Well, many users wouldn't miss the dedicated graphics, but it's a little sad considering dedicated graphics was a selling point for the iBook line for quite a while. (I can't be the only one that was immensely disappointed by that when the MacBook came out)
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Mac Mini End Of Life?
- Thread starter Dont Hurt Me
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They lacked built-in Bluetooth and Wireless - it was like a $100 option together. That's the justification Steve made when he raised the Intel ones $100, they are now built-in.
I think the reasoning for this was that the G4s were so terrible at graphics, that without a GPU, they wouldn't have even played QT movies.
All Core processors, coupled with Intel's integrate GPU well out-pace the G4's crummy graphics, even with a card.It still does not address issues of those who want to do even mild to moderate gaming. I know I've used this example before but any computer being sold in 2008 should be capable of playing the kids game The Sims 2 (2004) at medium to high settings... but the MacMini can barely run the game.
Ah, forced upgrades of technologies not everyone needs.
I could install a wifi card in my desktop PC, but it's 6 inches away from my AirPortX. If I was going to put a mini in the livingroom, yes, I'd get it with WiFi... but come to think of it, I wouldn't even have a WiFi router if my wife and I didn't already own laptops...
And don't get my started on Bluetooth. Pure commodity.
Aside from all this, Bluetooth and WiFi (even 802.11n) have dropped like rocks in price. I know Apple isn't prone to price cuts but there's no way I should be paying $100 for what costs ~$40 on the market. I can only imagine what it would cost OEM... $30? $20? Less? That's in the ballpark of 500% profit... which is just wrong.
-Clive
Actually, given the arrival of ethernet to home gaming consoles, Slingboxes and AV receivers, many people now run ether into their living rooms so even that use is marginal. Oddly enough, I like having bluetooth on my mini because I can use Wii controllers as a pointing device. Handy when you are in full "couch potato" mode. You are, of course, correct that both bluetooth and WiFi together no longer justify $100 per machine.
Getting it together, mini-style.
... or, the intel (Core2Duo) Minis that are serving every one of our offices around the US as a VERY satisfactory low-cost videoconferencing server and general web tool.
We use DV cameras (cheap, these days) via their firewire links and then do most of the heavy multi-city conference composite computing at our "central" connection in Houston using slightly hacked iChat.
The minis are what made all of this possible; we got tired of the bulk and complication of using the bigger Mac units as videoconference clients, and were about to switch to some dedicated (and much more expensive) hardware when I decided to try a bunch of the weenie Macs. Some weenies! Don't knock 'em 'til you've tried 'em. I'm very satisfied, and I've been using Macs for over 20 years so my standards are pretty high on all fronts.
For particular purposes that fit 'em, or to take a dip in the Mac experience, there's no true competitor for 'em anywhere else in the computing universe. Surprising power and flexibility in that little box. But, of course, here, I'm mostly preaching to the choir, am I not...?
... or, the intel (Core2Duo) Minis that are serving every one of our offices around the US as a VERY satisfactory low-cost videoconferencing server and general web tool.
We use DV cameras (cheap, these days) via their firewire links and then do most of the heavy multi-city conference composite computing at our "central" connection in Houston using slightly hacked iChat.
The minis are what made all of this possible; we got tired of the bulk and complication of using the bigger Mac units as videoconference clients, and were about to switch to some dedicated (and much more expensive) hardware when I decided to try a bunch of the weenie Macs. Some weenies! Don't knock 'em 'til you've tried 'em. I'm very satisfied, and I've been using Macs for over 20 years so my standards are pretty high on all fronts.
For particular purposes that fit 'em, or to take a dip in the Mac experience, there's no true competitor for 'em anywhere else in the computing universe. Surprising power and flexibility in that little box. But, of course, here, I'm mostly preaching to the choir, am I not...?
For me the mini has not been a failure, if it wasn't for this device I would not have switched to Apple.
Since I switched I've bought:
2X Mini's
MacBook
2x Ipod Nano (was really happy with my Sony HDD walkman, but it wasn't mac compatible - so it went)
2x Ipod Docs
2x Apple Keyboards (fat and new thin one)
Mighty Mouse
Leopard Family Pack
iWork 08 Family Pack
and iLife 08 (before I planned to get the 2nd mini!)
