New Low end Mac

[robocop2000]

The news section on apple.com contains a link to an article discussing Apples flaws in the past, this article contains the following quote about the cube:

"Overpriced, underpowered, it never quite realized its potential. I still believe that there is a crying need for a low-cost, no-frills Mac without a built in display. So how about a revised Cube for, say, $599? That way you don't have to toss out your old monitor, and you can still enjoy the benefits of the Mac"

Now maybe this is a long shot but my guess is Apple get people to read this, those people think "yeah why isn't there a low-cost no-frills mac" then hey presto WWDC a new low-cost low-end mac! I hope I'm right

 

[jxyama]

i hope you are right... a low end, monitor-less mac would be perfect for my parents. i've decided that the emac is probably the best for their need, but still, it's $800 and weighs a ton... a $500 monitor-less mac would be great, but i somehow doubt apple will release such a thing because they'd like to keep their profit margin up. (and it's a valid business model... not to make their products more of a commodity like pcs.)

 

[jimthorn]

A "headless" G4 iMac would be cool. Just a quiet, white dome with the silver Apple logo on the front. Easy to move around. Heck, they could integrate some sort of hidden handle that pulls out of the top to carry it around.

 

[iJon]

Originally posted by jimthorn
A "headless" G4 iMac would be cool. Just a quiet, white dome with the silver Apple logo on the front. Easy to move around. Heck, they could integrate some sort of hidden handle that pulls out of the top to carry it around.

oh hell yeah. i had this idea when the imacs first came out. just put a dvi port on the back and it would be awesome. talk about something more portable than the cube (well maybe, very close). ah what an awesome computer, although an ugly beige vga monitor or something would detract from it but oh well.

iJon

 

[Sun Baked]

When I was looking around some of the pdf files at Apple's site I saw a updated insert for the Cube.

073-0818-a.pdf
Power Mac G4 Cube
Plastic Shell
Replacement Instructions
modified 5/28/03

Don't know what's up it had a 2003 copyright... on a real old document.

But looked like something for replacing the shell on the original machine. Hopefully this isn't part of the strange cube rumor.

* Probably just updating some of the old document files and the copyrights at the same time.

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

I would buy a headless $599 mac in a heartbeat, bring it on!

 

[mrjamin]

Originally posted by Laslo Panaflex
I would buy a headless $599 mac in a heartbeat, bring it on!

blatantly, that'd be sweet! Imagine that sitting on your desktop. All you need is some new style ProSpeakers, and some clips on the "iDome" and you've got yourself an anaemic micky mouse

 

[bbarnhart]

I too would like an inexpensive, powerful low-end Mac. There really is no reason for all the fancy plastic handles and the chrome drive doors. Just a simple box, room for one HD, one DVD/CDRW, AGP, no PCI slots, two DDR slots and two 970 chips .

Most home users who don't want an iMac don't need 4 PCI slots. With USB and FireWire why do you need a PCI slot. Remember, this is for a low end Mac. If you need PCI slots, get the high end desktop.

Then again, how much different are the motherboards on the desktop series? Isn't the iMac a notebook motherboard. Having a different line of motherboards adds to development costs. Perhaps the way they having it is the most profitable.

 

[Coca-Cola]

I think that sweet cube type powermac prototype floating around would make the perfect low end mac. I would buy one in a heartbeat. Just like posted before. Room for a little upgrading and no monitor. Around 1000 or less and I will get one for sure. Just what I want. Please!!!!! OH I can't wait any longer less than 24 hours left bah!

 

[Daveman Deluxe]

Originally posted by bbarnhart
Then again, how much different are the motherboards on the desktop series? Isn't the iMac a notebook motherboard. Having a different line of motherboards adds to development costs. Perhaps the way they having it is the most profitable.

I'm pretty sure (but not certain) that the iMac's mobo is actually a custom job, but based on a notebook motherboard. I know for sure that the motherboard is actually round.

 

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by mrjamin
blatantly, that'd be sweet! Imagine that sitting on your desktop. All you need is some new style ProSpeakers, and some clips on the "iDome" and you've got yourself an anaemic micky mouse

don't make fun of anemic kids

there is only a small problem, the monitor port would have to be pushed to the back of the machine, while currently there is no real port. the entire motherboard would need a redesign.