Hey does anybody remember a year or so ago a small company called Xtrem? They made overclocking products, as well as this:
Yes, that microphone-shaped box contains a 1200Mhz G4! This was supposed to be out last year, and shipping. But now, <a href="http://www.xtrem.com"; target="_blank">their site</a> isn't even up. Were they shut down by Apple? Bought out by Apple? Or did they just dissappear?
<strong>Hey does anybody remember a year or so ago a small company called Xtrem? They made overclocking products, as well as this:
Yes, that microphone-shaped box contains a 1200Mhz G4! This was supposed to be out last year, and shipping. But now, <a href="http://www.xtrem.com"; target="_blank">their site</a> isn't even up. Were they shut down by Apple? Bought out by Apple? Or did they just dissappear? </strong><hr></blockquote>
They apparently disappeared. Their overclocking product was underwhelming, and that box never contained a G4 at any speed, as far as anyone could tell. It's a literal rendering of an old Shure microphone.
Maybe, like Exponential, they actually thought they were on to something. But they never delivered and it looks now like they never will.
xtrem was vaporware, pure and simple. as the apple turns poked fun at their proposed MASSIVE crt display, which when coupled with that huge honkin' case would probably create it's own gravitational pull.
that original rendering does look a lot like me APC UPS.
i duuno. anyone get the feeling that steve just doesn't feel the passion about the pro systems as he does the imac? he's let the el capitan case sit almost unchanged since it's debut in '98. i'm not saying that's a bad thing (i like the case - always have), but steve usually has to have his hand in everything design-oriented, and from that time article, sounds like he changes his mind on a dime.
anyway, here's hoping there'll be a g5 wrapped up in something nice by seybold NY.
In fact, I really liked Xtrem's design, other than how they acted like it was real or something. It's a little too retro for Apple, though... but who knows. Jobs, Ive, and Apple in general are quite unpredictable.
What you can guarantee you'll see, though, whenever the new case design comes (with the G5, I'd hope), it a clean aesthetic, straight lines with rounded corners, and a "metallic" look, be it titanium, chrome, or some other material. At the moment, pro stuff is silver/gray (QSG4, PBG4, Pro Mouse/Keyboard), and consumer stuff is white (iMac, iBook, new white mouse/keyboard). iPod and AirPort 2 have a little of both. I'll be seriously surprised if we see any cheesy see-thru plastic on this new Power Mac case. I'm also curious if Apple will revise the QuickSilver's "glory hole" or not..
<strong>i duuno. anyone get the feeling that steve just doesn't feel the passion about the pro systems as he does the imac? he's let the el capitan case sit almost unchanged since it's debut in '98. i'm not saying that's a bad thing (i like the case - always have), but steve usually has to have his hand in everything design-oriented, and from that time article, sounds like he changes his mind on a dime.
anyway, here's hoping there'll be a g5 wrapped up in something nice by seybold NY.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Look at the time line.
First, the iMac comes out, mid-to-late 98.
Then, several months later, the G3 gets a whole new case, in the Blueberry color.
Then the iMac gets colors and a slight redesign (Kihei slot-loading).
I think after that, the G4 is unveiled, with a new, sleek, shiny Graphite case.
iMac gets LSD overload and smurf jizz (patterns).
A few months later, the G4 gets QuickSilver-ized.
iMac gets a complete redesign and a new processor.
Next, we're going to see a completely new G5 case plus at least a largely speed-bumped Apollo, if not a real G4--depending upon if this comes at MWTY in March, WWDC in April/May (whatever), or MWNY in July.
You start with a box, 16.2 inches long by 10 inches tall by 6.2 inches wide (why these numbers? They're golden ratios that describe a big enough box).
The design is asymmetrical: The whole left side is a slab of stainless steel, and the rest is finished in the white Lucite Apple's been using. There are slots for two full-size, full-height removable-media drives in the front balanced by an Apple logo, a Cube-style power button, and a single speaker near the bottom. Four 7" PCI slots and a 7" AGP slot grace the back (since 12" cards appear to be a vanishing breed) along with the usual complement of ports. The drive bays have the same flip-down cover that the current Macs have. The stainless steel side is a door, hinged at the bottom as with the current case and wrapping around to the back side as well; but the front is also a door wrapped around and hinged 6.2 inches back along the right side. The case is raised slightly off the ground by four feet, and all four of the long horizontal lines on the case are rounded and vented. The rest of the case is more creased.
Form follows function: The steel slab holds the motherboard, and helps dissipate heat. Once open, it offers easy access to both the PCI slots and the motherboard, whose ATA cables are both at the bottom center of the board. The front door swings open to offer access to all the drives: Two hard drive bays at the bottom, and two optical drive bays above. Either or both doors can be open at once. Quiet but powerful fans at the top of the case suck air through the bottom and out the top.
<strong>That was / is still the single ugliest computer case design I have ever seen. That 20's front-grill look went out of style...well, early last century. </strong><hr></blockquote>
It certainly seems to be one of those "love it or hate it" things. It would be in somewhat bad taste to copy Xtrem, but if it hadn't been from them, I could have totally seen Apple doing something like that. Pro stuff is metallic, and desktop stuff is curvy.. makes sense. But don't mind me, I'm just wishing Xtrem really existed
Interesting concept (steel and plastic, etc.) but I'm having a hard time picturing it. You say asymmetrical...do you mean that one side is taller than the other (either front vs. back or left vs. right)? Or something else?
Comments
note: Consumer level mouse is white. Does that mean there will be NO black mouse? No, I think that the pro model will get a pro mouse, black.
