Upgraded Mac Minis Confirmed by Apple

[mac-er]

once I got a 40gb iPod in a 40gb box but for some reason the cash register only brought it up as a 20gb. I saved $140!

And you didn't mention it? That is kind of dishonest.

I don't care what else you bought from them.
Spending a lot at a store doesn't entitle me to steal from them.

 

[Maxx Power]

And you didn't mention it? That is kind of dishonest.

I don't care what else you bought from them.
Spending a lot at a store doesn't entitle me to steal from them.

Dishonest ? That maybe, but I don't remember the corporations being honest with me when they released knowingly unsafe products, foods, drugs, services through loopholes in our legislative system, and I don't think it was ethical of them to take theri manufactoring and now call centers to thirdworld countries to exploit the lower wages, exchange rates, immature state laws, and the desperation of people in hunger, and I definitely don't think it's good for anyone who's still alive to treat the environment the way Apple, Dell, HP, etc do. I definitely don't support dishonesty, but I consider these acts based on the differentiated magnitude of wrong doings including dishonesty. You can set an example in yourself, but when you deal with a corporation and not a person, you are dealing with some entity that is fundamentally evil and won't learn anyway.

 

[NewbieNerd]

Dishonest ? That maybe, but I don't remember the corporations being honest with me when they released knowingly unsafe products, foods, drugs, services through loopholes in our legislative system, and I don't think it was ethical of them to take theri manufactoring and now call centers to thirdworld countries to exploit the lower wages, exchange rates, immature state laws, and the desperation of people in hunger, and I definitely don't think it's good for anyone who's still alive to treat the environment the way Apple, Dell, HP, etc do. I definitely don't support dishonesty, but I consider these acts based on the differentiated magnitude of wrong doings including dishonesty. You can set an example in yourself, but when you deal with a corporation and not a person, you are dealing with some entity that is fundamentally evil and won't learn anyway.

Wow, I come to read about the Mac Minis, and I end up reading some communist propoganda.

 

[Rootman]

Dishonest ? That maybe, but I don't remember the corporations being honest with me when they released knowingly unsafe products, foods, drugs, services through loopholes in our legislative system, and I don't think it was ethical of them to take theri manufactoring and now call centers to thirdworld countries to exploit the lower wages, exchange rates, immature state laws, and the desperation of people in hunger, and I definitely don't think it's good for anyone who's still alive to treat the environment the way Apple, Dell, HP, etc do. I definitely don't support dishonesty, but I consider these acts based on the differentiated magnitude of wrong doings including dishonesty. You can set an example in yourself, but when you deal with a corporation and not a person, you are dealing with some entity that is fundamentally evil and won't learn anyway.

What corporation? It was a store he cheated. Do you have something against stores? I'm bad if I open a computer store? Sheesh.

 

[elsiedee]

How can this be an incentive?

Let's put aside for the moment whether this is a good or bad marketing strategy and look at this from another point of view.

It has been said that this is supposed to be an incentive to help Apple clear out old stock. But how can this be an incentive if it's a secret? To be an incentive, you need to tell your prospective customers about it. How is this supposed to help clear out old inventory if Apple doesn't advertise it?

Sure, people who read rumor sites may have heard about it, but most Mac users and potential PC switchers probably don't read rumor sites. Those of us who do and who are aware of it are likely to take this as a sign that a new Mac Mini is imminent and decide to wait. Not exactly what Apple wants if this is truly supposed to help move old stock. Since it is unlikely that Apple will raise the price given the rumored specs, why buy now, pay the same amount and maybe get the old model when you can buy soon and be assured to get the new model for probably the same amount of money.

Apple has been doing some strange things lately.

 

[reflex]

They have already sold some upgraded models under the old part number/boxes, so they can't very well start a new part number now, it would be a nightmare for customer service.

The nightmare is with the current situation (same part number for both models). When they do officially release it, it would be best to have a new part number so that you can at least tell those apart from the older models. Less confusion that way, but it's already a mess.

 

[sjk]

To some extent, I agree. The position that you "get what you pay for, and possibly more as a nice surprise", is pretty reasonable. In fact, that was my initial reaction to all of this. But then I began thinking about it more and realizing I wouldn't like it at all if I were in the market for a Mac mini right now. I'd be pretty darn upset.

