Apple execs address Mac mini's hidden power button in 2024 redesign

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  • Reply 21 of 64
    mrrmrr Posts: 73member
    Epic fail. Ever since my Mac was hacked, I turn off my computer, whatever it is unattended. 

    A finger doesn’t fit without lifting up the computer. 

    Obviously designed by the Magic Mouse team. 
    MplsPsconosciuto
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  • Reply 22 of 64
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,150member
    Just like the USB port location on the Magic Mouse, this too will only matter to those vocal few that believe that what they want applies to everyone else.

    This is a non-issue.
    michelb76macxpresswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 23 of 64
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,873member
    It's the Magic UnderButton inspired by the Magic UnderPort on the Magic Mouse.  
    Probably quite popular in Australia.
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  • Reply 24 of 64
    Put the mini on its side if you want easy access to the power button. (I don't know which side down is best for heat dissipation.)
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 25 of 64
    Just use Ctrl + Cmd + Q to put a Mac to sleep.
    Na, it’s Option-Command-Media Eject key 
    See https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh10330/mac

    On keyboards that still have an Eject key, pressing Control-Eject displays the dialog box that allows Restart, Sleep, or Shut Down, like the old soft power key used to.  I hope Apple never removes it from the OS.

    Pressing R restarts, S sleeps, and Return shuts down.  Full range of options three keystrokes away.

    I used to religiously shut down the computer at the end of each day, but with the better power management on post-PPC Macs, rarely ever shut down the Mac now, or need to use the power button to recover from a freeze or crash.
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 26 of 64
    hexclockhexclock Posts: 1,327member
    If you had multiple units in a mobile rack that you move around a lot, I could see this being a PITA. 
    Will the new Mac Studios have the same arrangement?
    edited November 2024
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  • Reply 27 of 64
    M68000m68000 Posts: 910member
    rivertrip said:
    Put the mini on its side if you want easy access to the power button. (I don't know which side down is best for heat dissipation.)
    Doubt it is designed to use on its side for air flow.  Not doing that if I get one.
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  • Reply 28 of 64
    M68000 said:
    rivertrip said:
    Put the mini on its side if you want easy access to the power button. (I don't know which side down is best for heat dissipation.)
    Doubt it is designed to use on its side for air flow.  Not doing that if I get one.
    The previous mini also wasn't designed to be stood on a side, yet they frequently are mounted that way on desks, on walls, and in server racks. I doubt heat is a problem as  long as the inlet and exhaust vents are not blocked. Fans move air regardless of orientation.
    edited November 2024
    macguiappleinsiderusersconosciutoAlex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 29 of 64
    y2an said:
    Remind me, where’s the power button on an Apple TV?
    On the remote. Once upon a time, there was a power button on the USB keyboard. When they got rid of that, it was a PIA for anyone whose Power mac was in an enclosed space. We use macs on mobile carts (scientific equipment) so it has to be shut down a lot while the cart is being moved. The Mini (or Studio) is kept in place with a bracket, so the power button underneath is a huge PIA. Yes, this is a niche use, but who benefitted from tucking it underneath? Absolutely no one. Who got inconvenienced, obviously some people.
    muthuk_vanalingamdewme
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  • Reply 30 of 64
    macgui said:
    there is no reason to use a power button on a desktop Mac.

    It's a non issue.
    That's a dumbass comment. Were it true, power buttons would have gone the way of the 3.5mm jack, long before the 3.5mm jack.

    One of the biggest reasons for the seemingly out-of-the-way placement is how infrequently most users actually use the power button. "Honestly, most people almost never use the power button on a Mac," one of the executives remarked.


    They did a survey/research to find out if Mac users use the power button? Not likely. This is just Apple being Apple. They wanted to do this, apparently for big and little reasons which can't be shared with the general public.


    All those times when you offer to send data to Apple for a crash report or other data?  That's when Apple can find out how you restarted the machine.  Apple collects anonymized data during beta periods as well.  It's not "bad design" to put rarely used items out of the way.  Sometimes that's an affordance in and of itself.
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 31 of 64
    More importantly, it is harder to hit by accident.

    Exactly. Users will be plugging and unplugging earphones and peripherals. The unit is super light, so you can't just plug things in one-handed; you'll be gripping it in one hand to plug/unplug with the other. Ports are on front and back, so you'll be picking it up and turning it around at times, too. Gripping fingers are going to be all over this thing, meaning there'll be accidental presses of the power button – unless it's placed underneath. For the Mac Mini, the bottom is the smartest place for the button. Kudos to Apple.

    (And seriously, who uses the power button anyway? "Shut Down..." is right there in the menu.)
    welshdogAlex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 32 of 64
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,066member
    there is no reason to use a power button on a desktop Mac.

    It's a non issue.
    then why does it have one?
    Bombdoezeus423sconosciuto
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  • Reply 33 of 64
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,066member
    sflocal said:
    Just like the USB port location on the Magic Mouse, this too will only matter to those vocal few that believe that what they want applies to everyone else.

