More Reasons to Love Apple
As I talked about earlier, today was the Apple special, invite-only event. They announced the Intel Mac Mini with two options for the processor, single or dual core. The Core Duo runs at 1.67GHz while the single core, Core Solo, model runs at 1.5GHz and comes with 512MB. Both models sport DDR2 PC-5300 RAM and can hold up to 2GB’s, up from the older mini’s 1GB. It seems as though there are only 2 models, starting at $599 and $799, all shipping with iLife ‘06 and an upgraded Front Row. They also announced an iPod Hi-Fi, which is some sort of boom box with twin speakers and a subwoofer that retails for $349. Read the rest.
Update: Actually, that’s it. The shortest keynote ever. Lame. Redefined. No new iBooks, or Cinema Displays with integrated iSights, no media cube, no Airport Express N with HDMI output.
I just wanted a laptop..nothing more, nothing less. Everyone was hyping a laptop, I’m really disappointed that all the hype wasn’t true. We don’t need Cinema Displays with a built in camera, what we need are a budget prices iBook to lower the entry price for buying an Apple. The new Mini sounds like a powerhouse though, just wondering how much louder it’ll be. Wonder if you could use the new mini as a HTPC, someone needs to dismantle one and find a way, iTheater.
Or hate them.
Two words: LEATHER CASE!
Who gives a rat’s ass about a leather case? The Hi-Fi could be cool, but doesn’t look too impressive to me.
Oh well, you can’t win em all.
Well, the mini is cool but not impressive or anything.
The hifi, that actually looks interesting. Will have to wait to hear it.
The ipod case. Lame.
I can one up that…I was looking for a 2GB Shuffle….nothing more, nothing less! But agreed, the new Mini is really tempting my wallet right now :-)
I need to hide my debit card _fast_, that mini is insane.
Paul, you already have a mini. Why would you buy this one? Just because it’s faster? I don’t see what’s the big deal with the intel mini.
Dual core, need I say more?
Going with 2×256MB instead of a single 512MB stick strikes me as insanely lame. Would it bother them that much to leave that second slot empty?
Also, bye-bye $499 price-point.
Leaning towards the Core or Duo model?
(Now, back to my working on an entry regarding the iPod Hi-Fi for the site…)
While I’m a bit disappointed, Apple did release some good products. The Intel Mac Mini certainly isn’t minor, and the iPod HiFi, while not cheap, sounds like a good product. I just think they’re holding off the big products for April 1st when all hell will break loose.
I have only two grips about the keynote. I wish Apple wouldn’t have raised the Mini price. Keeping the same prices would have sweet. Also, what’s up with the $99 leather iPod case. Who is going to buy that? Other than that, I’m satisfied.
ive bought my first mac last year, the mini. the new one sure is tempting. it clears a lot of downsides of the rev a. however I only would switch if the new one had 3.5inch hdd and a more robust gpu… my 2 cents. will sell my mini and go for a proper imac.
Damn it! Just two weeks ago I ordered a mini mac from Apple- its due to turn up in the next two days…
I’m gonna go and find some small children to kick… please excuse me.
wait! didn’t you forget the iPod leather cases at $99 a pop? lol,
http://www.mp3buzz.net/index.php/2006/02/28/no-video-ipod-ipod-hi-fi-instead/
Brandon, I didn’t mention the iPod cases because I could care less. =D They are overpriced accessories. I was only mentioning that actual new products.
I second cavemonkey50. I think the intel Mac mini is actually pretty cool, and I guess Apple don’t want to release an intel iBook until their anniversary in April.
The mini is groovy. I’ve been waiting for that one.
Doesn’t really give me any more reasons to love Apple if you ask me :)
The over-priced boombox makes me laugh because many of the “audiophiles” who will buy it will be listening to 128kbps AAC files.
The mini is looking really nice - 4 USB ports, gigabit ethernet, DDR2, Intel GMA950 gfx..
I need a plan to get that new mini, hrm. How about I do a celebrity auction for my current mac mini and sign it - the whole deal. Hahah. I might need to redesign to accommodate more ads. :-P
I am a huge Apple fanatic, but I must say I am very unimpressed with the latest releases. The music BOX is ugly and very unApple. The leather cases are a joke. The mini update is good but ah, I cannot say it is new and special. I understand they want the transition to be smooth, same product styles and all but come on. The concept of, hey if its not broke don’t fix it only works with the grilled cheese sandwiches and legos. Where is the new!
There is a misconseption in the community that everything Apple produces is hip, and sexy. Apple teased us with such a big Intel transition. I was very eager to see the great new things…and? Here is a guy in a bunny suit, and a couple of coughs from Steve, and here is this thing, goodnight.
I had no idea how much of a nerd I was until my hip Apple company produced such poor Keynote with an unimaginative product as their star. I was left thinking, I can’t believe I was looking forward to this, I am such a nerd.â€
Even the Mac book -although I do want one-was a let down. The new speed improvements do not matter if everything that requires heavy chip work is produced under emulation. Do I really need a Core duo chip for iWeb? I don’t think so. Not one of Apples Pro apps can currently run without the aid of Rosetta (that I am aware of at this time). With most of us being creative content developers Apple, has- temporarily- left many core users adrift. This is expected with such a big transition, but these users are not going to upgrade systems until their products are dedicated to the new hardware.
That is a big chunk of money that is left out of Apple’s pocket.
This is why they are issuing new iPods and big ugly music BOXES, they are pushing everything out the door to keep the overhead –UP, ugly or not.
Didn’t anyone notice that the new Mac minis are sporting integrated graphics? I’m cringing at the sound of that…
Lame keynote. And I can’t believe how they made the Mac mini without a TV tuner and PVR functions?? I’m not buying one until the most used feature of a living room computer is there.
A larger video iPod would be cool, but I would also like to see a iPod for kids. Like Sony’s “My first Sony” products; padded and easy to use. I wrote an article about a year ago, just google “ipod maxi” (it’s the third link last I checked) - brilliantdays.com.
I suspect the next time we get new products from Apple is NAB in April. With new versions of Final Cut Pro and the other apps in FCP Studio.
Apple could have released something much better. The new Mac Mini is looking cool, but the price isn’t; in fact, the price has actually gone up just because of the Intel chips. The iPod Hi-Fi isn’t looking so cool either, I’m sure Apple could have come up with a better idea.
Hopefully their next updates will be better than this one.
The new Mini is cool in a lot of ways, but … they downgraded the graphics card. Wtf is that about? It’s the iMac that is still giving me the eye, tbh.
You mean upgraded. The Intel GMA 950 is capable of Core Image, something the 9200 could never handle. The Intel GMA 950 also benchmarks slightly better than a low end PCI-Express card. Besides the shared memory, the GMA 950 is faster with more graphics support in every way. Intel integrated graphics have come a long way from the crappy graphics in the 8** boards.
$600-$800 isn’t a bad price for this freaking cool toy!