Hmmm, sadly this is a very good point. Unless they crammed something equally valuable inside, the price should have come down a bit. So for those who do not opt for a second internal HDD or SDD, what is going to be in that space?
Are the hard drive(s) in the new Mac Mini going to be easily replaceable by the user?
Bandwidth caps going away? Do you really think the ISP got everyone worked up over caps just to have it go away? That is wishful thinking. I recently got a notice from AT&T about a cap and they are providing tools to monitor usage. Caps are something that exist and nobody really thinks about anymore.
I actually think bandwidth caps might end up going away. Demand for data downloads is going through the roof, what with downloading of OS's, Netflix, Apple TV et al. and assuming competition works (and I believe for the most part it does), a price/features war will end up starting and assuming consumers are prepared to switch suppliers, caps will probably go away.
What Google are doing I believe it is in Kansas City is going to be very interesting - they're putting in fibre all over the city and won't have caps. They will demonstrate what can be provided and that will pressure the rest.
We run a large theatre program in the Seattle area. All of our shows are sold to the students on DVD so that they have a memory of their production. How do we distribute these 80-100 purchases? Using DVD's of course. What other method is there?
I see a need for the DVD to be around for a little longer than Apple is forcing on everyone.
DVD players are still around.... like everywhere.
If a student can't watch their theater performance because they don't own some sort of DVD player... well... they can't watch any DVD at all. They're aware of this.
They'll find a way to watch the DVD... somebody near them has a DVD player. It's not like you're handing these kids a 5 1/4" floppy....
Okay, found it. Lion will be available sometime in August on a flash drive which can be purchased from the Apple Store for $69.00
Mac Mini also includes iLife. How will you reinstall iLife and other included apps without having to pay for them again? And what about the Apple Hardware Test disk? Apple could have at least done the same thing they've been doing with the MacBook Air: put all the software on a USB flash drive and include it with the computer.
Sony Vaio Z has no optical drive, but you can plug in an external one and it's awesome?
Mac Mini has no optical drive, but you can plug in an external one and it sucks?
Personally, I love the fact that the standard configuration of the mini has room for a second HDD/SSD. It's far more useful to me than an optical drive (I actually wanted to see this happen). If you beg to differ, Newegg sells external DVD drives for around $30 if you feel Apple's Superdrive is to expensive.
I think this mini has enormous potential. With Thunderbolt and the right accessories, the mini could become a modular platform. Want a disk drive? stack it on top. Want a raid array? Stack it on top. External video card? Stack it on top. all the devices could share the footprint of the mini and be daisy chained together through short Thunderbolt cables, it would be great. Obviously, that's not the reality yet, but I could see it happening. Apple doesn't even need to provide the accessories, they've already provided the platform.
You guys should stop looking at stuff that was good in the past, and look towards the future. Get over the loss of a legacy drive already. I'm celebrating a discrete GPU and a second hard drive slot
We run a large theatre program in the Seattle area. All of our shows are sold to the students on DVD so that they have a memory of their production. How do we distribute these 80-100 purchases? Using DVD's of course. What other method is there?
I see a need for the DVD to be around for a little longer than Apple is forcing on everyone.
Final Cut Pro X ---- Don't even get me started on that one!!!
Have you considered just uploading the recordings to vimeo?
Dropping the optical drive will allow them to overhaul the form factor. It will be interesting to see which direction they take this in.
Is this the first time they've had a Mac with a dedicated graphics card for under $1000?
I don't know, I'm still waiting. I mean the mini is STILL 1.4" thick and a whopping 7.7 inches square! There's just no excuse for that -- especially seeing they eliminated the DVD-DL burner.
Apple could make the mini more compact if they eliminate discrete graphics, replace the 500GB hard drives (which only spin at 5400RPM-laptop speeds anyway) with 128MB of Flash RAM. I mean weren't they just selling us on "The Cloud"? And then they stick us with a machine with a TON of local storage capacity and RAM. Sheesh! Make up your mind!
More room could be afforded if they capped the RAM at 2GB, not the profligate 8(!)GB maximum.
And if they hadn't used such a boiling-hot CPU, they could save a lot of internal clearance for heat dissipation.
