Apple Feb 28th Media Event Coverage

[Malic]

DON'T get excited over the new Intel Mini! They've cheap'ned the graphics support with Intel's shared memory integrated graphics chip set! Check out the (buried) spec's page.

I have a feeling that Apple won't be selling me anything interesting until Leopard.

 

[Malic]

DON'T get excited over the new Intel Mini! They've cheap'ned the graphics support with Intel's shared memory integrated graphics chip set! Check out the (buried) spec's page.

I have a feeling that Apple won't be selling me anything interesting until Leopard.

 

[iJaz]

This was rubbish!
Apple better watch out, more over hyped "special events" like this one that turns out to be rubbish and the press won't come.

 

[Piarco]

DON'T get excited over the new Intel Mini! They've cheap'ned the graphics support with Intel's shared memory integrated graphics chip set! Check out the (buried) spec's page.

I have a feeling that Apple won't be selling me anything interesting until Leopard.

Just saw that myself...can't believe it..... hell hath frozen over.....
Just when I was thinking that the Core duo was looking like a possibility, I go and see that. I'll hang onto my stealth upgraded mini for a while longer then.

Pretty underwhelmed by the iPod Hi Fi too - especially now I've just noticed the Monitor Audio iPod system has a rebate here in the UK (!) and will cost only £150, proper stereo separation for less, and extra inputs to boot.

Leather cases for frick's sake!?!?! Steve! Really?!?

 

[mazola]

If Apple isn't interested in releasing the video iPod...

... then I'll just have to buy it from that Dutch dude instead.

Take THAT Apple!

 

[Butters]

Weak.

as my good friend Eric would say

 

[nomad01]

I like the way the Mac Mini is headed... optical inputs. More USB inputs. Frontrow. 2GB max memory. 120GB HD option.

While this was never intended to be a powerhouse machine, the integrated graphics is a bit worrying. It seems a bit pricey to be a bargain low end machine and a bit limited to be a living room machine.

The boom box is a nice idea but looks like Steve nicked it out of Lego Land.

 

[blybug]

I like the way the Mac Mini is headed... optical inputs. More USB inputs. Frontrow. 2GB max memory. 120GB HD option.

While this was never intended to be a powerhouse machine, the integrated graphics is a bit worrying. It seems a bit pricey to be a bargain low end machine and a bit limited to be a living room machine.

The boom box is a nice idea but looks like Steve nicked it out of Lego Land.

I sure wish Apple would have released the more obvious product I keep waiting for...

A Home Entertainment component that does everything the Mac mini does when plugged into your TV, but without the cost & unnecessary components of the "computer". Get rid of (most of) the USB, FireWire, hard drive, and OS. Make a "Front Row" box that simply and beautifully accesses shared media from your actual computers via Bonjour. If the mini is hooked up to my living room TV I can't really use it fully as a computer...if it's hooked up to a monitor I can't really use it as fully as my living room media center.

So for now, still stuck with the functional but klunky and less than perfect Elgato EyeHome. An Apple-polished "iHome" networked Home Media component for $199...now that would be "fun!"

 

[clcnyc]

Total Bummer

What a let down!!! That's all I can say....

 

[daysleeper]

Pretty disappointing.

The Mac Mini upgrade is good enough to be a throw-away remark in a *real* keynote. Same for the HiFi....

Who is going to pay $350 for the HiFi? Are they serious? Let me get this straight-- for the low price of almost $700 (!) I can have an ipod & boombox? And trying to pass off any audio that comes out of an ipod as "audiophile" quality is just a straight up lie.

The real joke is the leather cases. $99? Apple, I love you, but let's get real about what most people can afford...and are interested in hearing about at a media event.

 

[peharri]

Ok, I think it's obvious really: this was the spoof announcement. I mean, c'mon. He announced leather cases for $100, and a set of integrated speakers for $350. Oh, and a Mac mini upgrade that most people aren't going to like (integrated Intel graphics. Yum.)

The real one's happening later, right? Well, I guess there's the Microsoft mini-tablet/big-PDA thing. That's going to be exciting. Maybe Microsoft can make a joke about leather cases at the same time, and really turn the screws.

This is it folks. Apple has jumped the shark. It's all down hill from here...

 

[Super Dave]

This is it folks. Apple has jumped the shark. It's all down hill from here...

I don't know what sharks and hills have to do with each other, but it certainly feels that way.

David

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Just wow. I'm speechless, and not in a good way.

$350 for a boom box that needs some form of audio input since it doesn't have a radio. cool apple, my 5.1 system cost me $60. that's a savings of $290.

But enough with the iPod.

Mac mini..to hell. It now has integrated graphics. EWW. I sure hope this doesn't happen to the iBooks as well! it has a core solo, alright I suppose, but there's a $30 diff between the two, so why not shave $30 from your profits and be nice.

And why in the world does the new mac mini require 25 more watts of power than the G4 version?

P.S. Didn't SJ say that the iPod software was out? Cuz it's not for me, and uh...my nano's software has too many bugs for me to count, and I'd really like them fixed.

 

[suitelife]

also, what was with the "one more thing" line? someone please explain... i missed that.

I don't know if someone has explained this yet, but the "One more thing..." line is what Steve Jobs normally does at the end of MacWorld and Apple WWDC Keynote speeches for the final item. Sort of a grand finale. In the case with one of the most recent "One more thing...", this was a seperate event in Q3 of 2005 when the Video iPod G5 was released along with the new TV Shows store feature in iTunes 6.0 & the release of iTunes 6.0 to everyone's surprise since iTunes 5.0 has just been release weeks before. (Well at least a surprise to non MacRumor Members)

 

[mazola]

This sucks!

