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As I said before, the Mini IS DEAD, forget it; it's gonna be replaced by a new special edition Cube by early 2009.

As for the iMac, it DEFINITELY does not need any updates for now...it's the best and most powerful AIO on the planet, and more than suffices for any prospective buyer out there.

In what pertains to the announcement, it's an unprecedented move by Apple just to ensure that wannabe buyers REALLY go and buy the current line-up during the holiday season.

The current Mini looked slow when it was introduced in August 2007 and is now a horribly over priced dinosaur.

It makes sense for Apple to replace it with a Nano that uses a MacBook logic board. I still don't understand why the Mini wasn't notebook shaped to begin with. It would lower Apple's parts, production and support costs if almost all the parts were interchangeable with the MacBook. At the same time performance would be increased substantially and therefore could command a slightly higher price.

I do not want the mini to morph into a cube. I want the iMac to morph into one. It would be "greener" to separate the processing from the display because LCD manufacture is a huge source of pollution and because a desktop display should last much longer than the computer connected to it.

Dream machine: mini tower/desktop, modern quad core processor, mainstream desktop RAM, 2x HD bays, tray loading optical drive, 2x eSATA, 2x FW800, 6x USB, GigE, 802.11n, BlueTooth, optical audio, 2x PCI express slots.

Would like to purchase: brand new desktop in February 2009

Most likely purchase (because Apple doesn't sell desktops): used Mac Pro in 2010.
 
Actually this is good news. The iMac and Mac-Mini when released at Macworld 2009 in January will have 1/2 gen better processors and software support.
It is noteworthy that in Q1 2009, Intel will speed bump the Penryns by 133 MHz. That points to a 3.33 GHz dual-core Penryn 55 W in the top-end iMac, or a quad-core.

And no, I don't see iMac updates at MWSF 2009.
 
And no, I don't see iMac updates at MWSF 2009.

My first reaction to that is: "@#$@! That can't be true! I want a new iMac NOW and don't want to wait til even later than January!"

But then I think...why would they hold off releasing an incredibly popular computer until after the holidays if they're just going to release it ten days after Christmas?
 
That means it's time to buy my iMac, I guess. Can't see the point of waiting two or three (or more?) months for maybe an upgraded screen and graphics (don't game, and even for the graphic design i do, the iMac is still better than most PCs).

Wish the price would come down after six months on the market, though . . .

+1. I can understand the "no need to upgrade" approach. Constant revisions don't benefit anyone really. But it would be nice to get a price break on the computers after a period of time. I realize that's not Apple's approach, but perhaps they should revisit it as they move towards longer refresh cycles.
 
But then I think...why would they hold off releasing an incredibly popular computer until after the holidays if they're just going to release it ten days after Christmas?

Presumably a computer is most profitable right before it is replaced, since basically you're using components that are "old" and you've amortized any development/transition costs. So why not make lots of profitable sales right before Christmas and then goose your post-holiday sales with new products when demand would otherwise be flat.
 
this is so frustrating.. Apple were on the cusp on making a great Apple TV/Mac Mini hybrid. A Mac Mini with HDMI and the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M would make the ultimate small form factor HTPC in my mind, and one i could easily recommend to friends and family. The absolute only thing people can say against Apple computers is the higher price, only the Mac Pro and the Mac Mini (2 yrs ago) can compete with similar specced computers when all factors are considered i.e. form factor, time saved using OS X etc..

but the Mac Mini is the perfect gateway for people looking for a HTPC, and this is somewhere where people will really appreciate OS X, no one wants the headache of XP/Vista when all they want to do is sit in their couch and watch an MKV of Heroes. And Apple are really missing a trick by not updating the Mini and marketing it as a HTPC... yes it will take away sales from Apple TV, and ultimately iTunes... but surely exposing people to OS X is going to be more beneficial/profitable in the long run?
 
It's like with the back to school promotion. Apple made a killing on the long in the tooth Macbooks and wanted to get rid of their old stock.
 
i think somebody is making this up...

possibly new stuff still next monday...

or a LOT of people gonna be buying laptops next tuesday...

including. meeeeeeeee!:D

I hope you are right. I am one of the people who might be going to buy that cool MacBook if iMac doesn't upgrade..

Can someone tell me what is going to happen? I would really like to know, since I still have to work with this Windows XP crap thing..

Specs of this computer are really to laugh about.. or not..
''Intel Pentium III-Processor | 498 MHz | 256 MB''
Plus I am a music and movie lover, you understand how I want a Mac now...

Is there anything to say about the possibilities that an update is coming monday?
 
Dream machine: mini tower/desktop, modern quad core processor, mainstream desktop RAM, 2x HD bays, tray loading optical drive, 2x eSATA, 2x FW800, 6x USB, GigE, 802.11n, BlueTooth, optical audio, 2x PCI express slots.

Look again at the Dell Studio Slim I posted a few back - it's better than your dream machine, and available today starting at under $600.

Or, wait forever for Apple to produce a reasonable non-All-In-One desktop....



