Why isn't it being compared against a Windows Home Server box? That's what most people would use it for anway, and you can pick one of those up on Amazon for $312 including hardware and OS.
I loathe external power bricks as much as anyone else, but they do serve two cost-cutting purposes:
1) They move the heat out of the main enclosure and to an external brick. It's not just a matter of finding room to stuff the power supply; it needs to be cooled as well.
2) By keeping the 'high voltage' (110V or 220V) components out of the computer it doesn't need the same electrical certification for safety.
Having said that, I would much rather have the Mini grow in size and incorporate the power supply AND room for a 3.5" disk. But now we're treading into xMac territory...
It also has Firewire 800, which you can use to attach this:
I just got one on the Black Friday special, and intend to attach it using the Mini's SATA port. "What? The Mini doesn't have a SATA port!" Actually it does, if you're willing to remove the top and tap into the internal SATA port used for the upper (DVD or second-HD) drive. I just received a custom SATA > eSATA cable and have tested that it works with the QX2, and now will conduct some speed tests relative to the FW800 port.
You can see another account of this (with a crude case mod for the cable) here:
I plan to do more or less the same, except I'll just run the Mini with the case top off (actually, perched up over the main unit with an air/cable gap) to accommodate the SATA cable.
I was very disappointed that eSATA was not included with the new Minis...so much so that I did not buy one as I had intended because I can not see why I should be forced to void the warranty before placing the unit in service just to get a decent external connection to more storage.
I'm going to get a Mac Mini, since I can't get an iMac without a glossy screen. It's the only solution for me right now, since I don't want a laptop. I'd get a Core i7 iMac if the screen was right.
If Apple sticks to glossy screens for the iMacs, it would be nice if they would make a more powerful headless computer (other than the Mac Pro) - a Mac Midi?
P.S. My original iMac G5 (20") has a great screen - even after 6 years, the colors look better to me than any new glossy Mac. I wish I could find a way to hook up a Mac Mini to that screen.
If the new Minis had Blu-Ray and HDMI id be sold on one so i could upgrade my current 1.25ghz Mini cause it likes to choke on flash playback (thank god for click2flash) on some websites.
These Minis i hope come standard with Airport cards cause lord knows it wasnt worth the hassle of trying to install one in the one i have, so both my usb slots are taken up by a bluetooth and wireless-n dongles
If it's a HTPC, why wouldn't you install GNU+Linux (which is free both in price and in freedom, so you can do anything you want with it instead of being locked in) on those?
That would bring down the price to $350 for the EEE, $400 for the Dell. and $999 for the Mini.
Also, I wouldn't want to run a 100 user server on any of these.
A GNU+Linux based server with a 1tb drive, 4gb ram and a 2.8GHz AMD quad core processor would cost a grand total of $434.95 on newegg, excluding shipping, rebates and combo deals.
The graphic implies that the Mac Mini Server can be used with the 64-bit kernel enabled, but this is not the case. It has been disabled by Apple, for reasons I can't figure out or understand.
Where does it imply that? The only mention of 64-bit on the graph applies to business software. SInce Mac OS X can run 64-bit apps natively alongside 32-bit apps regardless of what kernel you are using I see no problem it.
There are several reasons why a 64-bit kernel may not be allowed. Unfinished 64-bit drivers or unoptimized 64-bit kernel make the system running less efficiently, to name a couple.
If you really want to change it and can maneuver around SL Server then it?s easy to alter the boot.efi to enable the 64-bit kernel. Though I?m not sure why you?d want to since it?ll still run 64-bit apps natively and the system can still address more than 4GB RAM even if the HW configuration limits it to 4GB. I see no reason to want to run 64-bit expect for simply wanting it because it?s a higher value than 32.
I figured the use of Mac Minis as servers were high enough to warrant their creation but it?s still a niche market. Among Mac server market share it will likely help the numbers quite a bit but overall the impact will be nil.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueDjinn
I understand why they're also keeping the Apple TV around as a lower-priced option, but with standalone Blu-Ray players running as low as $90, the time has come to make the BR move:
Because you can get a Blu-ray appliance for under $100 means that the Mac Mini should get it? That is illogical.
1) The lack of Blu-ray in Macs has nothing to do with the cost of the Blu-ray appliances.
2) A large, tray-loading Blu-ray drive is not the same price as the ultra-slim (9.5mm), slot-loading drives Apple uses for most of their machines.
