Eating our words: Apple's Mac mini to rock on
Apple Inc.'s Mac mini, a tiny desktop system previously pegged for extinction, won't fade into the distance after all, at least not yet.
Last Memorial Day, AppleInsider cited sources in reporting that it appeared to be the end of the line for the itsy-bitsy Mac, which had seen limited adoption and an uncertain role during the first 24 months on the market.*
Since then, the product line has remained in a state of limbo, with subsequent updates consisting of minor component swaps that required little if any engineering effort.*
For the first time in nearly a year, however, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider there's new life in the Mac mini department, where a small team of engineers have recently been tasked with gutting the diminutive desktop and applying fresh internals.
Thanks partly to Intel's rapid phase out of previous generation Core 2 Duo mobile processors and associated components, the impending update will see the mini gain its most significant architectural overhaul since its transition from Motorola-made PowerPC processors to Intel chips back in February of 2006.
Among the improvements destined for the new lineup are 45-nanometer Core 2 Duo mobile chips starting at 2.1GHz with 3MB of shared L2 cache, an 800MHz front-side bus (up from 667MHz), and a step up to the same Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor employed by the existing line of 13-inch consumer MacBooks.*
Apple's long-term plans for the Mac mini remain a bit of an enigma given the limited attention and resources devoted to the product line in comparison to the company's other personal computer offerings. Nevertheless, the update to Intel's 45nm architecture should assure the mini a seat within the Mac maker's product line for another 12 months at the very least.*
While those people familiar with plans for the Mac mini were unclear on a precise release date for the forthcoming makeover, the Penryn-3M-based systems reportedly remained within the engineering build stage as of mid-month.*
Also on tap from Apple in the not too distant future are a refreshed line of all-in-one iMac desktops which will similarly shed their 65nm, second-generation Merom chips for Intel's new Penryn-based models ranging up to the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme.
International resellers have recently begun clearing stock of existing iMac models in anticipation of the update.
Last Memorial Day, AppleInsider cited sources in reporting that it appeared to be the end of the line for the itsy-bitsy Mac, which had seen limited adoption and an uncertain role during the first 24 months on the market.*
Since then, the product line has remained in a state of limbo, with subsequent updates consisting of minor component swaps that required little if any engineering effort.*
For the first time in nearly a year, however, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider there's new life in the Mac mini department, where a small team of engineers have recently been tasked with gutting the diminutive desktop and applying fresh internals.
Thanks partly to Intel's rapid phase out of previous generation Core 2 Duo mobile processors and associated components, the impending update will see the mini gain its most significant architectural overhaul since its transition from Motorola-made PowerPC processors to Intel chips back in February of 2006.
Among the improvements destined for the new lineup are 45-nanometer Core 2 Duo mobile chips starting at 2.1GHz with 3MB of shared L2 cache, an 800MHz front-side bus (up from 667MHz), and a step up to the same Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor employed by the existing line of 13-inch consumer MacBooks.*
Apple's long-term plans for the Mac mini remain a bit of an enigma given the limited attention and resources devoted to the product line in comparison to the company's other personal computer offerings. Nevertheless, the update to Intel's 45nm architecture should assure the mini a seat within the Mac maker's product line for another 12 months at the very least.*
While those people familiar with plans for the Mac mini were unclear on a precise release date for the forthcoming makeover, the Penryn-3M-based systems reportedly remained within the engineering build stage as of mid-month.*
Also on tap from Apple in the not too distant future are a refreshed line of all-in-one iMac desktops which will similarly shed their 65nm, second-generation Merom chips for Intel's new Penryn-based models ranging up to the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme.
International resellers have recently begun clearing stock of existing iMac models in anticipation of the update.
Comments
Therefore, I am happy that the reports of it's demise were premature.
Now all they have to do is come up with an iTablet and an xMac and everyone will be happy!
I once complained about the lack of video out, but given it is not possible to connect to many wide screen TVs with DVI, this is a minor point issue now. The only catch is that I would have to upgrade my TV.
