Eating our words: Apple's Mac mini to rock on

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc.'s Mac mini, a tiny desktop system previously pegged for extinction, won't fade into the distance after all, at least not yet.

Last Memorial Day, AppleInsider cited sources in reporting that it appeared to be the end of the line for the itsy-bitsy Mac, which had seen limited adoption and an uncertain role during the first 24 months on the market.*

Since then, the product line has remained in a state of limbo, with subsequent updates consisting of minor component swaps that required little if any engineering effort.*

For the first time in nearly a year, however, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider there's new life in the Mac mini department, where a small team of engineers have recently been tasked with gutting the diminutive desktop and applying fresh internals.

Thanks partly to Intel's rapid phase out of previous generation Core 2 Duo mobile processors and associated components, the impending update will see the mini gain its most significant architectural overhaul since its transition from Motorola-made PowerPC processors to Intel chips back in February of 2006.

Among the improvements destined for the new lineup are 45-nanometer Core 2 Duo mobile chips starting at 2.1GHz with 3MB of shared L2 cache, an 800MHz front-side bus (up from 667MHz), and a step up to the same Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor employed by the existing line of 13-inch consumer MacBooks.*

Apple's long-term plans for the Mac mini remain a bit of an enigma given the limited attention and resources devoted to the product line in comparison to the company's other personal computer offerings. Nevertheless, the update to Intel's 45nm architecture should assure the mini a seat within the Mac maker's product line for another 12 months at the very least.*



While those people familiar with plans for the Mac mini were unclear on a precise release date for the forthcoming makeover, the Penryn-3M-based systems reportedly remained within the engineering build stage as of mid-month.*

Also on tap from Apple in the not too distant future are a refreshed line of all-in-one iMac desktops which will similarly shed their 65nm, second-generation Merom chips for Intel's new Penryn-based models ranging up to the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme.

International resellers have recently begun clearing stock of existing iMac models in anticipation of the update.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Bageljoey]

I never coveted the Mini (at least not for a computer in my house), but I was always glad it was there.
Therefore, I am happy that the reports of it's demise were premature.

Now all they have to do is come up with an iTablet and an xMac and everyone will be happy!

[Magic_Al]

The Mac mini would do well positioned as a Super Apple TV. In conjunction with EyeTV, wireless input, and digitally-connected TV and audio output, it's pretty cool. I call it the Sofa Mac. It should get a version of Front Row that does everything Apple TV Take Two does plus DVD playback that accesses more features of the DVD Player app (such as video zoom) and offers more seamless integration with EyeTV, or better yet a built-in TV tuner.

[zunx]

The Mac mini es the BEST Mac ever made. Bedroom quiet, yet powerful. I only wanted it had a couple of FireWire 800 ports and the option of a 7200 rpm disk (instead of the 5400 that it now has). Of course I also wanted an Apple Mini TOWER with dual quad core (octo core) and so on (no PCI slots needed), but that is another story.

[ajmas]

I eye the the Mac mini as an eventual replacement to my aging PowerMac G4. It is a nice size and offers everything that I would want out of a home server. In fact, if I could use this with time machine for all my other computers, this would be a bonus, since this would mean one better than the time capsule.

I once complained about the lack of video out, but given it is not possible to connect to many wide screen TVs with DVI, this is a minor point issue now. The only catch is that I would have to upgrade my TV.

All I need now is an official version of MacOS X Server for the home.

[obs1970]

The mini rocks. Even older PPC models get great pricing on Ebay. I am using one (core solo) as an Enhanced Apple TV. Digitized all the Kids' DVDs, our home videos, pictures. No more scratched DVDs, plus preview our entire library of films.
Soon, I'll have eye tv hooked to it with their h.264 turbo USB stick. No need for Tivo, monthly subscriptions, or poorly implemented DVR interfaces...

[Hal 9000]

This is great news. Don´t forget that Apple has to be able to say their least expensive computer is under $700.
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity

[mdriftmeyer]

Originally Posted by Hal 9000

This is great news. Don´t forget that Apple has to be able to say their least expensive computer is under $700.
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity

Buy an AppleTV. That HDMI port is for that market on the AppleTV.

[camroidv27]

Being a proud Mac Mini owner, I'm glad to hear that this machine may not yet see the death knell. In my home, the mac mini serves up as the powerhouse of the entire house. Print server for two printers, eye tv for my DVR, sync spot for my Windows Mobile device (don't sue me!), my media/iTunes server, video converter, regular file server, home security system, and rss display, all on a projector with surround sound using a Wiimote as my control device.
Oh, and this is a 1.42 PPC model running Leopard, and it does all this quite well! (True, I'm straining the poor little machine)

Anyhow, at some point I'd still like to upgrade this machine and get a newer intel version, and have been waiting till the Mini gets x3100 (not that its great, but better than the 950)

My biggest note to Apple would be this though: Go back to the original prices!! I can currently build a standard PC with the exact same specs as a mac mini for under $250. (and from what I've seen, the OSx86rs have been able to put OS X on that machine no problem... but that's illegal.)

