Rodney O. Lain - 2002.04.08
What's new is old.
- folk saying
Without regret, I bought one of the first Power Mac G4 Cubes, proud that
I now owned what is still arguably one of the most original and
eye-catching computer designs out there.
Ignoring the fact that my Cube doesn't have an internal CD-RW nor a
Radeon graphics card, I still expect 
to get many years of service out of
this baby. However, I never expected it to be so quickly relegated to
having the word "old" used to describe its design or its power.
With products like the new iMac, this has
become the the case.
Who would have thought that Low End Mac
would include any G4 in its "low-end" ranks so quickly?
Regardless, this machine should not be discounted. Ever since its
unveiling, it has been the subject of debate, both pro and con. I have
been laughed at for shamelessly promoting a computer that "failed" in
the consumer market, while simultaneously being hailed as the standard
bearer of industrial design excellence.
I stand by my shameless promotion.
The Power Mac G4 Cube is still a powerful machine in its own right,
serving me as home file server, Web site host, home music player, and a
host of other uses. With 1,024 MB of RAM, a 30 gig 7200 rpm hard drive,
and a "mere" 450 MHz G4 processor, it runs OS&
- ;X like a champ. Megahertz really is overrated, even with
PowerPCs.
But how can this be a "low-end" Mac?
Low-end Mac is a term that should be reserved for Mac LCs or Power Mac 7200s or StarMax clones, not my Cube. This is 
why I am protesting LEM's inclusion of the Cube in
its list of low enders. The 20th Anniversary Mac maybe,
but not my Cube. [Editor's note: We include profiles of every Mac, even
brand new ones, because sooner or later each one becomes low-end.]
What's that? No, I don't have any sound reasoning to support my
view, but I stand by my view nonetheless. The Cube is still one of
the best computers out there and shouldn't be included among the
list of Road Apples and
Mac has-beens.
Instead of vaulting the Cube, Apple needs to bring it back as a
limited edition, upgraded, and modestly priced for the
discriminating user:
- 700 MHz G4 processor
- 256 MB RAM
- 32 MB DDRM on a 4x AGP Nvidia graphics card
- 40 gig hard drive
- DVD-ROM/CD-RW "combo" optical drive
- Bluetooth compatible
- AirPort ready
- includes OS X, AppleWorks, Quicken 2002, World Book X, iApps,
etc.
- Price: $1,199
Okay, the price is negotiable, but the main thing is to give
this baby another chance. There are some Apple products that should
have been killed, without a doubt (can you say eWorld?), but not
this one.
Alas, I know this will never happen, since the latest iMac has
taken up the role of the compact G4 Mac. However, the Cube could
remain as a monitor-less alternative for those who prefer the small
footprint of the iMac but want their choice of flat-panel
display.
Excuse me? No, I am not doing drugs.
The Power Mac G4 Cube has my vote as the best Mac ever, and I
hope that it will have a second chance on the market to prove
it.
Excuse me? No, I was not dropped on the head as a baby. Nor was
I dropped as an adult.
Fin. 
