Closing the book on Apple's Mac mini

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  • Reply 141 of 575
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Wow, another "can this guy" post.

    ...

    This, from citizens in a voluntarily membered medium, dealing an industry that is all about communication, in a country that enshrines the concept of free speech!



    Pathetic. If the "mods" agree to this sort of thing, "speech" will sound like one hand clapping.



    Well, we have a forum for that kind of chatter. I would think we have enough flamewars about the xMac not to need to bring religion into the fray.



    Vinea
  • Reply 142 of 575
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    I agree. An Airport Extreme with a huge hard disk could function as a server. I _think_ I read that the Airport Extreme could even allow for shared username management on the network (anyone know?). If it doesn't yet, it could.



    So anyone using MacMini's as servers should be safe even if the MacMini disappears.



    Airport Extreme with an attached hard disk is a poor excuse for a server. It's extremely slow, even when wired.



    I will be disappointed if the mini is discontinued. I've been planning to buy one; just waiting for the months-overdue update. If this rumor is true, it would explain why the mini hasn't been updated since September.



    A savvy speculator might want to buy a hundred minis right now and wait. They could be worth more on eBay if discontinued than they are now at retail price. Has anyone noticed the great prices used minis command? Even the G4's are worth a lot. Maybe that's what Apple doesn't like about them.
  • Reply 143 of 575
    If the sales of the Mac Mini dipped it was probably because Apple never came out with compelling upgrades and worse yet the Intel Mac Mini was a downgrade on the GPU front with its integrated graphics. I have been waiting for years for them to come out with a Mac Mini upgrade with a decent GPU since the first Mac Minis that had dedicated GPUs. I don't mean a monster top of the line GPU either there are plenty of GPUs that would be a good fit. Heck.. I've read the AppleTV has a dedicated GPU from nvidia. The Mac Mini should have the same thing. I also agree that the AppleTV is no substitute... especially since you have to jump through hoops to get it to run regular programs and it doesn't have an optical drive and it also has a slower CPU and AFAIK not as much RAM which is also not upgradeable. I would rather they come out with a Mini that has santa rosa, the same nivida GPU that the AppleTV has and 1GB standard.



    But it seems like Apple has been languishing in general ever since they switched to intel and got things transitioned over. They may announce upgrades at WWDC but I almost feel like it'll be CPU only like it has been so far and it doesn't instill a lot of confidence in me. If they continue to languish when it comes to the GPU I'm going to be forced to go back to the PC.



    I'm holding out with a little hope though that this rumor isn't true and that they are going to do a good refresh soon but I'm not really holding my breath.



    It's my opinion that when you buy a computer that you can't upgrade key components you rely on the company to bring out those upgrades and if they don't they dropped the ball. I do know the excuses that some people make about target audience but if the Mac Mini is dead then obviously that strategy didn't work. I think things like dedicated GPUs shouldn't be reserved only for the hardcore it should be standard equipment especially as OS' like Leopard and Vista get more graphically intensive.



