Go to your local Apple Store, notice something?
Go to your local Apple Store, notice something?
Exactly, you don't. The Mac Mini is nowhere to be seen. In 3 Apple stores in the NYC area i've visited this past month, each only has ONE Mac Mini on display. A single unit, also hidden on the side, away from the prominent views of iMacs, iPods, and iPhones in the center isles.
I have a sneaky suspicion that a redesign for the Mac Mini is due. It basically hasn't changed since its introduction years ago besides bumps in performance. Though the design is def still very, very relevant in todays computing world (actually i still think its nicer than any Dell, HP, etc...), Apple is know to do a complete 360 and introduce a sleeker product replacing an older product even at the height of its popularity (think iPod Mini). Maybe they can get rid of that huge power brick and incorporate a magsafe-like plug...perhaps a sleek aluminum case with black glass Apple logo... who knows.
The Mac Mini has the potential to sway huge amounts of PC users to the Mac. A slight redesign with a bump in performance would clearly be welcomed.
I don't know what else can be done to improve the Mac Mini, IMHO its a near flawless design, bordering classic status. I honestly love the Mac Mini, but I'm sure SJ and Co can whip something up.
Exactly, you don't. The Mac Mini is nowhere to be seen. In 3 Apple stores in the NYC area i've visited this past month, each only has ONE Mac Mini on display. A single unit, also hidden on the side, away from the prominent views of iMacs, iPods, and iPhones in the center isles.
I have a sneaky suspicion that a redesign for the Mac Mini is due. It basically hasn't changed since its introduction years ago besides bumps in performance. Though the design is def still very, very relevant in todays computing world (actually i still think its nicer than any Dell, HP, etc...), Apple is know to do a complete 360 and introduce a sleeker product replacing an older product even at the height of its popularity (think iPod Mini). Maybe they can get rid of that huge power brick and incorporate a magsafe-like plug...perhaps a sleek aluminum case with black glass Apple logo... who knows.
The Mac Mini has the potential to sway huge amounts of PC users to the Mac. A slight redesign with a bump in performance would clearly be welcomed.
I don't know what else can be done to improve the Mac Mini, IMHO its a near flawless design, bordering classic status. I honestly love the Mac Mini, but I'm sure SJ and Co can whip something up.
Comments
All that would have to be done is change the outer case to one with the dock, and make the connection on the inside of the case, assuming the necessary hardware was included in the Mini.
It is a classic. However with Apple moving more and more idiot-proof, connecting all those cables and stuff, the Mac Mini does not have a definitive future right now. It will probably be EOL (end of line) obsoleted by end of this year, IMO.
I think Apple might discontinue it, but I think it's a premature move.
I hope they (Apple) realize that it's not a spot below the iMac that makes most users unhappy with the choices. It's something between the iMac, and Mac Pro that has a real Video card, a real Desktop CPU, and at least one extra slot that seems to be what more people ask for rather than an iMac, or a mini.
At that point I think given the list of choices, including the mini, more users would be able to zero in on the exact Mac they are looking for. At that point I think mini sales could possibly increase.
I think they'd do well to add a higher end model, priced around $1299, that's slightly larger to accommodate faster components. Keep it spec-for-spec on par with the $1799 iMac, only without the monitor/iSight/keyboard/mouse. Let it be a headless iMac instead of a headless MacBook. The thing could stand to be twice as big considering you're not lugging it around; it just sits on the desk. Heck, they could replace the entry-level model with a larger version as well, making the Mac Mini family a $599 model and a $1299 model, with the ability to BTO anywhere in between and beyond. Let it be the desktop for the otherwise-Dell buyers.
I don't know. I think the price and feature list is right with the mac mini. Making the mini priced over $1000 would be a disaster, nobody would buy it. I think its in the right spot actually, just needs a revision because its been around for 3 years without much change.
Maybe a better graphics card and a small slot for expansion, thats pretty much it. The rest would just be performance upgrades. Honesty though, the 2 ghz Core 2 Duo in it now isn't a slowpoke, ram and hdd you can upgrade yourself. That leaves just revising the aesthetics, making a smaller power brick (like AppleTV), perhaps bumping performance, maybe adding an expansion slot. Otherwise its a great mac, any upgrades you can DIY (ram, hdd).