    This is a non-issue.
    Just like the Magic Mouse this is a needlessly stupid decision that people attempt to justify after the fact with senseless arguments that show they will believe anything Apple feeds them.

    Just like the Magic Mouse, the bigger question is why is it even necessary to have it in such an inconvenient location? The answer is "it isn't." There is no reason the charge port for the Magic Mouse couldn't be put on the front (where it was logical to place it,) and there is no reason to have the power button on the bottom of the device. In the end you have a design decision that provides zero benefit but does have drawbacks. What do we call that? Bad design.
    muthuk_vanalingamOctoMonkeysconosciuto
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  • Reply 34 of 64
    Who is the stupid Apple executive who keeps making these stupid design decisions? Must be be of these three. Might as well go the whole way and remove the power switch all together and go with plug and play. That should make the ‘I don’t turn things off’ people rather happy.

    When all the ports are being used, then lifting a mini out of a shelf to reach under for a power button in a dumb location will be really irritating 

    Maybe the Europeans will force a redesign. 
    edited November 2024
    teaearlegreyhot
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  • Reply 35 of 64
    To me the power button is a reset button that i only use when the Mac crashes. I use a Mac mini from 2012 with CAD and graphics software. And I almost never had to use the power button. When your Mac often crashes you should solve that problem, the position of the power button won't do that for you. ;)



    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 36 of 64
    citpeks said:
    Just use Ctrl + Cmd + Q to put a Mac to sleep.
    Na, it’s Option-Command-Media Eject key
    See https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh10330/mac

    On keyboards that still have an Eject key, pressing Control-Eject displays the dialog box that allows Restart, Sleep, or Shut Down, like the old soft power key used to.  I hope Apple never removes it from the OS.

    Pressing R restarts, S sleeps, and Return shuts down.  Full range of options three keystrokes away.

    I used to religiously shut down the computer at the end of each day, but with the better power management on post-PPC Macs, rarely ever shut down the Mac now, or need to use the power button to recover from a freeze or crash.
    Yup. There's a full set of keyboard shortcuts for all of these things and more: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102650#sleep. Just don't choose Shutdown if you won't be able to reach your power button.

    I have my M2 Mini mounted neatly vertically behind my Studio Display and don't recall any ventilation or overheating issues. For me a thicker Mini would be worse than the current larger yet thinner one which pretends to be a movable 27" iMac quite well.
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 37 of 64
    DAalseth said:
    hmlongco said:
    DAalseth said:
    Apple's 2024 Mac mini stashes the power button underneath, a bold stupid move that executives say aligns with user habits
    access the button by tucking a finger underneath to press it as long as you’re a six year old child. Otherwise you have to pick the unit up. 
    They are trying to put a shine on a turd. This was a stupid design choice that goes against best practices and will waste electricity. So much for Apple trying to act like they keep the environment in focus.


    I'd almost be willing to bet that turning the thing off and then doing a full-power reboot off the OS and running applications uses more power than simply leaving the thing on overnight in low power mode. And prevents it from downloading photos, software updates, mail, and other things it needs to do periodically when not busy.
    Uses Less Power is one of the many myths that hasn’t been true for decades. 
    As far as photos, patches, etc, you forgot malware, DDOS attacks, not to mention damage from power ripples in the night. 
    No you ALWAYS shut your machine off when not using it. 
    One can reasonably argue that the power button is in a less than ideal place, but you are really grasping at straws here. 

    On the power usage side, the amount of power used when the system is asleep is fairly low, and it still consumes power even when you shut it down. 

    As far as malware and DDoS go, those are both issues when the system is on and actively being used. And if someone has compromised your system for use in a DDoS attack or anything else, then they likely are sophisticated enough to use pmset to ensure the system is on when they need access to it. Once a system is compromised, you are hosed. 

    Power surges happen day and night, and there is hardware that protects against them. Either a user protects against them or they don't. 

    So, if you are serious about people saving power, ensuring their computer isn't used for malicious activity when not actively being used, and power surges, you would not just suggest that people always shut down their computer when not using it. You would tell them to shut it down and unplug it. And the cool thing about that is you can use pmset to boot your Mac as soon as it is plugged in. So where the power button is located isn't particularly relevant. 
    edited November 2024
    teaearlegreyhotAlex1NFidonet127watto_cobra
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  • Reply 38 of 64
    mrr said:
    Epic fail. Ever since my Mac was hacked, I turn off my computer, whatever it is unattended. 

    A finger doesn’t fit without lifting up the computer. 

    Obviously designed by the Magic Mouse team. 
    I love this analysis. EPIC FAIL.
    How many fractions of a second more would you have to spend to “lift” the incredibly heavy Mac Mini and turn it off?

    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 39 of 64
    Wonder if Apple will put keys that are infrequently used under the keyboard?
    teaearlegreyhotOctoMonkeyzeus423
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  • Reply 40 of 64
    Bombdoe said:
    Wonder if Apple will put keys that are infrequently used under the keyboard?
    Have you looked at the keyboard that comes with the iMac? Notice anything missing? That should answer your question on what Apple does with infrequently used keys. 
    appleinsideruserwatto_cobra
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