    I've also resented the idea that in order to get a dedicated GPU on the desktop with Apple you have to buy an all in one computer or a huge expensive tower. But if the Mac Mini is dead then there won't be a choice otherwise (as far as I know)... and not everyone wants a portable.
  • Reply 144 of 575
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    My hope is that Apple has some really great plans for the Mac and we'll all be amazed this summer with what they introduce. There has been so little news about new Macs this year, it's hard to understand. These rumors that all of Apple's sub $1000 computers will be discontinued are discouraging. I can't really imagine it's all true.
  • Reply 145 of 575
    My initial reaction is I hope this is just because they are bringing another product out. Because there is nothing wrong with the hardware except they have not brought out a Core 2 version, try building a white box Pc to the same spec, you end up around the same price but with a much bigger and uglier box. Customers who already own a Mac have commented they would love to get a Mac Mini but are waiting for that KILLER media center application. The Killer app has not appeared because or a lack of finance, fear of Apple either ripping them off or dumping the machine, ironically maybe this is just what is going to happen anyway. I must say that I am very disappointed with the Apple TV hardware running so hot but this can be partially fixed by voiding your warranty and ripping off the rubber bottom that is reducing the effectiveness of the internal fan blower, this has Cube written all over it. The Apple TV is limited, it cannot run, DVD's, Live TV/PVR, IP TV "Joost", VOIP Skype and games. Somewhere along the line Apple has forgotten the Think Different philosophy and the shareholders do not see there is real passion for a modifiable Media Center running on a MAC.
  • Reply 146 of 575
    If the AppleTV includes a Macmini with DVD driver in the next release, we don't have no problem with this, it is welcomed!
  • Reply 147 of 575
    jimcordjimcord Posts: 31member
    Apple out to consider what a mini with at least Intel Core 2 Duo processors and a video card that could drive the 30" monitor. All of us with 30's that might want to sometime get rid of the giant G5 towers, and not wanting to part with that screen to get a smaller 24" iMac would appreciate a smaller desktop computer alternative. I for one would appreciate a smaller, quieter, powerful option to the very expensive tower options that I curently face within Apple's current offerings in order to get over to the Intel platform of Mac OS X.
  • Reply 148 of 575
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Thermaikos View Post


    If the AppleTV includes a Macmini with DVD driver in the next release, we don't have no problem with this, it is welcomed!



    In order for me to consider the AppleTV a replacement it would have to be a Mac with AppleTV functionality not an AppleTV with Mac functionality. What I mean is it shouldn't have the same CPU and amount and type of ram that it currently has. It would take the best parts of both... but that may just be me dreaming. If it has to become somewhat taller in order to do so then so be it but I'd rather see it do that than to go away altogether. I love my G4 Mac Mini but I want a real upgrade to it also without having to replace everything I have (monitor, etc.) a drop in upgrade in other words. Then perhaps later I could get a better monitor\\etc
  • Reply 149 of 575
    seek3rseek3r Posts: 179member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by philbutler View Post


    I On the other hand, I won't buy a Mac tower due to it's size and noise factor. I had a MDD dual 1Ghz G4 tower and it was loud as everything. I have heard that the newer machines are quieter, but I want whisper quiet. I have a iMac 24" now and it's perfect.



    Well, I just bit the bullet on a 2.66 Mac Pro (dev discount helped a lot :-p), and it *is* wisper quiet. If I wanted to trim its dbs a bit more I'd replace the 4 seagates I threw in it with quieter disks and replace the x1900xt fan (I have a replacement fan, but it's quiet enough I havent bothered).
  • Reply 150 of 575
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    I've been posting for some time tat the Mini just isn't the machine anymore for the average user. It isn't that the Mini was a bad machine or doesn't serve certain markets now, it is just that market conditions change and Apple doesn't need more that one low cost platform.



    So I expect the Mini to be phase out and have been so for some time. What I expect in return is a machine family that at the low end can effectively replace the mini but offer flexibility beyond that introductory model. One very worth while feature would be a real video card. In some shape or form they would need to deliver accelerated video decoding. Note that I don't expect this in the base model of the new family, I do expect though a low end motherboard and a higher end all sitting in the same physical form factor. Then there is the obvious issue of disk size which more than anything limits storage and thus the Mini's appeal.



    In a nutshell I think Apple can cover the low end, midrange and possibly the high end on one platform if it replaces the Mini with the right hardware.
  • Reply 151 of 575
    seek3rseek3r Posts: 179member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    I've been posting for some time tat the Mini just isn't the machine anymore for the average user



    I'd say you're right, but because the market is moving towards laptops, those of us who want a large LCD and a tower (or box of any kind) are becoming more of a niche market, more people want little, portable machines. Not necessarily for taking out of the house (though very often *around* the house), but so that they take up less room and can be closed and/or put away when not in use.
  • Reply 152 of 575
    inklinginkling Posts: 768member
    Dropping the Mac mini is a good idea if Apple replaces it with something a bit bigger and better, a headless and compact Mac with these features:



    1. Uses desktop drives with room for two.



    2. Has four RAM slots



    3. Can drive two external monitors.



    Except for the last and the compact size, that's precisely the sort of desktop that sells best to businesses. Businesses don't care about tiny (the Mac mini), they don't want huge (Mac Pro) and they're suspicious about pretty (iMacs).



