What you need to know
- The Apple II is 42 years old.
- A Kickstarter campaign will sell you a clear case for it.
- There's one for the Apple II Plus, too.
Sometimes you come across a Kickstarter project and your heart skips a beat. That's exactly what happened when we clapped eyes on the MacEffects Apple II and Apple 11 Plus cases.
The target for the campaign is $29,000 which will not even cover the full cost of production. It will, however, be enough to prove that demand is there and that it's a project worth pursuing according to the blurb on the project's page.
Based on feedback from our last Kickstarter for the clear case Macintosh SE/30, we created an Apple II series custom case. You asked, we listened. As a result, we are pleased to offer an opportunity to own and support a very special product. A completely custom engineered, artistically interpreted clear case for the Apple II and II Plus.We are passionate hobbyists and collectors like you, and more than anything we are excited to bring this amazing case to those who will appreciate it. That is why we have and will continue invest a significant amount of our own money and time to bring this product to life. The actual costs involved are around $60,000, however, like our last Kickstarter, we are going to cover all additional costs. Achieving our $29,000 Kickstarter goal will confirm there is sufficient interest before we proceed to purchase tooling. Thank you for your support!
We know that few people will need to get their hands on something like this, but it's a perfect example of taking something old and making it new again. Giving the Apple II and Apple II Plus a clear plastic home is the right thing to do. We're just glad someone's doing it. The Kickstarter page does also note that this isn't identical to the original, but is rather an "artistic interpretation". If that's an issue you might want to move on.
If you do need to rehome your Apple II/Plus then you can place your order now. Costs start at $150 depending on what extras you might need in order to get up and running.
Hat tip to the fine people at 9to5Mac for spotting this and brighening up our day!
Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.
Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.
