Mac Mini Released

[nylon]

Hey, I am a PC user but will definitely be buying one of these mini's after Tiger is released. However, I want to be able to switch seamlessly between my PC and the mini using my existing keyboard, mouse and DVI LCD.

I can't seem to find any economical and reliable solutions for doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions.

 

[BarfBag]

Hurray! Freedom from Windoze! ^_^

I'm a Windoze user and have been waiting for ages for something like this to happen! I'll be able to get one after I get a job next summer!

 

[3Memos]

Any chance of a PowerBook mini?

9" LCD screen (1024x768)
40GB 1.5" harddrive
Combo drive
Ethernet
Modem
2 USB 1 FW ports
Chiclet KB
Integrated Airport Extreme in MB
2 lbs.

I think it's possible. Would make a great email and internet computer.

 

[Bigheadache]

Any chance of a PowerBook mini?

9" LCD screen (1024x768)
40GB 1.5" harddrive
Combo drive
Ethernet
Modem
2 USB 1 FW ports
Chiclet KB
Integrated Airport Extreme in MB
2 lbs.

I think it's possible. Would make a great email and internet computer.

If you ever tried shopping around for any of those tiny notebooks with 10inch or smaller LCDs, like the Sony ones or the Toshiba Portege, they are frighteningly more expensive than normal notebooks. Anyway, with those specs you might as well get a 12inch pbook or ibook. It wouldn't be much bigger than a theoretical 9inch notebook

 

[3Memos]

If you ever tried shopping around for any of those tiny notebooks with 10inch or smaller LCDs, like the Sony ones or the Toshiba Portege, they are frighteningly more expensive than normal notebooks. Anyway, with those specs you might as well get a 12inch pbook or ibook. It wouldn't be much bigger than a theoretical 9inch notebook

That's the thing though that confuses me. If you look at the parts, they are pretty common and cheap by themselves. The only part that looks to be pricey is the microdrive, or the hi-res screen. Since Apple has the knack with engineering, they could conceivably make a sub-notebook for less than Sony or Toshiba.

 

[Bigheadache]

That's the thing though that confuses me. If you look at the parts, they are pretty common and cheap by themselves. The only part that looks to be pricey is the microdrive, or the hi-res screen. Since Apple has the knack with engineering, they could conceivably make a sub-notebook for less than Sony or Toshiba.

Well if Apple could pull it off this would be a killer in Asia where small size is prized. Just put some 'hello kitty' stickers on it. I wouldn't hold my breath though, obviously the engineering costs go up exponentially when you start dropping below 12-14 inch notebooks.

 

[Kramer]

Hey, I am a PC user but will definitely be buying one of these mini's after Tiger is released. However, I want to be able to switch seamlessly between my PC and the mini using my existing keyboard, mouse and DVI LCD.

I can't seem to find any economical and reliable solutions for doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions.

Couldn’t you use a KVM with a DVI to VGA adapter?

 

[carpet]

Anyone know does this thing really have an external psu? I looked on apples web site and the quick time video they show of the mac mini has two boxes plugged into the back but the video is titled mac mini with apple accessories. So the mac mini isnt so mini if you have to connect 2 boxes behind it as well. I feel tricked!

 

[maya]

I have been lurking here for a while but finally registered.
After reading much of this thread I think I am in the minority becuase I am thinking about getting a mini, but with a 23" display, BT keyboard/mouse and a couple other things bringing the total (canadian) to $4200.

I have not used a mac since the G3s and wonder if the mini is enough. I originally was looking at a 17" pb but I want a better resolution.

So is it worth it? Should I just keep waiting for the powerbooks to be upgraded? I really like the look of the mini (and would likely get a 23" display with a pb anyway so this would save a bit).

any advice?
cheers

Not sure if you realize however that 23" ACD is HD. And my experience with watching movies in HD with a 32MB GPU will skip a couple fames.

