Sorry for the confusion... We don't use mini's to create these disks... I was thinking about the students that buy the disks. If a student gets a new mini, then they have to spend more money to see their show.
No more than they would have spent buying the last generation Mini.
Last generation w/ DVD: $699
Current generation w/o DVD + external DVD: $599 + $79.
This is reminiscent of people complaining when legacy ports were removed, then the floppy drive, and now the CD drive. There will always be people that will have difficulty adjusting to a once-common technology being retired. That's the nature of technology. For most it's a non-issue. After a while, it will be the norm.
I never liked them. They are very slow and very mechanical. Removing it removes a major point of failure. I'm all for it. All this tells me is that I should keep my external SuperDrive for the very-long forseeable future.
Sorry for the confusion... We don't use mini's to create these disks... I was thinking about the students that buy the disks. If a student gets a new mini, then they have to spend more money to see their show.
Okay, lets kill the "spend more" nonsense someone planted at the top of this thread already.
Apple DROPPED the price of the Mini by $100. If you still want an optical drive, you can get the SuperDrive for, you guessed it, $100. So you spent the same money, for a faster computer, however, with an external drive (which many might consider a better thing, since this is a desktop).
OTOH, your student could go buy a cheaper $20-$40 3rd party external drive on Newegg.com, and actually end up spending $60-$80 LESS. Alternatively, they could have another Windows or Mac PC in the house, and end up spending $100 less.
1. Some people only have one computer. Kinda hard to use remote disc without a second computer. So now the Mac Mini requires either a superdrive or another computer entirely to do the same thing its predecessor did?
2. Windows cannot be installed via remote disc
3. OS X has the built in capability to run Windows so, yes, it is a problem.
I never stated the purpose of selling a Mac was to run Bootcamp. That was NOT my argument at all.
If you don't mind the external drive you can use any USB DVD drive for 40 bucks you can buy at any electronics shop.
NOT so doable for those who wanted to use it as part of their home entertainment system....
Huh? External Drives cannot play DVDs anymore? Why can't you simply place your Superdrive right next to (or stack it with) your mini, and still be able to play your DVDs?
Has all common sense been driven out of this thread?
The price is $100 lower, it comes with dedicated graphics, and a 500 GB HDD on the base model - That's a damn fine compromise. No one's gonna use a SuperDrive for ripping CDs, DVDs or installing software anymore - That's why there's iTunes and the Mac App Store. However, when the Mac Pro's updated in the near future, they'll likely leave the SuperDrive or make it a configurable option at least.
Would have loved to pay the same price if they had added a 64/128GB SSD drive for OSX and a few often used apps. A SSD drive really would have been a killer feature!
Hmmm, sadly this is a very good point. Unless they crammed something equally valuable inside, the price should have come down a bit. So for those who do not opt for a second internal HDD or SDD, what is going to be in that space?
EDIT: Nevermind. Someone explained there was a price drop, so that's cool. I guess I don't pay enough attention to some of Apple's products/pricing like I should.
You don't need to pay attention to the pricing. However, if you are whining about how features were removed, while keeping the same price, it might be a good idea to check that the price was actually unchanged.
The new "Airs" and Minis" come with a new feature called Internet Recovery which allows you to install OS X Lion even if you have a failed or blank hard drive - right over the air.... it's pretty cool.
And for the record, the minis used to start at $699, now they're $100 cheaper.
Just another omission that makes the entry-level iMac look like a killer deal compared to the Mac Mini. In fact I'm pretty sure that's the only reason the Mac Mini exists at all. While it is great that the (more expensive) Mac Mini finally has dedicated graphics, why does it only have a dual-core 2.5Ghz instead of the quad-core 2.5Ghz chip found in the cheapest iMac? By the time you add a superdrive, 7200rpm hard drive and magic trackpad you're only $100 away from the cost of an iMac with 21.5" screen, twice as many processors and faster graphics.
The Mac Mini really only makes sense if the base configurations suit a person's needs; as soon as you start upgrading it becomes painfully overpriced.
