![]() Musically? Well, the G4 has independently driven USB sockets (which might make minor differences to MIDI operation, but you are still better off with a decent serial card) and will eventually have a better graphics card. Also IBM have been taken aback by the demand for G4s, and it looks like they will start making G4s for Apple, which gives Apple a second source of G4s! Overall then, what looked like a G4 PR disaster actually turns out to have been only a temporary aberration. As a result, 500MHz G4s may be available by the time you read this, or perhaps early in the year 2000. Indeed, Motorola have now increased the manufacture of G4 chips to meet Apple's demands, and the 500MHz problem has apparently been resolved. Of course, Motorola are only doing things properly by waiting until they are completely satisfied with their product, and G4 chips will eventually appear at speeds greater than 500MHz. Anyway, eventually Steve Jobs announced that the back orders and the discounted 450MHz machine option for people who ordered 500MHz G4s would all be honoured. According to some reports, Apple then apologised, reinstated the back orders, and then modified this to not all back orders. Additionally, discounts were offered for the 450MHz machines which were replacing the 500MHz versions. ![]() ![]() This was quickly followed by a reversing of the decision back to honouring the orders. Initially it seemed as if the prices for the 350MHz machine would be the same as the previous 400MHz machine, and this was followed with an apparent cancellation of existing back orders. Apple announced that the processor speeds would be downgraded by 50MHz to match the expected G4 chip availability. This is where a wonky decision rapidly took things out of control. Meanwhile, Apple had orders for about 150,000 G4s, and couldn't get enough G4 processors to meet that demand at the sort of chip speeds that were being ordered. But chip manufacturer Motorola seemed to have some problems ironing out the last few production‑line setup niggles, and as a result, 500MHz G4 processors became hard to get hold of. ![]() 400MHz G4s had been promised based on modified G3 main boards, with further 450MHz and 500MHz G4 native‑boarded machines by late 1999 or early 2000. Suddenly, after the positive coverage surrounding the initial launch of the G4, things turned distinctly sour for Apple in mid‑Autumn. It felt like a return to the gloom and doom of earlier times. Martin Russ looks back at a bad and good month for Apple, and writes them out a Christmas wish list. ![]()
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