Unless you plan on using that 23" ACD HD down the road when HD content is mass released then it might be worth it. However given that in a year the 23" ACD HD might drop even more in price.

At present the Mac mini with the 20" ACD is the best choice if you want to stick with Apple displays.

499 USD + 999 USD = 1498 USD That is not bad at all.


For those who wonder if the 20" ACD placed on top of the Mac mini, and if the Mac mini will be able to handle the weight. It will not be a problem since I have placed an iMac G5 17" on a LaCie HDD and it was fine. Though the LaCie HDD got hot when in use.

It would be best just to place the Mac mini on top of the ACD base and under the screen.

 

[iMeowbot]

If you're going with a third-party keyboard, a $10 USB hub will do you just fine.

Also, Kensington sell an inexpensive USB keyboard with 2 USB ports, "keyboard in a box" IIRC. Good compatibility. They lack the dedicated volume keys found on the Apple units, but that's about the only real functional difference.

 

[jaw04005]

Anyone know does this thing really have an external psu? I looked on apples web site and the quick time video they show of the mac mini has two boxes plugged into the back but the video is titled mac mini with apple accessories. So the mac mini isnt so mini if you have to connect 2 boxes behind it as well. I feel tricked!

The power supply (what you are calling box) that is connected to the cinema display is the cinema display's power supply. The one on the bottom right that is plugged into the mini... is the mini's power supply. I've been told its about the size of an Airport Base Station power supply.

 

[carpet]

Not sure if you realize however that 23" ACD is HD. And my experience with watching movies in HD with a 32MB GPU will skip a couple fames.

Unless you plan on using that 23" ACD HD down the road when HD content is mass released then it might be worth it. However given that in a year the 23" ACD HD might drop even more in price.

At present the Mac mini with the 20" ACD is the best choice if you want to stick with Apple displays.

499 USD + 999 USD = 1498 USD That is not bad at all.


For those who wonder if the 20" ACD placed on top of the Mac mini, and if the Mac mini will be able to handle the weight. It will not be a problem since I have placed an iMac G5 17" on a LaCie HDD and it was fine. Though the LaCie HDD got hot when in use.

It would be best just to place the Mac mini on top of the ACD base and under the screen.

Will the mac mini work well with apples 20inch display? As far as watching movies,games,design,and all the like?

 

[phishywaters]

i am thinking about purchusing this configuration:
• 512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 DIMM
• 80GB Ultra ATA drive
• Combo Drive
• Internal Bluetooth + AirPort Extreme Card
• 56K v.92 Modem
• Mac OS X - U.S. English
• 1.42GHz PowerPC G4



Estimated Ship:
3-4 weeks
Free Shipping


Subtotal $803.00


i will occaionsanly play games like knights of the old republic and im wondering if this is nice enough to play kotr at a decent speed. i really wish it had at least a 64 mb video card. is it maybe nice enough to play even world of warcraft? im not to worried though, because i dont play too many games but it would be nice if i could play kotr or wow at decent speeds.

 

[maya]

Will the mac mini work well with apples 20inch display? As far as watching movies,games,design,and all the like?

Yes, it should work well with the 20" ACD.

If you are on a tight budget I would get the Dell wide-screen 20" display. Though not as nice looking.

 

[jaw04005]

For those who wonder if the 20" ACD placed on top of the Mac mini, and if the Mac mini will be able to handle the weight. It will not be a problem since I have placed an iMac G5 17" on a LaCie HDD and it was fine. Though the LaCie HDD got hot when in use.

It would be best just to place the Mac mini on top of the ACD base and under the screen.

From Footnote @: http://www.apple.com/macmini/design.html
"Mac mini stacked by professional Photoshop artist. Do not attempt to stack Mac mini at home. You can place Mac mini on other objects, but please do not stack anything on top of Mac mini. Mac mini thanks you."

I guess Apple doesn't recommend stacking anything on the mini.

 

[crayzaysean]

is there a way to use the mac mini to hook up to a flat panel tv as a dvd player/video recorder? That would be a sweet setup...or do we just have to wait and hope that revision B has those features?

