Mac Mini Released

[ender78]

Hi,

It is ridiculous what Apple has done with the Mac mini:

- No FireWire 800.
- Only one FireWire 400 port.

What percentage of the equipment out there even supports Firewire 800. You must be of the same crowd that insists that GigE is required for web browsing. Firewire 400 is more than sufficient to write to a 7200 RPM Hard Drive. What kind of office apps require 400 GB Hard Drives?

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Please tell us more about your corporate needs.

400gb on every desktop with FW800?
And how is a 4200RPM drive too slow?

And have you sat next to a PM G5 like I do every day? Is it really noisy?
I don't think so...

I agree, it sounds a bit like "speed freak" talk. But the need may be real.

At $499 it may be worth buying as a test.

 

[Kramer]

If you're doing all that and need a monitor($300+), kb/m ($50), etc. you may wanna go 4 the iMac. If you are or know a student or teacher and can get the ed. discount - all the better. The $300/400 difference (i u can swing it) goes a long way in specs (G5, GPU, RAM cost (upgradability).

Just a thought.

How does the ed. discount work? My sister-in-law is going to college, could I use her name? Or could I use my name? However I graduated from college in 98.
Does Apple actually check to see if you’re enrolled?

 

[Blue Velvet]

I agree, it sounds a bit like "speed freak" talk. But the need may be real. At $499 it may be worth buying as a test.

I am highly dubious.

Spending approx $400 on a Mini to hook an approx $400 drive to it for corporate use. On every desk?

 

[aswitcher]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Ok, it looks like your sorted. Lets us know what you end up going with. Like someone else said, you may want to take another look at the 17" iMac with the superdrive if your after that configuration.

 

[CRF]

The Only Thing Missing

I talked about the Mac mini to some friends, and they love it!!!! this is what they're waiting for to make the switch. But in the conversation one complaint emerged without doubt: No keyboard!!!!, they said that they don't mind about the monitor or even the mouse, neither for the 256 RAM (they always has to buy more RAM in theirs PC purchases), but they had a PS/2 keyboards, and seriously, every PC people I know has one of these. Apple says: bring your own keyboard, but for the average PC user this is confusing, Apple has PS/2 ports??..... An Apple keyboard is only 29$, but as many people says before: the keyboard is a MUST on an Apple machine...anyways, no body wants a ugly PC keyboard paired with their stylish new machine....

 

[Blue Velvet]

I talked about the Mac mini to some friends, and they love it!!!! this is what they're waiting for to make the switch. But in the conversation one complaint emerged without doubt: No keyboard!!!!, they said that they don't mind about the monitor or even the mouse, neither for the 256 RAM (they always has to buy more RAM in theirs PC purchases), but they had a PS/2 keyboards, and seriously, every PC people I know has one of these. Apple says: bring your own keyboard, but for the average PC user this is confusing, Apple has PS/2 ports??..... An Apple keyboard is only 29$, but as many people says before: the keyboard is a MUST on an Apple machine...anyways, no body wants a ugly PC keyboard paired with their stylish new machine....

Anybody that would let US$29 stand between themselves and having a Mac, probably doesn't really want or deserve one... esp. when you know what else you're getting e.g. iLife.

 

[FFTT]

How does the ed. discount work? My sister-in-law is going to college, could I use her name? Or could I use my name? However I graduated from college in 98.
Does Apple actually check to see if you’re enrolled?

The answer is YES, but it's worth the effort for major purchases.

Apple educational discounts are available for all schools, teachers and college students.

In the process of completing your order, qualified individuals are usually
required to show or fax a student/teacher photo I.D.

Your sister-in-law can order the system in her name, then have it shipped
to your address.
This will not prevent you from registering the new system in your name.

If you'd rather not involve someone else, there's nothing wrong
with taking a course or two at your local community college.