The $600 price tag has been scaring me for a while now. That price needs to go back to 500 or less to get people interested in the tiny powerhouse again.

[mdriftmeyer]

Include a PCIExpress 2.0 slot and you'll have sales increase rapidly. This would require either a slim profile GPU or you modify the case design. I don't care. Do it and you'll see that market segment owned by Shuttle and Asus take a respectable hit.

It would require a new power supply as well.

[Alfiejr]

dude, AI was always wrong from the start last year about this. simply as a matter of pure business, Apple can never, ever, drop a headless low-end price Mac from its desktop computer product line up. that would totally kill any hope to get price-conscious business and home PC users from trying/switching to Mac. it's the cheap way to start, using the monitors and keyboards they already have. that how businesses think, you know. keeping costs to the minimum. they don't start with more costly iMacs (except maybe for the boss).

So the Mini is a necessary part of Apple's multi-pronged strategy to grow its share of the desktop market. and based on recent stats, it's working.

Apple's approach to the Mini has been constant - upgrade periodically with parts/technology that were first introduced on the other Mac computers, mainly the laptops. that keeps the manufacturing price down and the margin good. and it only takes a few engineers. so the Mini will always lag the rest of the product line technically by up to a year or so.

maybe if AI relied more on thinking clearly and less on insider rumors you would do better than such presumptive announcements as last year's prediction.

[troberts]

I guess this is the reason the MacBook was updated so quickly. Hopefully, Apple will stop treating the Mac mini like a second-class citizen because it is an "entry-level" model and start treating it like a first-class Mac that deserves to be kept up-to-date, just like the others. This means we get Penryn on Santa Rosa now, then Penryn on Montevina in another six months.

[ajmas]

Originally Posted by Hal 9000

This is great news. Don´t forget that Apple has to be able to say their least expensive computer is under $700.
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity

1 - You just need an adaptor: http://www.shopati.ca/product.asp?sku=3526142
2 - There is always the option of an external HD. There even some Mac mini shaped ones: http://www.123macmini.com/accessorie...nclosures.html

Edit: Hmm, looks like many of the items referred to by the link in point 2 are discontinued, but there are still one or two.

[JeffDM]

It sounds good. It's a low budget way to try the stuff out. I might not be using any Macs at all if it weren't for the $499 model for me to try it without much expense. Since then, I've spent several times that on a Power Mac and a Mac Pro.

[dhandler]

What many people outside of education circles fail to realize: that the Mini has proved to be a cost-effective alternative to the other headless Mac, the Mac Pro, in classroom settings.

Aging G3's and G4's have been replaced with Minis in situations where money for an additional monitor or keyboard was not warranted nor the need for Mac Pro heavy lifting (and pricing). Access to school servers, the Internet, and hooked to a video projector (and let's not forget the Mini's small footprint) made it an ideal replacement candidate. I for one am happy to see it will be around for a while.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer

Buy an AppleTV. That HDMI port is for that market on the AppleTV.

That's a very constrained system, compared to a mini.

[jono95]

I am hoping to get a mac for Christmas this year, but as i am only 13 i will properly get a mac mini. I would be really chuffed if this update were to happen as ideally i would want a macbook.

[bigpics]

Spec this sucker out and Apple could fork the options in two directions:

1. The above mentioned "sofa" Mac, as Apple TV's big brother -- and with -- here's an idea for y'all, the ability to receive wi-fi input from iPod Touches and iPhones, using their game-friendly accelerometers as Wii-like game controllers, because, as Wii proved, you don't need the latest, greatest fastest graphics to sell a lot of units and games, and as Apple has demonstrated, iPhones can operate kinesthetically-controlled games.....

...and a great, as suggested above, home server. And as, now an affordable entry point, for general home use, especially with better innards.

2. The "maxi-mini" beefed up with the few features it now lacks to have appeal as a general purpose business machine that won't break small and medium businesses budgets, will fit nearly any office, and by not being hooked to a built-in monitor, will fit into the CPU-replacement cycle (which are shorter than monitor replacement cycles) of larger businesses which are already being infiltrated by iPhones, MBA's and other Mac notebooks.

