Closing the book on Apple's Mac mini

1202123252629

Comments

  • Reply 441 of 575
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Does anyone have any advice on using the mini with Leopard server. Is the max ram really 2 gigs? can one disable the video shared ram? Is firewire 400 fast enough for external storage? Etc.



    The latest mini will run with 3GB. OWC sells a 3GB kit for it. link



    FW 400 is plenty fast enough for everyday stuff and server storage, in my opinion. For large transfers and high end video work, FW 800 or SATA is better.
  • Reply 442 of 575
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    The latest mini will run with 3GB. OWC sells a 3GB kit for it. link



    FW 400 is plenty fast enough for everyday stuff and server storage, in my opinion. For large transfers and high end video work, FW 800 or SATA is better.



    On my mini and iMac 24", I can never really tell that big of a mind blowing difference in moving large quantities of files. I thought FW800 would be 2x speed but I don't believe it is. So I think FW 400 would be fine for external storage since it works great with my Final Cut Studio setup.
  • Reply 443 of 575
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,322moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aplnub View Post


    On my mini and iMac 24", I can never really tell that big of a mind blowing difference in moving large quantities of files. I thought FW800 would be 2x speed but I don't believe it is. So I think FW 400 would be fine for external storage since it works great with my Final Cut Studio setup.



    It depends on the device you are writing to. A single hard drive will usually have a maximum transfer rate of 75-100MBps which is 600-800Mbps. FW800 is 800Mbps so can work with the fastest rate the drive can take.



    If your drive only reaches 40MBps = 320Mbps then you're not going to see much difference between FW400 and FW800. If on the other hand you target an external RAID setup where transfer rates are 150MBps (1200Mbps) and above, that's where FW800 and eSATA are needed.



    http://www.cooldrives.com/newulrafi800.html



    Of course, you will be limited by your read speeds if you transfer from a slow drive.
  • Reply 444 of 575
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    If the mini is being used as a server, aren't you also limited by the transfer speed of your wired or wireless network? I'd think that would be the limiting factor, not the FW400 external drive.
  • Reply 445 of 575
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    If the mini is being used as a server, aren't you also limited by the transfer speed of your wired or wireless network? I'd think that would be the limiting factor, not the FW400 external drive.





    Thanks for the replies.



    Could be a non-issue, not sure if database queries are affected more so than other types of disk access. I just want to experiment so I suppose the limitations of the mini would be acceptable until such time as we decide to go live with iCal service. The plan is to migrate to xserve eventually.
  • Reply 446 of 575
    dm3dm3 Posts: 168member
    Any update on the Mini demise rumor?



    Has this been debunked since the Mini is still around and its now 2008?



    Will it be updated to have Santa Rosa?



    Will it finally get 802.11n?
  • Reply 447 of 575
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dm3 View Post


    Any update on the Mini demise rumor?



    Has this been debunked since the Mini is still around and its now 2008?



    Will it be updated to have Santa Rosa?



    Will it finally get 802.11n?



    The rumor will always remain alive, until it becomes true.



    You might start one about any Mac product if you like. You could then say that you were the first to predict it.



    That's the problem with rumors.
  • Reply 448 of 575
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,322moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dm3 View Post


    Any update on the Mini demise rumor?



    Has this been debunked since the Mini is still around and its now 2008?



    Will it be updated to have Santa Rosa?



    Will it finally get 802.11n?



    I don't think it matters. The Mini is like a guy being dragged at the back of vehicle. In pain and torn to shreds, barely any life left. People shout from the crowd just put it out of its misery. But the dragging continues. Which is worse, killing it or endlessly punishing it?



    There's no point in having any hope for the Mini because Apple will never bring it up to par with their beloved chin-faced sealed-display AIO, god how I despise that horrific creation.



    They can't get rid of it, we know this because there would be no desktop cheaper than the lowest laptop and there's no way they'll survive with a $1000 entry point. If they replace it with a better product, the iMac rightly looks like a waste of money. So it will have to stay the same dragging along at the back.



    So the Mini update is coming in t minus the Macbook update, the Macbook Pro update and the iMac update, oh yeah and the iphone SDK and the Apple TV update and Phenomeon (it has to come absolutely last you see just to make sure and kill off any interest altogether).
  • Reply 449 of 575
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,423member
    I like my mini. It's a perfect little computer for doing basic computing tasks. Maybe Apple should evolve the mini into the perfect home "cloud computing" initiative.



    Rumors of the same MBA app for accessing other computers optical drives in OS X 10.5.2 lead me to believe we may see a Mini Air. And why not if the price is right?



    Remove the slot load superdrive and you can cut the price down nigh $100. "who'd buy a mini without a drive?" Well anyone that has plenty of other Macs around the home or primarily access software and entertainment via the web. Wow imagine that..Apple just so happens to provide both via iTunes.



    But what if I need to view my iLife content...there just so happens to be an Apple TV which will take this content and play it back and .mac for sharing this content with the world at large.