And just to let Apple know my displeasure I will sport my 'angry' face when I buy all this new junk.

 

[ddrueckhammer]

I sure wish Apple would have released the more obvious product I keep waiting for...

A Home Entertainment component that does everything the Mac mini does when plugged into your TV, but without the cost & unnecessary components of the "computer". Get rid of (most of) the USB, FireWire, hard drive, and OS. Make a "Front Row" box that simply and beautifully accesses shared media from your actual computers via Bonjour. If the mini is hooked up to my living room TV I can't really use it fully as a computer...if it's hooked up to a monitor I can't really use it as fully as my living room media center.

So for now, still stuck with the functional but klunky and less than perfect Elgato EyeHome. An Apple-polished "iHome" networked Home Media component for $199...now that would be "fun!"

Well a video airport express would do exactly what you are discribing especially if it used the future 802.11n standard...This coupled with a online Netflix type service with an either $3-$4 rental fee or $20-$25 per month subscription for a set number of downloads would be killer. Of course Apple would also have to offer better quality content at least 640x480 if not 600x800....I think there would be a huge market for this but Apple can't seem to see it or perhaps negotiations with the MPAA and studios are just too difficult...

 

[suitelife]

Like I said before, I am glad my 60 GB G5 iPod is still the best one (at least one more day ) Since I just got it last Tuesday. (Didn't know about this event like everyone else, when I order my iPod.)

But the rumor that Apple would sell full feature movies on iTunes would have been great. That would have saved the event I think from the comments I have seen here. Right?

 

[gregarious119]

Mixed feelings

OK people, I'm with you, this wasn't that grand of an announcement. I was pretty disappointed.

BUT

What did Apple do? They invited a few press reporters and advertised it as some "cool new products". They didn't hype it. WE DID.

What would've a better way for Apple to release this be? Just pop it up on the website some Tuesday?

 

[SharksFan22]

I'm still scratching my head on this one.

MacMini upgrade is nice, but not quite there yet. We finally get FrontRow and a remote, but shared graphics?? And the Hi-Fi -- man, I really wanted to buy one, but for $349 it just didn't make sense. Nothing coming out of an iPod (or other MP3 player) will ever be considered "audiophile" quality and I can attach an iPod to existing bookshelf system for $349. Maybe I'm missing something....

The killer product would have been AirPort Express + Front Row + video out + remote for $349. I would have purchased two!

 

[billchase2]

so did he say "one more thing..." and then actually discuss one more thing? or did he use it as a cliffhanger meaning that there is still more to come soon...?

 

[age234]

They didn't hype it. WE DID.

Granted, but it's almost as if we've been trained to

Think about it. Every time Steve comes out and gives a keynote, it's about the latest and greatest stuff. The most recent event similar to this one was the iPod 5G event, and they came out with stuff that equalled the hype. But this time, they really seemed to have dropped the ball. And if you take a look at the Stock widget, we're not the only ones. It dropped sharply right around the time of the keynote. Intelligent stockbrokers were hoping as well.

They must have known the hype would be like this. Even if it was just "wait until you see what we have in store for April 1" at the end. Something.

(if this double-posts, I apologize)

 

[ThomasJefferson]

The $350 BoomBox

Dream on Steve.

 

[peharri]

OK people, I'm with you, this wasn't that grand of an announcement. I was pretty disappointed.

BUT

What did Apple do? They invited a few press reporters and advertised it as some "cool new products". They didn't hype it. WE DID.

What would've a better way for Apple to release this be? Just pop it up on the website some Tuesday?

I understand where you're coming from, but even so: they organized a press conference to announce:

1. Some speakers (ok, an integrated pair with a built in amp that integrates well with 3G+ iPods.) Priced at $350.
2. A leather case for the iPod. Priced at $100.
3. A relatively disappointing Mac mini Intel switch (and most of us were unhappy to "go Intel" in the first place, finding that they've done it and lobotomized the graphics at the same time is very disappointing.)

It's not that we were expecting, say, the next PowerMac. It's more that we were expecting cool stuff from Apple, and what they announced sucked. The fact it was built up as an event (which it was) didn't help. Maybe we'd have ignored the Mac mini if they'd quietly put it on their website, but we'd probably not have done, and probably have expressed major disappointment.

As for the speakers and leather cases, I mean, that's getting beyond a joke. Are they going to sell audiophile digital cables next (optical fiber, painted green using aluminium shielding to maximize the sub-aureal harmonics, only $299 each)?

 

[chillywilly]

My take on the two new products.

As a current mini owner, there are some cool features that have been added (that should have been added on the first mini)

- both audio IN and OUT and optical
- 2gb of RAM possible
- SATA hard drives and up to 120gb for BTO minis
- Front Row support, along with new Front Row features (streaming shared iTunes playlists is cool)

But, the price increase bites. $800 for the top end model is a bit much. And not to mention the lowend got raised $100 and doesn't even come with a superdrive.

And not even interested in the iPod Hi-Fi boombox. It's ok and I'm sure it's well made and it's powerful, but I would rather have seen something like small travel speakers that were easy to pack into a travel bag, but that kicked up the sound. I think I would have paid $99 for something like that.

And speaking of $99, if I wanted a leather case for my iPod, I'd go to Vaja cases.

 

[shrimpdesign]

This was rubbish!
Apple better watch out, more over hyped "special events" like this one that turns out to be rubbish and the press won't come.

It's not like Apple hyped it. The media overhyped it and shot itself in the foot doing so. Maybe Apple is just setting us up for a huge annoucement in April, I don't know.

But these Intel Mac announcements are getting old already. What's going to be the features of the intel iBook? A IR remote maybe?! Front Row? Whoop-de-doo.