All I need now is an official version of MacOS X Server for the home.
Soon, I'll have eye tv hooked to it with their h.264 turbo USB stick. No need for Tivo, monthly subscriptions, or poorly implemented DVR interfaces...
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity
This is great news. Don´t forget that Apple has to be able to say their least expensive computer is under $700.
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity
Buy an AppleTV. That HDMI port is for that market on the AppleTV.
Oh, and this is a 1.42 PPC model running Leopard, and it does all this quite well! (True, I'm straining the poor little machine)
Anyhow, at some point I'd still like to upgrade this machine and get a newer intel version, and have been waiting till the Mini gets x3100 (not that its great, but better than the 950)
My biggest note to Apple would be this though: Go back to the original prices!! I can currently build a standard PC with the exact same specs as a mac mini for under $250. (and from what I've seen, the OSx86rs have been able to put OS X on that machine no problem... but that's illegal.)
The $600 price tag has been scaring me for a while now. That price needs to go back to 500 or less to get people interested in the tiny powerhouse again.
It would require a new power supply as well.
So the Mini is a necessary part of Apple's multi-pronged strategy to grow its share of the desktop market. and based on recent stats, it's working.
Apple's approach to the Mini has been constant - upgrade periodically with parts/technology that were first introduced on the other Mac computers, mainly the laptops. that keeps the manufacturing price down and the margin good. and it only takes a few engineers. so the Mini will always lag the rest of the product line technically by up to a year or so.
maybe if AI relied more on thinking clearly and less on insider rumors you would do better than such presumptive announcements as last year's prediction.
This is great news. Don´t forget that Apple has to be able to say their least expensive computer is under $700.
Wish list for the future release:
1. An HDMI port
2. More hard disk capacity
1 - You just need an adaptor: http://www.shopati.ca/product.asp?sku=3526142
2 - There is always the option of an external HD. There even some Mac mini shaped ones: http://www.123macmini.com/accessorie...nclosures.html
Edit: Hmm, looks like many of the items referred to by the link in point 2 are discontinued, but there are still one or two.
Aging G3's and G4's have been replaced with Minis in situations where money for an additional monitor or keyboard was not warranted nor the need for Mac Pro heavy lifting (and pricing). Access to school servers, the Internet, and hooked to a video projector (and let's not forget the Mini's small footprint) made it an ideal replacement candidate. I for one am happy to see it will be around for a while.
Buy an AppleTV. That HDMI port is for that market on the AppleTV.
That's a very constrained system, compared to a mini.
1. The above mentioned "sofa" Mac, as Apple TV's big brother -- and with -- here's an idea for y'all, the ability to receive wi-fi input from iPod Touches and iPhones, using their game-friendly accelerometers as Wii-like game controllers, because, as Wii proved, you don't need the latest, greatest fastest graphics to sell a lot of units and games, and as Apple has demonstrated, iPhones can operate kinesthetically-controlled games.....
...and a great, as suggested above, home server. And as, now an affordable entry point, for general home use, especially with better innards.
2. The "maxi-mini" beefed up with the few features it now lacks to have appeal as a general purpose business machine that won't break small and medium businesses budgets, will fit nearly any office, and by not being hooked to a built-in monitor, will fit into the CPU-replacement cycle (which are shorter than monitor replacement cycles) of larger businesses which are already being infiltrated by iPhones, MBA's and other Mac notebooks.
Not quite the xMac many still clamor for, but another stimulus to eventually release one -- I've often felt business demand is the key to such a product, and with its "new, transformational mobile computing platform" (multi-touch equipped iDevices), embrace of ActiveSync, etc., Apple is paying more and new attention to business customers..... ...and with snowballing market share, business, likewise is paying more attention to Apple.
My dream Mac would be the so called xMac with a real GPU.
With the new glossy screens on the iMac - that I hate - the Mini is the only Mac I can buy. So bring on the update Apple! (or give me a matte option on the iMac....!!!!)
I do think that DVI will be replaced with DisplayPort on all their future systems.