Whispers Suggest a Mid November iMac and Mac Mini Updates

[cptrios]

I've seen several people posit that the new iMacs will adopt the same 9400/9600 gpus that the new MB/MBPs use...in that case, count me in to the refurb blitz. Unless the 9800 is at least an OPTION, there will be no new iMac for me.

Having said that...please please let November 10th be correct!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Trust me the two biggest problems with the XPS One is 1) It's a Dell 2) It runs Windows

But seriously, yes iMacs are kinda expensive but if you want to do what you want to do without walking out without your shirt and your child's education fund, not to mention gray hairs and minor psychosis, people would be better off with the iMac... But try to talk those clinging to their ill conceived prejudices towards the PC into a Mac... Yeah... I imagine you'd probably have as much success talking lemmings out of being premature worm food...

 

[Eidorian]

I've seen several people posit that the new iMacs will adopt the same 9400/9600 gpus that the new MB/MBPs use...in that case, count me in to the refurb blitz. Unless the 9800 is at least an OPTION, there will be no new iMac for me.

Having said that...please please let November 10th be correct!

9800 = 8800

 

[FrenchKheldar]

I agree 100%.....the problem is the average person doesn't understand. They look at price and specs.

Trust me the two biggest problems with the XPS One is 1) It's a Dell 2) It runs Windows

I wonder if Apple's quest to keep the iMac super thin is preventing them from putting in Quad Core CPUs?

-Kevin

Yes and $1700 for integrated Intel graphics, it's a bigger joke than Apple video card offering, and that's saying something !

 

[deadkenny]

So there is some hope that the Mini might see a bump. It wouldn't need much just the same specs the new Alu MB although the the white MB still around I guess that isn't going to happen.

As Steve Jobs said about the white MacBook "I think we're going keep selling these things for an awful long time."

Awful long = It can't end soon enough. As long as there is demand and/or they have many old parts to get rid off.
I doubt that a new Mac Mini would be based on that technology, especially because intel won't supply those Merom CPUs any longer and even the white MacBook Hardware is bound to that platform.

 

[TBR]

please update the mini

I need a new server/downloading/media machine and a mini is perfect, but it's just not worth the cash at the moment. But if it's upgraded it might be worth the cash and I'll be one of the first to order one.

 

[IndyGopher]

BTW: The Mini flunks on upgrading, a solid 'F' in my book. My old G5 Mini practically took a crow bar to get open!

The problem is, you were using a REAL crow bar, on an IMAGINARY computer. That almost never works.

(Emphasis (in quote) mine)

 

[aswitcher]

Merging the Apple TV and Mac Mini would for me be a great outcome.

 

[BenRoethig]

what about the Mac Pros?

You'll see them 2-6 months after The gainestown (DP server) variant of Nehalem is released.

 

[BenRoethig]

But even after all that 'goody bag stuff', it's still just another Dell box of parts. Dell can't touch the integration and 'out of the box' value of an iMac. Not at all... Sorry Mikey!

The XPS line is no mere Dell. To be honest, the XPS One has a lot of things i wish my iMac did.

 

[dronkert]

Considering the Dell XPS One just got updated with 24", Quad Core and 4GB of RAM, I hope Apple bumps the specs on the iMacs to compete.

AnandTech's conclusion is that the two product lines interweave wonderfully. From http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=3446 : "It seems as if Apple and Dell almost worked together to ensure that their pricepoints didn't overlap but rather complemented one another."

 

[MacsRgr8]

Merging the Apple TV and Mac Mini would for me be a great outcome.

Yes, but leaning more to a faster Mac mini than the Apple TV.

I use a Mac mini Core Duo as my all-in-one media centre ATM.
Front Row (with Perian), VLC, XBMC, DVD Player make it gr8. But... it does need more horsepower to be able to play all my 1080p (mkv, mov... whatever) files fluently to make it perfect.
Having a GeForce 9400 M and a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo with 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM from the MacBook will help!

 

[netnothing]

AnandTech's conclusion is that the two product lines interweave wonderfully. From http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=3446 : "It seems as if Apple and Dell almost worked together to ensure that their pricepoints didn't overlap but rather complemented one another."

Interesting read, thanks for sending that.

I'd have to agree with the assesments of the article. Still wouldn't ever buy the Dell though

I do have to agree, I'd like to see Apple move all the 24" models to 4GB RAM standard and a 750GB hard drive.

-Kevin

 

[plumbingandtech]

Originally Posted by plumbingandtech
Fudzilla.

Funny name for a site.

Reminds me of Godzilla, or worse, Wasilla.
I was wondering if I was the only one who couldn't get past that.

Seems like apple has gotten themselves on these 'release blast' schedules where they schedule product to be released month after month like clockwork.

Keeps their name in the news and keeps them on people's minds.

Long live fudzilla ://

Agreed. And a Nov. 11 would be a month from the last big apple event.

Looks like there are on that path for sure.


*Oh and my Original post was removed. Wonderful. It's not like I had a bad word or a Palindrone in it or anything.