I would have myself bought a mini if i didn't need a new screen. Instead I got the iMac. I will be buying mac minis for the office however.
edit: Found this, looks interesting.
If you want to connect to your TV, get an Apple TV. If you want a small Mac, get a MacBook. If you want a desktop, get an iMac. If you want a cheap computer, get a P.C.
This is what I suspect Apple is thinking.
The profit-margins on the mini are very small, iMacs are becoming cheaper all the time, Apple TV was created to connect to your TV, the mini is a bit too niche for Apple. I wouldn't be surprised if the mini just faded away.
Oh and by the way Steve, the Apple TV needs a DVD slot, and badly.
The last 2 quarters the reality seems to suggest otherwise! Today, despite the extremely limited product range and lack of an option in the most popular minitower segment, Apple sells more desktops than notebooks! I doubt this was not noticed and Apple will not do anything. They introduced 2-button mouse after all
It is a classic. However with Apple moving more and more idiot-proof, connecting all those cables and stuff, the Mac Mini does not have a definitive future right now. It will probably be EOL (end of line) obsoleted by end of this year, IMO.
I can see the mac mini and AppleTV lines merging. The mini is too expensive; it's a very limited market that can look at a mac mini and an iMac and choose the mini.
I don't know. I think the price and feature list is right with the mac mini. Making the mini priced over $1000 would be a disaster, nobody would buy it. I think its in the right spot actually, just needs a revision because its been around for 3 years without much change.
Maybe a better graphics card and a small slot for expansion, thats pretty much it. The rest would just be performance upgrades. Honesty though, the 2 ghz Core 2 Duo in it now isn't a slowpoke, ram and hdd you can upgrade yourself. That leaves just revising the aesthetics, making a smaller power brick (like AppleTV), perhaps bumping performance, maybe adding an expansion slot. Otherwise its a great mac, any upgrades you can DIY (ram, hdd).
I would have myself bought a mini if i didn't need a new screen. Instead I got the iMac. I will be buying mac minis for the office however.
edit: Found this, looks interesting.
Well the Mac Mini isnt that popular
... The profit-margins on the mini are very small...
They WERE small when it was introduced... but the cost of those components has dropped since then (aside from it's processor it's not new tech stuff.... and even it's processor is about to become lower tier). I would think that at 599... and especially at 799 the profit margins are rather impressive these days!
Just part of the reason I'm putting off buying one until the last minute... I keep hoping they'll update it with 802.11n and GMA x3100 !
edit: Found this, looks interesting.
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I like the idea. Thought he ports should be on the back and it would need to taper like the MBA to be comfortable to use. Even if it was the thick item photoshopped, it would still be very expensive for a relatively low amount of processing powr, RAM, VCG, storage capacity. And people still would need a monitor, which makes the iMac a much better fit as the back of an LCD has plenty of unused space for the internals.
Mac Mini is going nowhere, people have been waiting for it to be dropped from even Appleinsider wrote that it would be dropped, it ain't going nowhere.
Nah, mac mini is here to stay. Its pretty popular. The only reason apple would drop it is to replace it with a better, improved model like a Mac Nano!
Nowadays people accepted Apple pricing and are willing to buy a iMac or MB. MacMini would only appeal if they make its hardware spec a hybrid between MacPro and iMac.
...the mini is a bit too niche for Apple...
Really? So what in the hell do you call the Macbook Air?
edit: Found this, looks interesting.
I think this is brilliant! I don't know if Apple would ever actually do anything like this, but I would buy one in a heartbeat!
opn
I think this is brilliant! I don't know if Apple would ever actually do anything like this, but I would buy one in a heartbeat!
opn
Really? How would you use it? That computer has no video out capabilities: two usb, one firewire, one ethernet, and a security plug.
Frankly, that design was done with the Commodore 64, and as much as my fondness for my Vic-20 remains, I can't imagine anyone buying that monstrosity...
Really? So what in the hell do you call the Macbook Air?
I knew someone would mention that. Yes the Air is niche, but it has much bigger profit margins, so it can afford to be.
EVERYTHING Apple does is "niche". And that's not a bad thing.
Five words (including these): iPod