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Penryn iMac and Mac Mini Updates Soon?

tuc said:
Isn't this a bit early?

I thought it usually went down at 6ish (eastern time) and was down for only a couple of hours. Is that not right?
Click to expand...

it does feel a bit early. when apple updated the MacBooks and MacBook Pros a few weeks ago the store went down around 3:00am EST and was up around 8:30am EST...
 
Please, please,

be an upgraded Mac mini!

I downloaded the iPhone SDK and got my father-in-law to lend me his MacBook for a couple of days. Y'see, I'm slogging away on a creaky ol' Dual 2GHz PowerMac G5 with 1.5 GB and dual LCD monitors. Don't feel sorry for me -- Apple just builds computers so dang good that they are still going strong 4-1/2 years later.

A mini would be perfect -- I already have a KVM switch.

Please, mini! Please, mini! Please, mini! Please, mini!
 
here's a small .HTML file (zipped) that will auto refresh the Apple Store (US) in Safari every 5 seconds to anyone who is interested...
 

Attachments

  • AppleStoreRefresh(5sec).html.zip
    699 bytes · Views: 106
So i just went to check something on the apple store, and got the we'll be back soon sticky.....
 
I hope it's new cinema displays and/or iMacs with new processors. Minis would be great, but I fear that they are slowly....going...away. Ehhh. I could be wrong.
 
is it only the US store that is down? usually they all have to go down for an update right?
 
rand0m3r said:
is it only the US store that is down? usually they all have to go down for an update right?
Click to expand...

And to think I was the first person to notice this.

If it's a mac mini, I'm going to buy one as soon as the store is up. I've been waiting for months to convert and this would be a perfect option for me!
 
milo said:
Actually, I completely agree with you, that's absolutely one big segment that it could and should be for. But that customer has ZERO need for the machine to be tiny - going with a larger case and desktop components would be a much better design for that customer. In addition to beefing up the specs, a bigger case with desktop parts would also allow a wider range of models that could include a machine that's CHEAPER than what apple will ever be able to offer with the current mini design. Would a wider range of options really be so bad for the mini?



Wow, you completely miss the point. I'm not interested in gaming at all, and that's pretty much the opposite of what I'm looking for in a machine in every way. Size isn't really important. Nor gaming (did you even read my post, where I said gaming performance is a low priority?). Options are a good thing, and an empty PCI slot (even one) is a good option. More ram slots allows not just more ram, but the option of moderate amounts of ram for cheaper.

Seriously, why is "small" so important to you, particularly in a desktop machine? I guess some people value it, but I'd bet that the vast majority of people would pick better performance or lower price (or both) over tiny size. Apple could easily do a machine with desktop parts and MUCH better value and probably not have to go that much bigger.
Click to expand...

I have to agree 300%, while I was an immediate fan of the mini on launch I have always felt that it's size was more of a burden than an aid despite the general need for a headless desktop being there. I think Jobs screwed up with the original Cube, not so much on design but on the market and pricepoint for it. I've owned 3 minis (2 still living, one got killed when the logic board got nailed in a surge) but if I could get a Cube-like machine in terms of size, but with more of the guts of the current mini... but with a 7200 RPM 3.5" large capacity drive and decent on-board video (or how about integrated Intel GMA graphics with a laptop-style PCI-E socket for upgrades) and a Superdrive (which should be available across the board, regardless of if/when Blu-Ray is offered BTO), I'd be sold if it remained closer to the mini's pricepoint (which mind you, the enclosure of the Cube was bigger so it can handle the extra heat that the G4's were struggling with at that time, for an Intel Core2Duo, it'd be a non-factor and still have room for a nice SATA hard drive). Just the added hard drive capacity of a much larger desktop drive would help people who have massive iTunes or iPhoto collections out of the box, and the faster RPM's would help the system be all that much more snappy regardless of which CPU was chosen. For cost measures, the bottom of the SR barrel would make sense to keep unit costs down and sales up.

While I know some will say "this isn't a gaming machine..." ummm, with the launch of Bootcamp, more and more Mac users can now opt to leverage turning their PC's into a gaming machine since that's one of the arenas that Macs have lacked. Those PC converts... are not likely going to take too well to finding out that their quite expensive dwarf computer can't play games their 2-3 year old Dell does without a hiccup, so do you really want their first Mac experience to be their last? I mean... sure they love the MacOS, but umm... if it can't even casually game with 2-3 year old titles in Bootcamp... what the hell good is it really?

