Steve Job’s NeXT Inc will be launching the first colour version of its NeXT Unix cube next Tuesday. The system, which currently uses Motorola’s 68030 part, will feature a 25MHz 68040; with 8Mb RAM, 200Mb disk, Pixar’s Renderman graphics technology – but without the earlier version’s optical drive which has been criticised as being too slow – it is likely to come in at around $15,000. Despite the fanfare that accompanied its introduction back in September last year, sales of the cube have been meagre, and NeXT hopes the addition of colour, and a more powerful processor will give its fortunes a boost. A $5,000 model is also expected.
