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Mac Mini End Of Life?
- Thread starter Dont Hurt Me
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The thread that will never die indeed.
But it's all of us Mac mini fans that still want it to remain the best low end Mac around.
I have a G4 1.42 model and it's being used by my wife now. Over 3 years old and rarely gets turned off. A great machine for pretty much any basic task.
I'd buy another one.
But it's all of us Mac mini fans that still want it to remain the best low end Mac around.
I have a G4 1.42 model and it's being used by my wife now. Over 3 years old and rarely gets turned off. A great machine for pretty much any basic task.
I'd buy another one.
1989 12" NeXT Cube running NeXTSTEP GUI with a dock, precursor to OSX.
2000 8" G4 Cube running OS 9.
200? 4" Mini Cube running OS XI on built in Multi touch screen?
2000 8" G4 Cube running OS 9.
200? 4" Mini Cube running OS XI on built in Multi touch screen?
Signs and portents..
For the past day or two Apple Store UK has had both Mini flavours on offer in the refurb section. Now there's a rare sight. Clear the decks, shipmates.
Ahab here's a wonderin if he might harpoon himself a tiddler, just in case the refresh is a slap in the mainbrace from Moby Steve's flukes.
For the past day or two Apple Store UK has had both Mini flavours on offer in the refurb section. Now there's a rare sight. Clear the decks, shipmates.
Ahab here's a wonderin if he might harpoon himself a tiddler, just in case the refresh is a slap in the mainbrace from Moby Steve's flukes.
I just spotted that. But as you say, expect the worst, you won't be disappointed. the last mini update seemed calculated to make everyone who'd waited all that time give up and get the low-end imac. And it's been so long since we heard something about a new form factor, or indeed any rumours at all, that i'm inclined to think it'll just be penryn and the x3100 in the same old 2.5"HD sized box.
If they would only just bring back the cube.......
I'd be ok with just penryn and x3100, that'd be a HUGE upgrade from what it is now.
I'm with you 100% on that one. I hope that when all the iPhone noise settles we'll see the new Mini. But, wait! The noise for the new MB will start as well, won't it???
And thus appears the problem with Apple. They cannot effectively multitask. What would a company like Sony do if they set aside an entire month for each new product release? We'd still be waiting for the Playstation2, Cybershot 1.0 would've just made its debut, and their Viao line would be running Pentium 3s loaded with Windows 98.
Apple, with all their offerings (portables, desktops, workstations,
tv, iPods, iPhone/iTouch, OS X, iLife, Pro apps, etc.), can no longer afford to dedicate so much time and public fanfare to each stinking new product. What do they do instead? Highlight only a few products (iPhone, iPods, laptops) and ignore the others. So while the Pentium 3 Viao might have been a bit of a hyperbole, there is a growing realization that the MacMini is running components that were far from new a year ago when it was last updated.While the Mini isn't a failure as someone noted earlier, it is an embarrassment, especially from a company that prides itself on innovation and alleged "grade-A" tech.
Steve Jobs said once that Apple wouldn't sell "dreck." Obviously he hasn't taken a look at their desktop lineup recently. All I see is crippled hardware configurations in tired case designs... The chinMac is aluminium now? And 0.5" inches thinner? Wow, stop me from making love to it.
A worthwhile innovation would be fitting desktop-class components into it, like they used to with the G3 - G5 instead of making it an immobile laptop.
Sorry for the rant.
-Clive
How is that? Look at what they have released over the last two years. They are right on schedule with their desktops, laptops and workstations. It may be that the mini is just not that critical to them.
Believe me, I love my mini but I also see the practicality of the situation. iMac is mainstream (as mainstream as Apple can get) and mini is more niche.
-mx
The MacMini is well over a year behind. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE SANTA ROSA and here we're talking about implementing Montevina in the mobile lineup. The Mini is almost two years behind, tech-wise.
The Mac Pro routinely goes a year without an update, which I understand since the high-end tech changes slower... but in exchange, shouldn't they offer price cuts in the back half of the cycle?
The iMac, a "desktop," is routinely 3-6 months behind Apple's LAPTOPS. I emphasize "laptops" because the iMac, itself, is posing as a desktop, but it's running laptop-grade hardware. The iMac can have a different update cycle. That's fine, I don't care... so long as it had an excuse to: DESKTOP-CLASS COMPONENTS.
I've heard it all... Yadda yadda, mobile CPUs are powerful enough...! Most users won't even- WHATEVER. Desktop CPUs are MUCH more powerful and if that's not important to you, don't let me forget to mention that they're also WAY cheaper than mobile CPUs. That being said, what is the purpose of these expensive little CPUs in the iMac? To make it skinny......... WHICH IS AN IRRELEVANT FEATURE FOR A DESKTOP!
Before you head in the next direction, let me stop you. I know desktops aren't the future of computing. I'm not stupid. But it's not 2027 yet. Skynet hasn't unleashed an army of sentient robots to destroy us. In time we'll all use iPhone-like devices which connect to MobileMe, which will store all of our files and all of our applications. Today, there's still a significant gap between desktop performance and mobile performance. The iMac should follow the former, while in practice, it's lapping up the latter's table scraps.
He means he wants an
tv with DVR, which will never happen becaue Apple wants you to buy the shows you missed off of iTunes.-Clive
I used to think my 24" iMac was da bomb. But after using my Hackintosh for a few months now, the iMac seems completely whimpy. Nice lookin' (white), but no so powerful. There is a major hole in Apple's desktop lineup, and my Hackintosh is what they need to fill it.
