Editing Apple II (section)

===Apple II===
{{Main|Apple II (original)}}

[[File:Micromodem II in Apple II.jpg|thumb|An Apple II computer with an internal [[modem]] and external [[Data access arrangement|DAA]]]]

The first Apple II computers went on sale on June 10, 1977<ref name = "Apple II intro date"/><ref name="Apple II History">{{cite web |last=Weyhrich |first=Steven |date=December 2008 |title=4-The Apple II, cont. - Product Introduction |url=http://apple2history.org/history/ah04/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110722173215/http://apple2history.org/history/ah04/ |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |access-date=August 3, 2012 |work=Apple II History |publisher=Apple2History.org |quote=The first motherboard-only Apple II computers shipped on May 10, 1977, for those who wanted to add their own case, keyboard, and power supply (or wanted to update their [[Apple I|Apple-1]] "system" with the latest and greatest). A month later, on June 10, 1977, Apple began shipping full Apple II systems. |df=mdy-all}}</ref> with a [[MOS Technology 6502]] (later [[Synertek]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apple2history.org/museum/articles/microreport/|title=Apple II History Microprocessor Report|date=July 19, 2010|access-date=July 6, 2015|archive-date=July 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722235253/http://apple2history.org/museum/articles/microreport/|url-status=live}}</ref> microprocessor running at 1.023&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]], 4&nbsp;KB of [[Random-access memory|RAM]], an [[audio cassette interface]] for loading programs and storing data, and the [[Integer BASIC]] programming language built into the [[read-only memory|ROMs]]. The video controller displayed 40 columns by 24 lines of monochrome, upper-case-only (the original character set matches [[ASCII]] characters 0x20 to 0x5F) text on the screen, with [[NTSC]] [[composite video]] output suitable for display on a TV monitor, or on a regular TV set by way of a separate [[RF modulator]]. The original retail price of the computer was {{US$|1298|1977|round=-2}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Forster| first=Winnie|author-link=Winnie Forster|title=The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972–2005|year=2005|publisher=GAMEPLAN|isbn=3-00-015359-4|page=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Apple|title=Introducing Apple II|url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1977-06/1977_06_BYTE_02-06_Cognitive_Robot#page/n15/mode/2up|website=Archive|date=June 1977 |access-date=4 September 2014|ref=Apple II Advertisement}}</ref>(with 4&nbsp;KB of RAM) and {{US$|2638|1977|round=-2}} (with the maximum 48&nbsp;KB of RAM). To reflect the computer's [[Apple II graphics|color graphics]] capability, the Apple logo on the casing was represented using rainbow stripes,<ref>{{cite web|title=Apple II History Chapter 4 |url=http://apple2history.org/history/ah04.html |author=Steven Weyhrich |date=April 21, 2002 |access-date=November 16, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925003021/http://apple2history.org/history/ah04.html |archive-date=September 25, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Interview with Rob Janoff, designer of the Apple logo |url=https://creativebits.org/interview/interview_rob_janoff_designer_apple_logo/ |date=July 20, 2020 |access-date=September 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024013734/http://creativebits.org/interview/interview_rob_janoff_designer_apple_logo |url-status=live }}</ref> which remained a part of Apple's corporate logo until early 1998. The earliest Apple IIs were assembled in [[Silicon Valley]], and later in Texas;<ref>{{cite book|first=Frank|last=Rose|title=West of Eden |publisher=Arrow Books|year=1989|page=3|isbn=0-09-976200-5}}</ref> [[printed circuit board]]s were manufactured in Ireland and [[Singapore]].

An external {{frac|5|1|4}}-inch [[floppy disk]] drive, the [[Disk II]], attached via a controller card that plugged into one of the computer's expansion slots (usually slot 6), was used for data storage and retrieval to replace cassettes. The Disk II interface, created by [[Steve Wozniak]], was regarded as an engineering masterpiece for its economy of electronic components.<ref>{{cite web|title=Apple II History Chapter 5, The Disk II |url=http://apple2history.org/history/ah05.html |author=Steven Weyhrich |date=December 28, 2001 |access-date=November 16, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201122002/http://apple2history.org/history/ah05.html |archive-date=December 1, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[[Paul Freiberger|Freiberger, Paul]], and [[Michael Swaine (technical author)|Michael Swaine]]. "Fire In The Valley, Part Two (Book Excerpt)", A+ Magazine, January 1985: 45.</ref>

Rather than having a dedicated sound-synthesis chip, the Apple II had a toggle circuit that could only emit a click through a built-in speaker; all other sounds (including two, three and, eventually, four-voice music and playback of audio samples and speech synthesis) were generated entirely by software that clicked the speaker at just the right times.

The Apple II's multiple expansion slots permitted a wide variety of third-party devices, including [[Apple II peripheral cards]] such as [[Apple II serial cards|serial controllers]], display controllers, memory boards, hard disks, networking components, and [[Apple II system clocks|real-time clocks]]. There were plug-in [[Apple II processor cards|expansion cards]] – such as the [[Z-80 SoftCard]]<ref name=z80/> – that permitted the Apple to use the [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] processor and run a multitude of programs developed under the [[CP/M]] operating system,<ref name="z80"/> including the [[dBase|dBase II]] database and the [[WordStar]] word processor. There was also a third-party [[Motorola 6809|6809]] card that would allow [[OS-9]] Level One to be run.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} Third-party [[Apple II sound cards|sound cards]] greatly improved audio capabilities, allowing simple music synthesis and text-to-speech functions. Eventually, [[Apple II accelerators|Apple II accelerator cards]] were created to double or quadruple the computer's speed.

[[Rod Holt]] designed the Apple II's power supply. He employed a [[switched-mode power supply]] design, which was far smaller and generated less unwanted heat than the [[linear power supply]] some other home computers used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.righto.com/2012/02/apple-didnt-revolutionize-power.html#ref28|title=Apple didn't revolutionize power supplies; new transistors did|website=www.righto.com|access-date=April 27, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://timetravel.mementoweb.org/memento/20131207033722/www.righto.com/2012/02/apple-didnt-revolutionize-power.html#ref28|archive-date=December 7, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The original Apple II was discontinued at the start of 1981; it was superseded by the [[Apple II+]].