You are forgiven, my child. ;)
 
Poor output year

If true, the output of new products by Apple is quite poor this year:

- A updated iPhone (OK, 3G is cool, but the first iPhone should not have been EDGE in the first place)
- Some iPod updates (not impressive)
- New laptops (wow, a uni-case... pfffff! Sure they look good, but not a mind blowing / highly innovative update. Hardware specs are good though)
- What am I missing?

But...
- No Mac Mini update (it's like a small PC fitted with a 386 architecture, so obsolete)
- No Mac Pro update for a while
- No new Cinema display's (not counting the new display you can hook up to the new Macbooks)
- No other (innovative) Mac (tablet, return of the cube, midi, etc.)
- Feel free to add bullets here...

And...
- .Me still isn't what it should be
- Still no basic cut & paste functionality in iPhone 2.1
- No sync of notes in iPhone 2.1 (what's the use of the App??)
- No ToDo apps and syncing (iCal via .Me) in iPhone 2.1
- Free feel to add some missing .Me / iPhone functionality / Apps here...

*sigh*

All in all a dissapointing year. If Apple would not have produced the 3G iPhone this year, it would be the first year without a purchase for me in a while.
 
but the Mac Mini is the perfect gateway for people looking for a HTPC

Perfect - as long as they're looking for a box that's tacky white plastic and isn't shaped to stack with any other AV components, as long as they're happy with one laptop drive for storage, and they don't want HDMI or DisplayPort, or reasonable graphics, or expansion, or a reasonable sound card, or a TV tuner, or...

Other than that, a perfect HPTC system!
 
Perfect - as long as they're looking for a box that's tacky white plastic and isn't shaped to stack with any other AV components,
Most HTPCs aren't shaped like AV components.
as long as they're happy with one laptop drive for storage,
Fine for most AV uses. PVRs aren't expandable either.
and they don't want HDMI or DisplayPort,
It has DVI + optical out. It's just as good as HDMI but without the copy protection.
or reasonable graphics,
MacMinis can display 1080p video. What more do you need?
or expansion,
Irrelevant.
or a reasonable sound card,
Optical out makes a sound card irrelevant.
or a TV tuner, or...
EyeTV.

Wow, that's a bad troll. Tired today?
 
Most HTPCs aren't shaped like AV components.

But many are:

MicroFusion350_Q.jpg



Fine for most AV uses. PVRs aren't expandable either.

That's odd, because my TiVo has two 1 TB 3.5" drives in it. What PVRs are you thinking of?


It has DVI + optical out. It's just as good as HDMI but without the copy protection.

Which of course means no BD. Fail.


MacMinis can display 1080p video. What more do you need?

OK - you win this one if the Mini can output the BD video at 1080p. (and what other 1080p video source is relevant?)


Irrelevant.

Si tu parle.


Optical out makes a sound card irrelevant.

I like how my Turtle Beach card can create 7.1 ambience from a stereo source.

Relevant.



Yes, the mini needs an added cost USB dongle for basic functionality. How elegant. Let's keep things in the box, OK?


Wow, that's a bad troll. Tired today?

Whatever.
 
When the mini first came out I was EXTREMELY impressed. Now I find that the iMac is WAY better IMO. But, getting a display with the mac mini would be cool................... I just don't know!!!!!!!

Still, if I had a choice between the iMac and the mac mini..... I would choose iMac hands down.
 
Shocking

This announcement squashes circulating rumors that the iMac and Mac mini are scheduled for updates.

The next major Apple event is Macworld which will be held in early January 2009.

Article Link: Apple: No New Products Before Holidays

Okay, I've been watching this thread with great interest. I, like a lot of posters here, would like an updated mini (or midi, or cube2 etc.) as a small but powerful wonder toy. Something that can deliver whatever we want from it, and all at a nice, affordable price. Unfortunately, Apple Inc. seem to have forgotten the 'computers for the rest of us' slogan. Shame on Apple, and a clear nominee for 'Epic Fail of the Year' award.

I hope, beyond all reasonable doubt, that Jobsy delivers something truly wonderful in the New Year, then we can all smile broadly again.

P.S. To those posters suggesting go and buy the current mac mini: You must be stockholders. Extra shame on you.
 
Quite true, and the new chips are not yet available for the mac pro, either. But the mini... the mini is a disgrace as it is now. It was literally outdated the day it was released (the imacs were updated to santa rosa that day, and the mini stayed on the napa chipset), and that was about 14 months ago. And here we are today, same 2GB RAM limit, same ridiculous graphics (GMA 950 was underpowered when it was chosen for the first macbook in may 2006!!), same price.

Those of you who know my posts know that I'm not one to jump on the apple-bashing bandwagon that seems so popular on this site these days. I'm pretty much happy after every update. But this is really too much. They're seriously going to let the mini sit as-is for another 2 months, at least? All they need to do is slap macbook innards in to the current case and it would be a wonderful machine. As it is, it's so far overpriced and so far underpowered that I can't possibly recommend it to anyone. What a joke.

I agree.
 
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