The direction Apple takes IS the future of computing. Apple is innovative and produces top quality products. I am often disappointed with some of the things they do. Removal of the optical drive is one of these things. The direction of computing is cloud computing and streaming video. But if this were to go to every household today, I don't think it would work well. The infrastructure is not there. When we're all on fiber (at least to the drop at your house), then we've got bandwidth. Until then, DVDs are not going to go away. RedBox is a huge business as is Netflix. Netflix doesn't stream their latest titles and the streaming quality is not quite as good as the DVD. The Mac Mini is a great little device for playing DVDs. I suppose that if someone really wanted to play DVDs, then a $50 DVD player would accomplish the task. But to a TV, not a computer monitor. Several software manufacturers still distribute via CD, particularly business software. While I am disappointed that the optical drive has been removed from the Mac Mini, it probably will not make a real difference.
That's my point. They had a market and it could narrow down due to the spec changes and price.
The make mini is for the low-Enders. The bar has been raised for that group now
The Mac mini may be Apple's least expensive machine but it's not for the low-end customer, it's for the customer that values the svelte and simple design of the Mac mini. The lack of the ODD furthers that. To restate, the low-end buyers are not paying a premium for notebook-grade components in a desktop machine.
You don't need to pay attention to the pricing. However, if you are whining about how features were removed, while keeping the same price, it might be a good idea to check that the price was actually unchanged.
I don't whine about anything really, except when my wife keeps turning the thermostat up to save money while I am sweating. And even then, it's not so much a whine as a grumble.
As for your comment, when another poster led me to believe the price was the same without an optical drive, I was disappointed. Of course now I am aware that the price dropped $100, which is the right thing to do. Had Apple removed a major component and the price had stayed the same, then this would be a problem. Of course, this is now a moot point as the price did drop. So all is well.
I am not a fan of losing the Optical Drive. I wanted to upgrade my 2.0Ghz mini with a new on in my entertainment center. ( The old Mini will become a WEB/FTP server ). I still watch a lot of DVD's on the Mini connected to the TV. ( Got Rid of the bulky CD player ) I do not want a super drive adding clutter.....
I know a lot of people use these in entertainment centers, I am not sure that not having a Optical drive is a good thing....
With Software updates and having to download all of my apps from the internet now...will Steve pickup the tab for my increased internet data bandwidth usage charges?
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
With Software updates and having to download all of my apps from the internet now...will Steve pickup the tab for my increased internet data bandwidth usage charges?
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
There will be a USB for 69$ next month. That is, if your overages are 39$ for a couple gigabytes, I guess its a better deal.
With Software updates and having to download all of my apps from the internet now...will Steve pickup the tab for my increased internet data bandwidth usage charges?
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
Can't please everyone. Opt for something that's more akin to your needs. This is the direction Apple has chosen to take... Change waits for no one.
Comments
Sorry for the confusion... We don't use mini's to create these disks... I was thinking about the students that buy the disks. If a student gets a new mini, then they have to spend more money to see their show.
No more than they would have spent buying the last generation Mini.
Last generation w/ DVD: $699
Current generation w/o DVD + external DVD: $599 + $79.
I never liked them. They are very slow and very mechanical. Removing it removes a major point of failure. I'm all for it. All this tells me is that I should keep my external SuperDrive for the very-long forseeable future.
Everyone will adapt. It's inevitable.
Sorry for the confusion... We don't use mini's to create these disks... I was thinking about the students that buy the disks. If a student gets a new mini, then they have to spend more money to see their show.
Okay, lets kill the "spend more" nonsense someone planted at the top of this thread already.
Apple DROPPED the price of the Mini by $100. If you still want an optical drive, you can get the SuperDrive for, you guessed it, $100. So you spent the same money, for a faster computer, however, with an external drive (which many might consider a better thing, since this is a desktop).
OTOH, your student could go buy a cheaper $20-$40 3rd party external drive on Newegg.com, and actually end up spending $60-$80 LESS. Alternatively, they could have another Windows or Mac PC in the house, and end up spending $100 less.
The cost argument is nonsensical.
The mac mini has less hardware but is the same price.
If by same price you mean, $100 cheaper, yeah, its the same price.
