The newest version for this Power Mac is Power Mac G4 Firmware Update 4.2.8, which is only for Sawtooth, Gigabit Ethernet/Mystic, and Digital Audio Power Macs. To install this firmware update, you must boot into Mac OS 9.1-9.2.2 from a writable partition.
The MAC Mini is not only 'The most affordable and most energy-efficient Mac ever', it is also the smallest, the sleekest and by far and away the most versatile computer available. By versatile, we mean for modding, making it perfect for any computer modders creative vision.
In this post we have a selection of unbelievably creative MAC mini mods and two mods that simply want to be a MAC Mini.
Millenium Falcon Mac Mini
How about having your very own Millenium Falcon as a Media Center computer? Pretty cool, right? You could picture it sitting, with its pride of place, on top of your widescreen television.
Thats exactly what Derrick Hixson did. He bought the Millenium Falcon toy for $20 from a local Disney store and soon realised that it could house a MAC Mini with ease, with relative ease anyway.
Click here to read about how he created this awesome computer here:
Mac Mini Cube
The inspiration for this mod came from the Fifth Avenue Apple Store and the black Macbook. The creator wanted to recreate the G4 Cube, as if Apple had never discontinued it, and make it into a true media center. He 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.
Steampunk Mac Mini Mod, Monitor, & Keyboard
This is perhaps the most impressive MAC Mini mod you will ever see, it is amazing. Created by David Veloz for his soon to be wife in time for their wedding. The creator describes “steampunk” as the intersection of technology and romance, what a beautiful notion.
1942 Philco Radio Mac mini mod
What do you do when you have an old 1942 Philco radio sitting about doing nothing? Well, you gut it, add a Mac Mini and 17' Sony monitor with touchscreen, and turn it into a classy networked digital media cente. Of course you do!
Haro Case
Fans of Haro from the Gundam series will definitely be thrilled to see the Haro PC case being made available. While it is not exactly a bona fide PC case since it does not come with all the necessary ports but instead stores a really small form factor computer, such as the Mac Mini.
When powered, the Haro case provides animated expressions that can be controlled via the remote. Moving parts include its ears, while its LED eyeballs can light up for added effect. Cool.
Mac Mini Lego
Those that read this blog regularly will know how much I love Lego, so you can imagine how much I would love on of these. The problem is I could not find any details about how this marvellous mod was built nor who the creator was. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it.
Mac Mini Laptop
This is certainly not the most beautiful laptop in the world, but it is original and creative. Peter Green, took his Mac Mini and modded it out with a mini keyboard, track pad, battery (3 hour life), and an 8inch fold away screen.
Mac Mini Swallowed by old G4 Cube
Like the abandoned shell of a hermit crab, Mac enthusiast Rich Willis removed the innards of the old G4 cube and filled its guts with his Mac Mini as well as some add-ons. He even went the extra mile to add a virtual laser keyboard so the whole thing is nicely self-contained.
Mac Mini into a classic Floppy Drive
MacModder Option8 has taken a MAC Mini and stuffed it inside a classic Apple external Floppy Drive. You tend to forget how big these old drives were and how little they actually did, power-wise. Now with the added inclusion of a MAC Mini the power of this drive has reached levels it never ever could imagine. i am loving the retro look.
Mac Box
The creator of this mod wanted to make his Mac Mini portable without having to tear it apart. So, he built an enclosure, bought a cheap car dvd monitor off ebay and threw this portable box together. All you have to do is simply slide the Mac Mini into the box and plug it in and you have an iMac style mini. There must be a market for these things, would you not buy one?
Mac Mini Mods – Petrol Can
If you are looking for a little bit of originality with you MAC Mini modding, you will love this mod. It is a seamless bright red petrol can and your MAC mini will slot into the back with ease. I think this looks great, its a wonder they don't market these.
2005 Mazda 3 – MacVroom
Matt Burriola installed a Mac mini into his 2005 Mazda 3 sedan and documented the entire installation process. His goal for his project was to create a system with better than stock sound and capability, while maintaining a clean, stock appearance.
You can view the step-by-step process here: Mac Mini Carputer Install.
U. of Oklahoma's Mac Mini Robot
The University of Oklahoma built this mobile robot, powered by a MAC Mini, to prototype a visually and aurally tele-operated robot before designing their own from scratch. It's based on the Pioneer 3-AT robotics platform and is controlled via a USB-to-serial connection, with visual feedback provided via iSight. I want one of these.
Sparky the Robot
Sparky, made by San Francisco artist Marque Cornblatt, is a robot powered by a MAC Mini, built in with Skype, and a wide array of wonderful gadgets.
Mini iMac Mod Wants to Be a Real Mac
Not a MAC Mini mod, more of a mini MAC-a-like creation this one. German modder Phyro-Mane took an old laptop and hacked it together to resemble a scaled down iMac, icalling it the iMacmini. But strangely, it runs Windows XP skinned to look like OS X. The mod features a 14-inch screen, AMD Athlon XP 1700+ processor, 20 GB HDD and 512 MB RAM. Now, even PC users can have the sleek and stylish MAC look.