 

[FFTT]

I talked about the Mac mini to some friends, and they love it!!!! this is what they're waiting for to make the switch. But in the conversation one complaint emerged without doubt: No keyboard!!!!, they said that they don't mind about the monitor or even the mouse, neither for the 256 RAM (they always has to buy more RAM in theirs PC purchases), but they had a PS/2 keyboards, and seriously, every PC people I know has one of these. Apple says: bring your own keyboard, but for the average PC user this is confusing, Apple has PS/2 ports??..... An Apple keyboard is only 29$, but as many people says before: the keyboard is a MUST on an Apple machine...anyways, no body wants a ugly PC keyboard paired with their stylish new machine....

Both the Apple USB and Bluetooth wireless keyboards are offered as
options for those who might need them.

The idea of "bring your own" was to help keep costs to a minimum
for those who would rather use something they already own.

The benefit of the Apple wired keyboard is that the mouse USB connector
plugs into the keyboard and the keyboard also has additional USB ports.

 

[andypress]

Hi,

It is ridiculous what Apple has done with the Mac mini:

- No FireWire 800.
- Only one FireWire 400 port.

Does Apple really want to promote FireWire versus other alternatives like USB 2 or SATA? Or should perhaps Apple move to SATA ports altogether, which is much faster and seems the next industry standard?

We were set to switch and place a large corporate order of Macs mini to replace our aging PC-Windows systems, but such move has been postponed since we cannot boot the Macs mini from fast (7200 rpm) external drives (400 GB) and then have at least one real FireWire port free (not hub-like shared). The internal Mac mini disk is too slow (4200 rpm) and small for us. And no, we cannot afford the expensive and noisy PowerMacs G5.

Hopefully the next Mac mini revision will have that. Or else we will definitely purchase PC-Windows machines where you are spoilt for choice. Our chance to switch vanishes again. Oh well...

I don't know what drug you are on, but most high end pc's don't have fw800, and all budget pc's dont have firewire at all. And as for "we", I can say that nearly all people like the Mac Mini, and will never buy a pc.

 

[drsuse]

ordered a 1.25ghz with 512mb ram the day they were announced. educational discount (mother's a sessional instructor at local university) saved about $30 cdn. should notice a major difference from my g3 imac 600mhz.

i'll have it from when it arrives until i get my powerbook (waiting to order until something big is announced - probably WWDC), at which point it'll become my parents' computer, and then i'll leave for university.

 

[Kagetenshi]

Whichever moderator added ************ to the censored word list: will you marry me?

~J

 

[Judogi]

In the process of completing your order, qualified individuals are usually
required to show or fax a student/teacher photo I.D.

I ordered mine with the educational discount through the Apple online store. There was no verification process online, but that doesn't mean they didn't call my school to see if I actually attend there. I'm sure for the colleges listed they either have an automated service with the school for verification or they just don't care for purchases under a certain amount. Besides, there are guidelines - I think you are only allowed one Mac system purchase per school year, so you can't quite "abuse" the discount. If I had purchased through the Apple retail store here at Saddlecreek, they probably would have wanted to see my school photo ID.

 

[3Memos]

I talked about the Mac mini to some friends, and they love it!!!! this is what they're waiting for to make the switch. But in the conversation one complaint emerged without doubt: No keyboard!!!!, they said that they don't mind about the monitor or even the mouse, neither for the 256 RAM (they always has to buy more RAM in theirs PC purchases), but they had a PS/2 keyboards, and seriously, every PC people I know has one of these. Apple says: bring your own keyboard, but for the average PC user this is confusing, Apple has PS/2 ports??..... An Apple keyboard is only 29$, but as many people says before: the keyboard is a MUST on an Apple machine...anyways, no body wants a ugly PC keyboard paired with their stylish new machine....

It's not the keyboard that's stopping them from switching over to Mac, it's just another excuse that they give because they are still afraid of what switching over means? It may be fear of time spent trying to learn a new OS, or fear that their old files may not work on the new machine. It's any number of things, not even closely related to "no keyboard".

 

[wdlove]

Anybody that would let US$29 stand between themselves and having a Mac, probably doesn't really want or deserve one... esp. when you know what else you're getting e.g. iLife.

They certainly need to look at what they are getting The $29 price for a keyboard is just a drop in the bucket. iLife will more than makeup for any problems. The no keyboard will just allow the purchase choice.