    The mini certainly doesn't need to die because consumers today view a $1000 computer as expensive. Apple needs an option that sits comfy at $499 and $599. Hell I think they need 3 models or at the least a $399 Air model with FW/USB/no ethernet/11n and a "Hero" model equivalent to today's Mac mini functionality.



    The paradigm shift here is a focus away from hardware even at the consumer level and a new focus on software running locally and software as a service for homes. This idea that you have to sell people bigger better badder computers is so passe.



    Frankly at this point in my life I'm beginning to become jaded. I hear companies crowing about how innovative they are and frankly I just see spit polish on the same old computing paradigm I've seen for 25 years. Do something cool and really wow me.
  • Reply 450 of 575
    feraliferali Posts: 175member
    gah.. i hope they don't discontinue it too soon. i FINALLY convinced my brother to switch to the mac and the mini would be perfect for him with his PC which is going to hopefully die sometime this year he already has a very nice display to use. but he doesnt have $800 to blow right now. come on stay with me mini...
  • Reply 451 of 575
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Thanks for the replies.



    Could be a non-issue, not sure if database queries are affected more so than other types of disk access. I just want to experiment so I suppose the limitations of the mini would be acceptable until such time as we decide to go live with iCal service. The plan is to migrate to xserve eventually.



    Not sure if you're still testing, but the Mac mini works great with the iCal service. More than anything else, you'll just want to bump up that RAM for database queries.
  • Reply 452 of 575
    Had the mac mini been user upgradeable, I would reckon Apple would be pushed to produce mini's at the demand it would have made.



    Think of it: The mac mini's hard drive and RAM being as accessable as those in the macbook and macbook pro respectively.



    Cranking this mac mini upto the spec of a 2.2ghz and the new intel graphics X-whatever it is, this would be a winner.



    Although I suspect it would require a completely new design and by alrights it would be a completely different product under the bonnet, the key to the mac mini's failure is the hassle it causes trying to either have someone else upgrade this or your sobber fingers nerviously cracking the unit open.



    Come on Apple, everyone and their dog now knows how to upgrade a computer - so let them!
  • Reply 453 of 575
    Viva La Mac Mini!
  • Reply 454 of 575
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GavinScrimgeour View Post


    Think of it: The mac mini's hard drive and RAM being as accessable as those in the macbook and macbook pro respectively.



    Having wielded the putty knives several times to upgrade minis, I don't think it's such a big deal. Obviously, Apple should just make it easy to open via a screwdriver and four screws on the bottom of the unit. It's Apple's way of selling more, more profitable iMacs. Even those are hardly upgradeable but at least they have slightly better specs. (Not that I would buy one.)
  • Reply 455 of 575
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GavinScrimgeour View Post


    Had the mac mini been user upgradeable, I would reckon Apple would be pushed to produce mini's at the demand it would have made.



    Think of it: The mac mini's hard drive and RAM being as accessable as those in the macbook and macbook pro respectively.



    Cranking this mac mini upto the spec of a 2.2ghz and the new intel graphics X-whatever it is, this would be a winner.



    Although I suspect it would require a completely new design and by alrights it would be a completely different product under the bonnet, the key to the mac mini's failure is the hassle it causes trying to either have someone else upgrade this or your sobber fingers nerviously cracking the unit open.



    Come on Apple, everyone and their dog now knows how to upgrade a computer - so let them!



    Just watch this video and you'll see it's pretty trivial to change the hard drive and the RAM is the same.



    http://media.macsales.com/videos/min...l/highres.html
  • Reply 456 of 575
    jowie74jowie74 Posts: 540member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lundy View Post


    Just watch this video and you'll see it's pretty trivial to change the hard drive and the RAM is the same.



    http://media.macsales.com/videos/min...l/highres.html



    "pretty trivial?" LOL! Compared to the MacBook that's a right pain in the bum! Getting the casing off is mad!



    Judging from the tutor's heavy breathing and "big fingers" as he puts it, he could do with getting some proper exercise...



    Joking aside though, nice tutorial.
  • Reply 457 of 575
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Well it's not like you change the hard drive every week, sheesh.



    No, I agree the heavy breathing is disgusting. LOL



    There was one of these where the guy had to answer his phone and have a conversation, TWICE, and they didn't bother to edit it out. LMAO
  • Reply 458 of 575
    jowie74jowie74 Posts: 540member
    You should check out: You suck at Photoshop!
  • Reply 459 of 575
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Therefore, it comes as little surprise that sources, for whom AppleInsider holds the utmost respect, are now pointing towards the mini's impending demise.



    ...



    Ladies and gentlemen, AppleInsider believes in all sincerity that the Mac mini is dead.



    Heh...if the Mini is still around on May 24, 2008 can we finally declare that AI's source was wrong?
  • Reply 460 of 575
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by vinea View Post


    Heh...if the Mini is still around on May 24, 2008 can we finally declare that AI's source was wrong?



    Hehe... well said



    I'm also wondering - if the "Mac Mini" is discontinued but an almost identical "Mac Nano" comes out, should AI say they got it right, or got it wrong?
Sign In or Register to comment.