New 'Cheap' Mac

[dean_shan]

Apple has finally made a cheap computer. They now have the Mac Mini. Check it out, very cool.

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

[JackTheTripper]

Very small. 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 2.

Just larger than a CD case and 2 inches thick.

Trey Cool! 8)

[Wiggster]

Almost enough to make me want to buy a Mac.

Almost. :wink:

[Mark Kenepp]

:drool:

It is pretty sweet, though if you add an Apple Cinema Display, the price will jump to close to that of an iMac G5 which has more stuff and, depending on ones preferences, a better desktop foot print. I third party monitor would keep the price down.

It would be great to sit along side a Windows machine with a KVM switch :D

[dean_shan]

It would be great to sit along side a Windows machine with a KVM switch :D

Yeah I think that's what most people will do with the mini. That's what I would do when/if I get one (have a PowerBook already).

[Janak Parekh]

I like it too. Except I want a real Power Mac G5. ;)

Anyway, there's a frontpage discussion on Digital Media Thoughts (www.digitalmediathoughts.com) brewing -- you guys should check it out.

--janak

[PPCRules]

Gotta laugh. Never did understand why Apple is still in business, but this: "The most affordable Mac ever. Starting at $499."

$499; no display.

(laughs some more)

However, I have long desired a Windows PC is a compact box (I'd rather have a pizza box package). But for about $299 at today's prices. Maybe this will get some PC makers off their (whatevers).

[Darius Wey]

Cute. It looks like a lunchbox. Yes, mum did pack an Apple in it this time. :)

[marcm]

Cute. It looks like a lunchbox. Yes, mum did pack an Apple in it this time. :)
:rotfl:
Looks like a nice Apple, but I still think I'll stay with my IBM T41... I have always wanted an Apple computer though... :? :wink: :D

[Pat Logsdon]

The thing that intrigues me about this device is that it's almost exactly the same size as a car stereo head unit. Hmmmmmm.... :wink:

[Janak Parekh]

Never did understand why Apple is still in business
What, all non-ultra-low-end vendors aren't allowed to stay in business? ;)

$499 isn't that cheap compared to a cheap x86, but it's not a bad price at all. I think it'll sell; we'll see.

--janak

[PPCRules]

I have not doubt that it will sell, and it'll probably sell well. I'm just saying I don't understand it: the whole iPod thing, and this Apple glamour effect that caused people to willingly, happily and braggingly spend extra money to buy a noncompatible computer. But if it can inspire others to produce products that are truly better, I guess it's no loss to me.

[Janak Parekh]

I'm just saying I don't understand it: the whole iPod thing, and this Apple glamour effect that caused people to willingly, happily and braggingly spend extra money to buy a noncompatible computer.
Why do people buy expensive clothes? Cars? Watches? There's an elegance and branding to them.

In the iPod's case: I don't know if you've ever just tried just opening an iPod box. The design is amazing and there's truly "thought" to it. This matters to some people. Ditto for the click wheel.

(To take the argument to an extreme, why aren't we all buying the cheapest eMachines?)

As for compatibility: I think you're overstating that. Macs running OS X can run a ton of programs: both Mac programs and UNIX programs. They come out of the box with a webbrowser and email client. Word is available for it. Most people don't even need more than that.

But if it can inspire others to produce products that are truly better, I guess it's no loss to me.
Let's hope. :)

--janak

[Jippy]

But if it can inspire others to produce products that are truly better, I guess it's no loss to me.
Mmmphh. Yeah, like the Sony NW-HD1? Or the Dell Digital Jukebox DJ? :rotfl:

Truly better, dot com!

[Janak Parekh]

Sony NW-HD1?
The NW-HW1 is one amazingly small piece of hardware. Too bad the software -- both in the device and out of it -- is so lacking.

And in all honesty, some of the newer iRivers and similar devices are pretty slick. But yeah, I won't be giving my iPod up so soon; it does its job very well.

--janak

[Darius Wey]

Sony NW-HD1?
The NW-HW1 is one amazingly small piece of hardware. Too bad the software -- both in the device and out of it -- is so lacking.

It's to undergo some major upgrades over the year, so if all goes well, we can look forward to a new unit that hopefully makes it a bit more exciting to play with.

[Janak Parekh]

It's to undergo some major upgrades over the year, so if all goes well, we can look forward to a new unit that hopefully makes it a bit more exciting to play with.
We'll see. Sony's record on desktop sync software is horrendous, so even if there is MP3 support with the latest units I'll be skeptical. I was hooked the first time I tried iTunes autosync.

--janak

[Jonathan1]

Gotta laugh. Never did understand why Apple is still in business, but this: "The most affordable Mac ever. Starting at $499."

Because there are those that want to feed on something other then the Microsoft trough.


However, I have long desired a Windows PC is a compact box (I'd rather have a pizza box package). But for about $299 at today's prices. Maybe this will get some PC makers off their (whatevers).

Not likely. You don't realize that anything below $500 and in many cases $600 is resulting in OEMs with next to no return on investment. It's the whole loss leader thing. If you'd have been paying attention over the last 5 years you would see what has been happening to companies that focus on these cheap boxes. Specifically a lot of them have been leaving the business because they can't keep up with Dell.

Apple method, while niche, has let them play on a whole different level wherein they don't have to compete with Dell. The problem? Even thought they aren't losing users they are losing market share. This is where the mini comes into play. Pro or anti Mac the reality is that there are a segment of users who are sick of viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, configuring your firewall, spending more money on a AV solution, spending even more money on an antispyware program (Because the free ones on the market don't snag everything.), and on and on.
These are the people the mimi is targeting. Well them and iPod users. 90% of the people who frequent boards like these aren't in any way shape or form average users. The average user doesn't need a 3Ghz CPU. An average user doesn't care about a DVD burner. An average user isn't looking to play the latest and greatest games. They want to do mail, music, browsing, IM, maybe some word processing, manage their photos, etc. All of that can be handled with a 1.25 or 1.4Ghz G4 without breaking a sweat. This is what the mini is focusing on. Time and again I have people in my office come to me asking my advice on a new home computer. I suggest LOOKING at the Mac and if that doesn't work go check out Dell's referb site. Time and again they come back. Well its too expensive otherwise they would bite. Well true enough it was expensive. Not anymore. Not if you don't plan on doing any heavy computing. I can finally point a user at a Mac without seeing them cringe at the price. Can you find cheaper PCs on the market? Of course. That isn't the goal of this system. Its goal is to price a Mac within the range of mere mortals. Everyone else can go out and build their own puter and be happy.