 

[paulsecic]

The cube has returned to us. The only thing that sucks about it is that I may have to buy three of them for all close friends and family. We love you Apple!

I'm waiting until next year for Rev 2. Apple has out did themselves on this beauty! What I like about it is: it doesn't take up space. CNET is dishing it. They're NUTS!!!!!

 

[paulsecic]

Nice computer. If you have to buy a monitor however, the iMac G5 is a better deal. I like the design. They should have put a G5 in it!!!!!!!

The only good thing about buying this over the iMac is that in 2 or 3 years you can just buy a new computer and save the monitor. I still have some time to decide, but I think in the end I will go with the iMac G5 because everyone says that the G5 is much faster then the G4. Still it is cool, I love the size. That in itself would be a conversation piece.

G4? Forget it! I've got a G4 1.6 desktop. Why go backwards? Their contract with Motorola must still be good. Hopfully next year they'll put a G5 in.

Still too COOL though.

 

[3Memos]

G4? Forget it! I've got a G4 1.6 desktop. Why go backwards? Their contract with Motorola must still be good. Hopfully next year they'll put a G5 in.

Still too COOL though.

Mac mini still makes for an excellent web/email machine. And it's still plenty fast for iTunes and iPhoto.

 

[takao]

They certainly need to look at what they are getting The $29 price for a keyboard is just a drop in the bucket. iLife will more than makeup for any problems. The no keyboard will just allow the purchase choice.

and after all the apple keyboard is a good for it's price ... it's the only thing i added in the apple store was the keyboard everything else i either have i will add later

and when looking at the "bestseller" list at the apple online store where the mac mini is 3rd after ipod shuffle and ipod mini and _before_ the normal ipod then i have no doubt that it is selling well

one guy from apple germany said that they are "extremly optimistic" from the first numbers of orders ...

 

[wdlove]

Mac mini still makes for an excellent web/email machine. And it's still plenty fast for iTunes and iPhoto.

At the price point that Apple is charging, the G4 was a good place to start. In the future the G5 processor price should decrease with anticipated increase introduction. In the no too distant future the G4 and Apple should be history. Just like the G3 is now.

 

[Agathon]

In the process of completing your order, qualified individuals are usually
required to show or fax a student/teacher photo I.D.

Really? I put a phone order in for an ipod with Apple Canada (the web store was sluggish the day of the keynote).

The guy said: "Are you a student or teacher?" I answered both (I am a graduate instructor at University of X), and he just said: "That's good enough for me."

 

[purell16]

I was looking at the iBook 12inch specs and they look alot like the mac mini specs. I cant decide whether to get the mac mini or the iBook g4. I do not have a desktop computer, so the mini would come in handy, but it would be neat to have a notebook. I have been reading alot of posts where people have been saying bad things about the Mac mini, should I just spend 300 more to get a referbished iMac G5??

 

[Agathon]

I was looking at the iBook 12inch specs and they look alot like the mac mini specs. I cant decide whether to get the mac mini or the iBook g4. I do not have a desktop computer, so the mini would come in handy, but it would be neat to have a notebook. I have been reading alot of posts where people have been saying bad things about the Mac mini, should I just spend 300 more to get a referbished iMac G5??

If you can get an imac G5 for $300 more, go for it. The ibooks are really nice though.

 

[BillD222]

Apple Ed.

Really? I put a phone order in for an ipod with Apple Canada (the web store was sluggish the day of the keynote).

The guy said: "Are you a student or teacher?" I answered both (I am a graduate instructor at University of X), and he just said: "That's good enough for me."

They're pretty losse with it. I've been ordering ed. stuff just about my whole time with apple, as a student and teacher. At one point way back I had to sign a "promise" form and fax it back. Now they just ask you to "agree" online after you pick your school. At the Apple store they asked to see my Teacher ID.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I have been reading alot of posts where people have been saying bad things about the Mac mini, should I just spend 300 more to get a referbished iMac G5??

Just remember -- no-one here has actually got a Mac Mini so it's all talk... good fun, but wait & see what people actually say when they've got them up & running.

The iMac G5 is a far more powerful & capable machine but costs much more, even refurb.