It would certainly boost Mini sales which would be a good thing, and it probably won't even hurt sales of their other machines.
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Mac Mini End Of Life?
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It would certainly boost Mini sales which would be a good thing, and it probably won't even hurt sales of their other machines.
What a joke this thread has been almost a year later and its the same old thing being said over and over again. Talk about beating a dead horse to death!
Except they haven't updated it in eleven months and it's not part of the Back-To-School deal, leading me to believe that they want the current stock to last as long as possible. When they run out, they'll discontinue it.
This is a horse that needs to be beaten, over and over again until Apple finally gives us a reason to shut up and be happy.
Surely Apple doesn't keep a huge stock of their computers, if they were going to cancel it they could have done so anytime in the last several months and not had stock left. Any recent Mini purchasers out there that can determine their manufacture date?
I think Apple has just settled into a yearly update schedule for the mini, they consider that just good enough for the low end. It did take them 330 some days last time.
The Mini hasn't been included in the back to school deal in the past either, the 299 for the ipod would make the mini half priced.
I wouldn't mind yearly updates for low volume computers (Mac mini/Mac Pro), at least with the Mac Pro, Apple uses the latest cpus/chipsets. For the Mac mini, it's different, because in 2007, they just speedbumped the cpu (a little) and still use the same old 2006 motherboard, at the time the Mac mini was "updated", Santa Rosa parts were available (in the iMac) and a few weeks later, the MacBook was updated to 2.0/2.2GHz cpus, 800FSB and X3100 graphics).
The 1.83/2.00GHz 667FSB parts are not available anymore from Intel price lists, and have been more expensive than 2.00/2.20GHz 800FSB parts since september 2007.
Now if Apple chooses to update the Mac mini in the following weeks, I hope it will get the same specs as the next MacBook (2.26/2.40GHz cpus, 1066FSB, X4500 GPU, probably). Then we can wait another year or so, to get a Nehalem update (summer 2009).
All other Macs have seen "significant" updates and use the latest cpus/chipsets, but not the Mac mini, that what bothers me the most from Apple, not the fact that it has been almost a year since the last update.
Glue companys dont
I know this has been said also over and over but what does the avg joe need? I was thinking about this and the talk of quadcore iMacs? why? same goes for mini, sure it can do the net, mail, play a lot of games and play & edit movies and photo's so what else does it really need? My wife has a old 1.25 and it does everything she needs. The technology is becoming way over most folks heads meaning we just dont 8 cores and a high power graphics option to do these things.So why should apple bother? well the truth is they havent because for 90% of the world the current mini does more then avg joe will ever need.
Glue companys dont
So why should apple bother? well the truth is they havent because for 90% of the world the current mini does more then avg joe will ever need.
It's like saying: why use laser chirurgy, when an ax or a chainsaw can do the job...
If your computer does what you want it to do, that's fine. If you're in the market for a new one, I think it's wise to check your options and wonder what could be just around the corner to get the more bang for the buck.
And to think that you're the thread starter
"Mini is EOL'd sources are telling folks over at AppleInsider. This makes me think a new system is on the way. So Long Mini, Hello ....Macintosh? Im hoping for the consumer tower. Anyone think there is a chance of Apple bringing in a new machine or perhaps a cubelike redo?"
I think everyone is missing a very important point. If Apple wants to become a serious corporate enterprise supplier, they need an offering that is appropriate. The pharma company that I work for is considering a switch from Dell to Apple. The mini is the computer of choice for most of the 45,000 boxes to be replaced. I believe that Apple will provide an appropriate solution and present it to our IT dept. in the near future as part of their proposal.
I recently bought one off Amazon (in Germany) and it was manufactured at the end of March 2008. Oddly they've run out of stock now and list it as available within 2 weeks.
It is entirely possible that Apple just took the remainder of Intel's Memrom stocks (at a nice price, of course) which is why they have not yet updated the Mini because they still have stock to burn through.
So the sooner all you folks buy a current Mini, the sooner Apple will release a new, better one.
Yes, the whole "Green" thing is important. Our company is starting to buy the much smaller PC boxes (HP, thank God) as they not only use less power, they are manufactured using less materials, and even packaged in smaller boxes with less materials. It all adds up if your company is buying hundreds or thousands.
They are also easier on people's backs...
(I have 2 older computers to be disposed from a client site that we bought about 3 years back when we purchased only towers - I should send them my Chiropractor's bill)
this genuinely made me laugh at loud, its slightly exaggerated but its a basic principal to people thinking of purchasing any new computer or item. And thus macrumors.com is produced to coach us towards laser surgery or indeed if required an ax.
I'm nbot going read through 70+ pages but I think the mac mini will be renamed to something like the mac nano (just a guess, ipod mini- ipod nano) it will feature a small form factor much like the apple TV. Up to date hard ware, and not some from 2005 Will come with this stand/leg like routers do, so you can stand the "mac nano" up.
or we may see a total new look. Perhaps along the lines of a basic imac or something/
or we may see a total new look. Perhaps along the lines of a basic imac or something/
That makes me think of Tom T Hall's song: Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money
.
