Apple Mac Mini released - Yay !?

[Grissom 10]

Apple have released their smallest computer yet :

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4168111.stm

 

May get one in future as they can be connected to a TV and look good. Could watch telly, go on this site and do shopping without leaving my sofa

[uniB 10]

It looks way cool - want one!!!

 

Not sure what I'd use it for though...?

[genesiscouch 10]

I think it is a new direction for Apple at least. Before they were more of a "boutique" computer manufacturer, almost like B&O of the computer world. With this latest bargain basement computer they are moving towards greater market share and lower margins....so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. The street wasn't too impressed and punished AAPL, presumably because they would rather see more consumer goods than low margin computers.

 

Anyways I'd get one but I four others kicking around right now :embarassed:

[D2J 10]

Apple still lack in the Processor Speed area.. Sorry to say but I've never been a big fan of Mac's

 

[Phanerothyme 12]

Apple still lack in the Processor Speed area.. Sorry to say but I've never been a big fan of Mac's

 

If processor speed meant anything. Clearly it means something, but its far from any kind of overall measure of a computer's performance.

 

It's a bit like comparing the maximum revs of cars to determine which is better.

 

It's not how many cycles per second you run at, it's what you do with them that counts.

 

If always found Apple computers to be unsurpassed in speed, colour accuracy and reliability in typical tasks. What they are not, is cheap.

 

This does change that, quite a bit, but like genesiscouch points out - that simply means that they are making less money per unit sold.

 

I think this is an extension of Apples intent to leverage the success of the iPod into the home ents market, being vigorously addressed by Microsoft, Sony, Panasonic etc, etc.

[xafier 10]

Apple Mac's are amazing little thing's, some of the best graphics and audio software is for the Mac, the top of the range ones kick ass for recording music, as in a band situation not MP3's

 

processor speed isn't everything as Phan said... AMD have proven that with the fact their processors out perform Intel's mhz for mhz and the fact is that Mac's chips are a completly different architechture

 

its like comparing a SPARC processor to and x86 they're all for different usage...

 

personally, I'll be sticking to my x86 based system's for a fair while, I like DIY systems, and Mac's just aren't about that... they're not really designed for much upgrading or anything, or fiddling with

[nick2 10]

I used one of the original Macs, the ones with a little black and white screen and a floppy drive in the front, it was the first time I'd used a mouse and I thought it was the "dogs b****cks", it was so different to everything else.

 

I do think that they are overpriced for what you actually get, but a lot of money has gone into the design side, they do look great.

[alchresearch 215]

I'd much rather pay less and get a more powerful Shuttle PC.

 

I suppose it is a good way for Apple to get a foothold back into the market. People will buy it as a second PC and when they start to see how less often it crashes or gets a virus, will seriously tempt them into buying a Mac for their next 'big' computer, which is what Apple wants.

 

Not impressed with the 1Gb new Ipod though. Holds 256 songs but has no display? You're better off getting an MP3 player that accepts MMC cards, they're only £20 (card excluded).

[Fairydreams 10]

I think the Mac Mini is good for those testing the waters from the PC market (i.e. already have monitor, keyboard, mouse). For those buying a new machine it is too full of hidden costs when compared to an iMac.