The Cube was a flop. Prosumer turned out to be a myth. Unless someone can prove to me that the Mac market has substantially changed since 2000, my opinion won't change.
A good number of the Cube owners out there have stuck QE-capable video cards in along with an active cooling fan (for those who haven't been inside one, there's a bracket in there specifically desgned to mount a fan under the central heatsink, and a power takeoff for it on the DC converter board which even sleeps properly).
If (as I intend to shortly) you buy a processor upgrade, they come with fans anyway, siince nobody wants to melt their Cube down!
I think the iCube should be 2 years and throw away. A 'consumerable' Apple. Think shorter term.
Graphics on the motherboard. The top two iMac2s are where the 'Pro' Cube was trying to be.
Either the iMac2s become radically cheaper or it just makes more sense to have a cheap, white, Apple flavour box. Any graphics card in the last three years will blow away the Formac card I bought for '2D acceleration' in my Powermac clone. (A card I payed £600 for. What? $900 US?)
So the cheap iCube would be an ample Photoshop performer with onboard graphics and a 1 gig G3/low end G4.
Even a 12 inch by 12 inch iCube would look quite small compared to the beefy 'power'Macs. White enamel plastic with rounded corners. Front loading CD etc.
Basic bare bones. Ideal for Edu'/Skinflint/switcher who wants no risk.
Judging by the recent price cuts, the 'power'Mac can still be profitable at £1,195 inc VAT. So I'm sure they could squeeze the price further if they need to.
The iMac2 is due for deep cuts...surely. And a Spec bump. If all you're doing is Photoshop, the iMac2 would be a reasonable machine.
IF you're doing 3D, the 970 is a pending necessary.
Mini-tower? Not if it means a compromise on silent running/power/expandability at an expensive price. The cube tried to do it all and flopped.
It needs to say: cool throw away computer. And there are plenty of buyers out there who think that way...and Apple could lure them into their stores. They buy. They like. And in the future...they may buy more pricey models if they like what they try.
New, the iMac has an internal Power supply. I don't see what the problem is. Sure the original Cube was elegant and silent. But we paid through the nose for it. Notice how the imac went back to using fans and internal power supplies.<hr></blockquote>
agreed, but the power-supply would have to be at the bottom.
[quote]2. Normal active cooling instead of elaborate passive cooling schemes.<hr></blockquote>
This I'm more uncertain of. After hearing the dual 867s massive "vacuum-cleaner"-like noise, I belive that on factor in the success of a new cube could be silence. Working with a superdrive 1 Ghz TiBook, the silence of the ibook is what i miss the most, but still the fan only comes on after a while.
I really think Apple could pull of a smart solution here.
[quote]3. Use standard size CD drives that insertfrom the front and normal sized hard drives.<hr></blockquote>
Agreed, but it should be slot-loading, like the powerbooks. What really pissed me of when buying the cube, was that I had to chose between a CD/DVD drive or a CD burner. With a superdrive, the cube is a much more versatile product.
[quote]4. Ability to accept normal AGP and PCI (the original Cube made the mistake of requiring special sized AGP cards)<hr></blockquote>
Why not use portable graphics cards? and include a couple of PCMCIA ports instead? I just throw this out as an idea, since most of us seem to want to borrow a lot from the portables.
Seems to me that Portable cards are really up to the task of professional work now. After all we're not building a gaming machine here, and WC3 runs verry smooth on my 1ghz TiBook... Just a thought, flame away
[quote]Take the iBook and a G4 Cube and put it into a blender and see what happens.<hr></blockquote>
right on!
Also, sorry, but the feet have to go.
They have nothing to with Apple's functional design philosophy. Maybe if the where retractable in some way.
And if they bundled it with the 20" at a special price I'd start saving right now...
hhhmmmmm, there have been rumblings on another board about shipments of the MPC7457 at the end of last year to Apple. A new lower cost cube would be ideal for these lower power chips. Tuesday, the all new 1.2GHz G4 w/ DDR cube appears.
Hey, if other rumors sites can make crap up why can't I?
