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The Return of an Apple Cube... as an iMac?

1st iMac – simple, durable, ground-breaking form

iMac2 – elegant, fragile, expensive. Required the creation of a new product line to address the education market.

eMac – durable, inexpensive.

A headless, affordable iMac alongside the headed iMac would create a 3rd line where one existed before AND it would completely cannibalize headed iMac sales (which haven't been great anyways. Not cube bad, but nowhere near expectations).

Apple would do well to kill the headed iMac, no matter how nice the design is. If they can give us an iBook for less than a grand, they can put out a headless iCube for under $700 bottom line. You'd still be free to pump up the price to $1400 by adding an Apple 17" display if you wanted, but you could use your current display as well (as long as Apple doesn't change connectors again).
 
Originally posted by Eric_Z
I'd just like to note that Apple is free to name there products whatever they whish[...]
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For example, they could rename the iMac the Cube... (And leave it a hemisphere.)
 
Cheep cube if any

I think if anything Apple would revive the cube as "cheap" headless (no monitor) CPU. Imagine a $500 brain in box that allows schools, business', government offices to use existing cheapo monitors instead of a still expensive flat screen.
 
Re: Re: it figures...

Originally posted by arn
:) You know, it's not impossible that these rumors arose from PowerLogix' production of these. ...
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But those are aluminum, not plastic.

For the "fanless" proponents: Forget it! Convection only works reliably when the internal temperature is very high - hot enough to decrease component life substantially and cause failures. As soon as I had Thermoindock running on my Cube, I shut it down and stuck a PC case fan inside. It was 56C in there! The Cube has mounting ears for a fan and space for it - I think someone deleted it as an afterthought.

If you've got a Cube without a fan, and want to keep using it for a while, do yourself a favor and put a fan in there.
 
I liked Kangaru and Eric_Z's ideas...

But what about a cube/iMac that are designed to be mated to a new line of displays that Apple will produce. The Cube/iMac will have an attachment on top that the swing arm ( on the lines of the current iMac's swing arm ) can be mounted to. The monitor's can be purchased separately and can be used with their own base with the PowerMac series. This would give the iMac monitors adjustability ( very addicting if you have ever lived with it ) to the PowerMac line and also allow a headless, entry level computer to be sold. Also, screens up to 20 inches in size could be used with the Cube/iMac. Which size do you want? You get to choose...

The industrial design challenges would be tough here - to make the system not look like a hack - but if any company could pull it off, then Apple could.
 
Originally posted by chazmox
I liked Kangaru and Eric_Z's ideas...

But what about a cube/iMac that are designed to be mated to a new line of displays that Apple will produce. The Cube/iMac will have an attachment on top that the swing arm ( on the lines of the current iMac's swing arm ) can be mounted to. The monitor's can be purchased separately and can be used with their own base with the PowerMac series. This would give the iMac monitors adjustability ( very addicting if you have ever lived with it ) to the PowerMac line and also allow a headless, entry level computer to be sold. Also, screens up to 20 inches in size could be used with the Cube/iMac. Which size do you want? You get to choose...

The industrial design challenges would be tough here - to make the system not look like a hack - but if any company could pull it off, then Apple could.
Click to expand...

Though outwardly identical, there are differences in the armature for the 15" and 17" iMac screens. These are precisely set up for that weight and would not be interchangeable. A screen that is also to be used as a stand-alone would be much heavier. This is not as simple as anyone here is imagining.

Nice idea in a "transformer" kind of way, but an engineering headache that would require it's own forum on the Apple boards to deal with...
 
Blah @ a headless cube. They already have those, they called them Power Mac G4's and G4's. **might not be cubed shaped** but oh well.
 
A new Headless iMac - Small Rectangular is Fantastic!

I think it will be small and rectangular, the size of a tape deck or small stereo receiver. It will be quiet! On a Rack, it can be 3U high.

THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES with this!!!!

Without the monitor, the cost may be reduced below $700.

With a remote control, it can become part of your stereo system! It can become your music center. It can become a personal video recorder. It can be the center of your home. Think about it as you games player. It replaces your stereo - trumping Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft - for the living room.

With the reduced cost, it can be more easily bought by school systems and consumers.

A G5 will make it a killer machine.

The ports already make it very expandable. The iMac - even without slots is a great consumer machine. If Apple added at least one PCI and one AGP slot, it's a super killer machine.

Think about creating a new supercomputer with racks of these stereo-receiver-sized iMacs!!!!
 
I like the idea of a new iMac, but I feel that Apple also needs to come out with a low priced no thrill cube or something like it for $800 or less. A machine of this sort will open the Mac market even more, while also allowing businesses to upgrade their aging fleet of orginal iMacs and even B&Ws.

Just my two pennies worth...
 
Seems like too many products to me. imac, emac,g4,g5, seems to fill all the voids, I dont really see a reason for another product line.
 
Originally posted by bikertwin
Everyone's saying how expensive the Cubes were. Just how expensive were they?
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If I remember correctly, the cubes were something like $1799. You could buy a new powermac G4 for $1599. Everyone liked the design and concept, but why pay the extra $200 for less expandability? That is what screwed Apple. Had Apple simply charged $1599 for it, cube sales would not have been cannibalized by the powermac.
 
Originally posted by wymer100
If I remember correctly, the cubes were something like $1799. You could buy a new powermac G4 for $1599. Everyone liked the design and concept, but why pay the extra $200 for less expandability? That is what screwed Apple. Had Apple simply charged $1599 for it, cube sales would not have been cannibalized by the powermac.
Click to expand...