Understood. I put myself in that position too, however I guess I just don't react the same way as other people. Nothing wrong with either position though.

That's accurately summarizes how I think and feel about this issue.

I like being able to have a rational conversation and debate about such issues without other people resorting to insults and the like.

Yep, it's a relief when discussions don't devolve into mudslinging, etc.

I enjoy forum conversations most when people have time to read what's previously posted, respond to specific points, and keep forward momentum to topics with fresh thoughts instead of regurgitating old ones posted earlier in a thread. It's hard sustaining that kind of interactive conversational flow and focus in longer threads (like this one ) that inevitably end up with increasing redundancy, especially when late arrivals show up who aren't going to read dozens of previous posts before they post. 'Tis in the nature of this beast, just one of the properties inherent to most larger scale forums.

 

[reflex]

The majority of mini buyers aren't going to utilise the power of CoreImage but will definitely notice a choppy UI when they plug their 32MB graphics card into a 23" ACD.

Realistically speaking, how many people will plug a $600 computer into a $1500 screen? The 20" maybe, but it still costs more than the computer. There will be some, but not enough for this to be the reason for the video ram upgrade.

 

[oskar]

It has been said that this is supposed to be an incentive to help Apple clear out old stock. But how can this be an incentive if it's a secret? To be an incentive, you need to tell your prospective customers about it. How is this supposed to help clear out old inventory if Apple doesn't advertise it?

The original news/rumor said Apple hasn't officially announced the updates so people wouldn't know there are better Mac minis than the one they can buy. Somehow it doesn't make sense either, because if they are so overstocked, why wouldn't Apple simply wait a couple of months for the Mac mini to sell before mixing the updated ones?
I'm beginning to think this is either a way to get internet sites talking about them or it is indeed a very huge boxing mistake. I wonder if Apple will have something to say when they finally announce the updates.

 

[oskar]

once I got a 40gb iPod in a 40gb box but for some reason the cash register only brought it up as a 20gb. I saved $140!

Now now before you shame me for not correcting the clerk I've since bought my g5, a 19" monitor and my digital camera from the same store. So that $140 is a drop in the bucket campared to what else I've bought from them.

It was probably the store's mistake (not the wrong bar code or box) when they were cataloguing the iPods.
I wouldn't imagine anybody correcting a store that the price they're giving you is less than what it really costs. No need to feel too sorry. Stores usually can absorb those types of money losses. They probably just have to sell a couple more ipods to get that money back.
Anyways, you can be sure they realized the money was missing afterwards and will be more careful with the prices in the future.

EDIT: I'm not saying stores are evil as someone else said or that we should try to screw stores over, just that you're paying money anyways. It's not as if you were leaving with the iPod without paying a dime.

 

[dan-o-mac]

"Most retailers are pretty careful to make sure that what's on the box is what's inside and that the customer gets what they believe they are buying," Baker said. "It's a measure of trust. Whether it's better or worse isn't even necessarily the issue."

That quote is from cnet, and it pretty much sums up how I feel about this weird update. I'm not in the market fo a mini, but if I bought and recieved the current model while updated models were being released for the same price at the same time, there would definately be some trust issues as far as my next purchase. Could anyone image the uproar if the iPods were updated in this fashion?

 

[wdlove]

My hope is that this whole situation will be corrected this upcoming week. Sooner rather than later, like on Tuesday.

 

[Maxx Power]

Wow, I come to read about the Mac Minis, and I end up reading some communist propoganda.

Your choice of reading it or not, also your choice of insinuating whether or not I was rooting for communism.

 

[Maxx Power]

What corporation? It was a store he cheated. Do you have something against stores? I'm bad if I open a computer store? Sheesh.

A Store is always registered as a Ltd. or Corporation these days, which makes them corporate. Anyways, I was referring to Apple. You are not bad if you open a computer store, but if you start ditching all your responsibilities by making your store limited in responsibilities hence LTD, or corporational registration, then you become bad.

 

[Quartz Extreme]

Apple has never done anything like this before, because it really doesn't make any sense.

Why don't they do what has been done with other Mac speed bumps? Release the new models at the same price point and bump the older models to reduced prices.

