Apple Releases Intel Core Duo Mac Mini and iPod Hi-Fi

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/28/all-of-todays-apple-coverage/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/28/all-of-todays-apple-coverage/</a><br /><br /></div>Apple released some "fun new products" today. First up we have the Apple iPod Hi-Fi:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/ipod-hifi.jpg" /><br /><br /><i>"We'll admit, there's not a huge amount to say about the Apple iPod Hi-Fi. We'd heard this was coming, and it's caught our attention namely because it's Apple's first true foray into the iPod accessories market, along with their new leather iPod cases. We did get a good listen in some of the rooms Apple set up on campus to demo the sound in a "real world" environment (our fav was the teenager's space, replete with dirty laundry strewn about), and yup, it sounds pretty good. You know how we wish it was, well, a little less iPod-centric for being a regular old piece of consumer electronics and all, but hey, you know how they play the game. So how's the thing feel? Well, let's be straight up, the Hi-Fi is heavy. Like, way too heavy to want to carry with you to the cabana or the beach, as they described you might despite its alternate six D-cell power source."</i><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/28/apple-ipod-hi-fi-hands-on/">Engadget article</a> has a few more pictures and general thoughts on the product. And the <a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/feb/28hifi.html">press release</a> is full of some nice fluff. Reinventing home stereo? Not really - Apple's own partners beat them to the bunch, what, a year or two ago by now? And there's nothing innovative about a speaker with a dock - your music is still trapped on the iPod. Oh yeah, they also released a <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/28/apple-intros-99-leather-ipod-case/">$99 plain black leather case</a> with an Apple logo on it. No, seriously, they did.<br /><br />Apple also released a <a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/feb/28macmini.html">new version of the Mac Mini</a> based on the Intel Core Duo CPU, meaning it's now actually reasonably fast and likely decent for video editing. Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 and WiFi is a nice touch, as are the four USB ports (two is just never enough).<br /><br />What I find most interesting about these announcement is that with the iPod accessories, Apple has decided to compete with all the companies that have built up an ecosystem around the iPod. First they wanted money from all iPod-related products, and now they're going head to head with those same companies. From what I can tell, their efforts are lacklustre at best. Apple has already killed off a lot of software development for their platform by creating their own applications, and now they seem to be replicating this scenario on the iPod playing field. What on earth are they thinking?

[Kent Pribbernow]

Personally I find both product announcements to be totally undewhelming, from an event that promised "fun new products." I seemed to have missed the fun, and I'm still waiting for the "one more thing" which never came. *sigh*

Instead Apple has decideded to muscle in on the third party iPod accessory market, and that's going to put the fear of God in every case maker from here to Shangri La. Not the wisest strategy when that very developer community has built up an economy (and cult) around your product, is it?

Anyway, wake me when the new Merom-based PowerMacs arrive. Then we'll talk.

[Mr. MacinTiger]

Ditto me underwhelmed as well...The hype for this event was a lot more exciting than the event itself.

The new Minis look nice though :)

[merk1821]

Boy I must be in the minority here at . I do agree the the iPod boombox is a big yawn but i think the two previous posters are letting their disappointment over that cloud what the moreexciting was: the Intel based Mac mini. With the various upgrades (Front Row, Bonjour, more USB ports, SPDIF connections,etc.) it the base for the Apple based media center that has been runoured and debated about. This annoucement has gotten me seriously excited about an Apple media center computer especially form a man with two WIndows XP desktops and a Window XP laptop. If Apple would build in TV Support into Front Row (or allow TV Shows to be bought on the Candian iTunes Store), i would purchase a unit.

By the way, wasnt Apple done that yet?

merkman

[Mr. MacinTiger]

The minis are nice but here's the problem with them...The $$$.

The G4 based mini was a nice, entry level Mac at an affordable price. Now, they have jacked the price up beyond entry level for sure...I don't think that's a good thing.

[Felix Torres]

Apple has already killed off a lot of software development for their platform by creating their own applications, and now they seem to be replicating this scenario on the iPod playing field. What on earth are they thinking?

Something like: "If anybody is going to make money off our platform its going to be us and we're gonna squeeze every last drop of blood we can out of it."

As for the mini I think it'll sell a ton to the LINUX Home Theater afficionados; small, decent-powered hardware that they can install their software on and not one cent goes to MS.

ABM heaven!! :twisted:

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

It's barely a 10% increase in price for, I dunno, a 100% boost in speed?

[Outlaw94]

I too was underwelmed. I was hoping for a true video playing ipod and true movie downloads from iTunes.

I do think the Mac Mini would be great hookedup to my TV however until they provide a tuner card and recording abilities built in, I will stick with my Media Center with Xbox 360 extender.

I love my MCE machines but would love to have the Apple hardware as it looks polished, smooth, and slim. I mean wouldn't a MacBook Pro running MCE be awsome? I would definatly consider the jump to Mac if they can provide MCE functions to Front Row.

[Macguy59]

Somebody wake me for the next media event

[klinux]

The Mac Mini is an welcoming addition and could be my next HTPC. Waiting to see how well it decodes 1080 in various codecs (mpeg-2, h264, DivX, etc) before purchasing.

[Jason Dunn]

The Mac Mini is an welcoming addition and could be my next HTPC. Waiting to see how well it decodes 1080 in various codecs (mpeg-2, h264, DivX, etc) before purchasing.

Yeah. Heh. Remember when we were all "discussing" how it simply could not do HD decoding with the craptastic G4 CPU? It seems Apple realized that as well. I haven't tried HD playback on my Pentium M CPU, I really should...

[Macguy59]

The Mac Mini is an welcoming addition and could be my next HTPC. Waiting to see how well it decodes 1080 in various codecs (mpeg-2, h264, DivX, etc) before purchasing.

Yeah. Heh. Remember when we were all "discussing" how it simply could not do HD decoding with the craptastic G4 CPU? It seems Apple realized that as well. I haven't tried HD playback on my Pentium M CPU, I really should...

My daughters G4 iMac plays back HD movie trailers from Apples website without problems