What made the BeBox unique in the 1990s?

The BeBox was unique for its dual 67 MHz PowerPC processors and its custom BeOS, which was built from the ground up to handle multiple processors and threads.

How did Microsoft impact Be Inc. and the BeBox?

Microsoft pressured PC manufacturers against pre-loading BeOS on devices, which contributed to Be Inc.'s commercial failure. Be Inc. later sued Microsoft and received a settlement.

Does BeOS still exist today?

While BeOS itself is no longer developed, an open-source implementation called Haiku OS continues its legacy and can run BeOS software.

Home / Technology / BeBox: The 90s PC That Foresaw Modern Tech

BeBox: The 90s PC That Foresaw Modern Tech

11 Feb

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Summary

The BeBox featured dual 67 MHz PowerPC processors, a precursor to multi-core.
Its custom BeOS was built for multitasking before Windows.
Microsoft's actions led to Be Inc.'s demise, but Haiku OS lives on.

BeBox: The 90s PC That Foresaw Modern Tech

In the mid-1990s, Be Inc. introduced the BeBox, a pioneering computer featuring dual 67 MHz PowerPC processors. This hardware, coupled with its custom BeOS, was designed from the ground up to handle multiple processors and threads simultaneously, a capability that consumer versions of Windows did not offer until Windows 2000.

The BeBox's innovative dual-CPU architecture and multitasking operating system foreshadowed modern multi-core processors and multi-threaded software. Despite its advanced concepts, the BeBox commercially failed, partly due to Microsoft's restrictive practices against PC manufacturers.

Be Inc. later transitioned to software, releasing BeOS for Macintosh and then x86 compatible hardware. However, Microsoft's actions led to a lawsuit and a $20 million settlement. Though BeOS was eventually sold to Palm and faded, its spirit continues in the open-source Haiku OS.