    If Apple wants to increase their market share in businesses, that's what they need to build.



    --Mike Perry, Inkling Books, Seattle
  • Reply 153 of 575
    I wouldn't mind if it was a new kind of affordable cube.



    But if they are willing to upgrade the Mini without changing the form factor too much I wouldn't mind that either. The thing is though if they are going to keep things like the GPU non-upgradable they need to be bringing out upgrades and I think that probably didn't help. I mean why by a new one if it's not really an upgrade? I am posting from my G4 Mac Mini, I love the form factor I just don't love how they have treated it when it comes to upgrades.



    BTW, don't you think some of those features listed above would require a much larger enclosure? Specifically 4 ram slots and room for two+ drives.
  • Reply 154 of 575
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Sheesh!



    I go away for the afternoon and evening, and look what happens!



    Even I can't read all of thes posts!
  • Reply 155 of 575
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    So, I apologize if this has been said over and over, but I'm sorry this is happening. I was truly hoping that Apple would see a way to built onto this platform. I suspected they would not, when we noticed that their new small products had a different footprint.



    Too bad. Hopefully, they will replace it with something that sells better.
  • Reply 156 of 575
    blackwaveblackwave Posts: 84member
    Shame indeed.



    I still adore mine. Wonderful, wonderful little machine.
  • Reply 157 of 575
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AISI View Post


    According to Piper Jaffray's product sales analysis, Mac mini sales started to collapse in 2006. In the meantime, iMac sales went up and notebook sales almost doubled. Since then, Mac mini sales are allegedly well under 100,000 units per quarter, if true it's a complete and utter dud.



    If the Mac Mini is a 'sales dud', someone must not be telling the Mac Mini that.



    Over at Amazon, the $599 Mini is now up to #9, ahead of all iMacs and even one of the MacBook Pros!!!



    Seems like folks still like the little guy just fine.









    .
  • Reply 158 of 575
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:

    It's not all about market share, Apple must increase the Mac revenue too, and the Mac mini didn't help. Besides, Apple is already gaining market share, the Mac is outgrowing the PC market.



    The thing is, though:



    1) Apple's worldwide Mac marketshare, though growing, is still pathetically small, at around 3 percent. As much as they're improving in marketshare, there's a lot of room to do better still.



    2) Apple's margins have been very high of late. There's definitely room for them to become more aggressive on price, and/or fill in some holes in their product lines.



    Even with the good number of Windows switchers Apple has snared of late, one gets the distinct feeling that many more would switch, if only Apple would get more aggressive about it. But it's all too easy when things are going well to become complacent, instead of saying, "Hey, we could be doing even BETTER." \



    .
  • Reply 159 of 575
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pairof9s View Post


    I think you have a gross misunderstanding of God.



    God called, and he told me to tell you to stop using his Name to try to win fights on the Internet.



    I mean, you're really bugging the s*** out of him, man.



    .
  • Reply 160 of 575
    I would be really sorry if apple really chooses to shove the mac mini as this articles suspects.

    IMHO the mac mini could easily server as a Media Server companion to Apple TV. i.e. its Big Brother that actually holds and streams all this nice goodies like Movies, Music etc. Yes the same service could almost be done by an adv apple AirPort Extreme but this little dev do hold some storage (external by default) but they don't have a dvd reader / writer. I would easily spent something like 700 bucks for a Mac Mini with a big fat hardisk (1TB perhaps) + 300 for an Apple TV if the where tightly integrated and appeared as one on my big slim lean and mean HD TV.
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