Macintosh Nano?

akheron01 · February 21, 2006 10:18AM

Considering that Apple replaced the iPod mini with the iPod nano, as well as the fact that the iPod mini and Mac mini shared both their names and form factors (aluminum walls, shiny plastic for the top and bottom.) What do you guys think the likelihood is that the next iteration of the Mac Mini will be the Mac Nano? What about a MacBook Nano?

opnsource · February 21, 2006 1:00PM

Quote:

Originally posted by akheron01

Considering that Apple replaced the iPod mini with the iPod nano, as well as the fact that the iPod mini and Mac mini shared both their names and form factors (aluminum walls, shiny plastic for the top and bottom.) What do you guys think the likelihood is that the next iteration of the Mac Mini will be the Mac Nano? What about a MacBook Nano?

I think that he nano thing will remain an iPod thing. They might use the name for the Mac Mini, but I think that it is doubtful that they will make a MacBook Nano. A small consumer laptop is not a special version of another product.

cubist · February 21, 2006 1:50PM

Clever idea tho, if they did it. They could make a tablet that looks like an iMac and has a little stand so you could plug in a keyboard and mouse. It could have a 10" diagonal size. I can picture it...

akheron01 · February 21, 2006 2:17PM

Cool idea Cubist, although not quite what I had in mind. Perhaps an iMac nano? I was thinking the Macintosh Nano would be much like the mini except slightly smaller and without the aluminum sides.

Opnsource, what do you mean a small consumer laptop is not a special version of another product? It would be a special small version of the iBook(MacBook), wouldn't you say?

zenga · February 21, 2006 3:31PM

Quote:

Originally posted by akheron01

Cool idea Cubist, although not quite what I had in mind. Perhaps an iMac nano? I was thinking the Macintosh Nano would be much like the mini except slightly smaller and without the aluminum sides.

Opnsource, what do you mean a small consumer laptop is not a special version of another product? It would be a special small version of the iBook(MacBook), wouldn't you say?

11.1" MacBook Pro?

rageous · February 21, 2006 3:36PM

No.

While the idea sounds neat, it overrides the reason the name change occurred in the first place, going from iPod mini to iPod nano...

People referred to both simply as "mini", not iPod mini or Mac mini. They aren't going to muddy up the waters again by have two nanos on the product line, I assure you.

opnsource · February 22, 2006 12:49PM

Quote:

Originally posted by akheron01

Cool idea Cubist, although not quite what I had in mind. Perhaps an iMac nano? I was thinking the Macintosh Nano would be much like the mini except slightly smaller and without the aluminum sides.

Opnsource, what do you mean a small consumer laptop is not a special version of another product? It would be a special small version of the iBook(MacBook), wouldn't you say?

I meant that a 12inch MacBook(iBook) is the smallest viable laptop offering Apple will make. The point was that it is unlikely that they will build a notebook smaller than that, ie. MacBook Nano.

opnsource · February 22, 2006 12:51PM

I would love to see a smaller tower that is affordable and capable of being upgraded.

Dare to dream, I guess...

mac on a mac · February 22, 2006 1:03PM

Quote:

Originally posted by opnsource

I would love to see a smaller tower that is affordable and capable of being upgraded.

Dare to dream, I guess...

mac users have wanted this for years. The mini is as close as apple has come.

agnuke1707 · February 22, 2006 1:03PM

Quote:

Originally posted by opnsource

I would love to see a smaller tower that is affordable and capable of being upgraded.

Dare to dream, I guess...

Haha

I have a PowerMac 6500/225 for sale ... it's smaller ... kinda. You can add RAM and a bigger HDD to it if you want. That's pretty much all the upgrade Apple is ever going to let you do.

But seriously, I think Apple's version of the "smaller desktop" is the iMac. It's less powerful than the big PowerMacs, but it takes of less space and it's still a pretty great machine for a decent price. Upgradability is something Apple has sacrificed over the years to provide their consumers with smooth running, visually satisfying computers. Upgradability is often a double-edged sword. It's great to be able to swap your hardware out, but it's often hardware conflicts that cause computers to not perform well (or at least in my experience that has been the case...)

xool · February 22, 2006 1:07PM

I don't see Apple using the nano name outside of the iPod line. Mini is better and far more descriptive. The only reason nano was used was that mini was used for a distinctively different product.

However, if the Mac mini became wafer thin, then and only then could it be a Mac nano. A super thin portable could be a MacBook nano and if you exclude the screen, Mac nano it could be.

backtomac · February 22, 2006 1:09PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AgNuke1707

Haha

I have a PowerMac 6500/225 for sale ... it's smaller ... kinda. You can add RAM and a bigger HDD to it if you want. That's pretty much all the upgrade Apple is ever going to let you do.

