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Definition: G4


(1) (Generation 4) The fourth generation of a product, typically hardware rather than software. In contrast, "4G" refers to network generations (see cellular generations).

(2) A family of smartphones from LG introduced in 2015. The premium G4 is a 5.5" smartphone, while the 5.7" G4 Stylus (G Stylo in North America) includes LG's Rubberdium stylus, and the 5" G4c is the smallest model. LG offers leather-bound backs for the G4.

(3) The fourth generation of IBM's CMOS-based mainframes (Parallel Enterprise Servers), introduced in 1997. See IBM mainframes and Parallel Enterprise Server.

(4) An earlier series of Mac desktops and PowerBook portables that used the 32-bit G4 chip based on Motorola's PowerPC 7400. Introduced in 1999, G4 models were the successor to the G3 series and supported 2GB of RAM, 64-bit PCI slots and 4x AGP. The G4 CPU included the "Velocity Engine," which provided one gigaflops of floating point processing. See G5, G3 and Apple.




The G4 Cube Computer
In 2000, Apple's G4 Cube provided plenty of horsepower in a totally quiet unit. Due to its slick design, the Cube was showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. See Mac mini. (Image courtesy of Apple Inc.)