Worse, the darn thing weighs two-point-frickin-seven pounds! We're not all bodybuilders, you know.
I'm gonna pass on this version of the (so-called) "mini," and wait until it's the size of a CD jewel case or (hopefully) smaller (and lighter).
I'm doing just fine with my iPad and can afford to wait.
(Sent from my iPad which makes today's new Mac mini look like Jabba the Hutt.)
I think this mini has enormous potential. With Thunderbolt and the right accessories, the mini could become a modular platform. Want a disk drive? stack it on top. Want a raid array? Stack it on top. External video card? Stack it on top. all the devices could share the footprint of the mini and be daisy chained together through short Thunderbolt cables, it would be great.
1) I buy a Mac mini as a home entertainment hub. I have a Netflix subscription, and want to watch a DVD... and...
2) I use Time Machine to back up my Mac (non-bootable). My hard drive completely dies. I install a new drive and...
3) I have some old software that I need to re-install on my Mac...
4) I want to burn a mix CD for a friend...
5) I want to rip a CD or DVD that I own...
Let's face it, optical drives are still wicked useful, and will be for quite some time, regardless of what Apple would like to believe. I was with them when they axed floppy disks, but this is different.
So happy I got my Mac mini before they pulled this stunt.
I guess Apple is thinking if I can provide my own monitor and keyboard, I can provide my own optical drive as well. Perhaps there's some merit to that, since I could get a blu-ray drive if I wanted, or whatever. It lowers the price for people that don't need them, and the Mac mini is already sort of a DIY beast so the added complexity of having to shop for, purchase and install an optical drive isn't a big concern.
I actually think bandwidth caps might end up going away. Demand for data downloads is going through the roof, what with downloading of OS's, Netflix, Apple TV et al. and assuming competition works (and I believe for the most part it does), a price/features war will end up starting and assuming consumers are prepared to switch suppliers, caps will probably go away..
except a large number of isp's are going to a data cap in usa because of these high demands. Cheaper than upgrading networks. Never mind those of us who live in waterbound countries with slow, expensive broadband with low caps.
First, how do you expect to get to that hard drive in there?
With magic. And a screwdriver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Second, you reinstall the OS via the Internet. Simple.
Not if there's no OS on the drive at all I can't. With an optical drive and a DVD I just reinstall.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
It's not 1999 anymore.
CDs are still the easiest way to give somebody some music, especially when you don't know what sort of technology they have. None of the "music social" features of various products have really caught on. CDs are ubiquitous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Ripping DVDs is illegal anyway,
I disagree. If I own the DVD, I can rip it. That's fair use in my book.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
but for the rest, you pull out that $30 drive from the closet.
I thought Apple wanted to reduce the number of wires cables and clutter in my life, not increase them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
No, it's identical.
I disagree. The floppy was of limited utility when Apple ditched it. CDs and DVDs are still being sold in vast quantities, for multiple purposes, and are still a very useful way of communicating data between people and machines. Netflix is one of the largest entertainment providers in the US, and most of its 'good stuff' is on DVD. The Mac mini has been very popular for use as a home entertainment hub. As such, it really should have a DVD drive.
Thanks for saving me the trouble of saying the same thing. Does not appear to be quite as intelligent though.
You forgot the part where he says "Stop. Trolling." to anyone who questions Apple in any way or has the slightest disagreement with what Apple does.
Also the part where he says "Get. Over. It." to people who disagree with Apple's decisions but then can't follow the same advice himself over an Apple Cinema Display he bought last year.
except a large number of isp's are going to a data cap in usa because of these high demands. Cheaper than upgrading networks. Never mind those of us who live in waterbound countries with slow, expensive broadband with low caps.
You don't punch kids in the face when you run out of ice cream to sell. You buy more ice cream the next day and sell more.
Comments
this works up until Apple decides the MBP no longer requires an optical drive anymore either....
then what..?
Cross that bridge when you come to it? I promise they will not come to your house and rip out the drive in your existing system.
Hmmm, sadly this is a very good point. Unless they crammed something equally valuable inside, the price should have come down a bit. So for those who do not opt for a second internal HDD or SDD, what is going to be in that space?
Are the hard drive(s) in the new Mac Mini going to be easily replaceable by the user?