Giving it suitable graphics and capabilities for improvement to fit more people's needs (as you've eloquently suggested) negates one more element of the PC advantage and helps make it so that your old library of games isn't negated. It helps those that have a nice LCD and want a solid machine to accompany it, or for those like myself who have NEVER been an AIO fan and aren't remotely understanding the desirability of it... wires spaghetti-ing off of my desk or not, really don't care... I want a good desktop Mac for $1,000 or less. That said, while it's not necessarily marketed as a gaming Mac... and to be honest, what Mac truly ever has been marketed as a gaming machine, it still should be within Apple's focus to fill that void with their systems in a logical way to negate any arguments that face buying a Wintel box vs. a Mac with Windows in Bootcamp. It might be geared primarily towards serving Grandma Ethel and her ability to keep in touch with her nieces and nephews via email but... it could easily be more multifaceted and multipurpose and truly offer a broader range of product that suits more people's needs/wants. Whether gaming, mini server, chic portable workstation, whatever... that's better than "Oh yeah, that weak little entry-level Mac..."

The state of the current mini, it's so anemic in terms of graphics power that the next step up from a cheap mini is an $1200 AIO machine, or a $2200 mongo huge monster that with FB-DIMM's isn't a gaming threat either against comparable PC's. I could buy two mid-range Dell's (not XPS'es which are more for your upper echelon spenders, just as Alienware is... Apple has nothing for this market really, closest is the Mac Pro but once again... it's not a gaming machine either) with PCI-E slots and network game for the cost of 1 iMac. Sure it won't look as sexy, have as large a monitor, sure it won't be a Mac... but in the end, Apple does need to find a way to appeal to a broader range of the market just as they've done in the MP3 player market with the iPod. The iPod's do so much more, better, than most of their MP3 competitors. The Mac's, do a lot better... but there's still things they can't do, and in comparing Apple's to Winboxen... Apple can ill afford not taking it to the man and scribbling off the advantages of PC one by one.

Apple cut their lineup from ridiculous back in the 1990's down to the point where it's been so full of gaping holes warranting logical solutions to fill the gap, and due to the Mac's state of affairs... little has been done to fill those gaps. This year, I guess you can say Apple reinstituted the slimmed down and neutered laptop with the good ol' Duo... errr... MacBook Air. With optional optical drive, the only thing it needs is the iMac-like Dock that was pushed in rumors (remember the Duo Dock?) and I'd say it was reincarnated. I've never understood the Duo, understand the Air about as much, but hey... I'm not a laptop person in general. Give me an iPod touch with free Nationwide Wi-Fi (C'monnnnn Google, win the 700 Mhz. Spectrum), email access, and a copy of Skype mobile and I'll probably cut the cord on my cell phones altogether.

I think it's time that Apple rehashes the mini (i.e. make it more the size of AppleTV or the Time Capsule/Airport Extreme units), perhaps sell it as a new Cube (Jobs foretold once that the Cube was leaving but it might not be gone forever... I could see that form factor size/shape coming back) with Wireless N, Superdrives in both models, larger format desktop drives, USB 2 and Firewire and Bluetooth, and an integrated X3100 into the design. For top-level machines, give it a faster processor, more default RAM, and a PCI-E laptop-style socketed video card from NVidia or ATi and call it a day. You could even add a BTO option for Blu-Ray later on.

The current state of the mini is beyond sad, it was before the last update, and it still clinically is despite the processor performance... the rest of the machine was collectively ignored... with Dual Layer DVD-burners available for dirt cheap, at least a few bucks more than a much less used Combo drive (few PC mfg.'s are still selling these and what are generally are doing so in laptops, where they're still pushing Pentium 4 mobile and Celeron mobile processors)... Apple insists on keeping the Combo drives around to warrant the boost in price they charge for the up-level machine. Yet the darn things come with iDVD and iMovie with little logical output options unless you happen to have another Superdrive-equipped machine in your home. DUMB-DUMB-DUMB. I love Apple but... this is beyond stupid. Make it so mini users across the board can use iDVD and iMovie in unison. It's long past time.