3) Have you used those Blu-ray players? They are slow to turn on, load a disc, change chapters, scan. It?s a nightmare. They work, just not very well.
4) It?s more than adding a Blu-ray drive, it?s adding AACS support to the OS. Apple could have done that long ago without ever actually offering the Blu-ray drive as an internal option so the few users that want them can install their own internal or external drives.
5) It?s more likely Apple will drop ODD from their notebooks within the next couple revisions than add an expensive yet underused option to their lineup.
6) If the Mac Pro doesn?t get it why expect it in a Mac Mini?
7) I don?t expect to see OS support for AACS DRM until well after Apple makes iTunes Store video content the dominate way in which consumers buy and rent movies.
The most successful mail server for SMB's was the Cobalt Qube http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_Qube the success of Cobalt Networks was such that Sun took them over. However, Sun just didn't understand their business and let it go. This left a huge whole in the market for an easy to configure mail server.
Now Apple have released a Mac Mini with OSX Server, they have put a cheap supported mail-server on the market and it is selling. There is one major problem with the Mac Mini- it needs a second network connection.
Now Apple have released a Mac Mini with OSX Server, they have put a cheap supported mail-server on the market and it is selling. There is one major problem with the Mac Mini- it needs a second network connection.
I figure this launch was an experiment. If these are selling well I?m sure they are getting feedback and are likely going to make some key changes, like adding a 2nd 1000BASE-T port. What else do you think they?ll add? HW RAID? Doubt it. More than 2 slots for RAM? Nah. I hope the success of this machine pushes Apple to make a cubed server with full sized HDDs.
PS: I?d also very much like to see a Home Server that can compete with Windows Home Server on the OS side and the many Atom-based systems available. WHS has plenty of things going for it and the Time Capsule just isn?t cutting it these days with a single disk maxing at 2TB for a household.
From my calculations they could likely give it the same footprint ( 7.7? x 7.7?) as the AirPort Extreme Base Station/Time Capsule and allow for at least 4 drives on their side with plenty of room for the Atom or ARM-based system for file access while keeping the profile down to under a 5? height for the enclosure. You could then stack an AEBS or Time Capsule upon it if needed.
I?d gladly exchange my HP media Smart for a RAIDed home server from Apple. I?d also like the next AppleTV to use the 7.7? x 7.7? form factor, hopefully allowing for a 3.5? HDD, along with 1080p out and many advances in the OS, UI, features and services.
So much for the insistence from some that desktops are dead and it's a waste of time for Apple to bother selling them.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
Pricey laptop parts in a desktop machine = stupid.
Apple would have a huge win on their hands if they just made the case big enough to use a desktop hard drive and enough cooling for an i7. Right there they could lower the price AND increase performance at the same profit margin.
Add room for another drive bay or two and a slot or two for a video card and you have even more improvement for very little additional cost. As well as the ability to offer both a dirt cheap entry model up through a darn good midprice machine.
But that will never happen with apple's fetishizing of the built in screen (and the excuse it gives for jacking up the price...).
If only they would have had a built in power supply. The stupid external brick is just a pain.
That's the only thing I don't like about the Mini. It has 5 USB ports which is more than the iMac. It has a DVI connector which is eminently practical. It's hardware is extremely compatible with non-Apple OSes. It is quiet as a mouse. Truthfully I love the Mini.
Actually as others have said, if putting the power supply inside and allowing for a 3.5" drive made it in to a "pizza box" form factor I would buy one of those too.
So much for the insistence from some that desktops are dead and it's a waste of time for Apple to bother selling them.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
I?m not following your logic. How exactly does a mini-server apparently selling well equate to an argument for a consumer tower, presumably with desktop components.
Plus, who said that desktop PC were dead? AI claimed that the Mini was going to be canned do to a lack of being updated but I haven?t read anyone stating that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by minderbinder
To be clear.
Pricey laptop parts in a desktop machine = stupid.
Not liking or needing a product doesn?t make it stupid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
That's the only thing I don't like about the Mini. It has 5 USB ports which is more than the iMac. It has a DVI connector which is eminently practical. It's hardware is extremely compatible with non-Apple OSes. It is quiet as a mouse. Truthfully I love the Mini.
Actually as others have said, if putting the power supply inside and allowing for a 3.5" drive made it in to a "pizza box" form factor I would buy one of those too.
