it was a fair price for the features it offered. The dock came with a 230 MB hard drive, 4 MB or 8 MB of RAM, 1.44 MB Floppy drive, 512 KB video memory, built-in speaker, 3.5-mm input jack, 3.5-mm output jack, ADB port, two Serial connection ports, and DA-15 video connection.
The Macintosh Duo Dock was a great way for PowerBook Duo users to expand the capabilities of their computer. The dock allowed users to connect to a larger monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and it also provided additional storage and memory. The built-in speaker and audio jacks allowed users to listen to music or watch videos with better sound quality.
Despite its popularity, the Macintosh Duo Dock was discontinued on July 1, 1995. Today, the Macintosh Duo Dock is 30 years old, and it remains a beloved product among Apple enthusiasts. The dock was ahead of its time, and it was a great accessory for PowerBook Duo users. It’s a shame that it is no longer in production, but it will always be remembered as a classic Apple product.
Macintosh Duo Dock Release Date and Original Price
| Introduced | October 19, 1992 |
| Discontinued | July 1, 1995 |
| Model Identifier | 38 |
| Model Number | M4179LL/A M2631LL/A |
| Original Price | $500 |
| Colors | Grey |
| Weight | 13.1 Ibs. 5.942 KG |
| Dimensions | 4.8” H x 12.3” W x 16.3” D 12.19 cm H x 31.24 cm W x 41.4 cm D |
Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | None |
| Processor Speed | N/A |
| Architecture | N/A |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| System Bus | N/A |
| Cache | N/A |
| Coprocessor | None |
Storage & Media
| Storage | 230 MB (Optional) |
| Media | 1 – 1.44 MB floppy |
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 4 MB 8 MB |
| Maximum Memory | 36 MB 40 MB |
| Memory Slots | 1 – PowerBook 53xx |
| Minimum Speed | 70 ns |
| ROM | Unknown |
| Interleaving Support | No |
Display
| Built-in Display | None |
| Resolutions | N/A |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | None |
| Graphics Memory | 512 KB |
| Display Connection | 1 – DA-15 |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | 2 – 15 W 1 – 25 W NuBus cards |
| Hard Drive Interface | SCSI |
| Bays | N/A |
Software
| Original OS | N/A |
| Maximum OS | N/A |
| Firmware | Macintosh ROM |
Connections
| Wi-Fi | None |
| Ethernet | None |
| Modem | None |
| Bluetooth | None |
| ADB | 1 |
| Serial | 2 |
| SCSI | 1 – HDI-30 |
| Floppy Port | None |
| Audio In | 1 – 3.5-mm analog input jack |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm analog output jack 1 – Built-in speaker |
| Infrared | None |
| Display | 1 – DA-15 |
Power
| System Battery | N/A |
| Backup Battery | N/A |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 75 W |
| Line Voltage | N/A |
| Power Adapter | N/A |
References:
Apple Support – PowerBook Duo Dock: Technical Specifications