I for one would love to have at least a moderately decent GPU, one capable enough of playing rFactor. I'm not expecting the mini/Cube to turn into an Alienware... sprout water cooling out the ying-yang, case fans, heat sinks, LED's all over the place... but it'd be nice to have a GPU for those that want to run on a monitor size the iMac doesn't come in, and for those that want to upgrade their monitors on their terms when they want to. I already have my PC for this, but to have 2 machines in my home I could run the game on so that I could network game and still have my Mac to switch to for my more creative moments... I'd be in bliss. In fact, I might be less apt to upgrade my PC and more apt to buy more mini/Cube's if I can run Bootcamp on both and game on both. I'm sure there are others that would love for their low end Mac to be able to at least handle a game that was put on the market 4 years ago... the current Intel minis in many cases can't even do that. rFactor on anything Intel has put out in terms of GPU's of late has been beyond weak and it's not even that hardcore a game by today's standards! LoL My BFGTech NVidia 6600 OC 512 (mind you, top end of the 6000 series cards... hardly cutting edge) can handle it in DX9 with most options turned on without the thing stuttering, and that's on an AMD64 3400+ with 1 Gig RAM, the Mini's processor is considerably faster than it and it won't even run! LoL
 
Apple usually announces new product on Tuesday 5AM due to East coast time difference. This store close is very unusual. Or simply store maintains...
 
IVIIVI4ck3y27 said:
I have to agree 300%, while I was an immediate fan of the mini on launch I have always felt that it's size was more of a burden than an aid despite the general need for a headless desktop being there. I think Jobs screwed up with the original Cube, not so much on design but on the market and pricepoint for it.
Click to expand...

Great post. I've blogged about a similar scenario: Should Apple introduce a new Cube?

These lust products never turn out though :(
 
IVIIVI4ck3y27 said:
I have to agree 300%, while I was an immediate fan of the mini on launch I have always felt that it's size was more of a burden than an aid despite the general need for a headless desktop being there. I think Jobs screwed up with the original Cube, not so much on design but on the market and pricepoint for it. I've owned 3 minis (2 still living, one got killed when the logic board got nailed in a surge) but if I could get a Cube-like machine in terms of size, but with more of the guts of the current mini... but with a 7200 RPM 3.5" large capacity drive and decent on-board video (or how about integrated Intel GMA graphics with a laptop-style PCI-E socket for upgrades) and a Superdrive (which should be available across the board, regardless of if/when Blu-Ray is offered BTO), I'd be sold if it remained closer to the mini's pricepoint (which mind you, the enclosure of the Cube was bigger so it can handle the extra heat that the G4's were struggling with at that time, for an Intel Core2Duo, it'd be a non-factor and still have room for a nice SATA hard drive). Just the added hard drive capacity of a much larger desktop drive would help people who have massive iTunes or iPhoto collections out of the box, and the faster RPM's would help the system be all that much more snappy regardless of which CPU was chosen. For cost measures, the bottom of the SR barrel would make sense to keep unit costs down and sales up.

While I know some will say "this isn't a gaming machine..." ummm, with the launch of Bootcamp, more and more Mac users can now opt to leverage turning their PC's into a gaming machine since that's one of the arenas that Macs have lacked. Those PC converts... are not likely going to take too well to finding out that their quite expensive dwarf computer can't play games their 2-3 year old Dell does without a hiccup, so do you really want their first Mac experience to be their last? I mean... sure they love the MacOS, but umm... if it can't even casually game with 2-3 year old titles in Bootcamp... what the hell good is it really?

Giving it suitable graphics and capabilities for improvement to fit more people's needs (as you've eloquently suggested) negates one more element of the PC advantage and helps make it so that your old library of games isn't negated. It helps those that have a nice LCD and want a solid machine to accompany it, or for those like myself who have NEVER been an AIO fan and aren't remotely understanding the desirability of it... wires spaghetti-ing off of my desk or not, really don't care... I want a good desktop Mac for $1,000 or less. That said, while it's not necessarily marketed as a gaming Mac... and to be honest, what Mac truly ever has been marketed as a gaming machine, it still should be within Apple's focus to fill that void with their systems in a logical way to negate any arguments that face buying a Wintel box vs. a Mac with Windows in Bootcamp. It might be geared primarily towards serving Grandma Ethel and her ability to keep in touch with her nieces and nephews via email but... it could easily be more multifaceted and multipurpose and truly offer a broader range of product that suits more people's needs/wants. Whether gaming, mini server, chic portable workstation, whatever... that's better than "Oh yeah, that weak little entry-level Mac..."