The DIY Mac Pro Mini
An intrepid modder was given a sad, water-damaged MacBook and turned it into his own little Mac Pro Mini with a little know-how and a $40 Mac Pro case knockoff. His MacBook's motherboard worked, but LCD, HDD, battery, memory, keyboard, and DVD drive were all busted. After replacing the HDD and memory, he set out to stuff his cheap-o case with the corpse of his MacBook.
Related Posts
| Developer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Product family | Power Mac |
| Type | Desktop computer |
| Release date | July 19, 2000 |
| Introductory price | US$1,799 |
| Discontinued | July 3, 2001 |
| Media | 5× DVD-ROM; CD-RW |
| CPU | 450 or 500 MHzPowerPC G4 |
| Memory | 64, 128 or 256 MB PC100 SDRAM; supports up to 1.5 GB |
| Storage | 20, 40 or 60 GBhard drive |
| Graphics | ATIRage 128 Pro with 16 MB of SDRAM NvidiaGeForce2 MX with 32 MB of SDRAM (both cards use an AGP 2x slot) |
| Connectivity | 2 USB 1.1 (dual-channel), 2 FireWire 400, 10/100 Ethernet, 56k v.90 modem, VGA and ADC ports |
| Dimensions | Height: 9.8 inches (25 cm) Width: 7.7 inches (20 cm) Depth: 7.7 inches (20 cm) |
| Mass | 14 lb (6.4 kg) |
| Successor | Mac mini |
| Related articles | Power Mac G4 |
The Power Mac G4 Cube is a small form factorMacintoshpersonal computer from Apple Computer, Inc., sold between 2000 and 2001. Designed by Jonathan Ive, its cube shape is reminiscent of the NeXTcube from NeXT, acquired by Apple in 1996. The New York Museum of Modern Art holds a G4 Cube, along with its distinctive Harman Kardon transparent speakers, as part of its collection.[1]
Features[edit]
The small 7×7×7 in (18×18×18 cm) cube, suspended in a 7.65×7.65×10 in (19.4×19.4×25.4 cm) acrylic glass enclosure, housed a PowerPC G4 processor running at 450 or 500 MHz, and had a unique, slot-loading, low-profile DVD-ROM or CD-RW drive. A separate monitor, with either an ADC or a VGA connection, was required for the Cube, in contrast to the all-in-one iMac series. Also unlike the iMacs, it had a video card in a standard AGP slot. However, there was not enough space for full-length cards. The Cube also featured two FireWire 400 ports and two USB 1.1 ports for connecting peripherals. The Cube is exceptional as the only Macintosh without a built-in speaker (as of 2016). Sound was provided by an external USB amplifier and a pair of Harman Kardon speakers. Although the USB amplifier had a standard mini-plug headphone output, it lacked any audio input. The Cube also used a silent, fanless, convection-based cooling system like the iMacs of the time.
History and sales[edit]
Apple targeted the Cube at the market between the iMac G3 and the Power Mac G4, and was the first desktop configuration offering since the discontinued Power Macintosh G3 almost two years earlier. Despite its innovative design, critics complained it was too expensive—it was initially priced US $200 higher than the similarly equipped Power Mac G4 (450 MHz CPU, 64 MB RAM, 20 GB hard drive) and did not include a monitor, thus leading to slow sales. Additionally, early Cubes suffered from a manufacturing issue that led to faint lines (referred to as 'cracks' or 'mold lines') in the acrylic case. This was often considered damaging to the aesthetic quality of the computer.[2]
After seeing low profits, Apple attempted to increase sales by bundling more software with it, lowering the price of the base model, incorporating a CD-RW drive standard for the 500 MHz version, and offering an improved Nvidia graphics card as an option. These efforts could not offset the earlier perception of reduced value compared to the iMac and Power Mac G4 lineup. According to an Apple press release on July 3, 2001, production of the Cube stopped indefinitely because of low demand.
In 2003, the G4 Cube received a brief return to the spotlight after a series of articles in Wired charted its cult popularity. The articles, focusing on upgrades installed by individual users and retailers such as Kemplar, led to a sharp rise in the Cube's resale value. Nevertheless, with the release of the relatively inexpensive Mac Mini (seen by some[3] as a replacement), coupled with Apple's switch to G5 processors and eventually Intel Core-based processors, the Cube again faded into the background.