I love my Mini i don't want to see it be dead...I think if they just gave a powerboost and maybe.. hmm..i cant seem to think of anything they should do with it ha. I got mine just before the most recent update of the processor, so I was pretty depressed. I thought the Mac Mini was a cool concept although, I have it plugged into my Samsung, 38 inch TV in my room and everything look great on there, too bad they couldnt have it be more like an AppleTV and download HD content from iTunes. Idk in short, I like the Mac Mini and i wouldn't like to see it dead..
I love my Mini i don't want to see it be dead...I think if they just gave a powerboost and maybe.. hmm..i cant seem to think of anything they should do with it ha. I got mine just before the most recent update of the processor, so I was pretty depressed. I thought the Mac Mini was a cool concept although, I have it plugged into my Samsung, 38 inch TV in my room and everything look great on there, too bad they couldnt have it be more like an AppleTV and download HD content from iTunes. Idk in short, I like the Mac Mini and i wouldn't like to see it dead..
I hope it's not totally dead, im going to buy one in a month or two, if theres an update then great if not im still getting one.
It will do me well so that i can wait for nehalm in the macbook pro next year (if no good GPU is inserted into this year's revision (if there is one)).
Having an iMac at my parents' place and computers everywhere at university, i can go without a laptop for a year with hopefully little to no problems. iPhone and portable usb drive ftw.
So I'm glad they still have the minis, they do well as a short-term purchase if you are waiting on something bigger and better.. but tbh it has about the same specs as my macbook laptop, so if you don't need portability then I don't see much wrong with it (unless you want a gaming machine too). Which I do, but i just don't feel current GPUs in MBP can run the games I want at fast enough speeds, but i still want to use OSX (and don't want to do hackintosh or what's its name), hence the wait for at least the next revision.
Plus when I do have them both, I'll have a pretty neat setup if you ask me - one computer with all the cables in for networks, audio, usbs, firewire and video out, and one with just a power cable. It will finally allow me to actually use my laptop as a laptop, unlike my current macbook which is a pain to disconnect and reconnect every time i want to take it with me somewhere, even the next room.. and thanks IMAP, my mail will stay in sync, and thanks to NetNewsWire, so will my RSS feeds...I don't think I even really need MobileME.
Out of interest, is it likely they will update the mac minis along with mbp - or anytime this year?
It will do me well so that i can wait for nehalm in the macbook pro next year (if no good GPU is inserted into this year's revision (if there is one)).
Having an iMac at my parents' place and computers everywhere at university, i can go without a laptop for a year with hopefully little to no problems. iPhone and portable usb drive ftw.
So I'm glad they still have the minis, they do well as a short-term purchase if you are waiting on something bigger and better.. but tbh it has about the same specs as my macbook laptop, so if you don't need portability then I don't see much wrong with it (unless you want a gaming machine too). Which I do, but i just don't feel current GPUs in MBP can run the games I want at fast enough speeds, but i still want to use OSX (and don't want to do hackintosh or what's its name), hence the wait for at least the next revision.
Plus when I do have them both, I'll have a pretty neat setup if you ask me - one computer with all the cables in for networks, audio, usbs, firewire and video out, and one with just a power cable. It will finally allow me to actually use my laptop as a laptop, unlike my current macbook which is a pain to disconnect and reconnect every time i want to take it with me somewhere, even the next room.. and thanks IMAP, my mail will stay in sync, and thanks to NetNewsWire, so will my RSS feeds...I don't think I even really need MobileME.
Out of interest, is it likely they will update the mac minis along with mbp - or anytime this year?
Trouble is that most average Joe's will go and buy a Windows box ,full stop , switchers and the like who are looking and see the specs will not buy it imo because they will know that the machine is out of date and that has to be hurting sales ....if apple has a load of the mini cases left then they could surely do a last update before they (if) they kill it . I for one hope that they do not & simply update the machine at six monthly intervals ,keeping it reasonably upto date to temp switcher who 'know a bit' and giving me a machine that will run programs I use with a little more finesss that the current mini.snip<< The technology is becoming way over most folks heads meaning we just dont 8 cores and a high power graphics option to do these things.
So why should apple bother? well the truth is they havent because for 90% of the world the current mini does more then avg joe will ever need.
I think the iPod has helped out with bringing average mom and pop type buyers in though. It gets them into the Apple store or on the website and they see the Mini and think oh how cute, maybe we should get that next time we need a new computer. Apple should drop it to $499 and put it in Walmart next to the iPods, they'd sell a ton
I think the iPod has helped out with bringing average mom and pop type buyers in though. It gets them into the Apple store or on the website and they see the Mini and think oh how cute, maybe we should get that next time we need a new computer. Apple should drop it to $499 and put it in Walmart next to the iPods, they'd sell a ton
Now that is an excellent idea! Most of those buyers would not care much about what processor it has. They would probably sell more than they can make.
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