The state of the current mini, it's so anemic in terms of graphics power that the next step up from a cheap mini is an $1200 AIO machine, or a $2200 mongo huge monster that with FB-DIMM's isn't a gaming threat either against comparable PC's. I could buy two mid-range Dell's (not XPS'es which are more for your upper echelon spenders, just as Alienware is... Apple has nothing for this market really, closest is the Mac Pro but once again... it's not a gaming machine either) with PCI-E slots and network game for the cost of 1 iMac. Sure it won't look as sexy, have as large a monitor, sure it won't be a Mac... but in the end, Apple does need to find a way to appeal to a broader range of the market just as they've done in the MP3 player market with the iPod. The iPod's do so much more, better, than most of their MP3 competitors. The Mac's, do a lot better... but there's still things they can't do, and in comparing Apple's to Winboxen... Apple can ill afford not taking it to the man and scribbling off the advantages of PC one by one.

Apple cut their lineup from ridiculous back in the 1990's down to the point where it's been so full of gaping holes warranting logical solutions to fill the gap, and due to the Mac's state of affairs... little has been done to fill those gaps. This year, I guess you can say Apple reinstituted the slimmed down and neutered laptop with the good ol' Duo... errr... MacBook Air. With optional optical drive, the only thing it needs is the iMac-like Dock that was pushed in rumors (remember the Duo Dock?) and I'd say it was reincarnated. I've never understood the Duo, understand the Air about as much, but hey... I'm not a laptop person in general. Give me an iPod touch with free Nationwide Wi-Fi (C'monnnnn Google, win the 700 Mhz. Spectrum), email access, and a copy of Skype mobile and I'll probably cut the cord on my cell phones altogether.

I think it's time that Apple rehashes the mini (i.e. make it more the size of AppleTV or the Time Capsule/Airport Extreme units), perhaps sell it as a new Cube (Jobs foretold once that the Cube was leaving but it might not be gone forever... I could see that form factor size/shape coming back) with Wireless N, Superdrives in both models, larger format desktop drives, USB 2 and Firewire and Bluetooth, and an integrated X3100 into the design. For top-level machines, give it a faster processor, more default RAM, and a PCI-E laptop-style socketed video card from NVidia or ATi and call it a day. You could even add a BTO option for Blu-Ray later on.

The current state of the mini is beyond sad, it was before the last update, and it still clinically is despite the processor performance... the rest of the machine was collectively ignored... with Dual Layer DVD-burners available for dirt cheap, at least a few bucks more than a much less used Combo drive (few PC mfg.'s are still selling these and what are generally are doing so in laptops, where they're still pushing Pentium 4 mobile and Celeron mobile processors)... Apple insists on keeping the Combo drives around to warrant the boost in price they charge for the up-level machine. Yet the darn things come with iDVD and iMovie with little logical output options unless you happen to have another Superdrive-equipped machine in your home. DUMB-DUMB-DUMB. I love Apple but... this is beyond stupid. Make it so mini users across the board can use iDVD and iMovie in unison. It's long past time.

I for one would love to have at least a moderately decent GPU, one capable enough of playing rFactor. I'm not expecting the mini/Cube to turn into an Alienware... sprout water cooling out the ying-yang, case fans, heat sinks, LED's all over the place... but it'd be nice to have a GPU for those that want to run on a monitor size the iMac doesn't come in, and for those that want to upgrade their monitors on their terms when they want to. I already have my PC for this, but to have 2 machines in my home I could run the game on so that I could network game and still have my Mac to switch to for my more creative moments... I'd be in bliss. In fact, I might be less apt to upgrade my PC and more apt to buy more mini/Cube's if I can run Bootcamp on both and game on both. I'm sure there are others that would love for their low end Mac to be able to at least handle a game that was put on the market 4 years ago... the current Intel minis in many cases can't even do that. rFactor on anything Intel has put out in terms of GPU's of late has been beyond weak and it's not even that hardcore a game by today's standards! LoL My BFGTech NVidia 6600 OC 512 (mind you, top end of the 6000 series cards... hardly cutting edge) can handle it in DX9 with most options turned on without the thing stuttering, and that's on an AMD64 3400+ with 1 Gig RAM, the Mini's processor is considerably faster than it and it won't even run! LoL
Click to expand...

