Apple Macintosh facts for kids

An iMac. Unlike most computers, it has a computer system with the screen inside it.

The Apple Macintosh, often called just “Mac”, is a type of personal computer. It is made by the American company Apple Inc. Macs were among the first computers where you could use a mouse to click on things on the screen. These things were called icons.

This new way of using a computer was known as a graphical user interface (GUI). This special feature helped make the Macintosh very popular.

History

How Mac Processors Changed

See Apple Intel transition.

For many years, Mac computers were different from other personal computers. This was because of the type of CPU (the computer's "brain") they used. At first, Macs used special chips called Motorola 68000 chips. Other computers often used Intel chips.

Later, Macs switched to using PowerPC chips. Then, in 2006, Apple started using Intel chips in Macs. Today, many Macs are sold with powerful Intel i7 chips.

Types of Mac Computers

Mac computers come in different styles for different uses. Here's a quick look at some of them:

Mac Software

Mac computers do not use the Windows operating system. Instead, they have their own operating system. This system is known as macOS (it used to be called OS X). The newest version is often named after a place, like “Sierra.”

Macs can also run both Windows and macOS at the same time. They do this with a program called “Boot Camp.” This program comes with every Mac computer.

What People Think About Macs

Generally, Macintosh computers cost more than other computers of the same size. However, many people believe they are very well-made. This high quality is often seen as a reason for their higher price.

Related pages

• iMac
• MacBook
• MacBook Air
• MacBook Pro
• Other popular products from Apple include iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Images for kids

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  Clockwise from top: MacBook Air (2015), iMac G5 20" (2004), Macintosh II (1987), Power Mac G4 Cube (2000), iBook G3 Blueberry (1999) and original Macintosh 128K (1984)

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  A prototype of the Macintosh from 1981 (at the Computer History Museum)

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  The Apple Macintosh Plus at the Design Museum in Gothenburg, Sweden

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  The Macintosh II, the first Macintosh model with color graphics

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  The Macintosh SE, an updated Compact Macintosh design

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  The Macintosh Portable, Apple's first battery-powered Macintosh

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  The Macintosh LC II with a Macintosh 12" RGB Display

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  The PowerBook 100

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  The iMac G3, introduced in 1998. It helped Apple become profitable again.

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  2006 MacBook Pro

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  The 15-inch late-2016 MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar

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  2020 MacBook Pro

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  An iMac G5 with its back panel removed

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  The original Macintosh introduced a new graphical user interface for personal computers. Users could interact with the computer using icons on a metaphorical desktop.

See also

In Spanish: Macintosh para niños