Mac Mini End Of Life?

[srf4real]

I can not believe you all are still talking about this! My dad wants my mini now that I'm using a power mac for work, but it's hard for me to let go. It's like a fine watch, only you can't hear it working. Totally reliable and incredibly stylish, small enough for your pocket but tough enough for years of use. Show me a better computer that sits in the palm of your hand. Some are just jealous because my apple didn't cost me around $2500.

 

[bobcb]

The mini's SOL, its dead. apple has not touched that thing since they released it, except give it Core 2 Duo. Why would anyone want to combine the tv with the mini? Like stated earlier the tv is an iPod for your tv.
Plus who wants compact cheap desktops anymore? I think that apple will finally release a true ultra-portable notebook.

This isn't a single fact in this post, but by all means, keep typing.

 

[maccompaq]

The mini's SOL, its dead. apple has not touched that thing since they released it, except give it Core 2 Duo. Why would anyone want to combine the tv with the mini? Like stated earlier the tv is an iPod for your tv.
Plus who wants compact cheap desktops anymore? I think that apple will finally release a true ultra-portable notebook.

The expert has spoken!

 

[Clive At Five]

Okay, while I don't believe that Mini is "SOL" (or EOL) yet, I also question why people are calling for something "between TV and the MacMini." It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

If you're using the MacMini as a home media center then I'm guessing you're using eyeTV, and DVD Player, correct? Plus you can play your iTunes media with it, correct? Well the only thing TV can't do is be a DVR and accept optical media. If that's the case, just wish for your TVs to gain features, but don't tamper with the Mini! I can't forsee a hybrid of the two devices that isn't either an over-glorified, over-powered, OS X media center or a crippled 'entry-level' unit with a one-track mind (media).

Keep the Mini where it is, and just give TV a DVR & media bay, and we'll all be golden, right?

-Clive

 

[OllyW]

Okay, while I don't believe that Mini is "SOL" (or EOL) yet, I also question why people are calling for something "between TV and the MacMini." It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

If you're using the MacMini as a home media center then I'm guessing you're using eyeTV, and DVD Player, correct? Plus you can play your iTunes media with it, correct? Well the only thing TV can't do is be a DVR and accept optical media. If that's the case, just wish for your TVs to gain features, but don't tamper with the Mini! I can't forsee a hybrid of the two devices that isn't either an over-glorified, over-powered, OS X media center or a crippled 'entry-level' unit with a one-track mind (media).

Keep the Mini where it is, and just give TV a DVR & media bay, and we'll all be golden, right?

-Clive

Well said Clive.

 

[Cave Man]

If you're using the MacMini as a home media center then I'm guessing you're using eyeTV, and DVD Player, correct?

Yes and yes.

Plus you can play your iTunes media with it, correct?

Yes.

Well the only thing TV can't do is be a DVR and accept optical media.

It won't do passthrough of AC-3 (Dolby Digital) 5.1 surround, only Dolby Pro Logic II (5-channel surround).

If that's the case, just wish for your TVs to gain features, but don't tamper with the Mini!

There are only a few things that I need for my ATV, and they do not require new hardware.

1. Fix Quicktime so that it can passthrough AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 out the ATV's optical port.
2. Provide us with content from iTMS that is at least 720, but preferably 1080, video and AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 surround.

If Apple does this, I'm a happy camper.

Oh, and please update the Mini with the Santa Rosa chipset and at least X3100, if not discrete video card!

 

[LB06]

Let me tell you why the Mini and TV will be discontinued.

1. There's only one of each on display at the Apple Store, come on, they have 10 iPhones on display, 10 iMacs, so, Apple doesn't care.
2. Apple sells only "upscale" to the "upscale". If you are trying to use some old PC monitor or only want a bare-bones TV (instead of a Mac Pro) to view your iTunes content, please buy from Dell...
3. Apple Fans are totally gone. Why cater to people that use Apple gear in all parts of their lifestle (see my sig) that have been using Apple since the Apple II?
4. Mac rumor site users seem to know, but don't. Listen to them.... they're being End-Of-Lifed even though you can still go buy one. And they're not-that-great. Come on, you can buy an entire Dell system for LESS!
5. Keeping them would make too much sense - and we don't want to make too much sense.

I could also think of some reasons to not EOL the Mini:

1. If Apple relinks the Mini specs with the MacBook, they'll be able to maintain the product (and the niche) at very low costs, operations wise.
2. Apple clearly wants to appeal to as many people as possibe. Having put the the iPod successfully on the market they now want to push OS X, which on its turn opens up a lot of other Apple solutions for many customers.
3. It seems to be pretty arrogant to think that only Apple hardware is "upscale". I have a nice 24" that beats the crap out of any ACD available. That's also why Apple marketed the Mini with BYODKM. And if they really cared about selling upscale only, they would never have introduced a headless Mac Pro.