You?d may need a larger power supply for the increased power requirements of the larger size drive. I don?t see Apple moving to the NeXT-style pizza box. It just takes up too much room on the desktop and can?t be shelved very easily. Remember, Macs are focused on the consumer first and foremost. I would like to see a taller, cubed version of the Mac Mini. That retains the footprint while allowing more more components. Potentially even placing the power supply in the upper-back of the device.
So much for the insistence from some that desktops are dead and it's a waste of time for Apple to bother selling them.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
My Mini is attached to a 7200 RPM terabyte drive hooked up via Firewire 800. I have all the harddrive capacilty I need and a rather capable machine that gets the job done. Crippled? I think the Mini is getting progressively more powerful and as a result, any complaints that the machine is inadequate for many uses is a load of nonsense.
Truth is, the current Mini is a powerful device with a convenient form factor that meets the needs of quite a few people. The external harddrive set me back so little that it simply wasn't a problem that I needed to go out and get it to take the system, overall, where my needs required. On top of which, within a couple of years, Minis will be sporting quad-core CPUs, even better GPU performance, and so on and so on.
It would be a different story if there were no way to extract the required performance out of the Mini form factor. You can easily add 7200 RPM performance, loads of storage, etc. Really being able to run a 7,200 RPM drive internally is one of the few advantages that would come from opting for a more traditional, mid-grade box. Far from a dealbreaker, considering a simple external addition fixes that shortcoming. You can always go PC if specs mean more to you than the computing experience. Apple's are less about outspeccing the competition and more about offering products that are a pleasure to use, which the Mini happens to be. The horsepower is there, the form factor is convenient, what's not to like?
6) If the Mac Pro doesn?t get it why expect it in a Mac Mini?
The mini is a better size to have plugged into the TV
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
7) I don?t expect to see OS support for AACS DRM until well after Apple makes iTunes Store video content the dominate way in which consumers buy and rent movies.
The author fails to notice that the server is actually what mac users have been craving for years now and that's why it's so popular - every time there is mention of Mac Mini on Appleinsider someone has been telling "remove the DVD and put a second HDD in it and I will buy one immediately". Surely, at least some of you guys must be putting your money where your words at.
About the comments:
Guys, look at yourselves. When mac mini had only variants with DVD + HDD you were crying out loud for an option to have 2 HDDs, to the point of calling the machine "useless" without such option. Now you have it, but crave Blu-Ray and HDMI. Oh, come on, I don't know how old are you, but those comments asking for new things each and every time there is a refresh just don't seem to be coming from grown up persons. Of course you can want more, but how about just saying - "ok, next things that Mac Mini could have are X and Y", not engaging in a flame war trying to prove that mac mini is "crap because it doesn't have X and Y".
Also, there are some price comments. In fact, there always are some.
Guys, before dropping your bullshit comment, go and do research, ok?
I checked a 27" H-IPS NEC display just the other day. It costs $1299. Not far from what iMac costs, uh?
Same was true at least until recently with Mac Mini - no one really had a cheaper product with the same specs, some were on the same price level, some even higher, unless you think that Atom + ION (or other similar low performance box) = Mac Mini.
Oh, come on, I don't know how old are you, but those comments asking for new things each and every time there is a refresh just don't seem to be coming from grown up persons.
To be fair, the comments may not be coming from the same persons each time. Some people wanted the second hard disk, and now it's an option (albeit with SL Server included whether you want it or not). Others have wanted the BluRay drive, which is still missing. Don't conflate the two groups.
Overall, people want more configuration flexibility than what Apple offers. What's frustrating is Apple's limited options are for the most part artificial - there's really no technical reason to not offer a package that can accommodate these different requests. The constraints are a result of Apple's obsession with small size and ideological stance on such things as BluRay (why do they still not offer it, even as read-only, in the Mac Pro, let alone other desktop machines?) I understand that there are inventory and support costs associated with each new technology, but we somehow got card-readers added to iMacs and I don't remember a lot of people clamoring for those.
For home theater use, for which the Mini is very well suited, offering BluRay (as read-only) as an option is so obvious it's difficult to understand Apple's reluctance to satisfy that market in this day and age.
Comments
Why isn't it being compared against a Windows Home Server box? That's what most people would use it for anway, and you can pick one of those up on Amazon for $312 including hardware and OS.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0021L9HKK/...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
If you're going to have 100 or 1000 users, the mini is going to be underpowered.
100 or 1000 users on a home server?
On the 'puter you link to, you cannot have more than 10 users without upgrading the software
And if you're going to have 10 users, it's overpriced.
