Now there's professional packaging made with 802.11n and Nvidia logos.
There's no way someone would go to this much trouble to just fool people into thinking the Mini will have these features.
The packaging certainly raises the question about when exactly these things will be shipping. After all, why would it reach this stage more than 3 weeks early if the 24th is the launch date?
I have a suspicion that the Mini and iMac may not see an overhaul but something similar to the white Macbook in which case they could arrive as early as tomorrow.
I think it's still very debatable whether this thing is real or not. Previous fakes have seemed even more certain and were more believable than this one.
It appears to have a border or shadow around the upper and right sides of the icon.
Either the border is there to delineate the icon or it's a shadow of a poorly pasted graphic with the corner slightly lifting up.
Shrinkwrap or plastic over a box that normally isn't shrinkwrapped would help disguise pasted on graphics.
Could be a beveled square, or a picture of the iLife box. And lots of small Apple products are shrink wrapped. Time Capsule, AirPort Express/Extreme, Mighty Mouse, etc. it's a good way to indicate it the package has been opened before.
I'm saying fake. I can't believe Apple wouldn't take the opportunity to upgrade the form factor. I'm in the market for one and I'll buy it but I would be disappointed with the aesthetic. If it IS real I would expect it to be pretty cheap. Apple does nothing without serious thought and analysis; an unchanged form factor would scream 'value proposition' - not an unthinkable move in the present climate but a change of tack none the less.
I won't be surprised (and will be pleased) if this shows up on the Apple Store tomorrow.
On the other hand, if someone were to do a fake box, this is exactly what it would look like. Take the design elements from the last box and update them point by point. Replace the old iLife logo with a picture of the new iLike box. Replace the Intel logo with the NVIDIA logo. Replace the remote control with... uh, a totally uninformative AirPort logo (hmm). Then replace the backside photo with a new backside photo (but not as artistically). And don't try to copy the other sides of the box because they are much more graphically challengings.
It just seems odd the the graphic design department would come up with something so boring. All the creative people I know like to be, I don't know... creative?
So I guess my money is on fake, but I sure hope a new mini shows up very, very soon.
That was interesting look back in time. I remember the iHome. The video iPod mockups look strangely familiar to the current nano that's on the market....
Fake or not, why must Apple be so secretive? I can understand Steve Jobs wanting to be private, but why must we play the rumor game? We did not get new hardware late last year, but everyone was planning on it. Every time Apple makes something new, there is a chance to buy the previous at a discount. Some will want what is new, some will save the bucks. Works for all of us. So, lets stop with the game playing. That said, I would like to see more than three choices for a desktop. Apple seems to think we need more notebooks. Just because the trends are going that way, doesn't account for all of us. Sure, Dell has too many choices, but Apple too few. There is the Mini, iMac and Pro. Done! While many people love the Mini, it is not much of a powerhouse. And the Pro costs as much as a Buick. I have an iMac. I find it rather stupid that if I want another Mac, I will have to buy a new computer and screen together. The all-in-one thing is cool, but not when it is one of only three options. I would like to see a regular desktop. Apple just loves to make stuff you are not suppose to get into. Guess it started way back when with SCSI. I still think most Apple Stores would rather you bring the box in for a memory upgrade. Please! You can barely get inside the Mini or the iMac. Takes a special oyster cracking tool, I suppose.
I want a desktop half the price and size of the Pro. There you go Apple, make me one, Please and Thank You!!!
Well you seem a bit upset so I'll keep my response short.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wobegon
Really? Examples?
Someone else posted links to a bunch, they aren't hard to find.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wobegon
... How am I being mean? I didn't even say "this is real, get over it." I said Apple has no incentive to change the Mac mini aesthetically and that is true.
You made some claim about believers having to "face reality" or "face the facts" or some such. I am just pointing out that the facts are still not known and not even arguing for one conclusion over another, yet you seem to be almost hounding me point by point in this response. It could just be poor communication between us but you seem very, very invested in the idea that this is a real product.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wobegon
...What!? The original Mac mini's Apple remote icon was not "filler" or a "placeholder," there was an Apple remote packaged inside!
Well yeah, but there is a remote (or was at the time) in every box. It's almost the same as putting an icon of a power adapter on the side. The intent at the time was to push front row software, but again the software is in every Mac so it's not necessary by any means and not a big feature of that particular product. Thus, placeholder-ish.
Regardless of what it looks like I would love to see HDMI on this. Obviously I can just buy some cables like mini dvi to hdmi but having the ability to do video and audio over the one hdmi cable would be nice especially since so many people/companies use these for in house demos.