<strong>BTW, it looks like an awesome design, actually somewhat similar to a certain Sony desktop a friend of mine has, but shorter.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I still like the feet. They connect to the bottom of the cube at a swivel point so you can slightly turn it to connect things to the side. It's also where I figured the air intake holes would be, and the exhaust would go out the back. A simple cube with no feet would be aesthetically unremarkable. I think this more organic solution is more attractive and practical and it gives it some vertical height, especially if you decide to put it on the floor (unlikely but still). Also think of the dust collection so close to the surface of a desk or floor. It could easily be removes too, like the eMac base. Hey I'm flexible.
I'm not so sure about the "cube" shape, especially if it's made bigger than the Cube.
But, the idea could target more than one market, being either a cheap education/business Mac, or a good "Media Center" Mac, much as I hate that term. Include either a Combo or SuperDrive, and optionally include component video(or S-video) in/out ports, as well as BIG hard drive options. All in a relatively sleek package.
Possibly include a second optional optical drive bay, but by default leave it empty(or fill it with a hard drive). Front-mounted Firewire USB and Firewire ports are a must, as just having them on the back is inconvenient, and having them along the side doesn't work well if you're placing the machine next to other hardware.
Anyway, just a thought. Maybe it's too flexible, and would cannibalize other models' sales.
I think these specs are much more reasonable then the ones listed above. If this was released then the iMac could move up to only 17" screens at a higher price point.
I added an optional base unit but I think it looks ugly now. I was going for the look of the 17" CRT that was totally clear. I loved that swooping base that monitor had. Think that when you see my adaptation.
Apple should not be making any desktop systems with the G3 anymore. It's not going to save enough on price to matter that much. There's no other reason beyond that to use it G3 should be EOL for Apple.
Apple should not be making any desktop systems with the G3 anymore. It's not going to save enough on price to matter that much. There's no other reason beyond that to use it G3 should be EOL for Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
What about saving on heat? From what I've heard the 12" PowerBook gets nice and toasty, more so than the 12" iBook.
If the 970 comes along, it might also free up Apple and IBM to make use of faster G3s with faster bus speeds, and possibly add some AltiVec-type capabilities to the processor.
Comments
The Cube was a flop. Prosumer turned out to be a myth. Unless someone can prove to me that the Mac market has substantially changed since 2000, my opinion won't change.
Barto
PS Good diagrams though
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: Barto ]</p>
If (as I intend to shortly) you buy a processor upgrade, they come with fans anyway, siince nobody wants to melt their Cube down!
Graphics on the motherboard. The top two iMac2s are where the 'Pro' Cube was trying to be.
Either the iMac2s become radically cheaper or it just makes more sense to have a cheap, white, Apple flavour box. Any graphics card in the last three years will blow away the Formac card I bought for '2D acceleration' in my Powermac clone. (A card I payed £600 for. What? $900 US?)
So the cheap iCube would be an ample Photoshop performer with onboard graphics and a 1 gig G3/low end G4.
Even a 12 inch by 12 inch iCube would look quite small compared to the beefy 'power'Macs. White enamel plastic with rounded corners. Front loading CD etc.
Basic bare bones. Ideal for Edu'/Skinflint/switcher who wants no risk.
Judging by the recent price cuts, the 'power'Mac can still be profitable at £1,195 inc VAT. So I'm sure they could squeeze the price further if they need to.
The iMac2 is due for deep cuts...surely. And a Spec bump. If all you're doing is Photoshop, the iMac2 would be a reasonable machine.
IF you're doing 3D, the 970 is a pending necessary.
Mini-tower? Not if it means a compromise on silent running/power/expandability at an expensive price. The cube tried to do it all and flopped.
It needs to say: cool throw away computer. And there are plenty of buyers out there who think that way...and Apple could lure them into their stores. They buy. They like. And in the future...they may buy more pricey models if they like what they try.
Bait.
Lemon Bon Bon
New, the iMac has an internal Power supply. I don't see what the problem is. Sure the original Cube was elegant and silent. But we paid through the nose for it. Notice how the imac went back to using fans and internal power supplies.<hr></blockquote>
agreed, but the power-supply would have to be at the bottom.
[quote]2. Normal active cooling instead of elaborate passive cooling schemes.<hr></blockquote>
This I'm more uncertain of. After hearing the dual 867s massive "vacuum-cleaner"-like noise, I belive that on factor in the success of a new cube could be silence. Working with a superdrive 1 Ghz TiBook, the silence of the ibook is what i miss the most, but still the fan only comes on after a while.
I really think Apple could pull of a smart solution here.
