“Apple appears to be taking its policing of the rumor mill to the phones, in one case dialing a customer who expressed concern over Internet reports on the Mac mini’s fate to assure him the situation would be addressed in due time,” AppleInsider reports.
“Having read a blog post speculating that a discontinuation of the current Mac mini line overseas may be indicative of the product’s ultimate demise, one advocate of the tiny desktops fired off an email with his concerns to Apple’s newly-crowned Mac hardware engineering chief Bob Mansfield,” AppleInsider reports.
“Although Mansfield didn’t issue a personal reply, a colleague in Apple’s executive care division did almost immediately, offering no timetable for a Mac mini update but assuring that the company was well aware of system’s market value, and suggesting the customer continue to exercise patience,” AppleInsider reports.
“‘I got a prompt reply by phone from an Apple executive care person essentially giving me no new information but assuring me that Apple knew the mini was a popular machine and to be patient,’ the customer told AppleInsider. ‘I certainly appreciated the contact, and I think it was a nice way of letting me know that rather than bug their head guys,'” AppleInsider reports.
Much more in the full article here.
apple are all aboot service and customer satisfaction
this doesn’t surprise me
I second that, flappo. That’s been me and my wife’s experience for a long time now.
As for this news, I am glad to hear it… I’ve been waiting months for a Mac mini update!
Still, waiting til January (Apple says no new hardware this year) is a hassle. What about the poor guy who buys them now for his business to get the tax benefit for this year only to have the product updated in January?
@LastOneStanding
As we all know, Apple specifically states that they do not cater to the business community (excluding professional photographers, graphic artists, etc.). That’s the reason a tax benefit wouldn’t factor into Apple’s decision as to when to release new hardware.
Peace.
@nytesky
Where ever the freak he/she is… this one is also for you. Yes, I’ve iCal’d you, you are a mouth.
@ LastOneStanding
Apple has a 30 day return policy. If you buy on Wednesday, December 31, and the new models are announced at MacWorld, you could have the purchase in 2008, but get the 2009 hardware.
@ Lurker_PC
It seems likely that a bigger issue is the lack of significant new chips until the end of the year.
Dear Apple,
Please leave the FireWire and add 802.11n to the Mini. I’ll buy three.
This MAC loser should call his local computer store. They can build and customize a PC any way you want and put Windows on it for way less than a toy MAC.
I’m a PC.
Your potential. Our passion.™
The best time to buy a new computer is when you NEED it.
There may occasionally be a business case for making a purchase sooner for “tax planning” reasons,
If one gains a living through the use of technology, one needs to look closely at the financial impact of waiting until that next product refresh or speed bump.
Will the X% improvement in performance save you or your staff time? How much time will be save between now and the likely introduction on a new model. Into how many $$ does that translate.
Piece (MDN word) work defines when one should buy a new computer.
That said..
I lust after an 8 Core MacPro and 30″ Cinema Display to replace my PowerMac G4 Dual 1.25 with the 22 in Cinema display….
but I am gonna wait until after MacWorld SF before I make the move…. no reasonable business case for me to buy that machine.. I just WANT it.
I question the veracity of this report. I have no doubt that Apple is working on a headless entry level Mac. What I question is the purported phone call. Apple has a extremely strict policy about not discussing future products. Why would a hi unnamed executive call one user to appease him, braking this policy and more importantly, risking his job. I just don’t buy it.
“I have no doubt that Apple is working on a headless entry level Mac. “
I do. It’ll NEVER happen, unless there’s a way to cripple it (ultra-slow bus speed?) so that it doesn’t cannibalized Pro sales. And I don’t think that they would purposely do such a thing.
Where have you been Zune Tang!
Anyway speaking of toys, I installed XP Pro on my Mac Pro so that I can play the latest games.
Which of course makes XP or any Windows what it is – a toy!
As for paying some independent store to custom build my computers I say what a waste of money! If I wanted to have a custom built computer, I’d do it myself – can’t get much more custom than that.
@ dangerfrog
Agreed THIS year, the bigger issue is the supply of chips. The point I was trying to make was that in general, Apple does not change it’s plans to accomodate the business consumer.
Although I doubt Apple ISN’T aware of the potential of the business consumer. Who’s knows maybe this is all part of Apple’s strategy to quietly build demand in the business space; Apple is 6, 7, or 8 moves ahead of commodity PC suppliers. Slow and steady…
Reminds me of that South Park episode where Cartman buys his own amusement park and creates a hugh demand by telling everyone they aren’t allowed in.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
Peace.
Who woke you from the dead zunetang?
the mac mini has it’s purpose and it’s NOT to replace an iMac
I run my company with 6 mac Mini’s cause it meets my needs. My home computer is an iMac.
if Apple does update with some new upgrades to make them capable of snow leopard all the better. the Mac Mini never has to be fast enough to replace an iMac or put the PRO to shame. If it can match the AIR it has it’s place.
Boy, I need to write this guy too, I have a list of hardware requests:
– Surround sound encoding/card for the Mac/Pro
– Updated graphics cards for the Pro
– new mouse driver that lets us turn accelleration completely off
– updated mini (though I doubt I will buy another one, the one I have serves its need just fine)
– Some kind of monitorless system between the mini and the pro, like the power of an iMac with one PCI slot.
– Updated 17″ macbook pro
– dual input monitors (one desk, many computers)
Apple never tells people when they are going to update products. This keeps sales high. Besides, why would a liberal company do anything that helps people? They are just driving around in their limo’s smoking cash, right?
AWESOME news! The Mini RULES! My PPC mini runs 24/7 and almost 5 years old. Never let’s me down.
Thanks Apple!
Zune Tang is back!!
common sense dictates that the new mini will have —
same integrated nvidia gpu as the new macbooks
what I would love to see is a 2 hard drive option, or a 2 full size drive option.. and if they dont give us a pcix16 slot at least give us something better than a god forsaken 9600 POS as an option.
if they want macs to be mainstream, then they need games, if they want games, they need the effing capability to play them. (for less than $2700)
imo they need to upgrade the mini, and make the mini pro, and the “mac” a full featured mini diesktop…
did you know that NONE of the current mac lineup uses standard desktop components, they are all notebook based, or server based… MAKE THE MISSING MAC APPLE!!!!!!!! LET PEOPLE MAKE GRAPHICS CARDS AND COMPONENTS!
I love my Mac mini. If they update it, I’ll probably get a new one (I hope they increase the RAM capacity to 4 gigs).
@ron
He wasn’t dead, but his PC was.
I think Zune was mesmerized by the ultra creative new MS spots wherein the Windows Fanbois exclaim with the pride of a child who got a “D” in math “I’M A PC!!!”
Gosh – I know I’m impressed.
I wonder why Enderle hasn’t submitted his video?
Take a look at this Mac Mini facility
http://www.macminicolo.net/facility.html