Revolutionary product similar to G4 Cube idea?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Steve Jobs used some pretty strong words to describe this new product. It seems to me that the flat-panel iMac could NEVER fit into this description.



Which makes me think that whatever this product is, it will really be something wacky and new like the Cube was. Granted, the Cube eventually was eliminated, but do you remember the "wow that's a cool looking machine" comments it got?



Methinks that Apple had a long-term purpose for the Cube, but because it crashed and burned so royally, they abandoned it and have been re-tooling the idea of a Between-the-iMac-and-PowerMac machine: one that looks just as good, but can be sold for less with more features.



Think for a minute, what have been the last couple really new system announcements?:



iMac in May 1998

iBook in July 1999

Cube in July 2000 (discontinued July 2001)



They haven't released a really new system in a year and a half, so it's probably time for a new product in the grid. Sure we'll see a new iMac and probably speed bumps to the PowerMac. But even if the PM gets a G5, it's not a really "new" system, just an upgrade and re-tooling of the old.



I'm looking forward to this "revolutionary" product.



[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: CosmoNut ]</p>
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    It's gonna be a tablet/Newton 2.
  • Reply 2 of 49
    [quote]Originally posted by The Rootwitch:

    <strong>It's gonna be a tablet/Newton 2.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Jobs hates PDAs or at least he doesn't think it is worth it for Apple to get involved in one.



    Chris
  • Reply 3 of 49
    Tablet does not = PDA.



    Tablet could be a full fledged OS X system.
  • Reply 4 of 49
    I'm leaning more toward a tablet, but I would like a Newton 2 more. Why? I have an iBook and an older Newton, and I can use the iBook for regular computer use wherever I want. The Newton serves a different purpose for me, and I could always use something smaller and lighter.



    That said, I would buy a tablet if it came out, anyway.
  • Reply 5 of 49
    What would you consider the differenace between a PDA and tablet, other than size? How much of a performance jump could one expcet from PDA to tablet, and what size screen/resolution could you get with a tablet? And cost?
  • Reply 6 of 49
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.



    If anything, you should have learned over the years that Apple only releases ahead of the curve items now, not ahead of their time items like they used to.



    so no tablet, pda, newton, etc
  • Reply 7 of 49
    g4dudeg4dude Posts: 1,016member
    You think the Cube crashed and burned, just wait till Apple introduces the iSlab/iTablet. "Less functional than an iBook, at only twice the price!" I see it now. A tablet is like a big PDA with (sometimes) a CD-ROM, and a faster processor and better OS. People should just get an iBook. There is no room in Apple's product line for a tablet.
  • Reply 8 of 49
    bigcbigc Posts: 1,224member
    Did the cube die or was it that the Mot processors just weren't up to speed for a place to have the cube fall into? If Mot had 667Mhz for the powermac then the 500Mhz cube might have worked for an in between the Imac to powermac spot.
  • Reply 9 of 49
    I'm going to say that there won't be a tablet/newton2.



    The LCD iMac will have to be tiny to make use of the LCD. Otherwise, there would be no justification for the higher price of an LCD iMac. To better the current compact CRT design sufficiently, an LCD imac would have to occupy only slightly more real estate than the 15in PowerMac LCD.



    This would overlap far too much with a tablet design. And a new PDA? The iPod overlaps too much.



    Thank you and good night,



    C.pres
  • Reply 10 of 49
    [quote]Originally posted by preston:

    <strong>I'm going to say that there won't be a tablet/newton2.</strong><hr></blockquote>

    I'm going to say there will be.



    [quote]The LCD iMac will have to be tiny to make use of the LCD. Otherwise, there would be no justification for the higher price of an LCD iMac. To better the current compact CRT design sufficiently, an LCD imac would have to occupy only slightly more real estate than the 15in PowerMac LCD.<hr></blockquote>

    Apple has ordered 100,000 15" LCD screens, and a company (I don't recall which) is manufacturing an AIO LCD computer for Apple.



    [quote]This would overlap far too much with a tablet design.<hr></blockquote>

    How is an iMac a tablet? A tablet runs on batteries and is portable, the iMac doesn't and isn't.