Or if they had charged $1099, they may have actually sold.
 
Market share and the $599 G4 Box

Why I think it's a great idea:

1. Don't force people to buy flat panel monitors. Monitors don't need replacing, computers do. I'm probably one of the few that thought the latest iMac was too 'new luxury' like the cube. At least their sales are tanking big time just like it.

I find it strange that the iBooks are way less than the desktop iMacs. No wonder iMac sales are so bad - what's the point of buying one - really?

2. If you're thinking of 'switching' or upgrading, chances are you want to keep your existing monitor.

3. They need market share not just for programs, but increasingly for web sites. A lot of them just don't work on Macs.

4. I have a feeling we'll be surprised at the introductory price point. This may be the $599 G4 box mentioned a while ago that overwhelmingly received positive feedback. I personally think it's Apple's key to salvation.
 
So the real question will be pricing. They have to make it cheaper than the power mac G4, which is only 1200. But at the same time, make it pricey *i know this isnt a word* enough for it not to take sales away from some other product. That's why I think the product line is fine as is. But i'm sure they'll figure out something. (End of the power mac G4)?

$599, that's just 100 dollers more than an iPod (mp3 player). I dont really see this happening.
 
Originally posted by 1macker1
So the real question will be pricing. They have to make it cheaper than the power mac G4, which is only 1200. But at the same time, make it pricey *i know this isnt a word* enough for it not to take sales away from some other product. That's why I think the product line is fine as is. But i'm sure they'll figure out something. (End of the power mac G4)?
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Just make it inexpensive.

It doesn't need the power or the expandability of the towers.

It doesn't need a built in monitor.

The only reason it would cannibalize sales of other products would be because Apple would finally be delivering the product people have been clamoring for. I need to upgrade my beige box, but I sure as heck don't need a G5 or even a 1.25 G4. I don't want a built in monitor and I'm not keen on spending $600 for a 3 year old machine on ebay.

The only people who are against a competitively priced Mac are the elitists who are into the Mac "lifestyle as the BMW of computers" thing. Get over it!!
 
I would certainly think a headless entry level mac would be great. I could possibly afford to get one for home again and not just have my laptop. Could get an LCD from someplace else cheaper then an apple cinema display not as good I am sure but much less expensive. Or use the monitor I have for my pc or the old 15" from the families dead performa 6400/200VEE. There would still be room for sales of the high end for those that need them.

Most likely will be the end of the powermac G4 line.



Originally posted by 1macker1
So the real question will be pricing. They have to make it cheaper than the power mac G4, which is only 1200. But at the same time, make it pricey *i know this isnt a word* enough for it not to take sales away from some other product. That's why I think the product line is fine as is. But i'm sure they'll figure out something. (End of the power mac G4)?
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by arn
Some conflicting but interesting intersection of rumors...

New iMac? If so, will it have a built in screen? Or not? Maybe the iMac will remain in it's current form and this will be a headless version?

Maybe not iMac at all.... perhaps it will be a 20th anniv Mac special-edition sort of deal.

(Note: 20th anniv of the Macintosh. The previous 20th Anniv Mac celebrated the 20th anniv of Apple itself. The 20th Anniv of the Mac is Jan 2004)

arn
Click to expand...

I don't think you can have an iMac without a built in monitor. A headless iMac doesn't make sense, but a new form factor mac is possible, along with the new cimema displays (20", 23", & 30")
 
"The only people who are against a competitively priced Mac are the elitists who are into the Mac "lifestyle as the BMW of computers" thing. Get over it!! "

I dont care how much it's going to cost, I also dont need a G5, nor will i ever pay 3000 for a computer, i'm just wondering how they are going to price it without taking sales from other products.

I'd love to own a new G4 for 500 bucks.
 
New cube imac

This does fit into the G5 pattern with the aluminum enclosures and industrial design. I wonder if the air flow issues with the G5 require a non-round case?
 
As far as I know Apple has never built a computer with the average business user in mind. If Apple is serious about getting into the corporate arena they need a machine that IT people can honestly recommend. This “Cube” item would be a good choice, but price is what is going to really matter. Does an average office worker using Microsoft Office, a web browser, and maybe a couple of other simple programs need a G5? It does not need to expandable because there is no reason to upgrade a computer. If the computer itself costs around $600 why pay a Tech $99/hour to upgrade the machine. Computers are throwaway in the main stream business world. If Apple is serious about getting into the business arena they need something equivalent to a Dell Dimension computer. Something designed to be used by an “average” office working, not a creative professional, which is inexpensive and easy to manage.
 
Originally posted by rdas7
At the time, there were only the blue and white G3, the PowerBook Wallstreet, the Bondi iMac, and the clamshell iBooks. The Cube was in between each of these categories.
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Actually, both the B&W G3 and the Bondi Blue iMac were gone from the line up.

We were on PowerMac G4 Gigibit Ethernet [PMG4 v.3], iBook [FW version clam], iMac DV/DV+ [snow, graphite, sage, ruby, indigo], PowerBook G3 [firewire, "Pismo"]

www.apple-history.com

But you are right to think that it was going against the proguct grid a little too early. I think that now is a good time to spread out a little...slightly. Actually it just completes the new grid:

Consumer Pro/Prosumer
High iMac PowerMac
Portable iBook PowerBook
low eMac [Cube-ish?]
server Xserve
 
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