When was the last time that an Apple description of how its software was supposed to behave matched the reality of how it did. Recall MobileMe? I rest my case.
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Intel Atom-Based Mac Mini Due in March?
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When was the last time that an Apple description of how its software was supposed to behave matched the reality of how it did. Recall MobileMe? I rest my case.
From ArsTecnica ...
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...dual-core-atom-chains-it-to-945c-chipset.html
ArsTechnica said:
Would be nice to see the GPU 9400M paired with the new AMD mobile chip featured in the upcoming HP DV2 PowerNet Book laptop.
I would question your analysis. Sure, in the pro-user market desktops are the de facto machine to use, but the vast majority of computers do not need the power afforded by desktop machines and prefer the convenience of a laptop. Laptops aren't on their way out at all; they're just beginning to get really accessible.
I'm not 100% certain on this, but I expect that the iPhone is sold at a loss for $200..
Heh, ok for a second I thought I was going crazy I thought I missed something.
On one hand I think it would be cool for them to come out with a cheaper mini for switchers. At the same time they need to have another more powerful version for the rest of us.
When I first read this article I got nauseous and wanted to vomit... I'm hoping, if this article is even true, the atom MacMini is simply an alternate configuration option at purchase.
I will be EXTREMELY disappointed if it is the only new MacMini.
I will be EXTREMELY disappointed if it is the only new MacMini.
I had one, and it didn't work for me as a PDA/mini computer. Just far too primitive even compared to Palm's 90's stuff. Plus it died as soon as it got cold (I've since discovered a whole bunch of people have had them die right after going from cold to warm environments). I've switched to an iPod classic, which I like a lot better.
Not anymore. It WAS a custom package when it first launched (the CPU itself wasn't any smaller) but it's available to everyone for ages now.
And that's another thing-I'm surprised Apple switched away from Intel chipsets, given how many custom parts Intel's given Apple over the last few years. I kind of thought it was a mutual thing...
Ok Everyone... take a deep breath and just relax a minute...
Think about it...
First, Will the new Mac Mini stay on par with a Macbook Pro or a Mac Pro? Of course not... but Apple is not going to push a system out the door that doesn't perform.
Second, this is an entry level system. It will be on the minimum edge of computing for the price-point they're aiming for. Keep your expectations realistic and don't expect everything for next to nothing!
Third, think about this... Soon Apple will be releasing Snow Leopard which makes use of multiple processing units including graphics processors... It's feasible in my mind that the reason they are holding out on releasing the Mac Mini is because they are waiting for Snow Leopard to be released. If Snow Leopard performs as described, it may very well make up for the "short-comings" everyone perceives in the Atom processor and could very well be a reasonably decent entry-level machine. End-user performance is all that REALLY matters doesn't it? Apple's NOT going to ignore that. In ANY system, max out the RAM and you'll significantly speed up your system's performance which is where it really counts. I have an old Mac Mini that performs just fine as a media center and there's no chance in hell that Apple is going to release a NEW computer that can't perform to at LEAST the current specs, if not better.
That's my perspective on this matter and I have no worries that Apple won't reach my expectations, but I keep my expectations anchored closer to reality, so I recommend that you reflect on that before you freak out about what processor Apple's going to use.
Peace in '09,
~ Will
You are greatly overestimating its power. A Mac Mini with an Atom processor would end up being slower than the old G4 Mac Minis. Atoms are SLOW, think of them like the old PDA cpu's, or the cpu in the iPhone, theyre just a modern version of those but finally fast enough to support a real OS. They arent suitable as a normal computer and wouldnt even be considered low end, theyre geared towards gadgets/toys like netbooks. Not to mention the rumor suggests it would cost the same as a current mac mini, which is crazy since it would be such a ridiculous downgrade.
I'm genuinely confused now...is it or is it not a custom CPU in the MBA?
If it isn't...why would Apple still have it up on their site that it is? Wouldn't that be considered as false advertising (i.e. grounds for law suits)?
Someone's giving out false information...either some posters or Apple.
So what the heck is digitalbiker talking about?
Sorry my mistake!
I thought when they switched to the Core 2 duo that they used the exact same CPU as the MB only underclocked to reduce heat.
I knew that Apple and intel highly customized the first core duo cpu for the MBA's reduced size but I thought the new MBA used a standard sized Core2Duo along with the NVidia 9400M GPU.
