Low-End Mac Mini Shipping Date Slips Slightly, Additional Reports of iMac Shortages Surface

[hashholly]

You just like having no say about your display... which means you have no idea what is good. either way, all-in-one = suck.

All apple makes is freaking laptops... then sticks them in different cases.

imac = laptop that doesn't fold
mini = laptop with no screen

i'm guessing mr. jerk jobs will never, ever give us a decent desktop that isn't that ridiculous top-end behemoth.

as long as the mini keeps its ridiculous little laptop drive and ZERO graphics, it will remain a FAIL. epic, epic fail.

lol do you not realize how effin tiny the mini is? there is no space for dedicated graphics, and no space for a full sized harddrive, nor is there a need. As a graphic designer my 80gb ssd internal coupled with 2TB of external firewire 800 storage, 4gb of ram, more than handles my needs. Fail not found.

 

[Eric5h5]

as long as the mini keeps its ridiculous little laptop drive and ZERO graphics, it will remain a FAIL. epic, epic fail.

It's not a fail at all, it's quite successful. And ever since they ditched the GMA950, the graphics aren't that bad.

Also, there's nothing wrong with all-in-ones...I wouldn't buy one, but they have their place.

--Eric

 

[danielwsmithee]

You just like having no say about your display... which means you have no idea what is good. either way, all-in-one = suck.

All apple makes is freaking laptops... then sticks them in different cases.

imac = laptop that doesn't fold
mini = laptop with no screen

i'm guessing mr. jerk jobs will never, ever give us a decent desktop that isn't that ridiculous top-end behemoth.

as long as the mini keeps its ridiculous little laptop drive and ZERO graphics, it will remain a FAIL. epic, epic fail.

Well this all depends upon how you define success. The current strategy seams to be getting Apple quite a bit of profit, which at the end of the day is the ultimate goal of a business.

This is all because Apple wan't to keep healthy profit margins. They can't do that as well with a standard generic desktop, where they are competing head-to-head with every other manufacturer with razor thin margins. This is just another way for Apple differentiate itself from other manufacturers.

 

[EagerDragon]

I can't wait for a quad core iMac, LED Display ... woot!

Assuming a quad core, the last I heard is CPU spped is around 1.78 for each of the quad cores. With the ability to push 1 core up to 3ghz when only 1 core was needed and the cpu was being driven hard.

To my knowledge using more cores than 1 reduces the core speed downward toward the 1.78 native speed.

Not sure about you, but for me it is a little hard to swallow to buy a machine with a lower CPU speed than the predecessor even if it has more cores.

The supper of these chips apparently runs at 2ghz natively and simgle core can be pushed to something like 3.4ghz so not a lot better.

 

[Eidorian]

Assuming a quad core, the last I heard is CPU spped is around 1.78 for each of the quad cores. With the ability to push 1 core up to 3ghz when only 1 core was needed and the cpu was being driven hard.

To my knowledge using more cores than 1 reduces the core speed downward toward the 1.78 native speed.

Not sure about you, but for me it is a little hard to swallow to buy a machine with a lower CPU speed than the predecessor even if it has more cores.

The supper of these chips apparently runs at 2ghz natively and simgle core can be pushed to something like 3.4ghz so not a lot better.

The Turbos on Clarksfield are 2/8/9.

So that's 266 MHz for 4 Cores, 1066 MHz for 2 cores, and 1200 MHz for a single core of Turbo Boost.

Well this all depends upon how you define success. The current strategy seams to be getting Apple quite a bit of profit, which at the end of the day is the ultimate goal of a business.

This is all because Apple wan't to keep healthy profit margins. They can't do that as well with a standard generic desktop, where they are competing head-to-head with every other manufacturer with razor thin margins. This is just another way for Apple differentiate itself from other manufacturers.

I wonder how Apple has been able to maintain the momentum on an all-in-one.

 

[muskratboy]

If the mac mini is such a failure, how come the resale value of them is so high, the refurb ones from the store sell out very quickly, and lots of people own one?

oh sorry, i just meant it was a fail as a COMPUTER.

ie. small, slow storage + underpowered cpu + no graphics to speak of

it's a failure to produce a modern workstation that costs less than $1000... in that it's not modern, or a workstation.

i'm sure they would ALSO love a real computer, with a real drive and graphics, that isn't cleaved to a questionable monitor. i know i would.

 

[muskratboy]

Also, there's nothing wrong with all-in-ones...I wouldn't buy one, but they have their place.

my only real problem with imacs is that's ALL WE GET.

we either get a desktop laptop, or nothing.

imacs just piss me off because is NO OPTION for a 'normal' mac desktop.

mini are also upsetting, because instead of a real desktop, we get that little joke of a machine. it would be fine as an OPTION... but since we get no choice in matter, it's a real pain.

i certainly don't begrudge those little families their little internet appliance... i just hate that my needs are completely ignored.

