IF Appleinsiders sources are accurate, i fell the Cube is a Bad idea on Apples part. why ?....sure itgives users the option to choose their monitor size....but here are what i feel the downsides to the project are....
1) No speakers.....we might have to buy additional products from Harman-Kardon.Judging from their past record....i dont want a computer without speakers for like 6 months.
2) If Apple prices the low-end cube at $999, they have once again risen over the $1000 mark, for one simple reason....NO MONITOR INCLUDED.If Apple stil wishes to have a sub $1000 PC in its offerings, it would have to price the low-end cube at $699 or under (just the cube) and its low-end monitors should cost no more than $300. Both the figures above are higly unlikely, considering Apple's long history of relitavely over priced computers.
3) No expandibility once again.
4) Processors...If Apple decides to still use G3s in this line, even if they are 1Ghz, i seriously doubt if any of the mac-faithful will even consider it.

If apple addresses the issues above, well and good, at least it would have made my choice for my next computer a bit easier....

[Feathers]

I was thinking that an iCube placed underneath an early iMac could use the said iMac's monitor with relative ease!

[wlonh]

IF my sources are accurate, it seems that there is precious little Apple does that DL doesn't find to be a BAD idea

[Feathers]

I just checked DL's personal info, isn't an Undergrad something you use in Photoshop? Strange occupation, I wonder could I get a job as a bucket fill? no wait, a lasso...much more fun, take me back to my young days as a cowboy, yeeehaaa!!!!

[disectamac]

I like to think that the cube is still unidentified as to what it actually is, other than it being a cube. It might not even be a monitorless Mac, it might be a USB toaster, or a USB coffee machine for all we know.

[wlonh]

it might not be, period.

[Feathers]

I hope it's a USB trampoline, I've always wanted a trampoline...and a little red tricycle...and magic eight-ball...

I can't believe this one... I love the quote:
"Sources expect that the cube will enhance Apple's bottom line and the company's stock price for at least the next 9 months, until 1 GHz G3 or G4 processors become widely available."

Do you really think it will be 9 (NINE!) months until 1ghz processors come to the mac platform?

If so, Apple is really f*****.

[disectamac]

Apple chose not to fight (race) a Mhz game with others. I don't see the company failing (going broke), instead growing in numerous ways, so I don't think it was a bad choice.

[mac freak]

Also, you have to consider that dual-500MHz processor G4's will be released before the 1 GHz version (perhaps, but unlikely so, at MacWorld. More realistically at Seybold).

Now, the last time I checked, 500+500 was equal to 1000...

[Evangellydonut]

last time I checked, the dual PIII Xeon (750 each, and getting speed bump soon) are on the market while Apple demoed an alpha machine behind closed doors. Also when I checked, NT supports multi-processor, and Win2k sold a lot of copies, while the only MacOS that support multiprocessor is OSX and that won't be in beta for another few days.

Also, I checked the slowest P4 will be 1.3 Ghz while they are getting a factory ready for a 1.7 Ghz release, while Motorola said they'd DEMO the G4e this summer, clocked at 780 Mhz.

I love my G4/450, but there are things you simply have to be objective about.

Also, rumor sites are just a place to get "ideas" 'bout what might happen. In this case, I seriously doubt the iBorg will happen. I could be wrong, Apple might even have the GeForce2MX ready for the iBorg, and the endless possibilities. Until the announcement at Macworld, I say speculations are just speculations and don't bother with it too much. Remember the secretive iMac, how well that's kept, and remember Job's quote that he'll "burn" the rumor sites...'nough said.

[This message has been edited by Evangellydonut (edited 07-16-2000).]

Well at the time of the original iMac i doubt if there were half as many Apple users as there is now....much easier to keep things behind closed doors than now.

Dual/tripple/quad G4/es anybody have the faintest idea what apple might price them at...im sure thed do sumething like a dual g4 will cost douple that of a single g4....way out of my league.

If the iBorgs total pice, including USB speakers(waster USB port) and a monitor adds up to be eqal to or under current iMac prices, then thatll definately be good.