 

[Felicity]

Count me in for mini replacement

I would be a buyer for that (consumer DT)! It would actually make sense to add a consumer computer with dedicated graphics. Apple is probably turning more attention to gaming (EA has taken the publishing of its games inhouse, dumping Aspyr). I am not about to buy that the Pro for my kids (currently have the Power PC mini due to graphic chip absence in the Intel version) to use and I'm not buying the iMac because I can't use the monitor with my 'book. I see it as a glaring omission in the line up.

 

[Cave Man]

3. It seems to be pretty arrogant to think that only Apple hardware is "upscale". I have a nice 24" that beats the crap out of any ACD available. That's also why Apple marketed the Mini with BYODKM. And if they really cared about selling upscale only, they would never have introduced a headless Mac Pro.

What display is that?

 

[Cave Man]

(I) currently have the Power PC mini due to graphic chip absence in the Intel version.

That's kind of surprising since the GMA950 and 9200 are roughly equivalent GPUs. Each is better than the other in some respects, but considering the differences in CPUs I'd think the Intel Minis with 2 gb RAM would be substantially better. Is there something about the 9200 that you need?

 

[LB06]

What display is that?

An LG 245WP.

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/monitors/0,39030120,49290558,00.htm:

Image quality on the L245WP is stunning. After putting it through its paces in DisplayMate, we have to conclude this is one of the best monitors we've come across. It was able to differentiate between subtly different dark and light tones, and its colour reproduction is about as good as we've seen.

I tend to agree.

I also have a 22" LG L226WTQ which can match ACD's picture quality easily (except for vertical viewing angle).

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/monitors/0,39030120,49294285,00.htm:

We'll get this out of the way quickly -- the LG Flatron L226WTQ has amazing contrast. Blacks are so dark you'll think the monitor was doused in crude oil and whites are so bright they could kill vampires. Hands down, this is the best contrast we've seen on any computer screen.

...

You could be forgiven for thinking the L226WTQ is expensive, but it's not. The £210 price tag is great value for money considering this delivers better visuals than just about any other monitor we've looked at. Anyone looking for a new screen should definitely consider this one.

Again, tend to agree. Also, the featureset of both monitors far exeed those of the ACD. The most prominently absent feature is HDCP, so with an ACD I'll be unable to watch BluRay or HD-DVD movies using a PS3 or any other HD capable device. And the price of course.

But to be honest I have never seen those two monitors side by side, so I may (or may not) have been exxagerating a bit in order to make my point (which is still valid, imo). After all, my post was not about ACD vs World, but about the Mini being EOL'ed or not.

About which I would like to clarify a bit. I'm not saying that Apple actually will NOT EOL the Mini. I was merely listing some reasons Apple could have not to discontinue the Mini (without too many guesswork).

 

[Cave Man]

Please edit your previous post addressed to me so that it does not appear as though those additional comments are from me.

An LG 245WP.

That's an P-MVA panel, right? A nice compromise between TN and S-IPS, but for me the ACDs would be more attractive since they all have S-IPS panels (great for photo work, but not so much for gaming).

 

[LB06]

Please edit your previous post addressed to me so that it does not appear as though those additional comments are from me.



That's an P-MVA panel, right? A nice compromise between TN and S-IPS, but for me the ACDs would be more attractive since they all have S-IPS panels (great for photo work, but not so much for gaming).

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/widescreen.htm

http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/commercial_lcd monitors_wide screen_L245WP-BN.jhtml

 

[hempcamp]

I could also think of some reasons to not EOL the Mini:

1. If Apple relinks the Mini specs with the MacBook, they'll be able to maintain the product (and the niche) at very low costs, operations wise.

This is all I'm hoping for. Imagine 4GB of RAM in a 2.2 Ghz Mac Mini with the newer X3100 graphics. That would last me many years.

Either that or shave $150 off the price. The current Mini configuration is no longer cost-effective since you can get better specs in a 17" refurb iMac for $100 less or a MacBook for $100 more!

--Chris

 

[iCube]

My dad wants my mini now that I'm using a power mac...

What kind of Mini do you have?
What kind of Power Mac do you have?
After seeing your avatar (very cool), I just got the urge to put "Riding Giants" into my new 1.83 Core 2 Duo Mini and watch it on my 22" wide ratio Samsung.

 

[Yvan256]

The mini's SOL, its dead. apple has not touched that thing since they released it, except give it Core 2 Duo.

Oh, really?