2.5" drives and 3gb of ram just don't get it done for work.

is it too much to ask in this day and age to have a desktop computer that can run 2 matching monitors for around $1000? WTF year is this?

i hate this gaping hole in apple's lineup... either underpowered or overpowered. ridiculous there is no "standard" tier.

do they really just want me to build a hackintosh? what other option is there?

 

[jmpage2]

oh sorry, i just meant it was a fail as a COMPUTER.

ie. small, slow storage + underpowered cpu + no graphics to speak of

it's a failure to produce a modern workstation that costs less than $1000... in that it's not modern, or a workstation.

i'm sure they would ALSO love a real computer, with a real drive and graphics, that isn't cleaved to a questionable monitor. i know i would.

I purchased a Mac Mini to play around with and get exposed to OS X. It was a snap for me to upgrade the HD and RAM in the Mini and after I decided I was going to get a more powerful Mac I sold this Mini to a buddy.

Another friend with an older model PC was interested in trying out OS X and had me order and build him a similarly configured Mini. He loves how silent it is and how it takes up almost zero desktop space. He feels it is quite robust for his uses and he loves OS X.

Not everyone has the same needs or wants that you have.

 

[mgzilla]

umm, did you guys notice both minis are now at 1-3 business days...not just the low end model?

 

[AidenShaw]

lol do you not realize how effin tiny the mini is?

That is the problem - Apple is more concerned with form factor than features.

The Mini is not bad - it just does not fill the

. . . H U G E . G A P I N G . H O L E . . .

in the Apple lineup as far as having a reasonable desktop.

Don't kill the mini, just add a Core i7 Mini-tower that starts at about $999 (internally, it will be the same as the Dell $799 Core i7 mini-tower - but will have a $200 aluminum case).

 

[jmpage2]

That is the problem - Apple is more concerned with form factor than features.

The Mini is not bad - it just does not fill the

. . . H U G E . G A P I N G . H O L E . . .

in the Apple lineup as far as having a reasonable desktop.

Don't kill the mini, just add a Core i7 Mini-tower that starts at about $999 (internally, it will be the same as the Dell $799 Core i7 mini-tower - but will have a $200 aluminum case).

Yes, Apple could sell a LOT of mini tower machines if they came out with one, but they seem far too afraid that it would gut sales of their highly profitable Mac Pro machines.

Which is a shame. A compact mini desktop machine from Apple would probably be seriously kick ass.

 

[Eidorian]

That is the problem - Apple is more concerned with form factor than features.

The Mini is not bad - it just does not fill the

. . . H U G E . G A P I N G . H O L E . . .

in the Apple lineup as far as having a reasonable desktop.

Don't kill the mini, just add a Core i7 Mini-tower that starts at about $999 (internally, it will be the same as the Dell $799 Core i7 mini-tower - but will have a $200 aluminum case).

The gaping hole has been there since 2005 and there's no reason to fill it for profits.

I say this all the time but Apple's notebooks are the only machines to look and we're at the precipice right now with Nehalem/Westmere.

Apple has some time left to impress us.

 

[KingYaba]

I'm not buying a new machine any time soon but I am interested to see what's comin' up. That one rumor about a design refresh intrigued me. Let's hope the Macbook Pro goes back to an all-silver design.

 

[iMacmatician]

Time to take bets on Penryn 3.2/3.33 GHz?

Pretty much that's what I'm doing…

 

[Maserati7200]

If this is a silent update, then most likely everyone is going to be disappointed, if there is a silent update then no major changes.

I see what you're saying, but not necessarily. The change from the iBook to the MacBook was a much larger change than the change from Powerbook to MacBook Pro (The entire body was changed for the Mac/i Book, while only the PB/MBP's internals were changed) yet the MacBook Pro got it's slot in Macworld 2006 and the MacBook was just silently updated. When the Mac Pro was updated, no event either. My list goes on...

 

[125037]

Im going to need Apple to release an new iMac ASAP. I have been waiting so long a few more weeks WILL hurt.
Thanks

PS: Blu Ray PLEASE.







"1,2,3 Peter Paul& Mary, Gettin down with 3P, everybody loves threesomes"

 

[jaw04005]

Yes, Apple could sell a LOT of mini tower machines if they came out with one, but they seem far too afraid that it would gut sales of their highly profitable Mac Pro machines.

Apple's not worried about the Mac Pro or the Mac mini.