Whats up with all the lies in this thread...
1. Some people only have one computer. Kinda hard to use remote disc without a second computer. So now the Mac Mini requires either a superdrive or another computer entirely to do the same thing its predecessor did?
2. Windows cannot be installed via remote disc
3. OS X has the built in capability to run Windows so, yes, it is a problem.
I never stated the purpose of selling a Mac was to run Bootcamp. That was NOT my argument at all.
If you don't mind the external drive you can use any USB DVD drive for 40 bucks you can buy at any electronics shop.
NOT so doable for those who wanted to use it as part of their home entertainment system....
Huh? External Drives cannot play DVDs anymore? Why can't you simply place your Superdrive right next to (or stack it with) your mini, and still be able to play your DVDs?
Has all common sense been driven out of this thread?
The price is $100 lower, it comes with dedicated graphics, and a 500 GB HDD on the base model - That's a damn fine compromise. No one's gonna use a SuperDrive for ripping CDs, DVDs or installing software anymore - That's why there's iTunes and the Mac App Store. However, when the Mac Pro's updated in the near future, they'll likely leave the SuperDrive or make it a configurable option at least.
Would have loved to pay the same price if they had added a 64/128GB SSD drive for OSX and a few often used apps. A SSD drive really would have been a killer feature!
Hmmm, sadly this is a very good point. Unless they crammed something equally valuable inside, the price should have come down a bit. So for those who do not opt for a second internal HDD or SDD, what is going to be in that space?
EDIT: Nevermind. Someone explained there was a price drop, so that's cool. I guess I don't pay enough attention to some of Apple's products/pricing like I should.
You don't need to pay attention to the pricing. However, if you are whining about how features were removed, while keeping the same price, it might be a good idea to check that the price was actually unchanged.
And for the record, the minis used to start at $699, now they're $100 cheaper.
The Mac Mini really only makes sense if the base configurations suit a person's needs; as soon as you start upgrading it becomes painfully overpriced.
...allows you to install OS X Lion even if you have a failed... ...hard drive...
I... don't think so.
I... don't think so.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
You better think again. You can boot directly from Apple's servers.
That's my point. They had a market and it could narrow down due to the spec changes and price.
The make mini is for the low-Enders. The bar has been raised for that group now
The Mac mini may be Apple's least expensive machine but it's not for the low-end customer, it's for the customer that values the svelte and simple design of the Mac mini. The lack of the ODD furthers that. To restate, the low-end buyers are not paying a premium for notebook-grade components in a desktop machine.
You don't need to pay attention to the pricing. However, if you are whining about how features were removed, while keeping the same price, it might be a good idea to check that the price was actually unchanged.
I don't whine about anything really, except when my wife keeps turning the thermostat up to save money while I am sweating. And even then, it's not so much a whine as a grumble.
As for your comment, when another poster led me to believe the price was the same without an optical drive, I was disappointed. Of course now I am aware that the price dropped $100, which is the right thing to do. Had Apple removed a major component and the price had stayed the same, then this would be a problem. Of course, this is now a moot point as the price did drop. So all is well.
I know a lot of people use these in entertainment centers, I am not sure that not having a Optical drive is a good thing....
I order a 2.66Mhz from the refurb site......
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
With Software updates and having to download all of my apps from the internet now...will Steve pickup the tab for my increased internet data bandwidth usage charges?
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
There will be a USB for 69$ next month. That is, if your overages are 39$ for a couple gigabytes, I guess its a better deal.
With Software updates and having to download all of my apps from the internet now...will Steve pickup the tab for my increased internet data bandwidth usage charges?
I know many people that are capped at 5gb. So Download Lion this month...opps gotta wait until next month to download iwork or ilife or adobe cs or whatever until next month or pay rediculous overage fees.
And forget it for any one that lives in a rural area without high speed.....insanity.
Can't please everyone. Opt for something that's more akin to your needs. This is the direction Apple has chosen to take... Change waits for no one.
Dropping the optical drive will allow them to overhaul the form factor. It will be interesting to see which direction they take this in.
Maybe a mini cube!!