Apple-1 computer expected to fetch up to $600,000 at auction

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs put together Apple’s first product, Apple-1 personal computer, in a garage in 1976. A unit in their early run of 200, known as the “Chaffey College Apple-1” because its first owner taught there, has sold at auction for $500,000. That’s 750 times what the computer sold for back in the 1970s!

John Moran Auctioneers had estimated the machine’s value at $400,000 to $600,000. It’s one of 60 Apple-1 machines still in existence, rated in mint condition and in working order, and features original and period-correct parts. Those include the motherboard, monitor, keyboard, two cassette tapes, three wires and a period Xerox-copy of the original owner’s manual. Only six known examples feature the koa wood case.

Still, the sale doesn’t come near the record for an Apple-1, sold for $905,000 in 2014.

Massive ‘Megaspider’ donated to zoo

Someone in the Sydney or New South Wales coa­stal area anonymously donated a spider in a small plastic food container, and keepers were taken aback to discover the arachnid inside it was a funnel-web spider with a body that measured 1.9 inches long.

With fangs about .8-inch long, it is the largest funnel-web spider anyone at the facility ever encountered. Officials hope the person who donated the spider will come forward and tell where they found the gargantuan specimen.

It will be milked for venom that can be turned into anti-venom, the park said. Funnel-web spiders are known for their highly toxic and fast-acting venom.

DogTV for dogs with behavioural issues

DogTV, set to launch in the UK, is a new television network created specifically for our four-legged friends.

Created after three years of research, DogTV will air scientifically-tested programming, aiming to alleviate symptoms of conditions such as separation anxiety, loneliness and stress. It will also have shows to help owners better understand and look after their pets.

The channel has been developed following studies into animals’ physiological and psychological needs, moods and responses, to help them feel more stimulated or relaxed when needed.

“Colours, audio frequencies and camera alignment have all been adapted to cater to dog senses.”

Tank Taxi offers fun and unique rides

A British man, Merlin Batchelor, rumbles down the streets of Norwich, England, in a “tank taxi.”

It may not have the smoothest ride, but it offers “pure entertainment.

“And it isn’t actually a tank. It’s an armoured personnel carrier,” Batchelor says. But “tank taxi” just rolls of the tongue better and they look similar.

Batchelor bought it online. The purchase and repairs set him back about $35,000. That led to Batchelor’s new side hustle: For about a $1,000 a trip, he chauffeurs for weddings and even funerals. Batchelor is only licensed to carry passengers for weddings and funerals. However, he hopes to get another permit to do more events like proms and birthday parties.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 27th, 2021