 

[rstansby]

Considering the Dell XPS One just got updated with 24", Quad Core and 4GB of RAM, I hope Apple bumps the specs on the iMacs to compete.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsdt_one?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

-Kevin

Too bad Dell can't do anything to bump up the operating system on their computers so they can compete with the iMac.

 

[schneb]

I am ready and willing to buy today a Mac Midi.

DVI and HDMI out
New NVIDIA chipset
Separate Toslink/Analog support (yes, separate!)
2 Firewire 400 (at least)
Ethernet 100/1000
Upgradeable components (like the new MBPs)
4 USB slots in back and 1 in front
Small LCD for status info.
MagSafe power
WiFi and Bluetooth
Top load iPod Dock
SD Card slot

 

[Floris]

I am ready and willing to buy today a Mac Midi.

DVI and HDMI out
Separate Toslink/Analog support (yes, separate!)
2 Firewire 400 (at least)
Expandable components (like the new MBPs)
4 USB slots with 1 in front
Small LCD for status info.
MagSafe power
WiFi and Bluetooth
Top load iPod Dock

Mac Midi ? You mean Mini ?

I would not want a magsafe in a product that does not come with a battery.

 

[tom5304]

And the local Best Try doesn't have any prices out for their display iMacs. They also don't have any of the new notebooks on display and have no stock of them either. Why have Worst Try's sell Apple when they don't have much of anything for them at least in our local store. Will they end up dumping Apple like Circuit *hitty?

They do have the 'old' 17" MBP $700 off and the 'old' 15" MBP at $1599 and $1699.

Yeah, my local Best Buy (Pleasanton, CA) also has mostly out-of-date hardware in its Apple section, with really poor labeling. I can't imagine Steve Jobs would be too happy if he were ever to find himself in an actual Best Buy store...

 

[IlluminatedSage]

Several musings seems to have hinted at 17" MacBook Pro, and the MacPro desktop getting attention at MacWorld, after the first of the year.

It would make sense, to generate some Laptop buzz AFTER christmas, while MB and 15 MBP are generating it now, and perhaps iMac and Mac mini joining in.

I would think that MacPro would wait for i7 chipset revisions. Why not wait until 1st quarter for that? MacPro is hardly hurting now.

iMac and Mac Mini... I hope they get updated in November, and the sooner, the better.

iMac probably will get an invisible update. It will probably be physically indistinguishable from the current model, save for perhaps a vent, or a port difference. Maybe a higher resolution screen, or something...

Most of the changes will probably be upping it to equivalent equipment to the new laptops, Nvidia chipsets, and such.

I hope the Mac Mini gets a more thorough overhaul, and perhaps a bit of refreshed emphasis. Hopefully it is very configurable, from quality headless bargain value, to macbook Pro like stats, that can be configured to be more of a serious compact stationary machine, even if it is based on mobile parts. It should stretch upmarket a bit, should one want to pay for it, and hopefully dual-display capable, and hopefully capable of running 8GB of DDR3 someday in the future, if only 4-6GB now, like the MBP. Good hybridSLI graphics, or some sort of video system upgrade would be nice.

And I REALLY hope none of them lose Firewire. That would just be insulting to customers who use firewire equipment. MB losing it was bad enough.

I'd love to get an imac or 2 with blu-ray reading build in. option for BD burning also.

 

[schneb]

Mac Midi ? You mean Mini? I would not want a magsafe in a product that does not come with a battery.

I meant Midi, something in between a Mini and Pro.

The Mag safe would be to prevent accidentally kicking it off the desk. But perhaps you are right.

 

[Cleve]

But will they have firewire?

Poll going on over at 9to5mac.com
http://9to5mac.com/node/1602

 

[dohardthings]

there seems to be little info on this alleged release therefore i predict nothing until macworld

 

[Porco]

I might buy a mini if it has Firewire. It's a conundrum for Apple, because the minis have usually been last years' iBook / MacBook, but if they do that this time, the mini will be better served than the current MacBook for connectivity.

I'd guess they'll cripple it, because that seems to be their thing lately.

 

[Stridder44]

I bet the mini will be upgraded to x3100 graphics!

Im pretty sure it would share the MacBook's integrated graphics card.

And whoever mentioned the iMac's graphics card, the 9800 is the 8800.

 

[840quadra]

I am ready and willing to buy today a Mac Midi.

DVI and HDMI out
New NVIDIA chipset
Separate Toslink/Analog support (yes, separate!)
2 Firewire 400 (at least)
Ethernet 100/1000
Upgradeable components (like the new MBPs)
4 USB slots in back and 1 in front
Small LCD for status info.
MagSafe power
WiFi and Bluetooth
Top load iPod Dock
SD Card slot

In short, be prepaired for major disappointment if you are expecting all of that.

Honestly, I think you are dreaming if you are expecting all of that in a Mac Mini. I hope I am wrong in my thought process, however I would love to see extra ports / components but I think you are asking for quite a bit considering the fact that some of those items only exist on the Mac Pro, and others not at all.