No new Mac Mini or iMac - Page 2

You pretty much know that the PC world follows Intel in lockstep. With Apple, not so much.

Contrary to your assertion, many manufactures do release near a major tradeshow or at least SHOW what's in the pipeline. Notice the current CES coverage at the major tech sites? There are quite a few new laptops appearing. The HP Firebirds just released. Lenovo launched it's AIO. Sony has a new laptop on Jan 9th. Ballmer is going to talk Win 7 tomorrow.

The current dissatisfaction is with the mini needing a badly needed update. Pre annoncing one even in Feb or March would have been fine. At least then we KNOW it's in the pipeline somewhere.

Listen guys, I'm disappointed as anybody that the last MWSF turned out to be a Software Show.
(except for that thing with the permanent battery.)

But there is a clear bright side.

#1 We got a bundled OS + iApps deal, which people here have been asking for forever.
#2 Matte screens are back.
#3 DRM in Music is gone. (DRM in Blu-Ray must go next, or it should die. )
#4 iMovie has been fixed and is now usable again.

#4 We have a timeline for new Macs. iLife will ship to retailers at the end of the month. Apple is likely holding back new releases until iLife '09 can be preloaded. This means the first new machines may be ready in as little two weeks or so.

In the past it seems like Apple will wait about a month before releasing a new product.

They like to let the newly released product have the limelight all to itself.

Maybe this time will be different. Maybe not.

I'm disappointed in no new mini update, but really, the two I have, are, as of this minute, still working..

So no biggie.

at SOME point this year there WILL be an update.

I might spring for a macbook or a quad iMac in the mean time though, we will see.

Those core i7 models aren't mobile cpu's as far as I am aware of.


They are out all year round actually.


I wouldn't say that's the only reason, but it is a valid one. They shouldn't feel pressurized to announce new products at the same event every year. I also feel that Apple should focus on CES instead.


No it needs a complete overhaul. Not necessarily the case, but it needs a non-intel GPU, new fsb / chipset, more ram expandibility, superdrive across the line, and faster CPUs. A new case would be nice but not required. It shouldn't be that hard to change your ram!

+1 on the matte screens. I was literally jumping up and down when I heard that. That is my only bitch about the new macbook pros. +1 on non-DRM too. Maybe i'll actually be inclined to buy from them now. Probably not though, as I like the highest quality mp3 possible. I usually buy cds and conver the songs to apple lossless.

Nope. We're not going to see Core i7, or any Nehalem derivatives, in the iMac until Intel goes to 32nm in 2010.

Why is that? If it's low power / low heat enough why wouldn't they upgrade to nehalem as soon as possible? Or are you saying there won't be any mobile core i7's until 2010?

True, but usually they release a mainstream product at MacWorld. A $3000. laptop isn't exactly mainstream.

I can't see Apple holding back iMac, Mini or Pro updates in favour of the 17" MBP.

I couldn't see them waiting two years to update the mini.

Ugghhh, I have cash waiting for a new iMac, but I'm not buying until they upgrade. I was really hoping to spend some money today.

As is mine except for ONE little thing... "Spore" cannot be played on GMA950. My kids love the game, and I've got to let them play on the adults iMac, because it won't run on the kids' Mini.

I'd have gotten a new Mini today if it had been bumped to 9400M !!! (I can only assume when that upgrade finally comes it'll include a faster C2D as well.)

The question is, will apple continue this deal when Snow Leopard is released? I have serious doubts.

I don't see why not. Seems like a long term thing to me.

It's not low power/low heat enough. That's the problem. And Intel keeps pushing the mobile version back again and again- first it was Q2, then it was Q3, now it's Q4 09. Which, conveniently, is also when they say they'll start transitioning to 32nm.

Middle of this year Intel will start selling a cheaper "mainstream" desktop Nehalem (Core i5 is what it's rumored to be called), which will be a new stepping that will surely run cooler. We'll have to see about that.

Or, yes, that nutty rumor about a 28" iMac could be true. Apple could probably engineer such a monster to hold a hotter processor.

But the quad that is rumored to be in the 28" imac is mobile or desktop? I don't see apple using desktop processors at all. I didn't realize intel was that far behind on the mobile versions of the proc. That sucks. Least we know now.

My guess is that Apple wants the new iMacs and Minis to come out with Snow Leopard.

Iol, I freakin' hope not. That would put them off until mid to late 2009. That would be unprecedented insanity, even for Apple.

I don't see that happening at all. If anything, from a business decision it'd be wiser for apple to launch the mini with leopard pre-installed to try and grab some snow leopard upgrades. I feel the Mini will be updated any day now. It's not like the hardware isn't there. We have the cpus, ram, gpus, harddrives. It's coming, it will be here when it's ready.