Not quite the xMac many still clamor for, but another stimulus to eventually release one -- I've often felt business demand is the key to such a product, and with its "new, transformational mobile computing platform" (multi-touch equipped iDevices), embrace of ActiveSync, etc., Apple is paying more and new attention to business customers..... ...and with snowballing market share, business, likewise is paying more attention to Apple.

[firevsh2o]

I will buy a mini with the specs of the new mac books when it arrives (250GB HD, 2GB RAM - up to 4GB possible)

My dream Mac would be the so called xMac with a real GPU.

With the new glossy screens on the iMac - that I hate - the Mini is the only Mac I can buy. So bring on the update Apple! (or give me a matte option on the iMac....!!!!)

[SpamSandwich]

Apple really should shoot for a $499 mini. There is a ton of growth on the low-end that Apple has simply been handing over to the PC world. Time to take it back.

[solipsism]

I wonder if the engineering team is enlarging it so a 3.5" HDD and space for a discrete GPU. Nah.

I do think that DVI will be replaced with DisplayPort on all their future systems.

[SpamSandwich]

Can you imagine a mini with a super thin "mini" display (a la the MB Air)? That would be a cool lookin' combo.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Can you imagine a mini with a super thin "mini" display (a la the MB Air)? That would be a cool lookin' combo.

I don't understand, could you elaborate?

[TokyoJimu]

Originally Posted by Alfiejr

it's the cheap way to start, using the monitors and keyboards they already have. that how businesses think, you know. keeping costs to the minimum. they don't start with more costly iMacs (except maybe for the boss).

Exactly! One of my clients (a telecom company) just switched all their desktops to Macs. Although the boss got a 24" iMac, everyone else had a Mac Mini swapped in and attached to their existing keyboard, mouse, monitor, and speakers.

So, although the Mac Mini may not appeal to serious Mac-heads, I never believed that Apple would discontinue it, as it allows businesses and schools to switch and still stay within their budget.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I don't understand, could you elaborate?

A small and super-thin monitor that would be sold as a companion piece for the mini. A... "thinny" monitor.

[nacnud]

I would love to replace my current PC with a mini, but I need a dvd burner and don't see why I have to pay £100 extra for this, ditch the combo drive please More storage would be nice but with 500 GB 2.5 drives one the way I can always drop one in later.

[troberts]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I do think that DVI will be replaced with DisplayPort on all their future systems.

DisplayPort will come with the Montevina Platform.

[ShinySteelRobot]

I had a Mac Mini and loved it. Gave it to my mom, and currently I'm using a MacBook, and I have a separate PC for games. But I'd happily ditch the PC and go with an all-Mac household again if:
1) Apple put a slot in the Mini for a discrete GPU expansion card
2) Apple allowed use of a standard 3.5" desktop 7200 rpm hard drive internally

The discrete mobile GPU would allow gamers (such as World of Warcraft players) to play their games at a good framerate. The current integrated 3100 graphics, like the 950 and 900 graphics before them, are really mediocre for games like WoW (i.e., borderline unplayable in some parts of the game).

Both of these changes would require increasing the case size a bit, but not dramatically so. It would be like a half-height Apple Cube, but without the pricey plexiglass enclosure!

Apple, are you listening?

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Apple really should shoot for a $499 mini. There is a ton of growth on the low-end that Apple has simply been handing over to the PC world. Time to take it back.

I agree. With all the chips that Intel have available it would seem possible for Apple to come up with a system to hit that price.

[nacnud]

Increase the footprint to that of the Apple TV?

[backtomac]

I gonna go out on a limb and predict that this will morph into an xMac thread by page 3.

[Guartho]

The mini!? Damn that thing. When oh when oh WHEN will Apple give us a true mid-range tower? Just a headless Mac with a little room to grow. Apple is so stupid for not doing this. I swear if they keep pushing high-margin all-in-ones instead of selling low-margin towers I'm going to quit liking them!

[jeffharris]

If the posted specs are real, my only question is will the new GPU be able to drive a Full-HD (1920x1080) HDTV?

For me, a Mac mini is a much better choice than TV. I'd be much more likely to use Netflix than iTunes for downloading movies. I don't use iPhoto or iTunes, except to load my iPod with a small selection of music from my collection. It would work real well next to the Blu-ray drive I intend to get within the next few months, too!

Since I've already got an Apple Wireless Keyboard and a wireless mouse, a full-tilt Mac with FireWire for connecting an external drive would be fantastic. I could dump all my photos and more on it.

Yeah, FireWire 800 would be a great addition... just swap a USB port for it ... but it ain't a-gonna happen.

[jeffharris]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

A small and super-thin monitor that would be sold as a companion piece for the mini. A... "thinny" monitor.

