Recently [Tucker Osman] brought to life what once was just a meme created by the BBC as it poked fun at Apple’s push for ever smaller devices that also dropped many features along the path towards questionable innovation. This ‘Mactini’ was a super-small laptop, with just a single button that did everything, befitting the overpriced more-money-than-sense status symbol vibe that [Jony Ive] brought to Apple.
The input method suggested in the BBC video involves convoluted patterns using the single button, which would be functional, albeit cumbersome. Even as [Tucker] set out on this mission to make the Mactini real, he had to answer a lot of questions, while sticking to the rules that it had to follow the rough form factor of the original and have the same features.
In lieu of overcomplicating things, he opted to use a 1.69″ ST7789V2-based SPI LCD along with a small RP2350-based board from Waveshare for the brains. Rather than just slapping the LCD example for the Pico board on it as firmware, he actually used DMA to do the screen data copying, freeing up a lot of CPU cycles.
The rest of the hardware was cobbled together from e-waste parts, including an iPad speaker and an audio amplifier from a scrap board. Video was handled using Motion JPEG decoding for a not-horrible-framerate. All of this was put into a 3D printed case that was designed in FreeCAD, to make the Mac that [Ive] could only have dreamed of back in the 2000s.
From January 5, 2009: https://theonion.com/apple-introduces-revolutionary-new-laptop-with-no-keybo-1819594761/
I thought of this too, and given the touchwheel petal included with Supercon badge in 2024, I think we could probably make a MacBook Wheel relatively easily.
I think it needs a second touchwheel and thus a DJ Laptop will be born : ]
yes, all fine, but is it compatible to my Motorola Encabulator?
Aaaah, Apple hating, the #1 fun sports for nerds. Gotta have something to be smug about, not “apple fanboi smug”, mind you. THAT woukld be waay too expensive!
Funny that you see a comedy tribute build as “Apple hating”.
I’m funny!
I want the Mac-nano — I just hope it comes with a Macnifier or maybe a Macroscope.
Now, how a about a custom keyboard that complies with the PC-1024 standard?
Samuel Morse is rolling in his grave…
Actually.. Modern telegraphy has a couple of fathers.
The international version had been inspired by a German, Friedrich Gerke.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Clemens_Gerke
Mactini, shaken not stirred.
Jut realized something else, one-button laptop for managers, the button reads “do work” and sends commands to the workers to proceed with assigned work.