So for Apple it's been a success. For me it's been a success as I've found OS X to be superb. Multitasking is a joy and best of all no worries.
Non apple upgrades:
New Monitor
2x External Drives
Stuff gone:
3 HP PCs
1 Sony HDD Walkman
Since I switched I've bought:
2X Mini's
MacBook
2x Ipod Nano (was really happy with my Sony HDD walkman, but it wasn't mac compatible - so it went)
2x Ipod Docs
2x Apple Keyboards (fat and new thin one)
Mighty Mouse
Leopard Family Pack
iWork 08 Family Pack
and iLife 08 (before I planned to get the 2nd mini!)
So for Apple it's been a success. For me it's been a success as I've found OS X to be superb. Multitasking is a joy and best of all no worries.
Non apple upgrades:
New Monitor
2x External Drives
Stuff gone:
3 HP PCs
1 Sony HDD Walkman
I never stop by posts that i don't care about....
That being said: Why the hell are you still people still plugging this thread to the frontpage every goddamn day? It's not at the EOL. It's still on sale. Can we lock this thread til this actually happens?
****ing A.
That being said: Why the hell are you still people still plugging this thread to the frontpage every goddamn day? It's not at the EOL. It's still on sale. Can we lock this thread til this actually happens?
****ing A.
The Mac mini is not a failure. Apple has failed the Mac mini. Why? They are too greedy to dabble in the sub-$1000 market. End of story! So someone wake me when Steve Snobs comes to his senses.The demand for the Mac mini is way more than there within the Mac community. Especially for one with updated components.
For those of you who enjoy useless posts and useless numbers; (if you're here, I'd assume that at least one of these is true):
In 103 days, this thread will have been going on for a year. (Right now, it's only been going on for about 72% of a year.)
In 45 days, the number days since the Mini has been updated will be twice that of the current average, (188 days).
In 35 days, it will have been a year since the Mini has been updated.
In 103 days, this thread will have been going on for a year. (Right now, it's only been going on for about 72% of a year.)
In 45 days, the number days since the Mini has been updated will be twice that of the current average, (188 days).
In 35 days, it will have been a year since the Mini has been updated.
in 4 days it will have surpassed the last Mini's update time.
look at it this way, the ACDs haven't been updated in 455 days, at least you're not waiting for that too
Corrected. It should also be noted that the only likely reason the old G4 mini had a dedicated graphics card is because PPC logic boards lacked an integrated graphics solution.
Can't defend the price increase though.. it is the Apple way.
I suggest you take your own advice and go away...and then maybe an anger management course
.There's been a lot of interesting discussion here over the past 72% of a year; you don't have to like it, but let's keep the useless posts to a minimum, ay?
I suggest you take your own advice and go away...and then maybe an anger management course
There's been a lot of interesting discussion here over the past 72% of a year; you don't have to like it, but let's keep the useless posts to a minimum, ay?
Well said. This thread is an institution and a testament to how many ppl love the mini. Even the "Mac mini not Dead Yet?" thread has come back to life just recently.
in 4 days it will have surpassed the last Mini's update time.
look at it this way, the ACDs haven't been updated in 455 days, at least you're not waiting for that too
I'm actually waiting for one of those too. On the plus side, though, if they were gonna give the mini more functionality (as opposed to those nonsense mac nano rumours...) in the hopes of opening it up to a bigger audience, it would make sense to update the displays at the same time. If I had a 23" AxD and a headless mac with dedicated gfx for about $1500, I could just upgrade the mini every 1-2 years, as opposed to getting an imac every 4-5 years.
Consumer compact tower
Intel Xeon Dual-core 3065 / 2.33GHz, 1333MHz FSB
2Gb RAM (expandable to 8Gb)
250Gb HDD (expandable to 4 x 1Tb SATA, 4 x 300Gb SAS 15k rpm)
Dual-layer Superdrive
Geforce 8800GT / 512MB DDR3
Wireless a/b/g/n, Bluetooth
[+ Optional: SAS RAID card, SSD, Dual-Gbit Ethernet, Mac OS X Server]
BYODKM
Starting at $799.00 or £469.00
And WHY OH WHY dont we have something like this?
because it would take sales away from the Mac Pro.