[quote]3. Use standard size CD drives that insertfrom the front and normal sized hard drives.<hr></blockquote>
Agreed, but it should be slot-loading, like the powerbooks. What really pissed me of when buying the cube, was that I had to chose between a CD/DVD drive or a CD burner. With a superdrive, the cube is a much more versatile product.
[quote]4. Ability to accept normal AGP and PCI (the original Cube made the mistake of requiring special sized AGP cards)<hr></blockquote>
Why not use portable graphics cards? and include a couple of PCMCIA ports instead? I just throw this out as an idea, since most of us seem to want to borrow a lot from the portables.
Seems to me that Portable cards are really up to the task of professional work now. After all we're not building a gaming machine here, and WC3 runs verry smooth on my 1ghz TiBook... Just a thought, flame away
[quote]Take the iBook and a G4 Cube and put it into a blender and see what happens.<hr></blockquote>
right on!
Also, sorry, but the feet have to go.
They have nothing to with Apple's functional design philosophy. Maybe if the where retractable in some way.
And if they bundled it with the 20" at a special price
edit: bad spelling
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: New ]</p>
Hey, if other rumors sites can make crap up why can't I?
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: rickag ]</p>
<strong>BTW, it looks like an awesome design, actually somewhat similar to a certain Sony desktop a friend of mine has, but shorter.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Thanks! And good point about the PCI slot.
<strong>There needs to be some settling on exactly what features are desirable.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Nah, we just need a very BIG cube.
Kidding, of course.
But, the idea could target more than one market, being either a cheap education/business Mac, or a good "Media Center" Mac, much as I hate that term. Include either a Combo or SuperDrive, and optionally include component video(or S-video) in/out ports, as well as BIG hard drive options. All in a relatively sleek package.
Possibly include a second optional optical drive bay, but by default leave it empty(or fill it with a hard drive). Front-mounted Firewire USB and Firewire ports are a must, as just having them on the back is inconvenient, and having them along the side doesn't work well if you're placing the machine next to other hardware.
Anyway, just a thought. Maybe it's too flexible, and would cannibalize other models' sales.
<strong>
Nah, we just need a very BIG cube.
Kidding, of course.
I would buy that in a seond!
Apple could sell a iCube thing with the same guts as the Powerbook for about 1099 since there would not be a LCD. special keyboard. etc . . .
Use a cheap plastic case like the eMac, except in a cube shape, and Apple has a excellent computer at a good price point.
Specs:
867 mzh 7447 G4 no L3 cache (optional 1 Gzh model)
133 mzh bus
256 mb 266 DDR ram expandable to 1 gb
60 Gig 5400 RPM drive
32 mb ATI 9000 graphics card
10/100 NIC
no modem.
Optional Aiport Exreme and Bluetooth.
Audio in and out
I think these specs are much more reasonable then the ones listed above. If this was released then the iMac could move up to only 17" screens at a higher price point.
eMac should move down to $899 or even less.
<strong>The 12" Powerbook cost 1799 with a LCD screen and small enclosure.
Apple could sell a iCube thing with the same guts as the Powerbook for about 1099 since there would not be a LCD. special keyboard. etc . . .
Use a cheap plastic case like the eMac, except in a cube shape, and Apple has a excellent computer at a good price point.
Specs:
867 mzh 7447 G4 no L3 cache (optional 1 Gzh model)
133 mzh bus
256 mb 266 DDR ram expandable to 1 gb
60 Gig 5400 RPM drive
32 mb ATI 9000 graphics card
10/100 NIC
no modem.
Optional Aiport Exreme and Bluetooth.
Audio in and out
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Why no modem? It costs practically nothing.
Mobius strip
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: Outsider ]</p>
Apple should not be making any desktop systems with the G3 anymore. It's not going to save enough on price to matter that much. There's no other reason beyond that to use it G3 should be EOL for Apple.
<strong>For all you G3 lovers out there....
Apple should not be making any desktop systems with the G3 anymore. It's not going to save enough on price to matter that much. There's no other reason beyond that to use it G3 should be EOL for Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
What about saving on heat? From what I've heard the 12" PowerBook gets nice and toasty, more so than the 12" iBook.
If the 970 comes along, it might also free up Apple and IBM to make use of faster G3s with faster bus speeds, and possibly add some AltiVec-type capabilities to the processor.