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Much Smaller Mac Mini Coming?

retroneo said:
Perhaps they could merge the AppleTV and mac mini lines.
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No, stop it. No merging!

There's no way to do it without creating a over-powered media-center, or crippled, one-track-mind'ed Mini. What you want is :apple:TV with a DVR and bigger HDD. Go ask Steve Jobs for it and stop trying to mess with the Mini.

If Apple kept it up-to-date, it would actually be a respecatble computer.

-Clive
 
Man you people are crazy. Haven't you guys noticed already? The new iPhone will replace the Mac Mini :rolleyes:
 
I don't think there's really any utility in making the form factor smaller. considering the fact that it's going to be at least as big around as a dvd drive. I, too, would prefer to see a drop in price. The more accessible these things are, the more popular they will be. If it's cheap enough to be an impulse buy, I think that would be really beneficial to apple's market share.
 
macwall said:
I don't think there's really any utility in making the form factor smaller. considering the fact that it's going to be at least as big around as a dvd drive. I, too, would prefer to see a drop in price. The more accessible these things are, the more popular they will be. If it's cheap enough to be an impulse buy, I think that would be really beneficial to apple's market share.
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It was an impulse buy for me - I won an Airport Express in an Apple Store opening then thought "hmm, I should pick up a computer to use this with" :D
 
Keep it the same size, and add a Blu-Ray drive to it. People are using these things as media servers for home theater systems, and it'd be nice to be able to forgo a separate BDP.
 
Irishman said:
Keep it the same size, and add a Blu-Ray drive to it. People are using these things as media servers for home theater systems, and it'd be nice to be able to forgo a separate BDP.
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As I've mentioned before, it seems to me that most people buying a Mini are using it for a home computer. I base this on my support clientele.

However, an upgraded AppleTV with Blu Ray and DVR would sure pique my interests.
 
This is why I say "add a Blu-ray drive".

It adds functionality where it was not there prior.

Now, what new functionality does the Mini add if you up the processor speed?

What about if you add RAM?

What if you upgrade the video card?

I'm not opposed to doing any of these things, it's just that, for the device the way it's built, it's not substantively adding to the list of things it can do.

I wasn't trying to speak to the logic or illogic of Apple's making the Mini the first Mac with a Blu-ray drive, although I think that'd be hilarious.
 
what does Blu-Ray add...?

Irishman said:
This is why I say "add a Blu-ray drive".

It adds functionality where it was not there prior.

Now, what new functionality does the Mini add if you up the processor speed?
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You could ask the same about the Blu-Ray drive. What does it add? You can watch movies with the current DVD player. You could just watch better quality movies with blue-ray. So it's not like now you can't, but it would improve.

More ram and speedier processor adds speed which you need for newer applications and to get the mini more 'future-proof'. An upgraded graphics card opens up a bunch of new possibilities like gaming, maybe 2 DVI outputs (or DVI + HDMI)...

I'd also like Blue-Ray of course, but first the mini needs CPU, GPU, wireless N updates. Blu-Ray would just be a nice plus for me, but probably would make it more expensive than I want. :rolleyes:
 
A Blu-Ray player would increase the Mac Mini's price by about 50%. A burner would double it. And I'm not sure if the current system could even play back a Blu-Ray movie.

Meanwhile, moving to Montevina and Penryn would keep the price the same. And, as noted, you'd be able to run programs faster, run more programs, and see better performance in Leopard's Core graphics modules. You'd also see less heat generation from the CPU to offset the extra heat generated by the faster memory and Northbridge so you would not need to increase cooling with faster/larger fans or more vents. So Apple would be able to keep the current case if they wished.
 
I see the Mini growing in size to accomodate desktop components which will reduce the cost of manufacture which will reduce the consumer cost while giving a larger profit margin.
 
zjokke said:
You could ask the same about the Blu-Ray drive. What does it add? You can watch movies with the current DVD player. You could just watch better quality movies with blue-ray. So it's not like now you can't, but it would improve.

More ram and speedier processor adds speed which you need for newer applications and to get the mini more 'future-proof'. An upgraded graphics card opens up a bunch of new possibilities like gaming, maybe 2 DVI outputs (or DVI + HDMI)...

I'd also like Blue-Ray of course, but first the mini needs CPU, GPU, wireless N updates. Blu-Ray would just be a nice plus for me, but probably would make it more expensive than I want. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Have you SEEN a Blu-RAy movie?
 
CWallace said:
A Blu-Ray player would increase the Mac Mini's price by about 50%. A burner would double it. And I'm not sure if the current system could even play back a Blu-Ray movie.

Meanwhile, moving to Montevina and Penryn would keep the price the same. And, as noted, you'd be able to run programs faster, run more programs, and see better performance in Leopard's Core graphics modules. You'd also see less heat generation from the CPU to offset the extra heat generated by the faster memory and Northbridge so you would not need to increase cooling with faster/larger fans or more vents. So Apple would be able to keep the current case if they wished.
Click to expand...

Try streaming a 1080p movie trailer. That'll give you an idea of whether or not it could play it.
 
I don't see Apple putting blu ray in any of their Macs until they update their display line to include HDCP support, without which nobody will be watching blu ray in 1080p. Meanwhile, people who don't know better will still buy old ACDs, but if blu ray were included in Macs, it'd put a spotlight on the fact that ACDs are not ready for the HD big leagues.

Sometimes Apple is very cutting edge. Often, they're pure tang.
 
yadmonkey said:
I don't see Apple putting blu ray in any of their Macs until they update their display line to include HDCP support, without which nobody will be watching blu ray in 1080p. Meanwhile, people who don't know better will still buy old ACDs, but if blu ray were included in Macs, it'd put a spotlight on the fact that ACDs are not ready for the HD big leagues.

Sometimes Apple is very cutting edge. Often, they're pure tang.
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I've been hankering for a HDCP compliant ACD forever. Hopefully with more inputs than a single DVI ... at least 1xComponent and 1xHDMI input in addition - It's weird Apple makes displays its own :apple:tv can't use :confused: (though I guess using an ACD for that purpose is overkill, pretty much every competitor offers these inputs, useful for HD games consoles, HD set top boxes and other devices)

A Blu Ray burner option for Mac Pro/MBP would likely be simultaneous or not far behind such display updates.
 
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