It is a good enough upgrade; bumping the clock speed, taking the video memory to a respectable level and making standard the hard drive rotational speed standard at 5400 rpm...but this is a really poor way to go about doing so.

As a customer, you should know exactly what you are getting, regardless as to what anyone will say about any perceived ignorance of most people in the market for a Mac mini. You wouldn't expect Apple to have done this with iPods: "We're charging you $300, but....uhm, some of these iPods are 3G 15GB models, some are 4G 20GB models. It's a toss up. You may get lucky."

Hopefully, Apple can see the problem here, and this can all be sorted out.

 

[randy5]

Re: mac mini

I hope that Apple clarifies the mini mac specs soon, I would like to purchase a mini mac so that I can install some server software such as xmpp server and Akeni Enterprise IM server. As long as Apple can provide a definitive answer on the actual specs, most consumers would not complain.

 

[steve_hill4]

And you didn't mention it? That is kind of dishonest.

I don't care what else you bought from them.
Spending a lot at a store doesn't entitle me to steal from them.

I agree, and even if you claim it was the store's mistake and they should pick up the bill no matter, what for some bizarre reason you had to return the product to the store, (not in this case, but in general), and your receipt said one item and you are returning something different. Are you going to say they charged you for the wrong item and it's their fault? Even if you did say that, how many would believe you?

 

[1984]

Unlike other people, I actually hope Apple continues this practice. More frequent updates and the possibility of getting a higher specced machine sounds only good to me. Call me crazy.

Okay, you're crazy.

 

[shamino]

1) mac minis ain't in no corporate setting

Why not? It's more than powerful enough for running MS Office, which is all most people do with corporte computers.

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

I wonder if they'll introduce any sort of price drop when they make officialy the upgrade. Doubtful, I know, but a thought. Ultimately it would be nice to see minis starting out at $299 or $349 or something. Super-attractive price point.

 

[shamino]

Dishonest ? That maybe, but I don't remember the corporations being honest with me when they released knowingly unsafe products, foods, drugs, services through loopholes in our legislative system, and I don't think it was ethical of them to take theri manufactoring and now call centers to thirdworld countries to exploit the lower wages, exchange rates, immature state laws, and the desperation of people in hunger, and I definitely don't think it's good for anyone who's still alive to treat the environment the way Apple, Dell, HP, etc do. I definitely don't support dishonesty, but I consider these acts based on the differentiated magnitude of wrong doings including dishonesty. You can set an example in yourself, but when you deal with a corporation and not a person, you are dealing with some entity that is fundamentally evil and won't learn anyway.

So you believe it's OK to steal from stores if your disagree with the manufacturer's politics?

Please stay out of my town. We don't like thieves here.

 

[shamino]

A Store is always registered as a Ltd. or Corporation these days, which makes them corporate. Anyways, I was referring to Apple. You are not bad if you open a computer store, but if you start ditching all your responsibilities by making your store limited in responsibilities hence LTD, or corporational registration, then you become bad.

If Pa's harware store decides to take advantage of the legal benefits he's entitled to, you automatically declare him evil.

Tell me, do you also throw bombs through their windows?

 

[shamino]

Your choice of reading it or not, also your choice of insinuating whether or not I was rooting for communism.

No, you're just saying it's OK to steal from corporations, even if that "corporation" is a two-person business that's struggling to pay the rent.

 

[c2104338]

Why don't they do what has been done with other Mac speed bumps? Release the new models at the same price point and bump the older models to reduced prices.

i'm thinking that it may be because Apple don't have a big profit margin on the Mini. With two updates so close to each other it is likely that they are still trying to get rid of excess rev a. minis. If they marked down the current rev. b minis to accommodate the latest release they would need to further reduce the rev a. minis and then Apple might be losing money on each one sold. Maybe they just should of held out for a few more weeks without this "quiet" update and tried to get rid of as much stock as they could.

 

[Maxx Power]

No, you're just saying it's OK to steal from corporations, even if that "corporation" is a two-person business that's struggling to pay the rent.

Which makes them more forgivable than the poor 6 cents per hour labour people who made your iToy you bought from Pa's hardware, right ?