Product Announcement- Mac Mini

[Carps]

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

An interesting substitute for those who may not want to splurge a lot of money on a computer. It's also very small and works as a personal entertainment organizer. Interesting stuff they are putting on the market.

[AcquiredTarget]

Looks spiffy. I've always thought that Apple was a great design company. This is a good way to try and win some consumers tired of Windows related issues. The funny thing is, that Apple has finally validated what analysts have been saying for some time. That Apple needed to enter the low-priced market. And with Openoffice out for OSX, who needs to buy Microsoft's Office for the Mac? This should be interesting to watch.

[Digital*Firefly]

i want one

[DarthEvilDude]

its sweet seeing a low-end pc crammed into that tiny thing. its about the same size as a pc game box... sweet. i love how sweet that looks.

[Larry]

"Believe it or not, all this technology weighs just 2.9 pounds."

Holy fuck man, thanks for providing this link. Instead of rebuilding my PC (it has top-of-the-line shit in it, but I barely game at all) I'll pick this up. $500, that's unbelievable. That's how much my video card by itself costs. I can get a whole Mac for the price of my video card. Holy fuck.

[Emptythought]

I like how there marketing it with a KVM switch on the site.

damnit, and it would fit perfectly on my desk in fron tof the mouse....

ok, if someone gave me one, id use it. if i foudn teh cash on the gorund i would buy one...

but for $500? now?... hmm... nah

[alexsan]

I am so going to buy this. The 1.42GHz model, a apple keyboard, and a apple mouse is only $659.97. But if you want to be really badass and buy one of their huge ass displays it is $1659.96 I want one so so badly.

[Oomba]

Not too bad under the hood either. 1.25GHz PowerPC G4, 256 mb RAM, Radeon 9200, and a 40 GB HD on the lower end model. I still wouldnt buy it, because even at 499, its still too expensive. Someone should make a PC case that looks like a G5.

[Carps]

CNET editor's take

Reviewed by Rich Brown

Reviewed January 11, 2005

Apple unveiled its forthcoming Mac Mini computer today during company cofounder Steve Jobs's keynote address, which kicked off the 2005 Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. Confirming rumors that Apple would unveil its first budget-priced Mac desktop, the Mac Mini is a standalone desktop PC (monitor, keyboard, mouse sold separately) that sells for $499 in its lowest-end configuration. As eye-catching as its price are the Mac Mini's measurements: Apple lists the case at just 2.0 by 6.5 by 6.5 inches (HWD), or roughly the size of a PC's optical drive, with a total weight of just less than three pounds.

The Mac Mini goes on sale January 22 with two basic configurations. The $499 model comes with a 1.25GHz G4 processor, 256MB of 333MHz DDR memory (upgradable to 1GB for a whopping $425 extra), and a 40GB hard drive. The $599 model provides a faster 1.42GHz processor and a larger 80GB hard drive. Both Mac Minis include a 32MB ATI Radeon 9200 graphics chip and a slot-loading 24X DVD/CD-RW combo drive, which you can upgrade to a full-fledged, dual-format DVD-burning SuperDrive ($100). Bundled software includes Apple's Panther OS X operating system and the iLife '05 suite of media software.

Upside: The $499 price of the Mac Mini certainly makes owning an Apple computer more accessible. Its small size and overall design stand out, especially when compared to the bland-to-gaudy case designs commonly inflicted on the budget-PC buyer. As with the similarly sleek iMac G5, all of the ports and the power button on the Mac Mini are located on the back panel. You can connect a digital LCD via the Mac Mini's DVI port and analog monitors with the included adapter. You can add wireless networking ($79) and Bluetooth capability ($50) as time-of-purchase options. Although you will need to add a monitor and input devices (thankfully, it supports a standard USB mouse) to use the Mac Mini, once you do, the DVD/CD-RW combo drive and the full complement of media and creativity software via iLife '05 will give you plenty to do after you're set up.

Downside: We wouldn't get too excited about the Mac Mini's $499 price tag. Add in the cost of a new monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and with the Mac Mini's barest configuration, you're looking at roughly $750 at a minimum to get up and running. (Of course, you might have these peripherals from the PC you're aiming to replace.) With only two USB 2.0 ports on the back of the Mac Mini, you'll need to get creative when you add components, making either the internal Bluetooth module or a separate USB hub almost necessary. Functionality is further limited by the lack of Gigabit Ethernet support (the included networking jack supports only 10/100) and no audio-in port--you get only a headphone out. Finally, the Mac Mini comes with Apple's standard allotment of 256MB of memory; we suggest spending the extra $75 to double it.

Outlook: We bet the Mac Mini will inspire people to switch based on its looks and core price alone. That doesn't mean we think it's the most cost-effective budget computer. When we compare the specs of the $799 eMac, we don't even think the Mac Mini is the best deal you can get on an Apple-based PC, since that all-in-one system comes with comparable specs, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Still, there's a lot to be said for the simple appeal of the Mac Mini's clean design. As long as you think of the price as a starting point and not the total cost, we think the Mac Mini will woo a lot of frustrated Windows users, synergy-seeking iPod owners, and those who simply appreciate attractive tech.