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Mac Mini to be Discontinued?

I rather have the New iMac next month it may have a lower price point hopefully with 24" LED Display, NVIDIA Chipset, 9400 and or 9600GT and 4GB DDR3 and hopefully 1.5TB but 1TB will do. I love the Mac Mini it done more than I ever expected! I keep mine use it as a Server for my iTunes music and videos! Oh Yeah Cool I got the last model! 2GHz, 2GB DDR2 PC5300 with 120GB SATA. :D
 
jbernie said:
It has gone past the point where they should either kill it or upgrade it.
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I agree with this totally. It's out of date. It needs either replacing with something similar or updating.

If they are to discontinue it there's going to be an either bigger gaping hole in the range.
 
Keep The Faith People

If the mini is killed, there WILL be some kind of headless desktop computer, sub $1000. The category is too big for any company to ignore. Whatever it is, I'm thinking that this indicates we'll see it pretty soon. I can't wait.
 
The mini is great-quiet and compact. Got me back to the Mac scene in 2006.

All it needs is a DVI-to Mini DisplayPort adaptor and Magsafe power port, a 9400 chipset and 802.11n.
 
Urenstaat said:
Argh... that leaves just two Apple computers for people who like a matte screen: the 17-inch MacBook Pro and the MacPro.. I'm actually using a last generation Mac mini together with my 20-inch Cinema Display for my daily office work.. A MacPro would be total overkill, which leaves ... no Apple desktop!!
Yes, I know, I can plug in a laptop, buy the idea of a desktop computer is to have a permanent computer on the desk, plugged into external hard discs, scanners etcetera... This better signal the return of a BTO mid tower desktop. I will never opt for an iMac. I want to choose my own matte screen, thank you.. If the Mac mini doesn't get replaced I will think about a Windows 7 desktop computer in a couple of years (maybe a second hand MacPro, since I like OSX).
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If the Mac Pro is overkill, why not just get an iMac and plug the Cinema Display into that? That's what I did, because I wanted the matte screen for most of my work - used the built in one for secondary stuff (and actually got kind of used to it although the color banding/gradient/crap viewing angles of the TN panel are actually bigger disadvantages than the glossy screen). I think the bigger issue here is price. I would have loved to have bought a $700 mini when I got that iMac in November of last year to save cash (I had the screen, keyboard and mouse!), but even back then the graphics and storage were just not enough for the price they were offering it at.

sososowhat said:
Why not start with a Macbook, strip off the display & the hinge, but keep the keyboard & trackpad for use with an external display? The computer's in the keyboard. I'd buy it.
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Ha, a modern day Apple //c!!
 
Steve,

Don't kill off the Mini. Make it true to it's roots - a cheap (ie way less than £400) good looking little machine to encourage the switchers in. By all means give us a more expensive Mini with a GeForce 9400 for the HTPC/performance brigade for more money as well.

What I'd really like is a power efficient desktop mac that's not a Mac Pro. Don't get me wrong - I'd dearly love a Mac Pro but 8 cores is a bit overkill unless your going to contribute to the power bill!
 
Wow it's a real shame that Apple didn't update the Mini with the more recent chipset and plunk a faster processor in it.

I sympathize with the people that were waiting for an updated Mini.

Apple had a product that didn't require any changes for the tooling of the external case. With the exception of removing the firewire port. :(

Now potential switchers and people not wanting an AIO are back to scouring the used market. Kind of a crazy way to get new customers and maintain any sort of brand loyalty.
 
Dyne Valentine said:
To be honest I won't miss the Mac Mini. I know some people who love it but I'm not a huge fan of it.
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It's all the computer I need, and even 2 years after I bought it, it's still all the computer I need. Except now it's too old/too expensive for what it is. Right now I wouldn't buy another one at the price Apple is still asking for it.

Plymouthbreezer said:
That's too bad. They were perfect machines for people who don't really "need" computers; older folks and casual e-mailers who didn't need a 20" screen...
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Hey now! I'm only 38! And I use it as a TV/DVR, for website development and maintenance, Web, Usenet, e-mail, Photoshop, to hack my sat nav, Word processing, IM, DVD ripping...

Oh, and I like my 19" widescreen monitor I got for $199.
 
AtHomeBoy_2000 said:
right. that was kind of my point. While the low end tower might be good, it isnt what they do.
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It sounds like what you want is a "hackintosh".

Apple is doing well with locking down their stuff. Once everyone gets ahold of the OS, you get no consistency in the products, and you get problems.