And with that huge 1.6 HGz Intel Atom 230, should be a screamer!
I didn't realize they were so popular.
Informed players say Apple's Mac mini still kickin'
Mac mini server farm
I could probably go on but I think you get the point of how silly the comparison is.
about as silly as the comparisons in the article
Dell stinks so bad Michael Dell should think about selling the company and retiring.
Maybe they will just ship a can of Lysol with each Dell sold.
For those applications Apple will undoubtedly say, "Buy our Mac Pro/Xserve models instead."
For a second Ethernet port (albeit at 100Mbps, not 1Gbps) you can use the Apple USB Ethernet Adapter.
I loathe external power bricks as much as anyone else, but they do serve two cost-cutting purposes:
1) They move the heat out of the main enclosure and to an external brick. It's not just a matter of finding room to stuff the power supply; it needs to be cooled as well.
2) By keeping the 'high voltage' (110V or 220V) components out of the computer it doesn't need the same electrical certification for safety.
Having said that, I would much rather have the Mini grow in size and incorporate the power supply AND room for a 3.5" disk. But now we're treading into xMac territory...
It also has Firewire 800, which you can use to attach this:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-.../RAID/Desktop/
I just got one on the Black Friday special, and intend to attach it using the Mini's SATA port. "What? The Mini doesn't have a SATA port!" Actually it does, if you're willing to remove the top and tap into the internal SATA port used for the upper (DVD or second-HD) drive. I just received a custom SATA > eSATA cable and have tested that it works with the QX2, and now will conduct some speed tests relative to the FW800 port.
You can see another account of this (with a crude case mod for the cable) here:
http://www.123macmini.com/forums/vie...=160226#160226
I plan to do more or less the same, except I'll just run the Mini with the case top off (actually, perched up over the main unit with an air/cable gap) to accommodate the SATA cable.
I was very disappointed that eSATA was not included with the new Minis...so much so that I did not buy one as I had intended because I can not see why I should be forced to void the warranty before placing the unit in service just to get a decent external connection to more storage.
Shame on Steve and the others who are asleep.
I'm going to get a Mac Mini, since I can't get an iMac without a glossy screen. It's the only solution for me right now, since I don't want a laptop. I'd get a Core i7 iMac if the screen was right.
If Apple sticks to glossy screens for the iMacs, it would be nice if they would make a more powerful headless computer (other than the Mac Pro) - a Mac Midi?
P.S. My original iMac G5 (20") has a great screen - even after 6 years, the colors look better to me than any new glossy Mac. I wish I could find a way to hook up a Mac Mini to that screen.
Try this: http://www.screenrecycler.com/home.html
These Minis i hope come standard with Airport cards cause lord knows it wasnt worth the hassle of trying to install one in the one i have, so both my usb slots are taken up by a bluetooth and wireless-n dongles
That would bring down the price to $350 for the EEE, $400 for the Dell. and $999 for the Mini.
Also, I wouldn't want to run a 100 user server on any of these.
A GNU+Linux based server with a 1tb drive, 4gb ram and a 2.8GHz AMD quad core processor would cost a grand total of $434.95 on newegg, excluding shipping, rebates and combo deals.
The graphic implies that the Mac Mini Server can be used with the 64-bit kernel enabled, but this is not the case. It has been disabled by Apple, for reasons I can't figure out or understand.
http://images.appleinsider.com/servermini-1.png
Where does it imply that? The only mention of 64-bit on the graph applies to business software. SInce Mac OS X can run 64-bit apps natively alongside 32-bit apps regardless of what kernel you are using I see no problem it.
There are several reasons why a 64-bit kernel may not be allowed. Unfinished 64-bit drivers or unoptimized 64-bit kernel make the system running less efficiently, to name a couple.
If you really want to change it and can maneuver around SL Server then it?s easy to alter the boot.efi to enable the 64-bit kernel. Though I?m not sure why you?d want to since it?ll still run 64-bit apps natively and the system can still address more than 4GB RAM even if the HW configuration limits it to 4GB. I see no reason to want to run 64-bit expect for simply wanting it because it?s a higher value than 32.
I understand why they're also keeping the Apple TV around as a lower-priced option, but with standalone Blu-Ray players running as low as $90, the time has come to make the BR move:
http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/...742295853.html
Because you can get a Blu-ray appliance for under $100 means that the Mac Mini should get it? That is illogical.
1) The lack of Blu-ray in Macs has nothing to do with the cost of the Blu-ray appliances.