The reason I thought this is because the first chipset was designed specifically for Apple and not available to the general market. However this new Core2Duo chip is available to everyone.
Oh ok..that clears it up somewhat.
That's the great thing about these forums tho...even if you're mistaken about something, other posters will back you up on your false information, like Wolfpup tried to do.
Gets to be confusing after a while...
MBA never had a custom processor.....
... it had a standard Core 2 CPU in a custom carrier. Same Merom 65nm silicon, just a more compact package.
...and it has been sold to other manufacturers.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/envy-133-using-custom-macbook-air-cpu-splashtop-instant-os/
... it had a standard Core 2 CPU in a custom carrier. Same Merom 65nm silicon, just a more compact package.
...and it has been sold to other manufacturers.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/envy-133-using-custom-macbook-air-cpu-splashtop-instant-os/
you'd think most MR posters would've figured that out by now, alas..
while i'm partially with you here, and thus far from the 'where's my full/mid tower-performing mini? god, i can buy a buick for less than a current mini!' crowd, i don't exactly agree with you here either. i'm a second generation mini user (all my minis still carrying their duties, btw) and a desktop is expected to do certain modern desktop tasks that a P5+simd is not exactly cut out for. like compiling fat projects (all that oss stuff), running a few servers (http, svn), the occasional DAW (digital audio workstation) and photoshop work, etc. while a decent GPU could help at a few spots in those tasks (given somebody bothers to write the sw for that), it still does relatively little to fully accelerate them (photoshop fitlers being a lone exception here) - you still need a decently-fast CPU, with a fast memory subsystem to see good performance in those.
gpu-demanding games and video codecs aside, where do you see an ion mini outperforming the current c2d one?
Just when I thought I had it sorted out...
This doesn't look like a standard Core 2 CPU in a custom carrier...looks more like a custom Core 2 Duo to me.:
Oh ok..that clears it up somewhat.
That's the great thing about these forums tho...even if you're mistaken about something, other posters will back you up on your false information, like Wolfpup tried to do.
Gets to be confusing after a while...
Nothing I said was false. It originally had custom packaging for it's CPU that wasn't available yet to other companies (or at least they weren't using it). It's been available to everyone for ages now though, so it's not custom anything. And it wasn't really the CPU that was custom per se, just it's packaging.
I admit I don't know much about this topic...
I was (and still am) confused about what constitutes a custom CPU...I just assumed that if Apple was going to say that they're using a custom CPU, they'd actually be using a custom CPU...
Since I don't even have a MBA and don't plan to own one anytime soon, I'll just stay out of it and play with my MBP...
Sorry if I ruffled some feathers
Nah, this stuff's fun to talk about
I'm guessing they just never updated the site. The people who write that probably don't know what it means anyway, and they were never told to remove it.
You must have missed the last time tablets were going to overtake notebooks. Never happened; the plain fact is that writing anything by hand is PAINFULLY slow compared to typing. It's relatively easy to get your typing speed up to 100+ wpm and do it all day long. You simply cannot write (legibly) that fast for any length of time.
Tablet computing ONLY good for when you have to use a computer standing up so you have just one hand to operate it. Notebooks outsell desktops at this point, there's no "last dying gasp" for notebooks any time on the horizon. If anything, desktops are on their way out.
Apple could not only break into the netbook market, they could CRUSH it. They could become THE dominate force for netbooks just like they did with PMPs and iPods. How?
First, they need to get in NOW. Most of the big players are only on their 1st or 2nd itteration of products, so there's lots of room in the market; just like the iPod (Creative had just a few devices out there when the iPod was released). Second, and I think more importantly, is OS X mobile. Netbooks right now are shoehorning a desktop OS onto a tiny device. What you need/want is an OS designed around a small screen. Finally, the App store. Integrate application distrobution and installation via iTunes and you have a winner in the netbook market. With current products you either need an optional, expensive relative to the $300 the computer cost, external drive to install software or you need to track down downloads and install that way. An app store for your netbook neatly solves this problem, especially if you can delete and redownload apps for free (helps if you have limited disk space, like a 16gb SSD).
There is no way this is going to happen. In the same way Steve has shown no intention to produce craptops as netbooks, they won't make something that isn't capable of doing what it's intended to do (intentionally anyway). The atom might bring in some nicer margins, but it isn't worth staking the reputation of Apple on. They'll continue on with something along the lines of what they already have: a unit that performs well enough, but isn't going to be a mac-pro by a long shot.