While I do find it ridiculous that if the mac mini is gone the next headless mac weighs in at $3K almost, as Apple said in the conference call, there are some markets they just aren't going after. How much do you think Dell makes on a $399 desktop? Can't be that much. Apple consistently has very high margins and they do so by selling expensive computers. But, if apple really wants to start to dominate in the market, they need to come out with cheapie systems, but I just can't see that happening unfortunately.
 
Hmm, from the conference call with Steve just now:

- Q: Cheaper Macs? A: We chose not to serve a certain customer base. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk. Our DNA will not allow us to ship that. We can continue to deliver value to customers we do choose to serve.

I'd like to think that's encouraging news.
 
From the Q&A:
" Q: Cheaper Macs? A: We chose not to serve a certain customer base. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk. Our DNA will not allow us to ship that. We can continue to deliver value to customers we do choose to serve."

Is Apple referring to the Mac mini?
 
I'd be very very upset if this is true. Frankly my needs are quite low,and the Mini fit it nicely. I was hoping for an upgrade so I could pick on up to replace my old CD Mini.

Now I'd need to pick up a MacBook, which I could use but like a netbook for on the go.

Overall I'm been dissapointed in the way Apple is going recently for Macs....hopefully I see some better news on the Mac front soon(since Fairplay has me locked to iTunes, and I'd rather aim for Linux if I was to leave OS X, but I don't think that will happen soon)


Hopefully this turn out to be untrue,or a replacement is coming soon!
 
Cave Man said:
Hmm, from the conference call with Steve just now:

- Q: Cheaper Macs? A: We chose not to server a certain customer base. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk. Our DNA will not allow us to ship that. We can continue to deliver value to customers we do choose to serve.

I'd like to think that's encouraging news.
Click to expand...

UGHHH.... could that statement be any more pretentious? I suppose if you can't afford a £1000 laptop Apple, your not the kind of person Apple want as a customer.
 
Not that I am in the market for a Mini, but it made me switch. I had an HD gateway monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc and I just needed the Mini. I now own an iMac which I love. See, two Mac products vs. possible none if the mini was not around.

My mother is looking at updating the G3/G4 iMac (one with Flat LCD). She wants a Mac Mini, but I told her not unless they update it at the current price.

I hope Apple updates the Mini to incude ATV as I would buy one today. I am buying several ATV's for the new house and would love to have a full computer on the plasma with real ATV built in (not front row). It would be nice to allow booting directly to ATV if you don't want the full OS loaded.

Here is to hoping for an update with ATV............
 
I am a musician, and we use three Minis with the artist I tour with. One is onstage in the keyboard rig, two more offstage running Ableton Live and MOTU DP5. I have another one at home in my studio. They are very well-suited for running softsynths, or playback tracks. The small size makes and notebook-based design makes them surprisingly roadworthy. I would be very sorry to see the Mini discontinued. My fear is that if they do get updated they will lose FireWire, just like the new MacBooks; this would make them unusable for me.

I realize this is a tiny niche market so probably not much interest to Apple.

Brian
 
aafuss1 said:
From the Q&A:
" Q: Cheaper Macs? A: We chose not to serve a certain customer base. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk. Our DNA will not allow us to ship that. We can continue to deliver value to customers we do choose to serve."

Is Apple referring to the Mac mini?
Click to expand...

Can't be. Last time I checked, the mini was a $599.00 piece of junk.
 
So , MR have closed the mega thread , may it rest peacefully , unlike the Mini , which is sure to get resurrected soon .
 
Cave Man said:
Hmm, from the conference call with Steve just now:

- Q: Cheaper Macs? A: We chose not to serve a certain customer base. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk. Our DNA will not allow us to ship that. We can continue to deliver value to customers we do choose to serve.

I'd like to think that's encouraging news.
Click to expand...

Macs use the same off the shelf parts as a PC. Jacking up the price doesn't make it a more quality system. It just makes the same thing more expensive.
They'd like you to think that price = quality but it's just not true here. They could sell the same thing for cheaper, still turn a profit and still have a quality system.
 
Ca-ching, ca-ching, let the cash register ring

Oh, I wouldn't doubt it they're killing it.

They will say: "Oh, but when you have a bright, shiny new iMac available...?"

"You want a firewire port? Look at our bight, shiny new MacBook Pro."

Apple's way to improve profits, which is Job One for Apple.
 
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