The iMac on the other hand is kind of in a weird position. They don't HAVE to update it, but it would be nice. I expect an iMac refresh no later than march.

In June 2008, Steve Jobs said that Snow Leopard will be released in about a year. So that makes Apple's deadline to be around June 2009.

But the key word here is "about".

Apple will want to make it appear that they are ahead of schedule. Plus, they want to be ahead of Windows 7 to grab market share before the new version comes out.

So its quite possible that the release of Snow Leopard would be ahead of June and maybe even months ahead of June. This would time perfectly with a new iMac and Mac Mini.

Judging from the amount of developer seeds that have been going on with Snow Leopard, I'd say it's a safe bet that it's still far out. I still think June is a safe bet. While you say that

... Apple has made it very obvious that they would rather ship a stable OS then worry about what windows is doing. Leopard was put off another 9 months months, and was heavily criticised because M$ did the same thing. It is more important to apple to have a stable OS then having a huge mess on their hands.

I also don't see Snow Leopard being an attraction to gain marketshare. A lot of consumers have no idea what the difference is between leopard and snow leopard). All they will know is the names and numbers are different. If you try to explain to joe blow the differences, it isn't going to sell them to convert to OS X. Most consumers don't even understand what a process or thread is. All you can say is it's faster, has some under the hood changes, and it's pretty. It's not going to be a deal breaker in mass quantities. More than anything apple wants this to be a good foundation for the next revision. A tick-tock schedule much like Intel does.

This kind of thinking is setting yourself up for disappointment. Past experience shows pretty definitively that when Apple gives an expected release date, it is as accurate as they can estimate. If something unexpected comes up during development, it WILL be late.

Therefore, the more realistic interpretation of the "about" is June 2009 or later, not June 2009 or earlier.

not really bothered. Its Apple's decision when they want to release products, seems to be dictated now by the community not Apple them selves, which i guess is another reason they are ditching mac world because it puts pressure on them to have products ready for then.

I am however a little pissed that i bought iwork 9 days ago and cant see an upgrade price

oh well.

Why insist on calling them "Desktop" and "Mobile" chips? Let's be more realistic and realize that there are "Hot/Powerhungry" chips, that are by their nature the highest performance available. Then there are "Cool/Efficient" chips, which happen to be a bit slower. Either one could be put in any platform. Perhaps this serves to show why Apple makes the choices they do. They are more concerned with efficiency and form (heat issues) than with making sure that you have more power t your disposal than you will use.

I would say it is a good bet that Apple will have a special event within a month, they have been making the trade shows less important to the product updates for some time and this fits with that strategy. Also it is a good bet that they will not wait till WWDC for the release of the Mini, PM, and iMac. So the question is which if any of these would warrant a "silent" update and which would need a special event? I would say the iMac update gets a special event, the PM update will be later and could be a simple press release. The Mini could piggy back the iMac or be a silent, not sure on this one.

Nehalem Xenon chips are due in March.

I predict there will be a special event in March, or late February at the earliest, and the entire desktop line up will get updated.

And that'll be it for year for desktop machines. The laptops will get a refresh in the fall.

Tell them you didn't agree to the software agreement and want your money back.

Everyone who's on a mac should know iWork and iLife 09 virtually every jan by now.

It's funny that Apple chooses to update JUST their MOST EXPENSIVE, FLAGSHIP PORTABLE in the midst of the recession... Hmm... something tells me they'd sell a lot more iMacs or Minis.

I, for one, am ready to buy a new iMac. When Snow Leopard is out, so should a new iMac, and at that point, I'll get one. Prolly a 20" or 24" depending on screen quality; 28 inches is just overkill for me.

Most people are in agreement that the next iMac and mini will be using the MCP79 chipset with integrated graphics, right? But coupling it with a separate graphics chip does not make sense in a desktop.
Its primary advantage in a laptop is to be able to switch to it (albeit inconveniently) to conserve battery power. great. makes perfect sense for a laptop. However, not so much for a desktop which gets a constant direct power source and is never on battery power.

Now, the iMac 24" uses a graphics card called the MXM that connects to the system like a PCIe slot in a regular desktop (16 x to boot). What if they put that slot in all the iMacs and minis? The higher end configs would have it populated with a nice graphics card while the lower end ones can do just fine with the integrated 9400M. Then Apple would have a BTO option with one or several graphics options.

Bring the Mac mini to the Apple TV footprint and make it 50% taller and give the same 8GB ceiling the MBP 17 has and you'll have yourself a nice semi upgradable home media machine.

