ajminnj

Siri and Apple maps both have the same problem: Apple Search.  Siri is usually right on in turning what I said into text.  It is what it does with that text that things go wrong.  Beside the whole general here is a web page, the results are often wrong.  If I take the exact same words (including the few that Siri does get wrong) and type them into Google, it gets it right.  

Apple Maps is the same way.  If I give it an exact address, the directions and interface are perfect.  But if the address is slightly off it might direct you a few states over.  I had one time where I gave it an address and the suffix was wrong (street vs avenue) but the rest of the address including the zip code was right.  It actually gave me directions to another town.  I looked up the correct address in google and pasted it into apple maps and then I was fine.  

If they can fix Apple Search, both products will be so much better.

Both Maps and Siri suffer from the same problem, Apple Search sucks.  If I know the exact address, Apple Maps gets me there every time.  If I have to search for it, like the previous poster said, I could end up on another continent.  Siri has the same issue, as far as turning my words into text, Siri is very accurate for me.  What Apple does with those words is anyone's guess.

While there are areas of both Maps and Siri that still need refinement, fixing Apple Search would have the biggest impact on the whole ecosystem.

As I was reading through this article and comments, something hit me, the 2018 MacMini is not really a replacement for the 2014 MacMini.  It is the 12 year late replacement for the low end PowerMac.  When the MacPro came out it started at $2499 (Could be custom ordered at $2299).  This was the replacement for the $1999+ PowerMacs, however the $1499-$1799 Single Core PowerMac was never truly replaced (https://everymac.com/global-mac-prices/mac-prices-us-usa-united-states-america.html).  I am one of the people who missed the "Mid Range" non-all-in-one desktop Mac.  If you configure the MacMini with 512GB of storage and either the i5 or the i7 it is $1299-$1499, back in the sweet spot for the old mid-range Macs.  But even looking at the small base storage, it makes sense for the mac cloud server farm they highlighted in their introduction video.  If you are using it to do builds you do not need that much storage.  In the Linux/Windows Server world attached to large SANs, it is not uncommon to have 100GB or less boot partition.  We have some VMWare blades that only have a 32GB flash drive for booting and no onboard storage.

I believe Apple hit a home run with the new MacMini.  The only issue it that it is really a MacMini Pro now and not the Switcher/Entry-Level computer of the past. 

I believe the other reason for the uproar over upgradability is that there is a huge hole in Apple's Desktop Lineup coupled with their outrageous upgrade prices at initial purchase.  You have the MacMini ($500-$1000) and then you have the MacPro ($3000+).  (And no, I do not consider the iMac a Desktop, that is an All-In-One.  Similar function but not the same.)  During the PowerMac and early MacPro eras I would buy the $1500-$2000 model.  It met my needs and as it aged I could easily add RAM or bigger / faster Hard Drives to extend the life.  Even forgetting the life extension of those models, my only desktop choices now are a MacMini which is small for my needs (this is even pretending that Apple has kept this model current) or the MacPro which is bigger than I need in most respects ($3600 configuration to hit all my missing needs).  

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-microchips-amd/microsoft-halts-some-amd-chip-meltdown-patches-after-pcs-freeze-idUSKBN1EY17X

"Upon investigation, Microsoft said some AMD chipsets did not conform to technical documentation the chipmaker had provided, preventing Microsoft from successfully patching affected machines."

(Grabs popcorn to watch the PR fight between MS and AMD)