Bandwidth caps going away? Do you really think the ISP got everyone worked up over caps just to have it go away? That is wishful thinking. I recently got a notice from AT&T about a cap and they are providing tools to monitor usage. Caps are something that exist and nobody really thinks about anymore.
I actually think bandwidth caps might end up going away. Demand for data downloads is going through the roof, what with downloading of OS's, Netflix, Apple TV et al. and assuming competition works (and I believe for the most part it does), a price/features war will end up starting and assuming consumers are prepared to switch suppliers, caps will probably go away.
What Google are doing I believe it is in Kansas City is going to be very interesting - they're putting in fibre all over the city and won't have caps. They will demonstrate what can be provided and that will pressure the rest.
We run a large theatre program in the Seattle area. All of our shows are sold to the students on DVD so that they have a memory of their production. How do we distribute these 80-100 purchases? Using DVD's of course. What other method is there?
I see a need for the DVD to be around for a little longer than Apple is forcing on everyone.
DVD players are still around.... like everywhere.
If a student can't watch their theater performance because they don't own some sort of DVD player... well... they can't watch any DVD at all. They're aware of this.
They'll find a way to watch the DVD... somebody near them has a DVD player. It's not like you're handing these kids a 5 1/4" floppy....
Okay, found it. Lion will be available sometime in August on a flash drive which can be purchased from the Apple Store for $69.00
Mac Mini also includes iLife. How will you reinstall iLife and other included apps without having to pay for them again? And what about the Apple Hardware Test disk? Apple could have at least done the same thing they've been doing with the MacBook Air: put all the software on a USB flash drive and include it with the computer.
So they removed the optical drive, and the price stayed the same?
I could understand ditching it on notebooks, but ditching it on a desktop machine that is already uber tiny to begin with seems ridiculous to me.
Yes sir!!
Another thing:
Is the "power brick" now gone off the cord? Is that what some of the optical drive space was used for?
I hate the effing power brick on my 2009 mini cord.
update: it is! Huzzah!
That was made internal with the first aluminium Mac mini.
You're as arrogant as Steve
Thanks for saving me the trouble of saying the same thing. Does not appear to be quite as intelligent though.
Mac Mini has no optical drive, but you can plug in an external one and it sucks?
Personally, I love the fact that the standard configuration of the mini has room for a second HDD/SSD. It's far more useful to me than an optical drive (I actually wanted to see this happen). If you beg to differ, Newegg sells external DVD drives for around $30 if you feel Apple's Superdrive is to expensive.
I think this mini has enormous potential. With Thunderbolt and the right accessories, the mini could become a modular platform. Want a disk drive? stack it on top. Want a raid array? Stack it on top. External video card? Stack it on top. all the devices could share the footprint of the mini and be daisy chained together through short Thunderbolt cables, it would be great. Obviously, that's not the reality yet, but I could see it happening. Apple doesn't even need to provide the accessories, they've already provided the platform.
You guys should stop looking at stuff that was good in the past, and look towards the future. Get over the loss of a legacy drive already. I'm celebrating a discrete GPU and a second hard drive slot
See #116
We run a large theatre program in the Seattle area. All of our shows are sold to the students on DVD so that they have a memory of their production. How do we distribute these 80-100 purchases? Using DVD's of course. What other method is there?
I see a need for the DVD to be around for a little longer than Apple is forcing on everyone.
Final Cut Pro X ---- Don't even get me started on that one!!!
Have you considered just uploading the recordings to vimeo?
Dropping the optical drive will allow them to overhaul the form factor. It will be interesting to see which direction they take this in.
Is this the first time they've had a Mac with a dedicated graphics card for under $1000?
I don't know, I'm still waiting. I mean the mini is STILL 1.4" thick and a whopping 7.7 inches square! There's just no excuse for that -- especially seeing they eliminated the DVD-DL burner.
Apple could make the mini more compact if they eliminate discrete graphics, replace the 500GB hard drives (which only spin at 5400RPM-laptop speeds anyway) with 128MB of Flash RAM. I mean weren't they just selling us on "The Cloud"? And then they stick us with a machine with a TON of local storage capacity and RAM. Sheesh! Make up your mind!
