A rip off of Apple's
G4 Cube appeared at Comdex last week. While we've heard nothing
yet from Apple legal, it's a sure bet that Apple will throw a lawsuit
at DA Computing as soon as they've researched the matter a
little.
This is not the first time, nor
the last time, Apple hardware has been imitated. Apple has a
reputation for breaking the design rules, which makes their designs
appealing to companies with less than stellar designers on board.
Apple spends plenty of money defending what they have created, and
I have no problem with that.
But what can Apple do to profit from their design expertise?
People will be creating knockoffs of their hardware products, so why
not capitalize on this by charging licensing fees to the would-be
copycats? I'm sure that, to avoid a legal mess, DA Computing would
gladly sign a licensing agreement (as long as it wasn't too
outrageous).
To head off any arguments that this would simply eat away at
Apple's market share, realize that DA Computing creates
Linux servers. While Apple does compete in the server market, the
Cube has not been positioned as a server system. DA is competing in
an entirely different area, and this machine steers clear of Apple's
existing markets.
While safely tucked away somewhere out of sight, an Apple-approved
Komodo server could help Apple in the long run. After seeing one of
these servers run, folks may be tempted to buy one for themselves.
The answer? "Sorry, it's not for personal computing. There is,
however, a great machine that looks just like it by Apple. Why not
check that out?"
Apple could also save on legal fees by using this strategy. Why
not make a little money from the knockoffs instead of wasting money
on a legal battle?
While Apple maintains a decent market share in the computer
industry, imagine if they turned from producing computers to
producing designs and software only. Forget the distribution and
manufacturing end of the equation. Leverage the great designs and
fantastic software by licensing it Bill Gates style to the highest
bidder. Can you imagine if Apple licensed the iMac design to Gateway
or Compaq? Potential sales there could be massive.
On the software side, OS X for Intel would have the potential
to crack open the OS market, offering a real alternative to
Windows.
Of course, all of this licensing would destroy computer sales for
Apple. That's where the meat of the company is, after all: hardware
sales.
But I sometimes think it's too bad that such a fantastic product
is restricted to such a small percentage of computer users. It might
be easier for Apple to go towards the users than the users coming to
Apple.
Stephen Van
Esch is the founder and president of
the
E-learning Foundry, an online training
resource for Mac users. Steve loves the Mac and is doubly bilingual,
since he's also fluent in Windows and French.
Recently on Mac Scope
Connecting with the broader Macintosh community, 04.06.
"But beyond the very minor celebrity status that came with being published on Low End Mac, it gave me a real opportunity to participate in the Mac community."
Hardware failure, that rare Mac headache, 07.09.
Macs are usually pretty reliable, but a hardware failure after just two-and-a-half years is still disappointing.
Mac of the Day: 15" iMac G4/800 MHz, Jan. 2002 - The iMac is redesigned with a flat panel display and G4 CPU.
Group of the Day: Mac Canada is our list for Canadian Mac users.
December 1 in LEM history: 99: Monitor dot pitch - 00: Macs for new users - Everybody wants to use iMacs - Career options - 03: Pfinder: Panther-like Finder for legacy Macs - 04: Why I use an eMac, iBook, and Power Mac - ThinkFree Office - MacLink Plus 15 - 05: PowerBook 190 still a great laptop - Eudora, the Mac's most powerful email client - 06: Core 2 'Books cooler and faster
Recent Content on Low End Mac
The Very Best Macs: Sometimes Apple Just Nails It, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 12.01.
Apple has produced lots of good Macs, a few dogs, and some 'best of breed' models that stand apart from the pack.
Apple Could Buy Dell, and Linux Is No Threat to Mac OS X, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.01.
Apple has the cash to buy Dell outright, and the idea has some merit. Also, why Linux still isn't ready to displace the Mac OS.
Will Snow Leopard Support Some PowerPC Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 11.26.
It just doesn't make sense that Apple would ship a new OS that won't support Macs sold less than three years ago.
Apple Retail Will Break Records This Christmas, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 11.26.
"Despite all the economic problems, Apple Retail can look forward to another successful quarter with sales maybe breaking through $2 billion...."
Old Macs in the New Economy, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 11.25.
"We are the kings of making our computers last, last, and last some more."
Virtualization Shootout: VirtualBox 2 vs. VMWare Fusion 2, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 11.25.
VirtualBox is aimed at a different audience than Fusion and Parallels. While it works well, the typical desktop user will probably prefer Fusion.
Software to Keep Your MacBook Cool, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 11.25.
Heat is the enemy of long hardware life. Two programs to keep your MacBook running cooler.
Best Mac Pro Deals, 12.01.
Used 3.0 GHz 4-core, $2,102; new 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 a/r; 8-core, $2,515 a/r; 3.0 $3,320 a/r; 3.2, $4,099 a/r.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best iPod touch Deals, 11.26.
Used 1G/8 GB, $160; refurb, $179; new, $198; used 16, $200; refurb, $219; refurb 32, $319; new, $340; 2G/8 GB, $219; 16, $289; 32, $379.
Best Power Mac G5 Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.6 GHz single, $450; 1.8, $499; dual, $600, 2.0, $800; 2.3, $816; dual-core, $1,000; 2.5 dual, $1,000; 2.7, $1,050; 2.5 Quad, $1,400.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best Mac mini Deals, 11.25.
Used 1.42 GHz G4 Combo, $429; 1.66 GHz Core Duo, $449; 1.83, SuperDrive $629; new 1.83 Core 2 Combo, $570 shipped; 2.0 SD, $760 shipped.
Our advertising is handled by BackBeat Media. For detailed
price quotes and advertising information, please
contactat BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number
is for advertising only.