    [quote]And a new PDA? The iPod overlaps too much.<hr></blockquote>

    The iPod is an MP3 player. The only other thing you can do is play Breakout, and that's not very productive. A PDA is an organizer. There's nothing similar except that they're both small, can fit in your pocket, and have a display.
  • Reply 11 of 49
    cosmonutcosmonut Posts: 4,872member
    [quote]Originally posted by Bigc:

    <strong>Did the cube die or was it that the Mot processors just weren't up to speed for a place to have the cube fall into? If Mot had 667Mhz for the powermac then the 500Mhz cube might have worked for an in between the Imac to powermac spot.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I would venture to say that there's a good spot in the middle for the Cube-like product in Apple's current product line. It could look something like this:



    667Mhz & 733Mhz G4

    128MB & 256MB RAM

    40GB & 60GB HDs

    Combo Drive in both

    Whatever video card

    Gigabit ethernet

    56K Modem

    $1499 & $1699 US



    Drop a 15" ASD onto the bottom machine and you've got a $2100 not-so-portable TiBook. Sounds like a good machine to me.
  • Reply 12 of 49
    erbiumerbium Posts: 354member
    [quote]Think for a minute, what have been the last couple really new system announcements?:



    iMac in May 1998

    iBook in July 1999

    Cube in July 2000 (discontinued July 2001)



    They haven't released a really new system in a year and a half, so it's probably time for a new product in the grid.<hr></blockquote>



    Can you say iPod?
  • Reply 13 of 49
    cosmonutcosmonut Posts: 4,872member
    [quote]Originally posted by erbium:

    <strong>



    Can you say iPod?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Notice the word SYSTEM in my post, not product.
  • Reply 14 of 49
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    [quote]Originally posted by applenut:

    <strong>I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    And they would be right, as far as I'm concerned. I'd break my arm reaching for my wallet to buy one.



    And G4Dude, regarding the "tablet not fitting in and having no use", I couldn't agree more.



    Buy an iBook, people! Jeez. Tablet, my ass.







    An overpriced, limited appeal thing like a tablet would make the G4 Cube look like the circa 1999 iMac. Talk about limited appeal. A small chunk of an already small user base.



    And, being Apple, do any of you truly think it would be priced in any reasonable manner upon its initial release?



    Uh...no.



    It would tank quicker than you can say "Flower Power".



    [ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: pscates ]</p>
  • Reply 15 of 49
    [quote]Originally posted by CosmoNut:

    I would venture to say that there's a good spot in the middle for the Cube-like product in Apple's current product line.<hr></blockquote>



    If the Tablet mac is only an AirPort powered auxillary screen for a nearby AirPort equipped Mac then the Cube would be the perfect Hub for it. My specs for Cube2:



    Apollo @ 1 Gig

    WD 100 GB Caviar (I have one in my Cube - sweet!)

    ATI Radon "All-in-Wonder" w/ TiVo record to disk

    DVD combo drive - SuperDrive optional

    512MB (one SIMM)

    Gigabit ethernet

    56K Modem



    $1699 & $1999 US



    People who want the Mac Tablet and don't have a Mac could buy this "Digital Hub" and forgo the monitor in favor of the Mac tablet ($699 - just a wireless screen repeater, might use Motorola embedded 8540 like a set top box)



    [ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: Aphelion ]</p>
  • Reply 16 of 49
    nd G4Dude, regarding the "tablet not fitting in and having no use", I couldn't agree more.



    Buy an iBook, people! Jeez. Tablet, my ass.



    This is just a daydream but what if the LCD iMac was a Tablet that would run on rechargeble batteries and would sit in a stand on your desk top that has the CD DVD CDRW ... and would charge in the stand.. an LCD iMac and a iTab all in one?
  • Reply 17 of 49
    I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.



    A product such as this would be a revolution in CONSUMER standards for a desktop machine.



    As for the tablet idea, I think Job's description of a CONSUMER product is not a tablet. A tablet truly does NOT have universal appeal. Apple will give us a good show in a few weeks, calm down.



    I HATE HOW MANY OF YOU SAY, "You know, it is Apple, the price, the so called revolution..."

    Shut up! It is Apple and they are the best computer maker in the world period. Give them credit.
  • Reply 18 of 49
    You say you wanna see a revolution?



    <a href="http://www.geocities.com/franktau/sj2000.html"; target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/franktau/sj2000.html</a>;



    This is a revolution that has impacted Apples computers and will do so for a long time.
  • Reply 19 of 49
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    [quote]Originally posted by Macintosh:

    <strong>[b]I HATE HOW MANY OF YOU SAY, "You know, it is Apple, the price, the so called revolution..."

    Shut up! It is Apple and they are the best computer maker in the world period. Give them credit.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Well, yes, I agree. But can't I also believe that some of their stuff IS priced a tad high? How many times have we been taken aback at how LOW something new from Apple has been priced?



    Doesn't mean I don't love them and would use anything else...but I reserve the right to bitch about excessively pricey stuff.



  • Reply 20 of 49
    cobracobra Posts: 253member
    Lets put the PDA/Tablet crap to rest. Ain't going to happen boys and girls.



    I think a tablet equals high price and less functionality than a portable.



    Recipe for disaster.



    The PDA business is just to cutthroat. People want the things to do everything for a next to nothing price. I think Handspring and Palm will go belly up in the not to distant future. Its just a bad business.



    Its a recipe for disaster.



    I am with Applenut. Expect an "Insanely Great (tm)" iMac with a new and unique wrinkle or two.



    I can't wait!



    Cobra
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