More room could be afforded if they capped the RAM at 2GB, not the profligate 8(!)GB maximum.
And if they hadn't used such a boiling-hot CPU, they could save a lot of internal clearance for heat dissipation.
Worse, the darn thing weighs two-point-frickin-seven pounds! We're not all bodybuilders, you know.
I'm gonna pass on this version of the (so-called) "mini," and wait until it's the size of a CD jewel case or (hopefully) smaller (and lighter).
I'm doing just fine with my iPad and can afford to wait.
(Sent from my iPad which makes today's new Mac mini look like Jabba the Hutt.)
....disappointed....
Form trumps factor every time.
I think this mini has enormous potential. With Thunderbolt and the right accessories, the mini could become a modular platform. Want a disk drive? stack it on top. Want a raid array? Stack it on top. External video card? Stack it on top. all the devices could share the footprint of the mini and be daisy chained together through short Thunderbolt cables, it would be great.
Except for all the extra power cords and bricks.
2) I use Time Machine to back up my Mac (non-bootable). My hard drive completely dies. I install a new drive and...
3) I have some old software that I need to re-install on my Mac...
4) I want to burn a mix CD for a friend...
5) I want to rip a CD or DVD that I own...
Let's face it, optical drives are still wicked useful, and will be for quite some time, regardless of what Apple would like to believe. I was with them when they axed floppy disks, but this is different.
So happy I got my Mac mini before they pulled this stunt.
2) I use Time Machine to back up my Mac (non-bootable). My hard drive completely dies. I install a new drive and...
First, how do you expect to get to that hard drive in there?
Second, you reinstall the OS via the Internet. Simple.
3) I have some old software that I need to re-install on my Mac...
So you use the optical drive of another computer wirelessly or a $30 external that you put in the closet the rest of the time.
4) I want to burn a mix CD for a friend...
It's not 1999 anymore.
5) I want to rip a CD or DVD that I own...
Ripping DVDs is illegal anyway, but for the rest, you pull out that $30 drive from the closet.
I was with them when they axed floppy disks, but this is different.
No, it's identical.
I actually think bandwidth caps might end up going away. Demand for data downloads is going through the roof, what with downloading of OS's, Netflix, Apple TV et al. and assuming competition works (and I believe for the most part it does), a price/features war will end up starting and assuming consumers are prepared to switch suppliers, caps will probably go away..
except a large number of isp's are going to a data cap in usa because of these high demands. Cheaper than upgrading networks. Never mind those of us who live in waterbound countries with slow, expensive broadband with low caps.
First, how do you expect to get to that hard drive in there?
With magic. And a screwdriver.
Second, you reinstall the OS via the Internet. Simple.
Not if there's no OS on the drive at all I can't. With an optical drive and a DVD I just reinstall.
It's not 1999 anymore.
CDs are still the easiest way to give somebody some music, especially when you don't know what sort of technology they have. None of the "music social" features of various products have really caught on. CDs are ubiquitous.
Ripping DVDs is illegal anyway,
I disagree. If I own the DVD, I can rip it. That's fair use in my book.
but for the rest, you pull out that $30 drive from the closet.
I thought Apple wanted to reduce the number of wires cables and clutter in my life, not increase them.
No, it's identical.
I disagree. The floppy was of limited utility when Apple ditched it. CDs and DVDs are still being sold in vast quantities, for multiple purposes, and are still a very useful way of communicating data between people and machines. Netflix is one of the largest entertainment providers in the US, and most of its 'good stuff' is on DVD. The Mac mini has been very popular for use as a home entertainment hub. As such, it really should have a DVD drive.
Thanks for saving me the trouble of saying the same thing. Does not appear to be quite as intelligent though.
You forgot the part where he says "Stop. Trolling." to anyone who questions Apple in any way or has the slightest disagreement with what Apple does.
Also the part where he says "Get. Over. It." to people who disagree with Apple's decisions but then can't follow the same advice himself over an Apple Cinema Display he bought last year.
except a large number of isp's are going to a data cap in usa because of these high demands. Cheaper than upgrading networks. Never mind those of us who live in waterbound countries with slow, expensive broadband with low caps.
You don't punch kids in the face when you run out of ice cream to sell. You buy more ice cream the next day and sell more.