Apple Insider - Closing the book on Apple's Mac mini

Hope it's not true

i hope its not

Well everything has its time. I was planning on writing in the YMS blog about this...since I really HATE chicken-littling articles like this that come out...because people take them at face value. Any thoughts?

Its not all gloom and doom, maybe there is something nicer coming, like for instance an AppleTv + a Mini? There are some companies offering a Mythtv/Linux box this way and if you study the Mini posts a lot of people want to use the Mini as a media center. We already know OS X will install on an AppleTv so maybe its not too far fetched.

If they do that they are out of their mind. Also the Apple TV is a very under powered device. It would never in it's present form, do what the Mini can. VERY bad decision on Apples part, but it might be the road ahead for Apple Inc.

If the axe the Mini, they need to replace it with a basic Mac Pro tower for under $1,000. The Mini is $600; the iMac is $1,000. If they remove the Mini, there won't be any Mac computers for under $1,000. Return of the Cube, maybe?

I thought the mac mini was pretty crappy. I'm starting to get excited for wwdc to see what new things are released! When are videos of the keynote presentation avaliable?

I'm sorry...please explain to me why my 2.33GHz intel core 2 duo computer with 2GB of memory is crappy? Is it because I can put it in my girlfriend's purse and move it around if necessary? (not that I would carry a purse)

MikeYMS said:

I'm sorry...please explain to me why my 2.33GHz intel core 2 duo computer with 2GB of memory is crappy? Is it because I can put it in my girlfriend's purse and move it around if necessary? (not that I would carry a purse)

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Agreed, the Intel Minis are fast and compact with the lowest price in the Mac lineup.

If they do that they are out of their mind. Also the Apple TV is a very under powered device. It would never in it's present form, do what the Mini can. VERY bad decision on Apples part, but it might be the road ahead for Apple Inc.

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I said a combo of the two, like I said there are some companies offer similar devices with Linux/MythTv. When you consider the emphasis Apple puts on entertainment features of their products it seems like a good fit.

jakeroberts said:

I said a combo of the two, like I said there are some companies offer similar devices with Linux/MythTv. When you consider the emphasis Apple puts on entertainment features of their products it seems like a good fit.

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I think you're close, but you neglected to consider it from the company's perspective. It's all about sales and profit. From the moment the concept of the Apple TV came out, me and many other people said it would make more sense to spend a little more and just buy a mini than an Apple TV devise.

Well, it looks like that trend may be true. Maybe mini sales are cutting into Apple TV sales, and Apple makes more money off the little underpowered Apple TV than the compact Mini powerhouse. If that's true, guess who gets the axe? Especially considering you have choice of content vendors with the Mini (store-bought CDs and DVDs), but with Apple TV you're tied to iTunes media.

I believe it's the same reason Apple isn't, and may never, come out with a video iPod that is the same as the iPhone, but without the phone and other features. Look at how many people have said they don't really want the phone, just the iPod with the big screen. There's no way they'll release a product that will basically kill sales of the iPhone.

It would be a shame to lose the Mini. I have been planning to buy one for an entertainment center devise, but I've been waiting for an update.

MikeYMS said:

I'm sorry...please explain to me why my 2.33GHz intel core 2 duo computer with 2GB of memory is crappy? Is it because I can put it in my girlfriend's purse and move it around if necessary? (not that I would carry a purse)

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I don't think the mac mini's have 2.33ghz processors in them. The higest is 1.83ghz. If you go with the higher end mac mini with 2gb of ram then your up to $1049. But for $999 you can get the imac with the same processor, not as much ram, better video card, bigger hard drive, isight, and a built in screen!

Glenners said:

I don't think the mac mini's have 2.33ghz processors in them. The higest is 1.83ghz. If you go with the higher end mac mini with 2gb of ram then your up to $1049. But for $999 you can get the imac with the same processor, not as much ram, better video card, bigger hard drive, isight, and a built in screen!

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The $999 iMac has the same exact video chipset as the Mini. It's the next iMac up that has a discrete video chipset.

You can put in a 2.33 Core 2 Duo cpu into a Mini. I almost did it to mine but it's fast enough right now at 1.66 to play 1080p HD without one hiccup and that is the main reason I bought the CD Mini, for my front room setup and in that way it is much better than the Apple TV in that I can play all video content and not just itunes store stuff.

I think (and hope) that this is crap. Apple Insider has a good track record, but I have a Mini at the office and it's a perfect little machine (although it's desperately needing to be replaced from the G4 that it is to the Intel that it needs to be).

We're not supposed to use Apple equipment at my company, but I can hide the Mini and use my Dell monitor (and I can use a KVM to switch between it and my Dell laptop). If they dump the Mini, then I'd be forced to fork over $2500 for a Mac Pro, or $1100 for a Macbook. Neither of those are likely to happen.

There's plenty of room in the Apple lineup for a low-end machine without a built-in screen.

MY bro got a mini as his first mac and he loves it...so do i.

Well I am a bit stuck here I think. I had been planning to get a Mini to bascially try out OS X and see how the Mac system would suit me. I have been building pCs for years and am fed up with Vista, DRM and the rubbish that comes in.

So, how seriously do we take this rumour. Is it a safer bet to buy now? I was thinking of waiting for Leopard but that could be too late. Any ideas please?

MikeYMS said:

I'm sorry...please explain to me why my 2.33GHz intel core 2 duo computer with 2GB of memory is crappy? Is it because I can put it in my girlfriend's purse and move it around if necessary? (not that I would carry a purse)

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i considered doing that to my mini when i had one but it just seemed like to much overkill with the video chipset it has. and once i mod it, the mini is no longer really a apple mini bud a modded mini without warranty.

Hello, I counted at least 3 replies where folks use the mini as a MM device. Apple TV is $299 and a basic mini is $599. The Apple TV has a logic board, wifi, and a hd already, so if you combined the two in some fashion then you could still come in well under the $1000 line.

dtravis7 said:

The $999 iMac has the same exact video chipset as the Mini. It's the next iMac up that has a discrete video chipset.

You can put in a 2.33 Core 2 Duo cpu into a Mini. I almost did it to mine but it's fast enough right now at 1.66 to play 1080p HD without one hiccup and that is the main reason I bought the CD Mini, for my front room setup and in that way it is much better than the Apple TV in that I can play all video content and not just itunes store stuff.

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My office mini is a 2.33 Core 2 Duo with 2Gigs of Ram...and I'm extremely happy with it. The headless concept is a good one, as it's easy to come by a monitor if you really want to...I mean just because I'm using a wacky japanese model (there's no english on it, but hey it works) doesn't mean it's a bad thing.

Mike,

Could you tell me if you run yopur shop accounts of the Mini and if so what program you use. I'm planning a move to Mac but accounts is a bit crucial