Which is likely why you haven't seen one. Typically it takes about 2yrs if they're going to totally redesign a computer. Why they don't update it in between is beyond me, but its not going to fix anything by bitching up a storm here. I really wonder how many people bitching on this forum was really going to buy one? I know there are a few, but really how many? Some people are just bitching just to have something to bitch about after a keynote. Happens on every forum after every keynote no matter what (or wasn't) announced.

My guess is either Apple doesn't really care about the MacMini and is just letting it run its course, or they're waiting on something that hasn't been released yet. As much as I think the current MacMini sucks, they shouldn't let it totally die as otherwise it puts Apple's cheapest Mac at $999 (White MacBook). However, Apple's best selling Mac is priced at $1299 (MacBook) so maybe it wouldn't matter either way.

Finally...Apple is NEVER going to tell you when its releasing future products. They simply aren't going to do it. They never have, so why start now? To some extent not very companies tell you when things are going to be released before they're actually announced.

Apple might host a special hardware event for the:

1. Mac mini - Rumor has it getting more than just updated internals.
2. iMac - Rumor has a new 28" model using a Core i7 (a.k.a. Nehalem) processor.
3. Mac Pro - Internals updated with a slight case redesign
4. Cinema Displays - 24" model for notebooks (currently selling) and 24", 28", and 32" models for the desktops.
5. Xserve - These are due for an update. I do not see Apple waiting for "Snow Leopard" before updating them.

Maybe we will get lucky and Apple will talk about "Snow Leopard".

Good point. People's wallets are tightening up. Seems like when you have pent up demand for a lower cost product like the mini, you would WANT to release an update.

Even my company is now holding off on all purchases. And we did have a CER in for the new MBP 17.

Ooh ooh! Me me me. I didn't really expect Blu-ray playback though, I was just hoping. I did expect a speed-bump though. But I didn't have to pay full price for the current mini and the one I ordered will do what I need and that's what's important.

Sorry to those of you that are still waiting, but I hope it stays un-updated for little while longer so I don't have to feel like a chump. Yes, I am immature and selfish enough for that. It should be here Monday. What are the odds of an update exactly 1 week after the keynote?

With a 14 day time frame for returning your new purchase, I'd say an update TWO weeks after the keynote is more likely.

It is just like a Greener Apple to recycle its own advice; it applies just as much after a MacWorld keynote as before it!

Honestly, remember last year's flurry of announcements that basically filled the month of January and the typical special event in Feb/Mar. There is plenty of time for more news before winter is out. . . .

In the meantime, I have a PowerBook 180c if someone needs a computer to borrow while you are waiting.

For the mini it is likely. For the iMac they have more options. In either case they might go for a souped up version for the desktop. It all depends on how much performance can be wrung out of a up clocked 9400M before heat becomes an issue.

Oh but it makes a huge difference in the context of Apples future support of OpenCL. With the 9400M that gives Apple 16 vector / math cores to work with. These are cores that are close to the main processor and are likely not loaded down by the main GPU.

You see OpenCL is a neat concept as long as there are core to exploit. Sometimes that is a problem on a heavily loaded GPU.

I think you are to hung up on the laptop environment to see a possible different set of advantages on the desktop. Think in terms of what the future OSes and Apps might do. In a way some of this is just speculation because we don't know how far Apple is going to go with OpenCL initially. There is a very good potential for them to adopt it extensively just like they did Alt-Vec in it's day. So all sorts of components in Mac OS/X could end up being pushed off to the integrated GPU. It is up to Apple and frankly would likely be implemented over time.

For Apple there are lots of disadvantages. For one thing soldered in components lead to reliable machines with lower warranty costs. Second; the more cards Apple has to support the more drivers it has to maintain and debut against.

In any event I think Apples partnership with Nvidia means wide adoption of the 9400M on all lower end platforms.

I'd like to see that myself. Mostly to bulk up on disk space. Apple is shooting some of it's other businesses in the foot with the small harddrives it ships. My MBP is already stuffed.

I'd like to see 8GB max to but this is where I really see Apple going stupid. It is likely the Mini will have artificial constraints on memory size. IMac on the other hand coulg go big. I still believe Apple can do i7 in the iMac and lead that machine into a new era.


Dave

That's a really good point. Thanks for the insight!

I see this as a way of preemptively recouping from low sales on Snow Leopard. I would imagine that Apple is worried about not getting a lot of upgraders to Snow Leopard since there are few "exciting" general use features as there was in Tiger and Leopard, they are hoping to make a little extra cash getting people to upgrade from Tiger to Leopard if nothing else. By the way, hold your fire, I am excited about Snow Leopard's optimizations as most of you are, I am just saying that there is not a lot of eye candy in 10.6. I am simply saying that once Snow Leopard comes out, I believe that the package software upgrade with be done with.

Of course, I would love to be proven wrong. . . .