“Though smaller than a lunch box, Apple’s Mac Mini doesn’t want for computing power. In my tests of a $673 shipping unit equipped with a 1.25-GHz G4 processor, 512MB of RAM, a combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, and built-in 802.11g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it handled most tasks gracefully, without hesitating or freezing. I even opened and switched among a half-dozen applications without any system slowness,” Rebecca Freed writes for PC World. “But I’m not convinced that Apple’s $499 base configuration model, which includes just 256MB of RAM, would manage task switching or large files as nimbly as my test system. The base model lacks built-in wireless, too. For my money, the upgrades are worth the extra $174. It is possible to upgrade the Mini later, but it can be a tricky job.”
MacDailyNews Take: We agree with Freed about the extra RAM, Airport, and Bluetooth upgrades. Most consumers will be better off adding these upfront.
Freed concludes, “For Windows users who want to experiment with a Mac on the side, the Mini is a great way to get started.”
Full article, “Apple’s Diminutive Mac Mini Seems Pretty Mighty – Powerful but tiny Mac just might lure curious PC users,” here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple Mac mini ‘perfect for computer user who wants to leave the tyranny of Window and viruses’ – February 26, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini might well convince Windows users to switch to Mac OS X – February 22, 2005
Chicago Sun-Times: ‘Apple’s Mac Mini is a device of the most cunningly crafted evil’ – February 18, 2005
CNET Executive Editor switches to Mac and he ‘ain’t ever going back’ to Windows – February 17, 2005
Tom’s Hardware: Apple Mac mini’s size, design, attractive price sets it apart – February 16, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini is a convincing shot across Bill Gates’ bow – February 15, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini makes using a Mac more affordable and more attractive than ever to Windows users – February 08, 2005
Washington Times: ‘Mac mini raises the bar for what a good, low-price computer can and should do’ – February 08, 2005
Apple Mac mini, iMac G5 models hold 5 of top 6 spots in Amazon’s Desktop Computer Top Sellers list – February 08, 2005
New Mac mini helps Apple get its secret weapon – creative software – in front of Windows users – February 08, 2005
The Seattle Times: Apple’s new Mac mini is ‘tiny, beautiful and dirt cheap’ – February 05, 2005
BusinessWeek: Apple’s Mac mini comes with elegant, stable Mac OS X and very good software – February 03, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini is an attractive option to Windows-based PCs – February 02, 2005
Computerworld: Apple Computer ‘has a hit on its hands with the new Mac Mini’ – February 01, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini offers relief from Windows viruses and malware – January 30, 2005
Associated Press: With Apple’s Mac mini ‘you could abandon Windows altogether’ – January 27, 2005
CBS News: Grab a new Apple Mac mini ‘and kiss the old Wintel machine goodbye’ – January 27, 2005
AnandTech reviews Apple’s Mac mini: ‘tempting Windows users everywhere’ – January 26, 2005
Oh my god! OS 9? That was before I had kids (yes two since then), I’ve owned two cars since then and bought a house. My wife has started new career since OS 9 died. OS 9 is from a previous decade. If your still on OS 9, it isn’t because of a learning curve, it’s because your just stuck in your ways (or if you use it at work, it’s may not be your fault). For every reason you may think OS 9 is worth sticking with there are 2 reasons OS X is better.
Don’t take this as insult OS 9 users, because I don’t mean it as one. I just think you must be finding excusses not to move up to OS X, and most of them are actually not nearly are important as you think..
OK, I’ve got to get this in here. For me it’s a combination of things. I bought this PB 14 mos ago. WallStreet Rev.1. $525 shipped. OS 8 cd. I had been out of loop for quite a while; thought the G3 chip itself allowed OS X/Panther. As Rick says in Casablanca, “I was misinformed.” Not having my Mac sea legs back under me (or for that matter ANY cpu) I was confused about upgrading. Fortunately, sis-n-law was gifted w/PB 3400 (cs?) w/OS 9 cd) Needless to say, I was gifted. Went to local lib. for net access/burn cd 9.1 upgrade. Install. Oh, this machine had 192m/10g updrade on it.
NOW (and I mean last 7 days) I find out Jaguar is compatible. Orderering 10.2 w/iLife ’03 from OWC this week. Plan on using Safari for next post. (Wish me luck on the installation.)
Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of legacy HW — regardless of platform.
BTW –>> even tho $$ is #1 consideration for me, I never seriously considered WinTel (well, maybe a used Toshiba and Linux….)
Played w/14in iBook for a couple min @AppleStore. Stock 256m/RAM. Seemed pretty snappy for what I’d use it for. Maybe it’s just perspective (been in the desert so long…
MAGIC WORD: “State”, as in Apple makes state-of-the-art products.
Apparently an OS9 (or earlier) system and computer is all the computer that half of all Mac owners need.
What does that say about Mac owners? Living in the past maybe…or Apple can´t convince its own loyal base to upgrade or???
Could the majority of buyers of the Macmini just be people that have an old mac in the house and want to spend as few buck$ as possible on a Mac???
i thought there were 25 million Mac users. I also thought the OSX migration was better than 50%. Can anyone be bothered to dig up the last WWDC SteveNote? Whatever the numbers are, the % of Macs running OSX will go up dramatically by the next WWDC (surging iMac G5 sales, steady iBook sales, the introduction of the Mac mini).
One thing to keep in mind is that the older iMac (which sold very well) shipped with OS 9 as recently as 4 years ago. Many of these machines are likely still happily checking email and writing text files. Unless you have another Mac (one with OSX) you wouldn’t know to upgrade the OS on your iMac. These machines probably will continue to be functional for a couple of years and so the OS 9 number won’t go down. Rather, there will be a lot more Macs in use in the coming year, namely the models mentioned above shipping with 10.3 and eventually 10.4
mike k says: “These machines probably will continue to be functional for a couple of years and so the OS 9 number won’t go down.”