I shall go be miserable in the corner.
Intel Xeon Dual-core 3065 / 2.33GHz, 1333MHz FSB
2Gb RAM (expandable to 8Gb)
250Gb HDD (expandable to 4 x 1Tb SATA, 4 x 300Gb SAS 15k rpm)
Dual-layer Superdrive
Geforce 8800GT / 512MB DDR3
Wireless a/b/g/n, Bluetooth
[+ Optional: SAS RAID card, SSD, Dual-Gbit Ethernet, Mac OS X Server]
BYODKM
Starting at $799.00 or £469.00
And WHY OH WHY dont we have something like this?
because it would take sales away from the Mac Pro.
I shall go be miserable in the corner.
in 4 days it will have surpassed the last Mini's update time.
look at it this way, the ACDs haven't been updated in 455 days, at least you're not waiting for that too
i'm waiting for both!!
Mac Mini and an idea...
I had an idea while driving around with my Alpine hooked up ipod.
Couldn't the mini be the 'guts' for an Apple branded audio/video system for in car use?
Think about it. More cars have video capability, more cars have more than 2 (or 4) speakers. Couldn't Apple 'clean up' by morphing the mini into a system to supply audio/video for autos? Think about it: bluetooth, wifi and killer storage and speed coupled with wireless itunes - in a car! How cool would that be.
They could set it up like the apple teevee to synch with your home itunes and maybe avoid the RIAA BS. Synch over your inhome wireless from your garage...
Heat and shock would be the prime issues but I'm sure that could be solved...
Heck, they could put GPS technology into it and maybe even XM satellite weather radar too. Heck that sounds like a terrific idea! (and kills any apple teevee in a car thoughts)
Hey Steve! Are yah listening?
Have a touch screen for control that shows video and the GPS. Have a floating PAN that surrounds you as you drive down the street...
Depending on the price, I'd at least want one.
They could partner with a car company to market it preinstalled in new cars (like Microstuff's gimmick) and probably clean their clocks with it. They'd need to do voice integration but that shouldn't be hard. Make it so that it talks back and you can give it a 'name' rather than saying 'phone - dial - home'. I'm getting excited about the possibilities... This could be an earth shaking product!
I had an idea while driving around with my Alpine hooked up ipod.
Couldn't the mini be the 'guts' for an Apple branded audio/video system for in car use?
Think about it. More cars have video capability, more cars have more than 2 (or 4) speakers. Couldn't Apple 'clean up' by morphing the mini into a system to supply audio/video for autos? Think about it: bluetooth, wifi and killer storage and speed coupled with wireless itunes - in a car! How cool would that be.
They could set it up like the apple teevee to synch with your home itunes and maybe avoid the RIAA BS. Synch over your inhome wireless from your garage...
Heat and shock would be the prime issues but I'm sure that could be solved...
Heck, they could put GPS technology into it and maybe even XM satellite weather radar too. Heck that sounds like a terrific idea! (and kills any apple teevee in a car thoughts)
Hey Steve! Are yah listening?
Have a touch screen for control that shows video and the GPS. Have a floating PAN that surrounds you as you drive down the street...
Depending on the price, I'd at least want one.
They could partner with a car company to market it preinstalled in new cars (like Microstuff's gimmick) and probably clean their clocks with it. They'd need to do voice integration but that shouldn't be hard. Make it so that it talks back and you can give it a 'name' rather than saying 'phone - dial - home'. I'm getting excited about the possibilities... This could be an earth shaking product!
Do you think there is ever the chance that they would make it slightly taller to accommodate more power to it? I needs more kick! I used one for a year when I was getting an intro class to Graphic Design, and it barely ran InDesign with the small things we were doing.
Most companies tend not to go backwards, Apple has already been down this road with the entire PowerMac G4 line why would they go back ? technology moves forward! Everyone please get over this compact tower dream! Buy the Mac Pro or shut up already! I am so sick of everyone posting these dream specs for a mid tower that will never happen.
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