I hear whatcha saying Clive but, Apple is clearly choosing their own path with their approach to computers. They are after a lot more than the standard desktop.
I realize the the mini is using old tech but, it is the oddest ball in their lineup therefore we should be glad it's even still alive.
BTW I would love an Apple DVR capability myself but as you said, it won't come from Apple as it would cut into the basic premise of iTunes.
-mx
I realize the the mini is using old tech but, it is the oddest ball in their lineup therefore we should be glad it's even still alive.
BTW I would love an Apple DVR capability myself but as you said, it won't come from Apple as it would cut into the basic premise of iTunes.
-mx
I used to think my 24" iMac was da bomb. But after using my Hackintosh for a few months now, the iMac seems completely whimpy. Nice lookin' (white), but no so powerful. There is a major hole in Apple's desktop lineup, and my Hackintosh is what they need to fill it.
hmm...I don't see any place in their *pricing* to fit a medium-space desktop. Midrange iMac is around $1500-$1800 and the lowest MacPro is around $2k. Where would they price it?
I just don't see Apple doing anything like what you built. So, I am glad you are enjoying
-mx
I think it would fit nicely at around $1600 with keyboard and mouse, sans display.
ummm? That thing cant play my blu-ray mkv rips! Theres a reason I bought a 1080p TV!
Don't stop Clive man , keep it going , you have the most interesting take on Apple & you know what , I LIKE IT
Thank you for that. It's rare you'll find someone who acknowledges an opposing viewpoint.
I, too, know where you are coming from with Apple treading its own path. My argument is that they're moving there too far ahead of the market. "Skate to where the puck is going," I know, I know, but what Apple is trying to do is slapshot the puck before it arrives.
Apple understands the need for consumer-level PCs. They also understand the need for Pro-level PCs. I don't have a problem with the ideas behind the consumer level MacMini & iMac. The iMac is the epitome of skating to where the puck is going... however, their abandonment of fiscal logic in favor of design logic is an example of trying to make the slapshot before receiving the puck.
This leads to the next problem:
hmm...I don't see any place in their *pricing* to fit a medium-space desktop. Midrange iMac is around $1500-$1800 and the lowest MacPro is around $2k. Where would they price it?
I just don't see Apple doing anything like what you built. So, I am glad you are enjoying
The flaw in the pricing argument (which you are obviously hinting at) is that the lack of a gap in price does not imply a gap in performance.
One of my biggest problems with Apple right now is that they don't recognize the existence of prosumers. At all. Stuffing a bigger iMac in that spot shows a complete misunderstanding of what complainers are asking for - nay... BEGGING for - and will never satisfy someone who needs mid-range power.
Obviously one will pay for more for the convenience of an AIO, but an AIO that meets the performance demands of a prosumer will undoubtedly be extremely expensive. This being said, the high-end iMac's price does not baffle me. What baffles me is that Apple even HAS an iMac of its stature. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The iMac, by being an AIO, simply cannot be a jack of all trades, no matter how much Apple would like it to be.
In fact, I feel as though Apple's previous product matrix of "iMac, PowerMac, iBook, PowerBook" made MUCH more sense... and would continue to do so today. The iMac should remain a true consumer-level machine, with models ranging from $700 to $1500. The MacPro should be for advanced users through professionals, priced at $1200 and up. (If they were to maintain a "Mac Air" to plug in to the bottom-end slot, I wouldn't have any troubles with that.) Of course a setup like this would shatter their whole MacPro-server-class thing they have going on and would no-doubt lead to lower margins overall - which the shareholders just would not have - but would lead to a much better fit between the computer's intended use, its user's needs, and the price that consumers are willing to pay for that performance.
It is the lack of this cohesion that aggrivates me the most and I "blame" Apple's overflowing coffers entirely on the mismatch of users to hardware.
-Clive
If, if if..
What I don't get is why - given that Apple's marketing strategy forbids production of the machine we'd all like (the Pro, cut down a bit) - it doesn't go all out for experimentation in the Mini niche. I mean, if we're going to get fobbed off with a crippled repack of the 'book, why can't the package provide compensating novelty or other benefit. The most obvious thing is the green angle, like solar power cells or a case made of pressed hemp. Or some whack-o, time limited novelty. I'd like a built-in theremin, please. But sadly, as others have pointed out, Apple's focus is (understandably) elsewhere at present. The processor wars are dead and until the software industry comes up with a compelling need for punters like me to invest in massive multichip hardware, the raging horsepower of even the current Minis is more than enough for most of my needs. It's not the processor that's the problem, it's the storage, graphics etc... So, fob me off again, but at least do it with a bit more flair and conviction. Theremins, people, we need more theremins.
What I don't get is why - given that Apple's marketing strategy forbids production of the machine we'd all like (the Pro, cut down a bit) - it doesn't go all out for experimentation in the Mini niche. I mean, if we're going to get fobbed off with a crippled repack of the 'book, why can't the package provide compensating novelty or other benefit. The most obvious thing is the green angle, like solar power cells or a case made of pressed hemp. Or some whack-o, time limited novelty. I'd like a built-in theremin, please. But sadly, as others have pointed out, Apple's focus is (understandably) elsewhere at present. The processor wars are dead and until the software industry comes up with a compelling need for punters like me to invest in massive multichip hardware, the raging horsepower of even the current Minis is more than enough for most of my needs. It's not the processor that's the problem, it's the storage, graphics etc... So, fob me off again, but at least do it with a bit more flair and conviction. Theremins, people, we need more theremins.
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