But seriously, I think Apple's version of the "smaller desktop" is the iMac. It's less powerful than the big PowerMacs, but it takes of less space and it's still a pretty great machine for a decent price. Upgradability is something Apple has sacrificed over the years to provide their consumers with smooth running, visually satisfying computers. Upgradability is often a double-edged sword. It's great to be able to swap your hardware out, but it's often hardware conflicts that cause computers to not perform well (or at least in my experience that has been the case...)

I still have that machine to. 603e chip. I would still prefer to work on it than anything else, except internet surfing. I guess I'm slow to change with the times.

kenaustus · February 22, 2006 1:56PM

Before "switching" I took a 3 pound ThinkPad on business trips and loved the size. I didn't even mind having to use an external optical drive.

If the 12" iBook is moving to a 13" MacBook then there is a good market for a thin, 3 pound MacBook mini. It would blow out the door in the university market.

Both IBM and Sony are doing very well in the 3 pound market and I think it is one area where Apple could gain some sales.

anders · February 22, 2006 2:03PM

Its a no.

kolchak · February 22, 2006 4:54PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kenaustus Before "switching" I took a 3 pound ThinkPad on business trips and loved the size. I didn't even mind having to use an external optical drive.

I agree. I hardly ever use my optical drive on the road, so I wouldn't mind shedding that bulk and weight most of the time.

Quote:

If the 12" iBook is moving to a 13" MacBook then there is a good market for a thin, 3 pound MacBook mini. It would blow out the door in the university market.

Not just the university market, but corporate road warriors who are always traveling.

opnsource · February 22, 2006 9:10PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kolchak

I agree. I hardly ever use my optical drive on the road, so I wouldn't mind shedding that bulk and weight most of the time.

Not just the university market, but corporate road warriors who are always traveling.

The 12" iBook only weighs 4.9lbs and the 12" PowerBook 4.6lbs. I think that the extra 1.6 or 1.9 pounds is more than worth the weight. You would have to carry the optical drive with you in your bag anyway, because you may end up needing it for something. So why not just leave the drive in the computer? The iBook is already huge in the university market as well as the consumer laptop market, so I don't think that Apple will be willing to sacrifice functionality for a pound or two.

psychboy · February 22, 2006 10:21PM

I'm crossing my fingers for a MacBook Shuffle that I can hang around my neck when I work out.

opnsource · February 22, 2006 10:59PM

Quote:

Originally posted by psychboy

I'm crossing my fingers for a MacBook Shuffle that I can hang around my neck when I work out.

That would make about as much sense...

kolchak · February 23, 2006 12:31AM

Quote:

Originally posted by opnsource

The 12" iBook only weighs 4.9lbs and the 12" PowerBook 4.6lbs. I think that the extra 1.6 or 1.9 pounds is more than worth the weight. You would have to carry the optical drive with you in your bag anyway, because you may end up needing it for something. So why not just leave the drive in the computer?

In nine years of lugging a laptop, I have yet to unexpectedly need the CD-ROM drive. Whenever I needed it, I knew ahead of time.

Quote:

The iBook is already huge in the university market as well as the consumer laptop market, so I don't think that Apple will be willing to sacrifice functionality for a pound or two.

Why are you focusing on the iBook? Corporate users would be much more likely to buy the MacBook Pro. In corporate circles, ultralight subnotebooks are more popular than you imagine. Why exactly should Apple nearly duplicate the models between Macbook and iBook when they could just as easily create a distinct subnotebook for pros? Apple usually comes around on the important stuff, although slowly. See the late inclusion of USB 2.0 and the final burial of FW800. Hopefully, they'll see this is a market segment they have not properly served.

akheron01 · February 23, 2006 8:20AM

Market segment, market shmegment, I just want the product line to be nice and pretty

Code:

iPod Nano --------- iPod --------- iPod Pro

MacBook Nano ------ MacBook ------ MacBook Pro

Mac Nano ---------- iMac --------- Macintosh Pro

opnsource · February 23, 2006 8:24AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kolchak

In corporate circles, ultralight subnotebooks are more popular than you imagine. Why exactly should Apple nearly duplicate the models between Macbook and iBook when they could just as easily create a distinct subnotebook for pros?

My point was that Apple has been building the smallest, most functionall laptops on the market. True, they might not be as "Utra-Portable" as some of the offerings from Sony and others, but they have consistantly been the thinest when it came to Pro laptops. Just look at the 17" PowerBook. Apple's best bet is to redesign the housing in a way that will allow the computer to be smaller, just like they did with the 12" PB. If you sat a 12"PB next to a 12"iBook, you can see that the overall size is smaller. I think that they can do it again, make it smaller, and keep the optical drive.

Macintosh Nano?

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