On Saturday, The PowerBook Zone broke the story of the "mysterious Apple device" for auction at eBay on our OffTopic page. Readers sent in some stories of how seriously Apple takes cases of lost prototypes, as evidenced by our story on Sunday of men the reader called "Apple Police" knocking on doors of the buyer of a lost 292 MHz PowerBook prototype. When the only information we had came from the seller at eBay, the authenticity of the device was called into question. Then, late last night, sources hooked us up with compelling evidence that the device was produced by Apple, but since we've never seen it among the general public, it was never brought to market.

This exclusive image is of the FCC (American Federal Communications Commission) Identification information that is required by law here to be every electronic device (There's similar information on the bottom of your PowerBook right now, as well as every other electronic device in the room). The sticker gives such things as the power input voltage and the frequency at which the device operates. This image of the device's sticker came directly from the seller. Note the number BCGM4120. Then cross reference that with this simple form at the FCC database that has the records for that file. Note the listee "Apple Computer Inc." and the FCC Identifier of BCGM4120. So we've traced whatever this is to Apple. Now, what's it for?

The FCC page has it in the equipment class of "HID- Part 15 TV Interface Device" with the further description of "MPEG Interactive TV Unit." Then read the seller's description from eBay:

I bought this weird mac thing from an estate auction. I have no idea what it is for. It has audio and video RCA outputs, S-Video out, Serial, Network, RF in and outs, SCART/TV and SCART/VCR and SCSI. What ever it is the model number is M4120.  I was curious so I plugged it into the tv set and it brought up a system but I am not a mac guy so I can't tell you what it is. I was told by a lacal computer shop that this may be a prototype of some sort. Bidders good luck.

Here is the pic for the model number. I have gotten dozens of e-mails on this thing with people asking what it is and people telling me what it is but out of the 11 e-mail I have got on people telling me what it is not one is the same. Everyone thinks it is something else. This thing is driving me nuts. There are no drives on this thing at all. Just a SCSI input.

Now for a little skepticism. Before you go off to bid on the machine (It was at $911 last we checked), remember these notes that readers have sent in:

• Whatever infrastructure that is needed for a set-top box system to work no longer exists, if it ever existed.
• There is no documentation of any of its features or capabilities included
• It almost certainly shipped with a remote control, but the seller makes no mention of it. There is also no keyboard.
• It may have been part of a test in Britain in a deal between Apple and British Telecom.

So basically this was a fun scavenger hunt to prove the authenticity of a neat prototype model that at first seemed completely bogus, but with further investigation, is real. There are plenty of questions that haven't been answered and probably never will unless the winner of the auction, which ends in five days, posts the information publicly. While the device may not function at all, it sure is a insightful look into what could have been an interesting product from Apple, not just for England, but for the whole world.

But you're still not convinced. You must visit:

The Low Down on the "Mysterious Mac Thing" Part 2 for five very close up images of the machine with discriptions. While you're here, don't forget to bookmark this site, as we update seven days a week with PowerBook and other industry news.

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Written/Edited/Published by Doug B. Landry
Logo by Jon Iverson
Apple, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS,The Apple Store, and Powerbook are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
©1998 Doug B. Landry. All rights reserved. All or part may not be reproduced or distributed without prior consent.
Coded on a Apple Macintosh Powerbook G3 Series from Baton Rouge, LA