Similarily I think were going to see a G5 looking rather like the pro mouse.
Perhaps a sphere
"well we have two modles, the demi-sphere, aka. iMac, or for more, the full sphere, however the full sphere is faster and has more expandabillity"
"How much more?"
"Well, you can replace the video card... and it can hold 1.5gb of ram"
Yes, that microphone-shaped box contains a 1200Mhz G4! This was supposed to be out last year, and shipping. But now, <a href="http://www.xtrem.com"; target="_blank">their site</a> isn't even up. Were they shut down by Apple? Bought out by Apple? Or did they just dissappear?
Sayyad
[ 01-11-2002: Message edited by: Beige G3... ]
[ 01-11-2002: Message edited by: Beige G3... ]</p>
<strong>Hey does anybody remember a year or so ago a small company called Xtrem? They made overclocking products, as well as this:
Yes, that microphone-shaped box contains a 1200Mhz G4! This was supposed to be out last year, and shipping. But now, <a href="http://www.xtrem.com"; target="_blank">their site</a> isn't even up. Were they shut down by Apple? Bought out by Apple? Or did they just dissappear?
They apparently disappeared. Their overclocking product was underwhelming, and that box never contained a G4 at any speed, as far as anyone could tell. It's a literal rendering of an old Shure microphone.
Maybe, like Exponential, they actually thought they were on to something. But they never delivered and it looks now like they never will.
that original rendering does look a lot like me APC UPS.
i duuno. anyone get the feeling that steve just doesn't feel the passion about the pro systems as he does the imac? he's let the el capitan case sit almost unchanged since it's debut in '98. i'm not saying that's a bad thing (i like the case - always have), but steve usually has to have his hand in everything design-oriented, and from that time article, sounds like he changes his mind on a dime.
anyway, here's hoping there'll be a g5 wrapped up in something nice by seybold NY.
In fact, I really liked Xtrem's design, other than how they acted like it was real or something. It's a little too retro for Apple, though... but who knows. Jobs, Ive, and Apple in general are quite unpredictable.
What you can guarantee you'll see, though, whenever the new case design comes (with the G5, I'd hope), it a clean aesthetic, straight lines with rounded corners, and a "metallic" look, be it titanium, chrome, or some other material. At the moment, pro stuff is silver/gray (QSG4, PBG4, Pro Mouse/Keyboard), and consumer stuff is white (iMac, iBook, new white mouse/keyboard). iPod and AirPort 2 have a little of both. I'll be seriously surprised if we see any cheesy see-thru plastic on this new Power Mac case. I'm also curious if Apple will revise the QuickSilver's "glory hole" or not..
<strong>i duuno. anyone get the feeling that steve just doesn't feel the passion about the pro systems as he does the imac? he's let the el capitan case sit almost unchanged since it's debut in '98. i'm not saying that's a bad thing (i like the case - always have), but steve usually has to have his hand in everything design-oriented, and from that time article, sounds like he changes his mind on a dime.
anyway, here's hoping there'll be a g5 wrapped up in something nice by seybold NY.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Look at the time line.
First, the iMac comes out, mid-to-late 98.
Then, several months later, the G3 gets a whole new case, in the Blueberry color.
Then the iMac gets colors and a slight redesign (Kihei slot-loading).
I think after that, the G4 is unveiled, with a new, sleek, shiny Graphite case.
iMac gets LSD overload and smurf jizz (patterns).
A few months later, the G4 gets QuickSilver-ized.
iMac gets a complete redesign and a new processor.
Next, we're going to see a completely new G5 case plus at least a largely speed-bumped Apollo, if not a real G4--depending upon if this comes at MWTY in March, WWDC in April/May (whatever), or MWNY in July.
You start with a box, 16.2 inches long by 10 inches tall by 6.2 inches wide (why these numbers? They're golden ratios that describe a big enough box).
The design is asymmetrical: The whole left side is a slab of stainless steel, and the rest is finished in the white Lucite Apple's been using. There are slots for two full-size, full-height removable-media drives in the front balanced by an Apple logo, a Cube-style power button, and a single speaker near the bottom. Four 7" PCI slots and a 7" AGP slot grace the back (since 12" cards appear to be a vanishing breed) along with the usual complement of ports. The drive bays have the same flip-down cover that the current Macs have. The stainless steel side is a door, hinged at the bottom as with the current case and wrapping around to the back side as well; but the front is also a door wrapped around and hinged 6.2 inches back along the right side. The case is raised slightly off the ground by four feet, and all four of the long horizontal lines on the case are rounded and vented. The rest of the case is more creased.
Form follows function: The steel slab holds the motherboard, and helps dissipate heat. Once open, it offers easy access to both the PCI slots and the motherboard, whose ATA cables are both at the bottom center of the board. The front door swings open to offer access to all the drives: Two hard drive bays at the bottom, and two optical drive bays above. Either or both doors can be open at once. Quiet but powerful fans at the top of the case suck air through the bottom and out the top.
Thoughts?
<strong>That was / is still the single ugliest computer case design I have ever seen. That 20's front-grill look went out of style...well, early last century.
It certainly seems to be one of those "love it or hate it" things. It would be in somewhat bad taste to copy Xtrem, but if it hadn't been from them, I could have totally seen Apple doing something like that. Pro stuff is metallic, and desktop stuff is curvy.. makes sense. But don't mind me, I'm just wishing Xtrem really existed
<strong>....[big snip]
Thoughts?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Interesting concept (steel and plastic, etc.) but I'm having a hard time picturing it. You say asymmetrical...do you mean that one side is taller than the other (either front vs. back or left vs. right)? Or something else?