We've heard it many times in the past, and from many different sources, but at this point our minds are pretty much made up: it's just about time to say sayonara to the Cube. That's a shame, of course, because Steve's eight-inch Mac in search of a market is so many things to so many people. Sleek? Yes. Gorgeous? That it is. A marvel of engineering and design? Absolutely. A sales disaster of Hindenburg-like proportions? Well, that might be stretching it a little, but generally speaking, that's not far off.

For what it's worth, the little birds tweeting around the AtAT compound told us months ago that Apple had completely ceased production of the Cube and was simply selling the scads of unsold models still left in the channel. Once those are gone, say those birdies, the Cube will vanish from Apple's product line so quickly that Fred Anderson will have to wonder if it was all a bad dream. Hopefully Apple won't take a completely revisionist attitude and try to pretend that the Cube never existed, as Redmond rightly tried to do with Microsoft Bob; after all, the Cube was an excellent Mac which won many awards, and Apple has nothing to be embarrassed about (other than some fairly pathetic sales figures).

For those of you who still haven't come to terms with the Cube's imminent demise, The Register summarizes the spate of recent reports that "Cubes are in very short supply pending the machine's removal from Apple's product line." That aligns pretty well with reports we've been receiving from the field-- that Cube supplies are finally drying up, and all available intelligence indicates that Apple isn't planning on restocking the shelves. While we pride ourselves on staying open-minded about the possibility of last-minute miracles of the Steve-ular sort, despite the fact that the Cube is Steve's own pride and joy, we think he's matured enough as a CEO to do what needs to be done.

So, two things: first, an early but fond farewell for a Mac more suited to a museum pedestal than a store shelf; and second, a reminder to Mac fans everywhere that if you want a Cube, don't wait too much longer, or you'll be out of luck. And remember, when (if?) it passes on, the Cube will still be with us, as Apple incorporates elements of its unique design into other products. (You have seen the new iBook, right?)