2) A large, tray-loading Blu-ray drive is not the same price as the ultra-slim (9.5mm), slot-loading drives Apple uses for most of their machines.
3) Have you used those Blu-ray players? They are slow to turn on, load a disc, change chapters, scan. It?s a nightmare. They work, just not very well.
4) It?s more than adding a Blu-ray drive, it?s adding AACS support to the OS. Apple could have done that long ago without ever actually offering the Blu-ray drive as an internal option so the few users that want them can install their own internal or external drives.
5) It?s more likely Apple will drop ODD from their notebooks within the next couple revisions than add an expensive yet underused option to their lineup.
6) If the Mac Pro doesn?t get it why expect it in a Mac Mini?
7) I don?t expect to see OS support for AACS DRM until well after Apple makes iTunes Store video content the dominate way in which consumers buy and rent movies.
The most successful mail server for SMB's was the Cobalt Qube http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_Qube the success of Cobalt Networks was such that Sun took them over. However, Sun just didn't understand their business and let it go. This left a huge whole in the market for an easy to configure mail server.
Now Apple have released a Mac Mini with OSX Server, they have put a cheap supported mail-server on the market and it is selling. There is one major problem with the Mac Mini- it needs a second network connection.
Are you surprised?
Now Apple have released a Mac Mini with OSX Server, they have put a cheap supported mail-server on the market and it is selling. There is one major problem with the Mac Mini- it needs a second network connection.
I figure this launch was an experiment. If these are selling well I?m sure they are getting feedback and are likely going to make some key changes, like adding a 2nd 1000BASE-T port. What else do you think they?ll add? HW RAID? Doubt it. More than 2 slots for RAM? Nah. I hope the success of this machine pushes Apple to make a cubed server with full sized HDDs.
PS: I?d also very much like to see a Home Server that can compete with Windows Home Server on the OS side and the many Atom-based systems available. WHS has plenty of things going for it and the Time Capsule just isn?t cutting it these days with a single disk maxing at 2TB for a household.
From my calculations they could likely give it the same footprint ( 7.7? x 7.7?) as the AirPort Extreme Base Station/Time Capsule and allow for at least 4 drives on their side with plenty of room for the Atom or ARM-based system for file access while keeping the profile down to under a 5? height for the enclosure. You could then stack an AEBS or Time Capsule upon it if needed.
I?d gladly exchange my HP media Smart for a RAIDed home server from Apple. I?d also like the next AppleTV to use the 7.7? x 7.7? form factor, hopefully allowing for a 3.5? HDD, along with 1080p out and many advances in the OS, UI, features and services.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
Pricey laptop parts in a desktop machine = stupid.
Apple would have a huge win on their hands if they just made the case big enough to use a desktop hard drive and enough cooling for an i7. Right there they could lower the price AND increase performance at the same profit margin.
Add room for another drive bay or two and a slot or two for a video card and you have even more improvement for very little additional cost. As well as the ability to offer both a dirt cheap entry model up through a darn good midprice machine.
But that will never happen with apple's fetishizing of the built in screen (and the excuse it gives for jacking up the price...).
If only they would have had a built in power supply. The stupid external brick is just a pain.
That's the only thing I don't like about the Mini. It has 5 USB ports which is more than the iMac. It has a DVI connector which is eminently practical. It's hardware is extremely compatible with non-Apple OSes. It is quiet as a mouse. Truthfully I love the Mini.
Actually as others have said, if putting the power supply inside and allowing for a 3.5" drive made it in to a "pizza box" form factor I would buy one of those too.
So much for the insistence from some that desktops are dead and it's a waste of time for Apple to bother selling them.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
I?m not following your logic. How exactly does a mini-server apparently selling well equate to an argument for a consumer tower, presumably with desktop components.
Plus, who said that desktop PC were dead? AI claimed that the Mini was going to be canned do to a lack of being updated but I haven?t read anyone stating that.
To be clear.
Pricey laptop parts in a desktop machine = stupid.
Not liking or needing a product doesn?t make it stupid.
That's the only thing I don't like about the Mini. It has 5 USB ports which is more than the iMac. It has a DVI connector which is eminently practical. It's hardware is extremely compatible with non-Apple OSes. It is quiet as a mouse. Truthfully I love the Mini.
Actually as others have said, if putting the power supply inside and allowing for a 3.5" drive made it in to a "pizza box" form factor I would buy one of those too.