MacGaming means Wii, 360, PS3 and maybe Blizzard. Get used to it.

I don't think there's much money in making pcgaming machines for Apple. Look at the pcs at your BestBuy. None of them have vid cards in them either.

If you want to pcgame then build a pc. GET a Macbook for your computing needs and then spend $500 to build a gaming pc that's as fast (for gaming at least) as a $3k Mac Pro.
 
VoodooDaddy said:
Ah yes, just my luck :rolleyes:

Just bought an iMac a few days ago. Getting my CD mini set to sell on Ebay and they are probably refreshing the line, meaning the bottom will totally fall out on the old models.
Click to expand...
I doubt its value will drop much. I've been watching for a good deal on a used mini and I continue to be amazed how high the eBay prices are; even the G4s. It doesn't make sense to buy used on eBay, when new is not much more money. So I might buy a new mini if they're upgraded soon.
 
Damnit! Now I won't be able to sleep! I've been waiting for them to update the iMac's before I made the switch from PC. Been keeping an eye on apple for the past month or so.. I REALLY _REALLY_ hope they update them tonight.. guh!

Sorry for the useless post.

pSc
 
tuc said:
Isn't this a bit early?

I thought it usually went down at 6ish (eastern time) and was down for only a couple of hours. Is that not right?
Click to expand...

Had the same thoughts... We will see!

--- Hoping for iMac update ---
 
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of fanless, cheap Mac Mini based on Intel Atom. Think about it:

Mini will always be the low-end machine. It will be fast enough to handle basic tasks, but that's about it. It's silent, inexpensive (well, not as much as it used to be) and elegant. How about improving those qualities further?

Intel Atom would allow Apple to lower the price of the machine. Atom is a cheap CPU, considerably cheaper than the current C2D. It's also VERY low power, maybe allowing for fanless operation.

Mini with Atom would be somewhat slower on the CPU-front as current Mini is, but it would still be "fast enough". And if they upgrade the graphics to X3100, it would compensate for the CPU somewhat in apps that need 3D-graphics. It would also have DVD-burner as standard (those don't cost any extra these days, so Apple could easily afford it. But what's important is that the computer would be considerably cheaper and fanless. Instead of costing $599 and up, prices could start at $399, or so At that price it would be so cheap that you could buy several of them. And think of the enterprise-use. Tiny, cheap, power-efficient, silent computer with no viruses or hassle?

I have to agree 300%, while I was an immediate fan of the mini on launch I have always felt that it's size was more of a burden than an aid despite the general need for a headless desktop being there. I think Jobs screwed up with the original Cube, not so much on design but on the market and pricepoint for it. I've owned 3 minis (2 still living, one got killed when the logic board got nailed in a surge) but if I could get a Cube-like machine in terms of size, but with more of the guts of the current mini... but with a 7200 RPM 3.5" large capacity drive and decent on-board video (or how about integrated Intel GMA graphics with a laptop-style PCI-E socket for upgrades) and a Superdrive (which should be available across the board, regardless of if/when Blu-Ray is offered BTO), I'd be sold if it remained closer to the mini's pricepoint (which mind you, the enclosure of the Cube was bigger so it can handle the extra heat that the G4's were struggling with at that time, for an Intel Core2Duo, it'd be a non-factor and still have room for a nice SATA hard drive). Just the added hard drive capacity of a much larger desktop drive would help people who have massive iTunes or iPhoto collections out of the box, and the faster RPM's would help the system be all that much more snappy regardless of which CPU was chosen. For cost measures, the bottom of the SR barrel would make sense to keep unit costs down and sales up.
Click to expand...

I agree. What I would like to see is for the current Mini to be pushed even cheaper with Intel Atom, while on the other hand we could get Cube v2. The new Cube would feature C2D-processor, 3.5" HD, X3100 and PCI-E expansion-slot. That way you could upgraqde the graphics to something better if you wanted to, or you could use the integrated graphics, while using the expansion-slot for something else. Prices for the "New Cube" could start at around $899 or so.

That would be be xMac lots of people (me included) have been hoping for.
 
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