Well, looks like I was wrong about the dual display outputs. I figured Apple would simply bundle a Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter with each Mac mini, but now I'm guessing they'll just include the cheaper mini DVI-to-DVI adapter. I'm a bit surprised they didn't change the plastic from white to black, but then again, there is a white iPhone 3G.
The fact it doesn't look much minier (i.e., smaller) or really different at all, should remind people that Apple has very little incentive to make this Mac any more appealing than it already is. It's 1) not very profitable and 2) competing in the saturated, sub $1000 computer market. The mini is targeted at hesitant switchers and to make Apple's entire Mac line seem more affordable, in contrast to the alternative of every Mac being $1000 and up. It's also used as an embedded system for hotels and cruise ships and for businesses who want a Mac test drive (and perhaps some underfunded schools as well).
In addition, it's new FW800 port should strengthen the argument that the MacBook's lack of Firewire altogether was likely due to space constraints first, and MacBook Pro up-sells second. And who knows, maybe FW800 will reemerge on future MacBooks, just as the first Intel MacBook Pros lost FW800 and then regained it.
As usual, if it's real Apple will have it removed.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
As usual, if it's real Apple will have it removed.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Most minis are actually purchased by corporations for use in server and processing farms (Microsoft uses hundreds of minis to run the builds and automated tests of their Mac software). It matters very little what they look like. But if this video isn't fake then Apple are clearly continuing to aim at cost-sensitive PC users with this thing.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Most minis are actually purchased by corporations for use in server and processing farms (Microsoft uses hundreds of minis to run the builds and automated tests of their Mac software). It matters very little what they look like. But if this video isn't fake then Apple are clearly continuing to aim at cost-sensitive PC users with this thing.
Percentage? Link?
I have nothing to back this up but I'd be very surprised if your assertion is true.
I'd be very surprised if the final product would have a white top surface. It will be black - like all others these days.
It is possible that this is a prototype model that Apple at some point thought of releasing.
Or will we get both?
Unless Apple will do both, i.e. completely re-design the mini like they did with the MacBook, but keep the old white model with low-end specs for the really cheap price.
And what we're looking is the 'new' mini equivalent of the current white low-end MacBook model. While there will also be a new unibody Mac mini with black features at slightly higher prices.
Don't forget, Matt, that the Apple keyboard has two USB ports. So, if you plug the Apple keyboard into one USB port, on the Mac Mini, you'll have two USB ports on the keyboard, and you'll only need two more, making it three total, on the Mac Mini.
I use a Logitech keyboard/mouse with my mini so I don't have the extra ports.
Can't wait for wireless USB, that way I could have 2+ USB ports in my wireless keyboard.
I bought the first mac mini model because my new Epson R1800 required OSX drivers. (That mini has two USB and one FW 400 port) It is 1.25 GHz PowerPC with a 167 MHz bus. I love the quiet little box! Very soon afterward, I added a NewerTech MiniStack for storage and the additional ports.
(The MiniStack is also the scratch disk for Photoshop.)
Five USB ports is what I use now:
Keyboard/mouse (some USB devices need more than keyboard power)
External drive (faster) uses one FW and one USB
External DVD burner (faster)
Printer
Flash memory/card reader
If these new specs are true, the 2009 mini would be:
6X faster bus speed
2X RAM
2X FW
Dual Core Intel at nearly 2X GHz (certainly faster)
Now we know that the original image was NOT Photoshopped, so the "expert" who said it was photoshopped based upon macroblocking, and artifacts and crooked USB ports, is an idiot. The macroblocks is an artifact of the Bayer pattern around solid colors.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
all i want on my imac is hdmi and how bout blueray if possible, that would be nice
HDMI only supports 1920 x 1080.
Any display of 24" or larger support 1920 a 1200 resolution, or more, and would NOT be fully supported by HDMI. DVI covers a much larger array of display possibilities than HDMI.
HDMI also transfers audio, but since the mini is considered a computer and not (necessarily) a multi-media type of device, it doesn't really make much sense to include it. Also, isn't one of HDMI's selling points copy protection/DRM?
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
Black plastic doesn't match either the Airport Extreme, Time Capsule or the TV.
So, maybe the Mac mini is being repositioned as something somewhat apart from the computer lineup? OR a thing that straddles the line between the computers and the media/network/backup devices?
For me, the mini would be PERFECT (if it had a DECENT video card) to strap to the back of my HDTV. In other words, a PERFECT compliment to my Mac network, Blu-ray player and audio system. TV is a crippled and limited device for me.
A mini with a REAL video card would be a kick-ass media handler for my wants. I don't actually NEED any of it!
boring. boring. boring. fine for those who want an entry level machine, of course. but, i want a new mac cube! 1 quad core processor, up to 8gb of ram, imac level nvidia graphics, and up to 1tb 7200rpm drive. please! i cant afford a mac pro, dont need all that empty space for expansion anyway. but, i already have drives keyboard and monitor... i just need a decent little box for graphic design. at the least, give me top-of-the-line imac specs in my box (and, use use of full 4gb of ram). and, make it $999. i would pay that in a heartbeat. bring back the cube!
They really don't put much effort in to the poor old Mini do they? I guess it's logical. It's a budget computer, so it gets budget industrial design. You gets what you pays for.
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
Yeah. I can see them keeping the same square shape so as to make it fit in the same racks the originals do, and having opened a few of them up I can see (maybe) not making it any thinner because the originals are fairly crammed inside and maybe it isn't possible. But why not change *something* about the top. Keeping it the same just makes it look old.
What I am having a hard time getting my head around is the fact that if all they were going to do is upgrade the components, why not do this a while ago? Why wait a year and a half and then come out with the same design? If they are going to keep the design the same, they should be upgrading the components much more frequently. If they are going to imitate Dell, do it right.
