02-28-2006, 11:37 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Apple Releases Intel Core Duo Mac Mini and iPod Hi-Fi
Apple released some "fun new products" today. First up we have the Apple iPod Hi-Fi:
"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."
The Engadget article has a few more pictures and general thoughts on the product. And the press release 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 $99 plain black leather case with an Apple logo on it. No, seriously, they did.
Apple also released a new version of the Mac Mini 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).
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?
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