Now this doesn't imply that the Mac Mini will necessarily be able to do it, but I was recently made aware that many AMD and Nvidia GPUs (discrete cards at least) *CAN* output audio over their DVI output when they detect a DVI->HDMI adapter being used. Now, granted, I understand this sounds sketchy and I have no idea how it is done, but I have confirmed this.
I really don't understand why so many of you care about the form factor of a desktop computer so much. It's a Mini. If Apple could make your entire PC disappear, they would. Exhibit A: The iMac.
Yes, Apple makes their laptops beautiful, but that is due to the nature of laptops themselves, as you have to have the hardware immediately in front of you. A desktop does not have this limitation, as portability is not a priority.
Apple is entirely about the experience of the beautiful software interface. That is why the Mac Pro looks exactly the same as it did 8 years ago, and the Mini will look like it does for a long time. If all you care about is how sweet your desktop's casing looks, please enjoy the following:
The design of the current Mac Pro is essentially unchanged from that of the first PowerMac G5 introduced in June of 2003. Five and a half years and the tower looks the same on the outside.
Completely different on the inside though. It would be fairer to say that it hasn't changed since the newer intel design if you want to make the comparison.
The mini is small and packed tightly, if the outside case is the same, then the inside stuff is laid out the same also, so the real comparison would be to the last Mac Pro that has not changed significantly inside and out, not the G5 model.
Yes but the iMac has barely a right to be called a Desktop over a
Macbook [Pro] sitting on a desk. Theoretically they're all desktops
Nah, a "desktop" is just short for "desktop computer" for most people. If you consider the number of mini-tower type desktop computers that actually live under the desk, the all-in-ones have a greater claim to being a "desktop computer" anyway.
Why is there one less exhaust fin in the back? Less exhaust would be a bad thing, unless I'm missing something here.
Hmmm, that's a pretty obvious flaw - doesn't seem like something Apple would do themselves. I believe the video beforehand to be genuine but this box may have been made by someone trying to capitalize on someone else's finding.
The box looks good enough to be real though. Apple would advertise iLife, Nvidia and 802.11n as the best selling points. The back of the Mini shot makes sense to show people what ports are on it.
If the box is a fake that would be disappointing as it's really the only thing suggesting it will come out sooner.
If Apple have Photoshopped out a fin, that would just be very odd. It's not the first time they've used odd looking Photoshop jobs though. Their website has used a few images where the reflection image doesn't quite match - kind of like how the 3D Dock doesn't quite reflect the icon properly.
Comments
Now there's professional packaging made with 802.11n and Nvidia logos.
There's no way someone would go to this much trouble to just fool people into thinking the Mini will have these features.
The packaging certainly raises the question about when exactly these things will be shipping. After all, why would it reach this stage more than 3 weeks early if the 24th is the launch date?
I have a suspicion that the Mini and iMac may not see an overhaul but something similar to the white Macbook in which case they could arrive as early as tomorrow.
Yawn you could not possible be more wrong
I think it's still very debatable whether this thing is real or not. Previous fakes have seemed even more certain and were more believable than this one.
Really? Examples?
AGREED!!! See above link for all naysayers.....
It appears to have a border or shadow around the upper and right sides of the icon.
Either the border is there to delineate the icon or it's a shadow of a poorly pasted graphic with the corner slightly lifting up.
Shrinkwrap or plastic over a box that normally isn't shrinkwrapped would help disguise pasted on graphics.
Could be a beveled square, or a picture of the iLife box. And lots of small Apple products are shrink wrapped. Time Capsule, AirPort Express/Extreme, Mighty Mouse, etc. it's a good way to indicate it the package has been opened before.
AGREED!!! See above link for all naysayers.....
Oh, so now the people claiming these spy shots are real are the naysayers?
On the other hand, if someone were to do a fake box, this is exactly what it would look like. Take the design elements from the last box and update them point by point. Replace the old iLife logo with a picture of the new iLike box. Replace the Intel logo with the NVIDIA logo. Replace the remote control with... uh, a totally uninformative AirPort logo (hmm). Then replace the backside photo with a new backside photo (but not as artistically). And don't try to copy the other sides of the box because they are much more graphically challengings.
It just seems odd the the graphic design department would come up with something so boring. All the creative people I know like to be, I don't know... creative?
So I guess my money is on fake, but I sure hope a new mini shows up very, very soon.
Yawn you could not possible be more wrong
That was interesting look back in time. I remember the iHome. The video iPod mockups look strangely familiar to the current nano that's on the market....
