Mac Mini Not Dead Yet?

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/05/apple_tells_mac_mini_fan_to_hang_in_there.html' target='_blank'>http://www.appleinsider.com/article...g_in_there.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Having read a blog post speculating that a discontinuation of the current Mac mini line overseas may be indicative of the product's ultimate demise, one advocate of the tiny desktops fired off an email with his concerns to Apple's newly-crowned Mac hardware engineering chief Bob Mansfield.&nbsp; Although Mansfield didn't issue a personal reply, a colleague in Apple's executive&nbsp;care division did almost immediately, offering no timetable for a Mac mini update but assuring that the company was well aware of system's market value, and suggesting the customer continue to exercise patience. 'I got a prompt reply by phone from an Apple&nbsp;executive&nbsp;care person essentially giving me no new information but assuring me that Apple knew the mini was a popular machine and to be patient," the customer told <em>AppleInsider</em>. "I certainly appreciated the contact, and I think it was a nice way of letting me know that rather than bug their head guys.'"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1225974390.usr18053.jpg" border="1" width="500" height="332" /></p><p>Now I have no reason to believe that this guy isn't telling the truth in any way, I just find it odd that Apple would break character by tipping their hands about future hardware plans.&nbsp; I am, however, comforted in the fact that the Mini may not be dead after all. We've discussed it on the forums for a bit and the general consensus of Apple Thoughts readers and staff would be that it would be a tragedy for the Mini to go the way of the dodo.&nbsp; Now, I put it in the hands of you, my dear readers.&nbsp; What do you think of this story?&nbsp; True?&nbsp; Not true?&nbsp; Wishful thinking?&nbsp; Or good news?&nbsp; I don't personally have an opinion on it except for hoping that it's true.</p>

[MrMacintiger]

I am going to try to get year or two more use out of my Mini G4 before upgrading and I would like another mini again. It has been a solid machine for me and does what I need it to do for a reasonable price. It would leave a real void in the Apple market for it to be discontinued at this jucture.

[Da_Brain]

I'll believe it when I see it!--)))

However, IM very surprised that Apple did not do a minor update to the mini before Xmas.

Many are just looking for 802.11n, better graphics like the recent Nvidia 9400 and a minor CPU bump.

It's been so long since a decent update IM sure they would have sold tons of them for the holiday season.

I just don't have a lot of faith in this phone call. I hope IM wrong!--)))

The mini fulfills a huge need IMHO. Many do not want an AIO computer, many have their own displays they wish to use etc.... and many prefer matte screens, something that all newly released Apple products do not have nor offer.

I love my Mac's though and most of all OSX. Just wish their were a lot more hardware choices to run OSX on.
IM not a sears diehard apple fanboy whom buys into all the Apple hype!--)))

Fingers crossed for a reasonable price updated mini thats does not lose features.

[oesii]

I always thought the Mini could be cross-marketed as media center or as a network storage/file server. But Apple has the AppleTV and Time Capsule products in the way. Seems like those three products could be combined somehow to have one cool device.

If the Mini is updated in the next year I'll probably pick one up to replace my aging desktop PC, my primary computer is a MacBook.

[crimsonsky]

Honestly, if it hadn't been for the G4 mini, I never would have bought a Mac. Macs were just too expensive, and the original mini at $499 was the ideal price point to get me to the Mac. I had been building my own PCs for years, but was never really satisfied with Windows as an OS. (I was a LONG time Amiga user then an OS/2 user) so I was seriously looking for a change. Linux wasn't really viable, OS/2 was dead and OS X seemed the only reasonable alternative. Thanks to the mini, I was finally able to move off of Windows as my primary platform. (And the Intel machines just add icing on the cake in allowing dual booting or virtual machines running Windows).

I've been using minis for three years - from the original mini to a Core Solo to my current Core 2 Duo 1.83 GHz machine. I considered an iMac this year, but decided that it really didn't offer many anything more than my mini which is upgraded to 2 gigs, has an external DVD recorder and 1 TB of external HD storage attached to it. Plus I have a 19" monitor, so I didn't see where I would gain enough from an iMac to justify the cost. My son has inherited my previous 2 minis and they are still rocking!

For me, the mini is the ideal switchers machine. You can get your feet wet with OS X and the Mac experience without breaking the bank and if you are so inclined, you can move up to an iMac or Mac Pro.

Although the mini has never gotten the "love" of Apples other (and presumably more profitable) machines, I have to believe that Apple realises that there are many users out there like me - who would use the mini as the entry point into the Apple ecosystem. (I bought my 1st iPod after getting a Mac and I use two Apple Airport Extreme routers). So I am hopeful that the mini will continue in Apple's product line and see a nice upgrade in the not too distant future.

[huta9020]

I want to believe

[Vincent Ferrari]

I want to believe

You and me both.