Specifications[edit]
| Model identifier | PowerMac5,1 |
|---|---|
| Model number | M7642LL/A (450 MHz), Configure-to-order-only (500 MHz) |
| Processor | 450 MHz or 500 MHz PowerPC G4 (7400/7410) with 1 MB L2 cache |
| Front side bus | 100 MHz |
| Memory | 128 MB, 256 MB, 384 MB, 512 MB, 768 MB, 1 GB, or 1.5 GB of PC100 SDRAM Expandable to 1.5 GB |
| Graphics | ATI Rage 128 Pro with 16 MB of SDRAM, Nvidia GeForce2 MX with 32 MB of SDRAM or ATI Radeon with 32 MB of DDR SDRAM |
| AGP 2x | |
| Hard drive | 20 GB, 30 GB or 40 GB at 5400 rpm 60 GB at 7200 rpm |
| Ultra/ATA 66 | |
| Optical drive (Slot-loading) | DVD-ROM or CD-RW |
| Connectivity | Optional AirPort 802.11b 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet 56k V.90 modem |
| Peripherals | 2 USB 1.1 2 FireWire 400 |
| Video out | VGA and ADC |
| Maximum operating system | Mac OS X 10.4.11 'Tiger' and Mac OS 9.2.2 Mac OS X 10.5.8 'Leopard' if LeopardAssist is used. |
| Dimensions | 8.9×7.7×7.7 inches (23×20×20 cm) |
| Weight | 14 pounds (6.4 kg) |
Modifications and upgrades[edit]
Since the Cube's demise, a number of Cube enthusiasts have made modifications to their machines. Some of the more popular upgrades are high-performance video cards (duct tape may be used to allow the GPU fan to work correctly in the small Cube case) and third-party CPU upgrade cards (up to 1.8 GHz); a few people have even modified their Cubes to take a dual-processor upgrade. A popular upgrade is the GeForce2 MX, which exists in a version specially created for the Cube. Case modifications, such as lighting and extra cooling, are also popular. The Cube uses the same type of memory and hard drive as many other desktop computers, thus making upgrades for the said components popular. Although the Cube uses a fanless, convection-based cooling system, the mounting holes make it possible to install a standard desktop cooling fan.
Comparison to other Apple products[edit]
Following Apple's discontinuation of the Power Mac G4 Cube, several of its products have been released in even smaller sizes while maintaining a similarly shaped, square base.
Apple TV[edit]
The Apple TV is a digital media receiver designed to bring digital content to a television. Like the Power Mac G4 Cube, the Apple TV has a square base. The first generation's base measured 7.8 inches (20 cm) on both sides, one-tenth of an inch longer than the G4 Cube's 7.7 inches (20 cm), but had a much shorter height of 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) compared to the G4 Cube's. The second- and third-generation Apple TVs were about 75% smaller than the first-generation model. The AirPort Express shares the same dimensions as those Apple TV models, but is white instead of black.
Mac Mini[edit]
Apple released the first Mac Mini on January 22, 2005, nearly three-and-a-half years after the G4 Cube was discontinued. Rather than being a mid-range computer, the Mini was typically sold as a low-end consumer model for use as a desktop, although a server model existed for the late-2009, mid-2010, mid-2011 and late-2012 models.
The Mac Mini had a square base, just like the G4 Cube. Models prior to mid-2010 had a base which was noticeably smaller than the G4 Cube's. The smaller machines also had a shorter height of 2.0 inches (5.1 cm). Mac Mini models released since mid-2010 had a larger square base, matching the dimensions of the G4 Cube.
Mac Pro 2013[edit]
In 2013, Apple announced a redesigned version of the Mac Pro with dimensions similar to that of the G4 Cube. The new Mac Pro is a cylinder 9.9 inches (25 cm) high and 6.6 inches (17 cm) in diameter.
Hack Power Mac G4 Pro
Appearances[edit]
In popular culture[edit]
The Cube can be found in many publications related to design and some technology museums. In addition, the computer has been featured in other forms of media. The G4 Cube was used as a prop on shows such as Absolutely Fabulous, The Drew Carey Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dark Angel , The Gilmore Girls and 24. The computer was parodied in The Simpsons episode 'Mypods and Boomsticks.' The Cube is also seen in films such as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, 40 Days and 40 Nights, About a Boy, August and The Royal Tenenbaums. In William Gibson's 2003 novel Pattern Recognition, the character Cayce uses her film producer friend's Cube while staying in his London flat. In the movie 'Big Fat Liar,' a G4 Cube and a Studio Display can be seen in the background of Wolf's kitchen.
Sixteen Cubes were used to power the displays of the computer consoles in Star Trek: Enterprise.[4]
As artwork[edit]
The G4 Cube and its peripherals were showcased at The Museum of Modern Art,[5][6] and at the Digital Design Museum (a division of Design Museum). G4 Cubes are also a popular candidate for 'Macquariums'—fish tanks made from the chassis of Apple computers.[7]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^MoMA: The Collection: Jonathan Ive
- ^Siracusa, John. 'G4 Cube & Cinema Display (review)'. Ars Technica.
- ^Toporek, Chuck. Mac mini: Steve Jobs gets his Cube Back, O'Reilly Mac Dev Center, January 2005.
- ^http://www.trektoday.com/articles/enterprise_set_visit.shtml
- ^Kahney, Leander (July 28, 2003). 'APPLE CUBE: ALIVE AND SELLING'. Wired Magazine.
- ^http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A7237&page_number=1&template_id=6&sort_order=1
- ^Sayej, Nadja (June 20, 2016). 'Where Do Old iMacs Go Anyway? Right, They're Upgraded Into Aquariums'. Motherboard. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
Hack Power Mac G4 Plus
External links[edit]
Hack Power Mac G4 Download
- Apple – Power Mac G4 Cube at the Wayback Machine (archived December 16, 2000)
- Experimenting with high-intensity LEDs to illuminate a G4 Cube on YouTube