Extremely rare early production model of the NeXT Computer released by NeXT Inc. in October 1988. Informally referred to as the ‘Cube,’ the computer consists of a sturdy 1-foot die-cast magnesium cube-shaped black case, the back of which contains the Model No. “N1000,” the Part No. “23.00,” and the Serial No. “AAK0001174"; both the front and the back feature graphic design artist Paul Rand’s now-iconic company logo. The company's first and flagship product, the NeXT computer was sold at a price of $6,500 and was aimed specifically at the higher-education market, with this particular computer deriving from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The Cube’s impressive system specifications include a Motorola 68030 CPU, a Motorola 68882 floating-point coprocessor with a clock speed of 25 MHz, an on-board Motorola 56001 digital signal processor, two custom VLSI chips to manage the I/O subsystems, four NuBus expansion slots, a 200W system power supply, and the first commercially available read/write magneto-optical drive for data storage. Includes the power cord and original gray cover.
Completing the NeXT workstation is the inclusion of various original devices and components, including:
- keyboard (Part No. 192.00, Serial No. AAE8901150)
- two-button mouse (Part No. 193.00, Serial No. AAF 8501038)
- MegaPixel Display 17″ monitor (Model No. N4000, Part No. 135.00, SDN Manufacture: October 1988, Serial No. AAA5001051), with an adapter cable and gray cover
- 400 DPI laser printer manufactured by Canon Inc., (Model No. N2000, Part No. 369.00, Serial No. AAC 0005912, Manufactured Date: September 1990 T), with the adjustable paper tray, power/adapter cables, and gray cover
- NeXT 68040 Upgrade Kit (N7003, Serial No. AAG2001086), with original boxes, unused Federal Express service upgrade label, and NeXT screwdriver
- a 10-volume set of NeXT Computer, Inc. workstation reference and user manuals from 1990, housed in their original heavy-duty slipcases
- a NeXTSTEP 3.1 release box with associated Developer software, discs, and booklets
- a group of (11) NeXT booklets and manuals (the majority of which bear water damage)
The monitor, printer, and upgrade kits are housed in their original NeXT manufacturing boxes, with corresponding parts and delivery labels addressed to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The computer is fully operational and in fine cosmetic condition.
Although NeXT computers encountered subpar sales, the NeXTSTEP operating system and development environment proved highly influential. The OS offered an intuitive GUI with features like an application dock, true multitasking, drag-and-drop tools, large full-color icons, real-time scrolling, and other elements that are considered ubiquitous today. This was the innovative platform on which Tim Berners-Lee would create the first web browser, and that would form the basis for Mac OS X. Unix derivatives incorporating NeXTSTEP would eventually power all of Apple's platforms, including the iPhone. Apple purchased NeXT in 1997 for $429 million and 1.5 million shares of Apple stock, with Steve Jobs, as part of the agreement, returning to the company he had co-founded in 1976.