As for the GeForce.....nVidia maight have dveloped the chip....but whoes making the cards ?....I think the thing to expect are Radeons with something like 10/12/14( or some other odd number) MB VRAM.....bitterswett isnt it ?

auther than giving the user the option of choosing a monitor, i wonder what benifites the iBorg will offer over the iMacs design.

If appleinsider's sources are correct, Steve Jobs made a billion dollar mistake! To kill the iMac design is to kill the golden goose that laid Apple's fortunes the past two years!

The "Cube" will be about as popular as hanging roadkill on your walls instead of pictures. What is it? Nothing!! Expandable? No! Great design? Sheeesh!! Do we need another box? No! What about the millions of other people who want an iMac, couldn't afford one this time, where do they go?

Jobs is becoming like so many "artists" I know, that think anything they do is great art and worth a fortune! Not!

[SpiffyGuyC]

No audio out just means that Apple will be supplying some sort of USB audio solution, probably with H/K

[Feathers]

Originally posted by JimboNC:
The "Cube" will be about as popular as hanging roadkill on your walls instead of pictures.

LOL

[mac freak]

If the pictures on MacNN are what the Cube will actually look like...
oh boy...
Don't expect me to buy one!

[MacNZ]

I would buy it if it had something really cool like somehow encorporating an internal cable modem and a G4 and an nVidia card. That'd be awesome but pretty far fetched. (My friend got a cable modem and I want one!!! + always wanted a G4 and a DECENT video card)

[Cipher13]

This is a copy of a reply I posted in another cube thread:

A cube computer is a bad idea. Its a bad design. Towers were made originally because they occupied more vertical space than horizontal space, hence had a smaller footprint. People can generally spare vertical space.
This cube design is wider than a tower, and taller than a desktop box, and wheres the advantage of its shape? There really isn't one worth the design.
Apple should really think this one through, if there is any ground to it.

Cipher13

forget style n design for a moment......i dont want a computer with a USB sound solution that is always out of sync(take the iSub for example). i think Audio ports are an essential.
And if their new mouse looks anything like what Appleinsider has portrayed.....cya apple....i dont want a mouse thats a minature copy of big-foots footprint. hopefully Apple will disprove all these rumors....

[oscar]

If we keep this up, apple might sue macnn for Causing Tens of Millions of Dollars in Irreparable Damages, oh wait, thats adobe, my bad

------------------
-See Yea!

[disectamac]

What ever happened with the Adobe thing (praying this thread doesn't turn into and another Adobe rant session)......is it going to court or what?

[disectamac]

iMac: ooohh, new iMac colors plus a gold one.
Cube: 8" x 8" x 8" isn't that space consuming at all and you might lose it if you put in under your desk.
PowerMac G4 multi processor: too much Mac for me


lets assume for a minute that the cube does exist and Apple plans to fill in a gap between iMac and Tower customers. If that's the case I wish Apple lots of luck on the Marketing end of it, as of now the only major difference I see in the products (iMac, Tower) is the price and the G4 chip and I guess expandability.

Oh my GOD! I certainly hope AppleInsider is wrong. That thing is UGLY! It's closest resemblance is to a portable camping toilet!!!!

Actually it also kinda looks like a waste/basket paper-shreader combo if you take that vent out.

PLEASE be wrong. What the hell would apple be thinking????

[reader50]

AppleInsider Photo of "Cube"

It looks very ugly. I cannot see Apple introducing an ugly product for the consumer market. And it is too small to contain lots of drives for the server market. With the keynote less than 14 hours away, I am going to say that this is misinformation intended to burn the rumor sites.

...really hope I'm right about that. Yuk.

[Todd Dixon]

Speaking of pictures of the aforementioned cube. Did anyone actually save these pictures (and the others) before they were substituted by the "Under threat of legal action...." piccies? If so I'd love a copy. My email is mailto:[email protected]. Serves me right for being late to the page but given the load they were under I probably would've missed out anyway.

Thanks in advance

[bizzare]

Just post 'em to this thread. I missed out as well.