Tim Cook has admitted repeatedly in their earnings calls that the Mac desktop that makes up the bulk of their sales is the iMac (even though they don't bother to break this out on their earnings forms).

They do their best to protect the iMac from any cannibalization whatsoever. In a way, the iMac saved Apple in 1998. But the days of the family desktop are over. They need to reinvent the iMac line somehow. Otherwise, they're going to end up protecting it to its grave.

"2:31 PT - DM: Tim: The Mac Pro percentage of our desktop business is not large. Desktop number is primarily iMac. The pro segment was down year-over-year, because small businesses are cutting back on expenditures in economic climate."

http://www.macworld.com/article/138353/2009/01/liveupdate.html

 

[lm57400]

Apple's not worried about the Mac Pro or the Mac mini.

Tim Cook has admitted repeatedly in their earnings calls that the Mac desktop that makes up the bulk of their sales is the iMac (even though they don't bother to break this out on their earnings forms).

They do their best to protect the iMac from any cannibalization whatsoever. In a way, the iMac saved Apple in 1998. But the days of the family desktop are over. They need to reinvent the iMac line somehow. Otherwise, they're going to end up protecting it to its grave.

"2:31 PT - DM: Tim: The Mac Pro percentage of our desktop business is not large. Desktop number is primarily iMac. The pro segment was down year-over-year, because small businesses are cutting back on expenditures in economic climate."

http://www.macworld.com/article/138353/2009/01/liveupdate.html

I'm sure people still like the iMac and there's no need to reinvent it. Apple has just to upgrade functions and design, maybe to do a price reduction - and voila there is the new iMac. I think in the new model we'll se an SD card reader and mabye Blu-ray drive, but nothing which would be worth of reinventing the whole system.

 

[Eidorian]

I'm sure people still like the iMac and there's no need to reinvent it. Apple has just to upgrade functions and design, maybe to do a price reduction - and voila there is the new iMac. I think in the new model we'll se an SD card reader and mabye Blu-ray drive, but nothing which would be worth of reinventing the whole system.

Besides OS X, what's so special about the iMac compared to other all-in ones? There are penty of others that even offer quads and Blu-ray as options but the all-in one market outside of Apple is languishing.

The Dell Studio One 19 even has a touch screen display at $899.

 

[jmpage2]

Besides OS X, what's so special about the iMac compared to other all-in ones? There are penty of others that even offer quads and Blu-ray as options but the all-in one market outside of Apple is languishing.

The Dell Studio One 19 even has a touch screen display at $899.

The iMac has an IPS panel display that is far better for photo/video work than the cheap TN panels included with other all-in-one computers.

The thermal design on the iMac is very good. I've been up to other all-in-one computers that you can always hear the fans going on. Unless you are rocking a game on the iMac or doing video encoding you won't hear it running at all really. It actually took me some time to get used to how quiet my office was after getting Apple computers. I was used to the constant drone of 30dB fans going all day long.

 

[Eidorian]

The iMac has an IPS panel display that is far better for photo/video work than the cheap TN panels included with other all-in-one computers.

The thermal design on the iMac is very good. I've been up to other all-in-one computers that you can always hear the fans going on. Unless you are rocking a game on the iMac or doing video encoding you won't hear it running at all really. It actually took me some time to get used to how quiet my office was after getting Apple computers. I was used to the constant drone of 30dB fans going all day long.

Only the 24" models have the IPS panel. My 20" iMac Core Duo nonetheless had a respectable panel with a decent viewing angle.

I must have rather good hearing because I can hear the iMac's fans whirring. I won't even go into how hot they get.

You should have tried hearing my desktop when I had the fan undervolted. I'd forget to turn it off.

 

[nickarmadillo]

If I can now buy a PC desktop with more memory, a larger hard drive, a brand new Ati 5870, and a core i5 760 for about $1100, one would really hope that Apple would be thinking about a major update to the iMac. In fact, all of their machines are becoming very outdated and need a revamping.

 

[Maserati7200]

Only the 24" models have the IPS panel. My 20" iMac Core Duo nonetheless had a respectable panel with a decent viewing angle.

I must have rather good hearing because I can hear the iMac's fans whirring. I won't even go into how hot they get.

You should have tried hearing my desktop when I had the fan undervolted. I'd forget to turn it off.

My iMac certainly gets quite warm but I almost never hear fans. The only thing I could hear is the HDD, sometimes.

 

[DaftUnion]

I'm sure both will be released this coming Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[Icestorm815]

Excuse me if this has already been mentioned, but the higher end mac mini's shipping time frame has shifted from 24 hours to 1-3 days as well. Could this mean the whole mac mini line-up may be getting a bump?