That still means that (old) Mac users are deciding that they don´t need a new mac. That is not real good news for Apple – if Apple can´t even convince their base to upgrade, how are they going to convince non-Apple owners to switch?
Apple needs to do lots more promotional work – does the iPod even work with OS8 and 9? iPod seems to be the only thing Apple is concentrating on for the last year or so.
Way off-topic! Humor me, okay?
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”cheese” style=”border:0;” /> I posted this yesterday on some other threads, around 4pm…
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
While coming up with a sane response to Apple regarding the recent iPod decision, I poked out this. Read it thru’ – you may actually approve
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It’s been suggested that 80% of iPod owners are throwing out their FireWire cables. That would mean that 20% of iPod owners are throwing out their USB-2 cables.
The public are being told that Apple is reducing costs and passing on the savings to it’s iPod customers by not including the less ‘popular’ FireWire cable.
Some folks have suggested, that Apple reduce the ‘cost’ a further $20. They think that this massive waste could be ended if customers could choose which is appropriate at the point of purchase. (Thinking, an outfit like BestBuy or FutureShop will acknowledge that most of their customers will need the USB-2 cable and correctly manage to have supplies that cover those customers. Conversely thinking, a Mac retailer will acknowledge that most of their customers will need the FireWire cable and correctly manage to have supplies that cover those customers.)
Many feel that as a consumer product – leaving out a connectivity cable would inconvenience ALL iPod customers.
I think that the difficulty that some of your Apple iPod customers (20%?) are having reconciling this decision, is that they are ALSO your Apple Mac customers. The delemma they see – is this is a decision that negatively effects their (Apple) computer product, not positively effects a consumer product – even an Apple one.
Leaving out the (superior, Apple) FireWire cable now – in favor of the USB-2 cable might be prudent IF most Mac users had USB-2. Currently, most don’t. This probably would have been a non-issue if Apple had chosen to do this particular change 12-18 months from now.
As for today, do you think that a ‘FireWire-for-USB2-Cable-Walk-in-and-Trade-in’ program would work for your Mac customers that are also your iPod customers?
MacBuddy
A pox on you for saying the word Firewire. It had been 24 hours since the last MDN story!
A walk in trade program (advertised or not) or a S&H fee only mail in option is a very reasonable solution which costs Apple next to nothing and allows all consumers to get what they want, and have the same user experience, for the same price.
Since i don’t know anyone who has tried to get the FW cable from Apple and been rebuffed, i have no reason to believe that this trade option is not a de facto option.
Apple: Portable Video Players Have “Failed in the Marketplace”
The interview also showed Apple’s surprise that many people were treating the Mac Mini like a component in a home theater setup. Oppenheimer thought that most users would “prefer to have a more powerful computer in their office or den and leverage wireless networking to stream content to their home entertainment system”.
Not the case, Oppie, when the unit is small and cheap. Do you get it now? The Mac mini as a totally new category. Go sell it to Steve!
Or maybe you’re feeding us some misinformation already.
I switched to OS X last October. Yes, it’s a modern OS and many features are welcome.
BUT, in many ways, OS 9 was easier to use. I know for a fact I worked a lot faster in OS 9 (double speed, I would say) and I’m pretty sure this is because of a collection of small – but significant – design issues which has resulted in OS X LOOKING more elegant but actually being more difficult and awkward to use. I mean things like the size of the drag tab in the bottom corner of windows, the size and line spacing of menu lists (OS 9 had smaller type and much less line space), the double perimeter around windows, the very clear distinction between foreground (active) and background (inactive) windows, and OS 9’s horizontal ‘separator’ lines on menu lists. There are many more design decisions which have been taken with OS X which reduce its ease of use and significantly move it away from the Mac’s original human interface principles (which I always thought were the cornerstone of the Apple experience).
As I have mentioned before, PART of the problem I have with embracing OS X (and how slow I find it) is down to the appallingly erratic new mice Apple now ship. Luckily I can change that by reverting to my trusty old beige mouse. But the OS X interface…
Yeah, OSX has a “going after cool looks” rather than functionality about it.
Sometimes people forget that it is the programs we want to get to fast and work with, not looks of the desktop and system interface.
Since over half the mac owners are still using pre-OS10 that shows that Apple has not convinced its own customers that OS10 is worth it to drop a load of ca$h 4.
I note two interesting points from Steve Jobs’ January Keynote.
1. He emphasised the MacMini was aimed at encouraging Mac users to switch from OX 9.
2. Watching Steve himself using his Mac onstage (to demo GarageBand etc), it’s clear to see he struggles with the same ‘easy of use’ issues which result from a poorly implemented – but ‘flashy-looking’ – GUI.
Apple should really concentrate on returning to providing a ‘pro’ experience for its massive ‘pro’ user-base. An articulate MDN would be a much better resource if it encouraged Apple to IMPROVE areas where it clearly NEEDS to improve, rather than choosing to be a blindly fawning fan site – throwing the occasional tantrum over something as pointless as a bit of iPod cable.
Twenty Benson – right on!
MDN is like a obsessed fan of Apple that only praises what Apple does right and never questions anything.
Apple OS is far from “easy to use”, but more into the cool gimmick factor – which gets old quick.
And yes, has Apple totally forgotten the pro users?
Everything that has come from Apple in the last year or just seems so dummbed down. Or maybe I just have had enough of the iPod overdose.
OS 9 better than XP? ROTFLMAO!!!!LOL
That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.
OS X Yes, But OS 9? Yeah, Riiiiiight.