[disectamac]

I guess we'll just wait and see.....

[This message has been edited by disectamac (edited 08-03-2000).]

[disectamac]

Your welcome

[reader50]

Browser cache is so nice. And I just cleared it a couple days ago, so nothing is purgeing yet.

I don't care to get a letter from Apple, so will not publish the pics on any page related to me.

Bizarre, ToddDixon, you have mail.

hey, it dosent look all that bad actully, i only want to see tthe expansion slots, and a drive bay or two.....this must be its backside. but it looks like something outa a sci-fi movie....once again. all it needs nw is a DVD-RAM(second generation), and the Radeos/nVidia chipset with 16+ MB or RAm, and ill sign up....oh well, lets see whats to come later today. ciao

[yoyo52]

Just saw them on th web cast of the keynote. I lust ofter one--but then I lust after a multiprocessor G4 too. And that's why Apple is called Apple--Adam and Eve, you know

[Macguy]

I think the iCube is a little overpriced.

I personally would prefer to have the bottom of the line PowerMacintosh G4.

[yoyo52]

I suspect the bottom of the line G4 tower will drop out of sight in the not too distant future. The only one that doesn't have dual processors? Gimme a break!

[Cipher13]

Dual processor G4's for same price as the single processor ones (is it same price? think so...)
Well, that has serious implications if so. Apple is desperate - the megahert problem is hurting them seriously. And I imagine there are some PO's people out there that got a 450 or 500 not long ago...
I can't believe that the price of the G4 400 single hasn't gone down - the dual 450 for not much more? They must be making a massive profit off the 400...
As for the cube, I wouldn't get it for the fact that it doesn't have PCI.
I need PCI, as do most people that would spend that much on a computer!
Good for server stacks though - isn't it incredible fitting the 30 gig drive and a 500 G4 in there and with no fan - (from the pics at apples site) the thing looks tiny!
Will the new ASD 17" work with my G4 400 (sawtooth)?
I mean, can the new ASD only handle ADC connections?
Cause I'm having a bit of a prob with my ASD 17 at the moment, and if it gets worse in the future and the classics have been discontinued, will I be able to use a new one on this comp?

Cipher13

by taking the power of the power mac g4 and miniaturizing it apple is making two new blocks in its product strategy. i think apple may be setting itself up to release a killer subnotebook...

[namannik]

britton, I totally agree with you. I was thinking the same exact thing!

exactly! looks like there are big plans for a kewl notbook computer, and why wouldnt u want a Cube, it so small n cute but with so much power, I WANT ONE!. Apple needs more products now that they are back on their feet, a simple 4 product line up wouldnt allow the company to expand and attract more customers, they need many different options to attract all sorts of customers to expand and be successful

isnt that what jobs did away with with the introduction of the iMac in 98 ? and how long do we have to wait for the PowerMac performance to be offered to consumers ? i think this is yet another marketing plow to prevent consumers and educators from having the power at a lower cost.
And by the way...to me Apple seems kinda static, i mean having to wait for an expo for the upgrade of old products or the intro of new ones ? why cant they just do the upgrades internally and upgrade the web site and info opf the products and therefore become more dynamic ?

[Cipher13]

That is something I had considered... Apple wants (needs?) to make a big deal out of all their new products so that people will get them...
I think they would be much better off having upgrades made available ASAP, just through the website, and leave entirely new products for the expo's, such as the Cube, and MAYBE even the Mystics... that is a pretty big deal.
Apple isn't yet out of deep water, and until they are they need stay in the boat (that does make sense by the way...)

Cipher13

[TimmyDee51]

Speaking of the new 6 tier product line that Jobs was talking about, what is the sixth teir? As far as I can see, there are currently five, iMac, G4, G4 Cube, iBook, and Powerbook. Is the sixth a subnotebook? Or maybe a PDA? I know the speculation on an Apple PDA is rather low, but a PDA would round out their product strategy rather nicely. As for me, I know I would get an Apple PDA over anything else. . .

[wlonh]

"The Real Reason The Cube Exists"