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Mac Mini Released

jbasil said:
I really like this mini, ALOT! :)

I think we may be finally seeing how the whole digital convergence, Apple style, is going to happen.

Take a look at a quick render I did to illustrate the whole thing.

http://www.xnodesign.com/ihome.html

John :)
Click to expand...

Nice job John. ;) It certainly makes the Mac mini even more appealing seeing your setup.
 
aswitcher said:
Whilst I love the concept, I still figure the mini's 80 gig max HDD hampers it being a multimedia centre.
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Should anything remotely close to that concept appear, I'm guessing FireWire will play a factor.

I like the concept too, but it looks expensive! :cool:
 
aswitcher said:
Whilst I love the concept, I still figure the mini's 80 gig max HDD hampers it being a multimedia centre.
Click to expand...

I don't know. The Elgato TV option needs 2gb for each hour of TV recorded. The average home user will probably have at most 10gb or so of programs. And a few gigs of photos. And I am sure that someone will come out with a box that adds TV and a extra HDD. Elgato, are you listening?
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
I don't know. The Elgato TV option needs 2gb for each hour of TV recorded. The average home user will probably have at most 10gb or so of programs. And a few gigs of photos. And I am sure that someone will come out with a box that adds TV and a extra HDD. Elgato, are you listening?
Click to expand...

I would think that Apple would make CPU to due just that. Then Elgato could continue to upgrade the needed software and hardware connections.
 
wdlove said:
I would think that Apple would make CPU to due just that. Then Elgato could continue to upgrade the needed software and hardware connections.
Click to expand...

Sure makes sense. Maybe Apple could buy the board set/technology from Elgato. Would hate to see Apple get rid of one more developer.
 
256 too slow?

im thinking of buying a new mac mini and i dont want to pay 75 dollars for the upgrade to 512mb ram. do you guys think that 256 will be enough to regular things like listening to music and surf the web and watch movies and playing games and doing homework and chatting on ichat and using ilife?
 
numediaman said:
When I was at the Apple Store today talking to potential switchers I was surprised by the reasons why they were considering the mini. They claimed that they had no dissatisfaction with the Windows OS, but they just wanted something "that would work". Several said they were tired of viruses and things crashing. But yet they attributed that to the PCs they owned.

Sadly, as I mentioned in the other thread, not a single one of them bought a mini today after they realized that the store did not offer any upgrades. In the end, it was the inability of the Apple Store to offer increased RAM that prevented the sales (though one person left when they realized they couldn't get the Super Drive).

I didn't think RAM would be an issue with the mini -- but I now believe it was a major mistake. If the mini came with 512 as standard, the machine would be a great "off-the-shelf" purchase for a lot of PC users. For me, having the Airport Card and Bluetooth is important. But for many low-end PC users they are not a big deal. But by selling the mini with 256, they will experience a Mac that is not that much better performing than their PC. That is a shame -- and a huge opportunity missed.
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Well Apple has always been cheap on RAM. Two years ago I bought a pre configured Dell P4 3 gigagertz machine with 1 gig RAM, 200 gig hard drive & a 18" flat panel for 3 grand. I sold the thing because it kept freezing. At least Apple should make 512 the default accross the board.
 
jiv3turkey748 said:
im thinking of buying a new mac mini and i dont want to pay 75 dollars for the upgrade to 512mb ram. do you guys think that 256 will be enough to regular things like listening to music and surf the web and watch movies and playing games and doing homework and chatting on ichat and using ilife?
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\

No, spend the 75 bucks.
 
jiv3turkey748 said:
im thinking of buying a new mac mini and i dont want to pay 75 dollars for the upgrade to 512mb ram. do you guys think that 256 will be enough to regular things like listening to music and surf the web and watch movies and playing games and doing homework and chatting on ichat and using ilife?
Click to expand...

While I'd advise shelling out for the extra RAM, without it you'll be just dandy for all but two things on your list: iLife and games (just iLife if the games you're thinking in terms of are Tetris, Mahjongg, and other similarly nonintensive games). For most games and most of the iLife suite, though, the extra RAM will be a godsend.

~J
 
jiv3turkey748 said:
im thinking of buying a new mac mini and i dont want to pay 75 dollars for the upgrade to 512mb ram. do you guys think that 256 will be enough to regular things like listening to music and surf the web and watch movies and playing games and doing homework and chatting on ichat and using ilife?
Click to expand...

Yes, the 256MB of RAM will be fine for most things. More RAM would be even better but 256MB is enough. We run iTunes which sends to an AirPort Express in the kitchen plus use various other software, surf the net, do email, etc on an original 192MB RAM 6GBHD 266MHz G3 iBook and it does a great job. The Mac mini is far more powerful and will serve you well.

On the other hand, if you have the $75 then I would go for the 512MB. I tend to like to max out the RAM. More RAM means less swapping out to disk which means even faster operation. But you may not notice the difference if you don't push the hardware. iTunes, surfing, movies, homework, etc aren't likely to push it.

Cheers,

-Walter
in Vermont.
 
jbasil said:
I really like this mini, ALOT! :)

I think we may be finally seeing how the whole digital convergence, Apple style, is going to happen.

Take a look at a quick render I did to illustrate the whole thing.

http://www.xnodesign.com/ihome.html

John :)
Click to expand...

I just checked out your site... awesome designs!

