Apple Discontinues G4 Cube -- Looks like the square computer does fit in the round file: Apple Computer has announced it is discontinuing the Power Mac G4 Cube, which it introduced a year ago at Macworld Expo in New York. The tiny, silent, 8-inch square computer won lots of points for nifty design, but sales never took off (even after Apple upgraded and steeply discounted the machines), and the machines lacked expandability, leading the mid-range professional users for whom the machines were intended to choose Power Mac G4 minitowers instead. The Cubes also suffered flurries of bad publicity concerning perceived case cracks and problems with the unique power switches (which operate using static capacitance rather than a physical switch). Apple says there's a small chance they will re-introduce an upgraded version of the Cube in the future, but it seems unlikely; instead, we hope some of the Cube's engineering expertise is applied to future iMacs and professional Macintosh systems. [GD]

<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2001/jul/ 03cube.html>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/06049>