 

[Kagetenshi]

From Footnote @: http://www.apple.com/macmini/design.html
"Mac mini stacked by professional Photoshop artist. Do not attempt to stack Mac mini at home. You can place Mac mini on other objects, but please do not stack anything on top of Mac mini. Mac mini thanks you."

I guess Apple doesn't recommend stacking anything on the mini.

Sounds to me like it's the Mac Mini itself recommending against it can you blame it?

~J

 

[areyouwishing]

I like the "Keyboard, iPod mini, dock, hands, AirPort, Bluetooth and PC sold separately." note at the bottom of the page too.

 

[nemiak]

TV computer

I currently use an xbox running XBMC to play dvds and videos off harddisks. I've used Freevo and MythTV and XBMC is by far the best media player for set top boxes.

How about a push for porting XBMC to the mac? A Mac mini running XBMC would be the perfect TV computer.

 

[stephenli]

I like the "Keyboard, iPod mini, dock, hands, AirPort, Bluetooth and PC sold separately." note at the bottom of the page too.

funny! i want to buy Apple's "hand" (joking)

the same sentence is "modified" in Apple Japan website, and noted as "Keyboard, iPod mini, Airport, Bluetooth, etc. sold seperately"

 

[Evangelion]

well, if you have them on your monitor or keyboard now, you'd have them on the mac mini... duh...get it yet??

I actually mentioned that in my later posts. I'm lucky since I happen to have an external device that can fix this problem. But not everyone does. What about that Aunt Tillie down the street who has a CRT or a low-end TFT without USB-ports? Having a third port would have more or less eliminated this problem, without forcing the user to rely on third-party solutions to fix the issue.

And I'm still not sure that will I use the TFT's USB-ports with the Mac or with the PC.

 

[Kagetenshi]

I disagree that a third port will solve the problem. Then you've got a USB key and a printer, what then? Oops, preexisting USB wireless? USB bluetooth? Two ports, providing that they operate with a hub, are perfectly acceptable. Some users will always need more.

~J

 

[Evangelion]

So it's really for the person who already owns a monitor; otherwise, I think a reburbished (from Apple) eMac is probably a better deal.

you are forgetting that eMac looks like crap when compared to the Mini

 

[3Memos]

OMG. I finally saw the 30" Cinema Display in person and that thing is huge!! Imagine hooking up the mini to that thing.

 

[Evangelion]

This is a sincere question, not a troll. What am I missing?

Well, I have compared the Mini to few Dells and the like, and I noticed few things (these observations apply to low-end Dells and the like):

Dell and the like have a big and ugly case made from plastic. Mini has a small and gorgerous case made from adonized aluminium

Dell and the like use crappy integrated vid-card, whereas the Mini has a discrete vid-card

Dell and the like have several fans. Mini has one fan. So the Mini is more silent

Dell and the like ship with regural CD-ROM-drives, mini ships with CD-RW/DVD

Software-suite on the Mini is ALOT better than on the Dell, not to mention the OS .

But seriously: does the Mini _really_ compete with some Dell full-tower? Of course you can use the Mini for same things as you could use the Dell, so in that sense it does. But if you are in the market for a machine like the Mini, obviously Dell is not an alternative. Also, if you value the features of the Dell, the Mini is not an alternative. For example, I want a small and silent computer with nice case that I could keep on my desk right next to my display. Expendability is not required. I had been looking at some Mini-ITX-machines, and they cost about the same as Mini does, while offering alot less performance. SFF-PC might do, but those are too big and too noisy. Some el-cheapo Dell tower NEVER crossed my mind as an alternative!

If you want "yet another computer", the Dell is as good choice as ever. But the Mini is something different. Of course you CAN buy the Mini as dime a dozen computer, but it's design is so clean and gorgerous that it's hard to view it as a "yet another computer". Comparing it to some generic Dell misses the point IMO.