I really, really like your rendition of the iPhone, especially the dual tone one on the left. I would definately buy it!
 
iKWICK7 said:
I just checked out your site... awesome designs!

I really, really like your rendition of the iPhone, especially the dual tone one on the left. I would definately buy it!
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Thanks iKWICK7, appreciate the compliment. I'm --> <-- this close to getting the same mini you have ordered and putting together something like the illustration on the site. (for the living room!!!) :)

John
 
that was accually my freind who was wondering about the ram i told him to go with 512 and i think thats what hes going to do.thanx for the advice
 
jbasil said:
Thanks iKWICK7, appreciate the compliment. I'm --> <-- this close to getting the same mini you have ordered and putting together something like the illustration on the site. (for the living room!!!) :)

John
Click to expand...


Very nice! I am loving every minute of my mini! Just recently finished re-organizing some 2000+ pictures in iPhoto and finished my first dvd with iDVD. I love it! I shoulda bought a mac a long time ago. :)
 
jiv3turkey748 said:
anyone thats complaining about the mac mini look at that computer and then tell me the mini isnt a good deal(notice it only has a cd-rom drive)

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...7?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0006A0F5O
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I have to say that this is far from the best deal out there. I just got an email from Dell offering the following for $500...

Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ hyperthreading
Windows XP Home
256MB RAM
Keyboard & Mouse
Wordperfect
40GB hard drive
CD-RW drive
15" LCD flat panel
6mos dial-up Internet

Of course, I could downgrade to a 2.8GHz & 15" CRT and then it's only $350 (after MIR). On a pure price basis the Dell is clearly a better deal. Still, I think that most are going to compare the Mac mini against stuff they see at CompUSA, Best Buy, etc. and not these special offers from Dell. I think the Mac mini will compare pretty well when people have a chance to use it at an Apple Store or another spot.
 
weldon said:
I have to say that this is far from the best deal out there. I just got an email from Dell offering the following for $500...

Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ hyperthreading
Windows XP Home
256MB RAM
Keyboard & Mouse
Wordperfect
40GB hard drive
CD-RW drive
15" LCD flat panel
6mos dial-up Internet

Of course, I could downgrade to a 2.8GHz & 15" CRT and then it's only $350 (after MIR). On a pure price basis the Dell is clearly a better deal. Still, I think that most are going to compare the Mac mini against stuff they see at CompUSA, Best Buy, etc. and not these special offers from Dell. I think the Mac mini will compare pretty well when people have a chance to use it at an Apple Store or another spot.
Click to expand...

Ok but

it runs WINDOWS :eek: that is one of the biggest reasons and the components of a mac a synchronized and optimized for each other and not just put together and hope that it works
 
weldon said:
I have to say that this is far from the best deal out there. I just got an email from Dell offering the following for $500...

Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ hyperthreading
Windows XP Home
256MB RAM
Keyboard & Mouse
Wordperfect
40GB hard drive
CD-RW drive
15" LCD flat panel
6mos dial-up Internet
Click to expand...

DVI?
Actual Video card?
Firewire?
DVD player?
iLife?
OSX?

Add what it takes to get those features (or similar on the SW) and usually it ends up being the same. Does it come with anti-virus? Or anti spyware? It'll need it!

It is a fast machine, but most of that speed is going to waste with entry level users.

BTW, 15" LCD's with speakers are avilable for $179 on newegg. SEE HERE.

Plus, like jiv3turkey posted most PC's look like the Acer Power Desktop - APF2UN2800. WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH THAT MODEL #!? Is there a APF2UM2902? Yuck.
 
mini mac

I read and saw yesterday that the price of the 80 gb upgrade went down to $50 and the superdrive went from a 4x to an 8x. Today the superdrive went back to the 4x superdrive, anyone else catch that?
 
Brian Bosworth said:
I read and saw yesterday that the price of the 80 gb upgrade went down to $50 and the superdrive went from a 4x to an 8x. Today the superdrive went back to the 4x superdrive, anyone else catch that?
Click to expand...

Check out the latest rumor thread, it talks all about it.
 
You know, I don't really understand all these people with their "I can find a PC for cheaper than $499" posts. Apple never intended for this to be a "you won't find a better deal anywhere else!" machine. The fact is that you pay a bit of a premium over a cheapo Windows machine, but you get all the advantages of Mac OS X and all the rest. Isn't that worth the premium? Mac users have always paid "more than they could have" for OS X, and now we're just doing the same thing in the ~$500 playing field.

So, yes, of course you'll be able to find a PC for cheaper than a Mac, at any price point. But does it run OS X? That's what you're paying the premium for, if nothing else (fit and finish notwithstanding).
 
notjustjay said:
You know, I don't really understand all these people with their "I can find a PC for cheaper than $499" posts. Apple never intended for this to be a "you won't find a better deal anywhere else!" machine. The fact is that you pay a bit of a premium over a cheapo Windows machine, but you get all the advantages of Mac OS X and all the rest. Isn't that worth the premium? Mac users have always paid "more than they could have" for OS X, and now we're just doing the same thing in the ~$500 playing field.

So, yes, of course you'll be able to find a PC for cheaper than a Mac, at any price point. But does it run OS X? That's what you're paying the premium for, if nothing else (fit and finish notwithstanding).
Click to expand...

That's true. They're trying to offer a cheap Mac at a fair price. There's no point in worrying about one-day sales and whatnot. Not as long as there's healthy demand anyway. Apple doesn't need Dell quality volume to survive.
 
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