You?d may need a larger power supply for the increased power requirements of the larger size drive. I don?t see Apple moving to the NeXT-style pizza box. It just takes up too much room on the desktop and can?t be shelved very easily. Remember, Macs are focused on the consumer first and foremost. I would like to see a taller, cubed version of the Mac Mini. That retains the footprint while allowing more more components. Potentially even placing the power supply in the upper-back of the device.
So much for the insistence from some that desktops are dead and it's a waste of time for Apple to bother selling them.
If the mini sold pretty well, imagine how well a midtower would, with MUCH better performance and flexibility for the price, and even with similar profit margins to other macs. If they can sell a decent number of a box that's frankly crippled, there's a ton of potential for one that's, you know. One with the features people actually want.
Yes, I went there. Let the flaming begin (and don't expect me to read it).
My Mini is attached to a 7200 RPM terabyte drive hooked up via Firewire 800. I have all the harddrive capacilty I need and a rather capable machine that gets the job done. Crippled? I think the Mini is getting progressively more powerful and as a result, any complaints that the machine is inadequate for many uses is a load of nonsense.
Truth is, the current Mini is a powerful device with a convenient form factor that meets the needs of quite a few people. The external harddrive set me back so little that it simply wasn't a problem that I needed to go out and get it to take the system, overall, where my needs required. On top of which, within a couple of years, Minis will be sporting quad-core CPUs, even better GPU performance, and so on and so on.
It would be a different story if there were no way to extract the required performance out of the Mini form factor. You can easily add 7200 RPM performance, loads of storage, etc. Really being able to run a 7,200 RPM drive internally is one of the few advantages that would come from opting for a more traditional, mid-grade box. Far from a dealbreaker, considering a simple external addition fixes that shortcoming. You can always go PC if specs mean more to you than the computing experience. Apple's are less about outspeccing the competition and more about offering products that are a pleasure to use, which the Mini happens to be. The horsepower is there, the form factor is convenient, what's not to like?
6) If the Mac Pro doesn?t get it why expect it in a Mac Mini?
The mini is a better size to have plugged into the TV
7) I don?t expect to see OS support for AACS DRM until well after Apple makes iTunes Store video content the dominate way in which consumers buy and rent movies.
Right around never then?
The author fails to notice that the server is actually what mac users have been craving for years now and that's why it's so popular - every time there is mention of Mac Mini on Appleinsider someone has been telling "remove the DVD and put a second HDD in it and I will buy one immediately". Surely, at least some of you guys must be putting your money where your words at.
About the comments:
Guys, look at yourselves. When mac mini had only variants with DVD + HDD you were crying out loud for an option to have 2 HDDs, to the point of calling the machine "useless" without such option. Now you have it, but crave Blu-Ray and HDMI. Oh, come on, I don't know how old are you, but those comments asking for new things each and every time there is a refresh just don't seem to be coming from grown up persons. Of course you can want more, but how about just saying - "ok, next things that Mac Mini could have are X and Y", not engaging in a flame war trying to prove that mac mini is "crap because it doesn't have X and Y".
Also, there are some price comments. In fact, there always are some.
Guys, before dropping your bullshit comment, go and do research, ok?
I checked a 27" H-IPS NEC display just the other day. It costs $1299. Not far from what iMac costs, uh?
Same was true at least until recently with Mac Mini - no one really had a cheaper product with the same specs, some were on the same price level, some even higher, unless you think that Atom + ION (or other similar low performance box) = Mac Mini.
About the article:
Oh, come on, I don't know how old are you, but those comments asking for new things each and every time there is a refresh just don't seem to be coming from grown up persons.
To be fair, the comments may not be coming from the same persons each time. Some people wanted the second hard disk, and now it's an option (albeit with SL Server included whether you want it or not). Others have wanted the BluRay drive, which is still missing. Don't conflate the two groups.
Overall, people want more configuration flexibility than what Apple offers. What's frustrating is Apple's limited options are for the most part artificial - there's really no technical reason to not offer a package that can accommodate these different requests. The constraints are a result of Apple's obsession with small size and ideological stance on such things as BluRay (why do they still not offer it, even as read-only, in the Mac Pro, let alone other desktop machines?) I understand that there are inventory and support costs associated with each new technology, but we somehow got card-readers added to iMacs and I don't remember a lot of people clamoring for those.
For home theater use, for which the Mini is very well suited, offering BluRay (as read-only) as an option is so obvious it's difficult to understand Apple's reluctance to satisfy that market in this day and age.