I want a desktop half the price and size of the Pro. There you go Apple, make me one, Please and Thank You!!!
Oh, so now the people claiming these spy shots are real are the naysayers?
No the naysayers are the ones who say that fakes have never looked this REAL before.....read the quote...
Replace the remote control with... uh, a totally uninformative AirPort logo (hmm).
Look closer. There's obviously text below that icon, which probably spells 802.11n, or something to that effect.
Really? Examples?
Someone else posted links to a bunch, they aren't hard to find.
... How am I being mean? I didn't even say "this is real, get over it." I said Apple has no incentive to change the Mac mini aesthetically and that is true.
You made some claim about believers having to "face reality" or "face the facts" or some such. I am just pointing out that the facts are still not known and not even arguing for one conclusion over another, yet you seem to be almost hounding me point by point in this response. It could just be poor communication between us but you seem very, very invested in the idea that this is a real product.
...What!? The original Mac mini's Apple remote icon was not "filler" or a "placeholder," there was an Apple remote packaged inside!
Well yeah, but there is a remote (or was at the time) in every box. It's almost the same as putting an icon of a power adapter on the side. The intent at the time was to push front row software, but again the software is in every Mac so it's not necessary by any means and not a big feature of that particular product. Thus, placeholder-ish.
Regardless of what it looks like I would love to see HDMI on this. Obviously I can just buy some cables like mini dvi to hdmi but having the ability to do video and audio over the one hdmi cable would be nice especially since so many people/companies use these for in house demos.
Now this doesn't imply that the Mac Mini will necessarily be able to do it, but I was recently made aware that many AMD and Nvidia GPUs (discrete cards at least) *CAN* output audio over their DVI output when they detect a DVI->HDMI adapter being used. Now, granted, I understand this sounds sketchy and I have no idea how it is done, but I have confirmed this.
... I want a desktop half the price and size of the Pro. There you go Apple, make me one, Please and Thank You!!!
It's called the iMac.
It's called the iMac.
Yes but the iMac has barely a right to be called a Desktop over a
Macbook [Pro] sitting on a desk. Theoretically they're all desktops
Yes, Apple makes their laptops beautiful, but that is due to the nature of laptops themselves, as you have to have the hardware immediately in front of you. A desktop does not have this limitation, as portability is not a priority.
Apple is entirely about the experience of the beautiful software interface. That is why the Mac Pro looks exactly the same as it did 8 years ago, and the Mini will look like it does for a long time. If all you care about is how sweet your desktop's casing looks, please enjoy the following:
www.alienware.com
The design of the current Mac Pro is essentially unchanged from that of the first PowerMac G5 introduced in June of 2003. Five and a half years and the tower looks the same on the outside.
Completely different on the inside though. It would be fairer to say that it hasn't changed since the newer intel design if you want to make the comparison.
The mini is small and packed tightly, if the outside case is the same, then the inside stuff is laid out the same also, so the real comparison would be to the last Mac Pro that has not changed significantly inside and out, not the G5 model.
Yes but the iMac has barely a right to be called a Desktop over a
Macbook [Pro] sitting on a desk. Theoretically they're all desktops
Nah, a "desktop" is just short for "desktop computer" for most people. If you consider the number of mini-tower type desktop computers that actually live under the desk, the all-in-ones have a greater claim to being a "desktop computer" anyway.
Why is there one less exhaust fin in the back? Less exhaust would be a bad thing, unless I'm missing something here.
Hmmm, that's a pretty obvious flaw - doesn't seem like something Apple would do themselves. I believe the video beforehand to be genuine but this box may have been made by someone trying to capitalize on someone else's finding.
The box looks good enough to be real though. Apple would advertise iLife, Nvidia and 802.11n as the best selling points. The back of the Mini shot makes sense to show people what ports are on it.
If the box is a fake that would be disappointing as it's really the only thing suggesting it will come out sooner.
If Apple have Photoshopped out a fin, that would just be very odd. It's not the first time they've used odd looking Photoshop jobs though. Their website has used a few images where the reflection image doesn't quite match - kind of like how the 3D Dock doesn't quite reflect the icon properly.
It appears to have a border or shadow around the upper and right sides of the icon.
you mean like the fake shadow that Apple themselves use?
Either the border is there to delineate the icon or it's a shadow of a poorly pasted graphic with the corner slightly lifting up.
or you need to see fake, so thats what you see
Shrinkwrap or plastic over a box that normally isn't shrinkwrapped would help disguise pasted on graphics.
Apples packaging HAS BEEN GOING shrink wrapped on some products for a while now.