Here's a nice thinny that was just announced. Looks pretty good, except that it doesn't seem to support a VESA mount.

http://www.benq.com/products/LCD/?pr...&page=features

[stompy]

Originally Posted by ShinySteelRobot

if:
1) Apple put a slot in the Mini for a discrete GPU expansion card
2) Apple allowed use of a standard 3.5" desktop 7200 rpm hard drive internally

Both of these changes would require increasing the case size a bit, but not dramatically so. It would be like a half-height Apple Cube, but without the pricey plexiglass enclosure!

Apple, are you listening?

The most sensible change would be to put a 3.5" drive in the mini. Whenever this idea is repeated, the first thing that comes to my mind is the image of Jobs introducing the mini. The look on his face says "Can you believe this is the whole computer?"

Jobs + mini

A computer the width and depth of a TC would have been just as well received by everyone-- except Jobs.

[slapppy]

This is great news. For the budget conscious who already have a monitor from an older computer and switching to a Mac. Companies and schools. Glad Apple recognizes the need for the mini.

[ljocampo]

Originally Posted by bigpics

Spec this sucker out and Apple could fork the options in two directions:

1. The above mentioned "sofa" Mac, as Apple TV's big brother -- and with -- here's an idea for y'all, the ability to receive wi-fi input from iPod Touches and iPhones, using their game-friendly accelerometers as Wii-like game controllers, because, as Wii proved, you don't need the latest, greatest fastest graphics to sell a lot of units and games, and as Apple has demonstrated, iPhones can operate kinesthetically-controlled games.....

...and a great, as suggested above, home server. And as, now an affordable entry point, for general home use, especially with better innards.

2. The "maxi-mini" beefed up with the few features it now lacks to have appeal as a general purpose business machine that won't break small and medium businesses budgets, will fit nearly any office, and by not being hooked to a built-in monitor, will fit into the CPU-replacement cycle (which are shorter than monitor replacement cycles) of larger businesses which are already being infiltrated by iPhones, MBA's and other Mac notebooks.

Not quite the xMac many still clamor for, but another stimulus to eventually release one -- I've often felt business demand is the key to such a product, and with its "new, transformational mobile computing platform" (multi-touch equipped iDevices), embrace of ActiveSync, etc., Apple is paying more and new attention to business customers..... ...and with snowballing market share, business, likewise is paying more attention to Apple.

I do believe you're right on the money. Particularly in business, but it doesn't need to be max'ed out, the smaller the better for business. Think terminals and servers.

[polvadis]

I considered a Mini for a while but then found a deal on a used iMac and picked that up instead. But no matter how "cool" the Mac is, I can't seem to get away from my AMD PC. It's gotten to the point where I do all my Torrenting, movie watching via HDMI to TV, movie file converting, even iTunes, I simply do it more efficiently on my PC.

So to put it clearly, after giving a Mac a try, I'm simply not that impressed.

[GregAlexander]

Originally Posted by Magic_Al

The Mac mini would do well positioned as a Super Apple TV. In conjunction with EyeTV, wireless input, and digitally-connected TV and audio output, it's pretty cool. I call it the Sofa Mac. It should get a version of Front Row that does everything Apple TV Take Two does plus DVD playback that accesses more features of the DVD Player app (such as video zoom) and offers more seamless integration with EyeTV, or better yet a built-in TV tuner.

I'd like to see a similar future for AppleTV/MacMinis.
ie: the MacMini CAN act as a high end AppleTV if desired.

Originally Posted by jeffharris

If the posted specs are real, my only question is will the new GPU be able to drive a Full-HD (1920x1080) HDTV?

Good question. Anyone else know?
Also, it'd be good for the new MacMini to have HDMI. This then allows for copy protection and thus HD iTunes rentals - AND as a "high end AppleTV" the HDMI provides the digital audio to your TV/Amp. No extra ports required (I know, 3.5mm jack does optical too).

ps. I'd also go further and say I want a super low-end Mac with an okay graphics card and very little internal processing power to act as a remote Mac terminal to another Mac in the house. Basically the AppleTV running Remote Desktop parallel to another user on the remote machine). Then I could very cheaply have a virtual second Mac.

[minderbinder]

The smartest thing they could do would be to dump the form factor and make the damn thing big enough to use desktop parts, specifically a 3.5 hard drive and a desktop optical drive. But they haven't ever been smart with this model.

At the very least, up the ram. And dual monitor support would be huge.

I have a mini and I like it, but I have to admit I'd rather see apple just dump the model in favor of a larger (and better...and probably cheaper as well) unit.