The Mac Mini

[TheCotMan]

I figure after that if anything breaks I'll just turn to eBay for replacement parts.

A correlation I noticed ages ago...

When you have a piece of technology of specific model, the same things tend to break around the same time. We found this in our labs. PowerMac 6100/66 with PC/DOS cards (this was about 8 years ago) all started to have mouse problems (horizontal tracking faillure) and next were hard drives, followed by CD-ROM drives.
There are exceptions, but if age killed your part, odds are in favor of age killing the same part on others' machines. Used parts may have shortened lifespans.

Back on topic... Nice specs :-)

[dandroid]

not much difference between these two pics :P

[PsychicViolence]

It is certainly time that they made something that was not only inexpensive but allowed you to use other bits of hardware (i.e. monitor, keyboard, mouse). As a recent convert to MAC OSX I certainly hope this helps Apple out the way that the iPod has. The Mac Mini may also appeal to the big corporate types who can leverage lovely discounts based on volume. I'm glad we have another choice (in addition to Linux) other than stuff from those mingers over at Microsoft.

[Voltage Spike]

It is certainly time that they made something that was not only inexpensive but allowed you to use other bits of hardware (i.e. monitor, keyboard, mouse).

Apple is definitely an interesting company, and I have enjoyed their products to varying degrees for quite some time.

Apple's "problem" was that they were price competitive at the mid- and high-end markets, but they did not have an extremely low-end model. I suppose their hope is that the Mac Mini can help draw people from that market without sacrificing the reputation of quality (deserved or not) that Apple has cultivated.

Oh, and Apple has supported third-party "PC" hardware for some time now. It was simply difficult to purchase a system without select OEM parts.

[ck3k]

as far as computer companys go apple is at least trying new stuff....

microsoft is stressing their "media center" crap where as apple has made something entirely new and exciting. I might pick one of these up, however I expect them to be sold out for a long long time. I already have an aging g4 so this would just replace that, and for that price to get a apple computer is awesome. The whole upgrading thing with Apple is still possible several companies make upgraded processors, so there is some upgradability with them. Now, how bout a g5 mini mac for 499 ;)

[Voltage Spike]

microsoft is stressing their "media center" crap where as apple has made something entirely new and exciting. I might pick one of these up, however I expect them to be sold out for a long long time.

Let's not get carried away here.

Apple has released a small computer. It is cute, neat, and allows you to buy your own peripherals, but this is hardly a new idea. It is an exciting concept for Apple fans, though.

Microsoft's Media Center is an attempt at building something new (well, moreso than Apple). I have very few friends with the capability to record TV and stream audio/video throughout their home, and Microsoft knows this. (Personally, I use a TiVo, but my TiVo is hardly a general-purpose machine.)

I'm not trying to discount Apple's other innovations; I just don't see the Mac Mini as one of them.

[bascule]

Let's not get carried away here.

Apple has released a small computer. It is cute, neat, and allows you to buy your own peripherals, but this is hardly a new idea. It is an exciting concept for Apple fans, though.

[...]

I'm not trying to discount Apple's other innovations; I just don't see the Mac Mini as one of them.

The Mac Mini is by far the slickest system I've seen in this form factor. It certainly will crush any Mini-ITX systems based around the (CISC-based) VIA Eden processor, but the Pentium M has made a small foray into the Mini-ITX world in the past few months. Still, having a 1.42GHz RISC PowerPC system with 128-bit AltiVec in a package like this, especially at a price like $499, is extremely impressive. While it may not be conceptually innovative, it's certainly something that we haven't seen before.

[nulltone]

And don't forget that included DVI to VGA adapter. It makes the deal just oh-so much better for people like me who still haven't let go of their 21 inch CRT. I've been waiting for LCD prices to drop since 1999.

[murakami]

oohh, pretty shiny thing!

Apple should have released it after Thanksgiving instead of after the New Year.

[Voltage Spike]

Apple should have released it after Thanksgiving instead of after the New Year.

But not before: there is a chance that someone might eat Apple's new products by accident, as evidenced by footnote 2 here.

[allentrace]

But not before: there is a chance that someone might eat Apple's new products by accident, as evidenced by footnote 2 here.

Don't get me wrong I love my IPOD but it seems to me that Apple is overmarketing their product in effect doing what the Computer Retail industry has been doing for years which is introducing new computers and then a few weeks later introducing the same computer with a diff. cosmetic look or a few different specs.