Maybe the slightly different appearing top is because it's easier to open and swap stuff out? But then why a slot loading drive? And you'd have to take the optical drive out through the top to get at the HD anyway unless it's stuck to the top when you remove it.
Comments
The fact it doesn't look much minier (i.e., smaller) or really different at all, should remind people that Apple has very little incentive to make this Mac any more appealing than it already is. It's 1) not very profitable and 2) competing in the saturated, sub $1000 computer market. The mini is targeted at hesitant switchers and to make Apple's entire Mac line seem more affordable, in contrast to the alternative of every Mac being $1000 and up. It's also used as an embedded system for hotels and cruise ships and for businesses who want a Mac test drive (and perhaps some underfunded schools as well).
In addition, it's new FW800 port should strengthen the argument that the MacBook's lack of Firewire altogether was likely due to space constraints first, and MacBook Pro up-sells second. And who knows, maybe FW800 will reemerge on future MacBooks, just as the first Intel MacBook Pros lost FW800 and then regained it.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
on that site.
As usual, if it's real Apple will have it removed.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
Oh really?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/05/i...eal-spy-photo/
Apple also didn't stop XSKN from advertising cases of the then unannounced iPhone 3G.
Apple's learned that when they instruct sites to take down spy shots of products, they are inadvertently confirming whatever it is actually exists.
My opinion is that there's no way Apple is going to use the same materials and look that it has for the past 4 years and this machine does not fit in with Apple's other products.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Most minis are actually purchased by corporations for use in server and processing farms (Microsoft uses hundreds of minis to run the builds and automated tests of their Mac software). It matters very little what they look like. But if this video isn't fake then Apple are clearly continuing to aim at cost-sensitive PC users with this thing.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Most minis are actually purchased by corporations for use in server and processing farms (Microsoft uses hundreds of minis to run the builds and automated tests of their Mac software). It matters very little what they look like. But if this video isn't fake then Apple are clearly continuing to aim at cost-sensitive PC users with this thing.
Percentage? Link?
I have nothing to back this up but I'd be very surprised if your assertion is true.
It is possible that this is a prototype model that Apple at some point thought of releasing.
Or will we get both?
Unless Apple will do both, i.e. completely re-design the mini like they did with the MacBook, but keep the old white model with low-end specs for the really cheap price.
And what we're looking is the 'new' mini equivalent of the current white low-end MacBook model. While there will also be a new unibody Mac mini with black features at slightly higher prices.
Don't forget, Matt, that the Apple keyboard has two USB ports. So, if you plug the Apple keyboard into one USB port, on the Mac Mini, you'll have two USB ports on the keyboard, and you'll only need two more, making it three total, on the Mac Mini.
I use a Logitech keyboard/mouse with my mini so I don't have the extra ports.
Can't wait for wireless USB, that way I could have 2+ USB ports in my wireless keyboard.
-Matt
(The MiniStack is also the scratch disk for Photoshop.)
Five USB ports is what I use now:
Keyboard/mouse (some USB devices need more than keyboard power)
External drive (faster) uses one FW and one USB
External DVD burner (faster)
Printer
Flash memory/card reader
If these new specs are true, the 2009 mini would be:
6X faster bus speed
2X RAM
2X FW
Dual Core Intel at nearly 2X GHz (certainly faster)
Snow Leopard will not support PowerPC.
I may be salivating.
Apple gets sales, people who want to use mini as media computer are happy, albeit with lighter wallets.
They're not going to create an aluminum unibody Mac mini just so it matches their laptops. The mini is their econo-model, they're going to manufacture it as cheaply as possible.
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
The lid/top looks different to me also.
And let me be the first to say that if this is real .... yawn, yawn, yawn.
I'd add YAWN YAWN YAWN to that. It would be SHOCKING if this is the enclosure.
all i want on my imac is hdmi and how bout blueray if possible, that would be nice
HDMI only supports 1920 x 1080.
Any display of 24" or larger support 1920 a 1200 resolution, or more, and would NOT be fully supported by HDMI. DVI covers a much larger array of display possibilities than HDMI.
HDMI also transfers audio, but since the mini is considered a computer and not (necessarily) a multi-media type of device, it doesn't really make much sense to include it. Also, isn't one of HDMI's selling points copy protection/DRM?
Keep it, I say!
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
Black plastic doesn't match either the Airport Extreme, Time Capsule or the TV.
So, maybe the Mac mini is being repositioned as something somewhat apart from the computer lineup? OR a thing that straddles the line between the computers and the media/network/backup devices?
For me, the mini would be PERFECT (if it had a DECENT video card) to strap to the back of my HDTV. In other words, a PERFECT compliment to my Mac network, Blu-ray player and audio system. TV is a crippled and limited device for me.
A mini with a REAL video card would be a kick-ass media handler for my wants. I don't actually NEED any of it!
Call of Duty 4 on my 40" Sony Bravia? Oooh, yeah!
Yes but black plastic isn't any more expensive than white plastic and black matches the new family of displays. Apple is particular about aesthetics.
Yeah. I can see them keeping the same square shape so as to make it fit in the same racks the originals do, and having opened a few of them up I can see (maybe) not making it any thinner because the originals are fairly crammed inside and maybe it isn't possible. But why not change *something* about the top.
What I am having a hard time getting my head around is the fact that if all they were going to do is upgrade the components, why not do this a while ago? Why wait a year and a half and then come out with the same design? If they are going to keep the design the same, they should be upgrading the components much more frequently. If they are going to imitate Dell, do it right.
Maybe the slightly different appearing top is because it's easier to open and swap stuff out? But then why a slot loading drive? And you'd have to take the optical drive out through the top to get at the HD anyway unless it's stuck to the top when you remove it.