2005-01, Mac mini G4 1.25/1.42
2005-10, Mac mini G4 1.33/1.50 (unofficial update, but it did happen)
2006-02, Mac mini Core Solo 1.5/1.66
2006-10, Mac mini Core Duo 1.66/1.83
2007-08, Mac mini Core 2 Duo 1.83/2.0

If the Mac mini really wasn't worth the trouble, I don't think it would have survived the PowerPC-Intel transition, let alone 5 distinct refreshes.

And if the Mac mini isn't "good enough", then so is the MacBook. Remember that Mac mini updates are usually a few months behind the MacBook, so I expect the Mac mini to get the Santa Rosa chipset along with the X3100 at MacWorld.

 

[hempcamp]

Remember that Mac mini updates are usually a few months behind the MacBook, so I expect the Mac mini to get the Santa Rosa chipset along with the X3100 at MacWorld.

While that would be nice (and probably more cost-efficient for Apple, and a better value for the consumer), the only time there has been less than 8 mos between a refresh was the switch from G4 to Intel -- all the others have been 8-10 month gaps before a refresh.

This is why as much as I want a mini refresh, I'm not expecting one. In which case I'll buy an iMac -- they are much more of a value!

--Chris

 

[bobcb]

While that would be nice (and probably more cost-efficient for Apple, and a better value for the consumer), the only time there has been less than 8 mos between a refresh was the switch from G4 to Intel -- all the others have been 8-10 month gaps before a refresh.

This is why as much as I want a mini refresh, I'm not expecting one. In which case I'll buy an iMac -- they are much more of a value!

--Chris

Just do it, I sold my mini and replaced it with a 20" iMac 2.4ghz and couldn't be happier. Enough video card to run pro apps, faster hard drive and no major surgery to upgrade RAM.

 

[arj8138]

Yea if I do not see the Mini being able to hand Pro Apps or a new Mini Tower im gonna have to bite the bullet and just buy a 20in iMac and deal with the ****** glossy screen.

 

[hempcamp]

Just do it, I sold my mini and replaced it with a 20" iMac 2.4ghz and couldn't be happier. Enough video card to run pro apps, faster hard drive and no major surgery to upgrade RAM.

Yeah, but then I'd have to let go of my Dell 2407WFP, which I love Plus, it would be a task enough getting it properly packaged and shipped to its buyer.

So I'm holding out for a mini refresh, and if not, then I'll go through all the trouble of selling the Dell and getting an iMac. This is an unforeseen, unbudgeted, emergency purchase to replace the MacBook that I drowned in diet soda!

--Chris

 

[sitemaker69]

hope it doesn't happen

I hope they don't EOL the mini. I think it's perfect for its target audience. Unless Apple has something better up its sleeve?

 

[Pigumon]

WOW. What is with all the Mini Hate?

I bought mine in October right after the refresh. Crammed 3GB into it.

I only use the internal drive to store apps, i save all my docs n stuff on a seagate freeagent 500GB external which is really cool in that it goes to sleep along with the mini, no fan whirring all night long.

The mini runs circles around my PB 12". I run all the pro apps without a hitch.
I've got ZBrush 3.1 for WINDOWS running through Parallels, with millions of polys, and not a skip on my samsung 19".

I can record HD from my comcast motorolla box to my mini, edit out commercials, play back on my 40" Sony bravia or take it to my parents and watch HD movies on their 46" Sharp.

I just finished a 30 page dinner program in Indesign, 14 15" x 30" posters of local sports figures who made it to the pro's, and four 4'x6' mock movie posters for a museum in our downtown, using Painter, Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign. That's 4 FEET by 6 FEET at 300 DPI. I made $5,500 off that job using an $800 computer.

I just finished a menu for a japanese restaurant, on this mini, which allowed me to buy my first color laser printer.

Tell my why my Mac Mini is not good enough to continue?

 

[jonutarr]

Macmini is the best thing apple has done in years imo

 

[iW00t]

Please edit your previous post addressed to me so that it does not appear as though those additional comments are from me.



That's an P-MVA panel, right? A nice compromise between TN and S-IPS, but for me the ACDs would be more attractive since they all have S-IPS panels (great for photo work, but not so much for gaming).

You sound like someone who just memorised a few letters put together by people who actually know what they are talking about and take that as Gospel truth... panels do not determine the whole story, the control electronics do as well.

By the way, here is a hint: do you know top of the line Eizo monitors costing 2X-3X of Apple ACDs uses MVA panels as well?

*gasp* and professionals buy them! Professionals who actually value a monitor with newfangled "features" like contrast controls!

 

[LB06]

Everybody seems to forget that the Mini and the MacBook are almost exactly the same machine (before the minor Santa Rosa upgrade they were exactly the same, now MacBook is only slightly faster). Yet, there are far less people who moan about the MacBook, even before the Santa Rosa update.