G4Cube
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The greatest Apple product leaks of all time
There's been much buzz these past couple of days around the leaked images and videos of the 4th generation iPhone. Despite the current hubbub, secrecy is at the heart of the Apple ethos, and it serves two primary purposes: to protect trade secrets, and to create a buzz. When products leak, it's like finding out about your own surprise party. Most of the fun is gone. Hell hath no fury like Steve Jobs finding out about leaked Apple products. Over the past decade, Steve has had many reasons to unleash his anger about leaked products; let's take a look at the rogue's gallery.
Some things we may not see again from Apple
Conan O'Brien once had a recurring segment on Late Night called "Guests We Won't Have Back," during which he would look back at guests (who were fake) that he regretted having on the show. There was bug expert Sara Wiggins, who ate a live beetle in front of the camera. And there was wine expert Charles Nance who, during his on-air wine tasting session, drank himself into a drunken stupor. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Some_Things_We_May_Not_See_Again_From_Apple'; Despite its fairly strong record over the last decade, Apple has not been without its lapses and major changes. And, in the spirit of Conan O'Brien's "Guests We'll Never Have Back," let's take a look at "Some Things We'll Never Have Back" on the Apple front.
G4 Cube given wheels, automation, the will to race Woz's Segway
Not wanting the Allspark to beat them to the punch, the gang at thinkingbricks has given life to an Apple G4 Cube, complete with LEGO Mindstorms NXT-borne retractable wheels, a Bluetooth controller, automation via sensors, and a creepy red LED. That transparent base really makes the wheel deployment much more dramatic, a nice touch if we do say so ourselves. There aren't any step-by-step instructions, but there should be plenty of information at the page if you're thiking of making your own as a weekend project. Either way, be sure to check it out on video, located after the break.
G4 Cube shell used to house Mac mini and friends
In Apple-loving households, there's a decent chance the Power Mac G4 Cube will never lose its luster. Case in point: one particular fanboy (yeah, we said it) took a gutted Cube housing and neatly fitted his Mac mini, Airport Extreme and "accessory HDD case" inside. Of course, he did have to exercise quite a bit of patience and showcase his cutting skills in order to make the optical drive accessible, but the end result is certainly something to be proud of. Hit the read link for the gallery of shots taking you from start to finish.[Via Nowhere Else]
How to turn your Mac mini into a Mac Cube
DIY Mac projects are always a iffy proposition. Not only does Apple make its products more difficult to rip apart than most, the sight of a dissected MacBook or iPod is often enough to make some of the more faint of heart readers break out the smelling salts. Not so for 123Macmini member Anthony, who looked at a mini and a G4 Cube and decided that they must be made one. The goal being, apart from the deserved bragging rights, to add a TV tuner and an expansive 3.5-inch 500GB SATA hard drive more suitable for a media PC than the mini's comparatively puny 2.5-inch drive. The TV tuner turned out to be the easiest part, with Anthony simply opting for Elgato's external EyeTV Hybrid unit, but the rest of the project is definitely a don't-try-this-at-home deal, with modifications aplenty right down to the power supply cables. Still, for specs like these in a genuine Apple box, it's about your only option at the moment -- at least until Apple maybe, possibly fills in the gap itself. Check out a couple more pics of the action after the break, then click through to the source for the complete blow-by-blow account.[Via Digg]
Here's what happens when a Cube devours a Mac mini
This is just so perfect I want to cry. Those that know me already know that I'm an Apple Cube fanatic. And if you didn't know - well now you do. My own Cube sports a a shiny black aluminum PowerCube enclosure (with obligatory white Apple logo affixed to the front), a Dual 1.7GHz 7447A CPU, 1.5GB RAM, 250GB WD HD, an FX 5200 video card with Dual 24-inch LCD Displays and an 8x DL SuperDrive. It's a sweet rig and I rarely find myself wanting or needing more from a desktop computer. Even with a base fan and a small blower on the video card it's also still virtually silent, as a Cube should be. And it looks stunning on my glass top suspended above a powder-coated steel desk.I must admit, however, that this mod takes the Cube to an entirely new level. Presenting Anthony's Mac mini Cube: "My inspiration for this project came from the Fifth Avenue Apple Store and the recently released black MacBook. I wanted to recreate the G4 Cube as if Apple had never discontinued it and make it into a true media center. I did not want to simply put the 'guts' of an Intel Mac mini inside and 'dress it up', but to refresh the Cube and create something that could stand out. Here are my confessions of the project, enjoy... "Dear Steve Jobs: If you build it, they will come. I'm just sayin'...Check out all the glorious pictures as well as an admirably detailed description of the process - which is far more elaborate than you might be thinking - at 123Macmini.Great job, Anthony! Thanks to Jamie, Rick, and the hundreds of friends, relatives and readers who sent this tip directly to my inbox!
A new Apple Cube on the horizon?
Every Apple fan knows that his Steveness is into cubes, even more than Picasso was. The original NeXTcube (1988-1993) was, you guessed it, a cube -- as were the G4 Cube (2000-2001), and the new Apple cubealicious store in New York City (2006-?). Earlier this year we wrote about the possibility of the new Apple Media Cube, the ultimate Mac Mini meets truely awesome DVR/media center box which hasn't (yet) come to fruition. Well, here's another one to add to the flurry of rumors and speculations about what Stevie J. will unveil at next week's special event: a new Apple Cube? A US Patent filed today by our friends in Cupertino explains: "A cubical computer housing assembly comprises first and second ends and four sides, which define an interior compartment for housing the various computer components." Of course, we're still waiting on those thousands of embedded cameras in an LCD and an iPod dock in a PowerBook MacBook Pro. [Via Unwired View, thanks Staska]
