“Apple Computer, for the second time in less than two years, appears to have scrapped plans to include a built-in iPod dock with some of its forthcoming Mac mini desktop computers,” Kasper Jade and Katie Marsal report for AppleInsider. “According to reports from multiple contacts, including some with ties to the Mac maker’s component suppliers, initial plans for the first Intel-based Mac mini computers called for some models to include a built-in docking station for the company’s iPod digital music players. The dock connector, which was rumored to be located at the top of the computer, would effectively turn each Mac mini into an oversized docking station for iPods featuring the company’s proprietary dock-connector. Apple originally planned to add the dock only to its top-of-the-line Mac mini model, which it currently sells for $699, people often familiar with the company’s pre-production computer plans said. The feature was scrapped for unknown reasons just weeks before the new computers are slated to hit production in the Far East, these people added.”
“Like Apple’s forthcoming line of Intel-based iBook computers, it’s expected that new Mac minis will come bundled with Apple’s Front Row media software, a 1.67GHz Intel Core Solo processor and 512MB of standard DDR2 system memory. A low-end model should continue to sell for sub-$500, while a version with more hard disk space and DVD-burning capabilities should fetch a bit more,” Jade and Marsal report. “The computers are rumored to hit the manufacturing lines in the next few weeks and make their official debut within a month thereafter.”
More details in the full article here.
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Related article:
Was the Mac Mini originally intended to sport an integrated iPod Dock? – March 01, 2005
“…people often familiar with the company’s pre-production computer plans said.”
“Often familiar.” They’re not even giving their anonymous sources the dubious credit of being familiar with the prep. True or not true, this report has no street cred.
Why can’t Intel design and fabricate a microprocessor that has a built in memory controller like AMD does?
The article goes on to say: “So far, AppleInsider has been unable to confirm rumors that the new Mac minis will ship with an Apple-branded piece of digital video recording (DVR) software.”
This will never happen as long as they sell video from the iTMS.. Apple is in the business of selling video content. They’d be shooting themselves and the content providers in the foot if they ever included DVR capabilites in future Macs…
All I know is that AppleInsider has a hell of a lot more “cred” these days than Think Secret. We’ll see the new Core Solo Macs by April I’m betting.
APPLE SUCKS!
Pay more for less!–Apple
UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jiggle Jiggle! Count me in for one of these. Sounds about right. Appleinsiders has been pretty accurate in there reports on this stuff for a while now. i just wonder that the REAL reason is for this iPod dock not making the cut year after year. it’s clear that this feature was highly considered both times around (old mac mini, new mac mini).
Why can’t people post responses that are on topic?
I totally agree with Mike. Apple isn’t going to do anything to allow you to record television shows. Not if they can sell it to you instead. So forget about it. Not going to happen. Build yourself a MythTV and use the Mac mini for the front end. Or buy yourself a EyeTV although it won’t work with HD from my cable provider since their HD is encrypted.
Good news on the iPod connector thing, in my opinion it could only serve to ugly up the clean design – especially when an iPod isn’t docked.
You’re jealousy and ignorance showing, FUsee. Common among those afraid to learn about anything but Windows.
“They’d be shooting themselves and the content providers in the foot if they ever included DVR capabilites in future Macs…”
I think that all computers will eventually have DVR capabilities.
IMHO, I would guess then that Apple had planned to have the iPod connector firstly built-in, then go for the wireless iPod model later. But maybe the wireless capability is read to roll, so why go with an intermediary kludge.
Streaming wireless video from an iPodWV over WiFi to a Mac miniWV- is it fast enough? The iPodWV then becomes the remote control! Just an idea…
Using the Core Solo is just stupid. It only is about $30 less list price [1], so probably only a few dollars less in the quantities Apple buys. Apple will certainly differentiate itself with having the worst low end but relatively expensive laptops if they actually do that.
[1] http://www.intel.com/intel/finance/pricelist/
“I use the BMW of computers. I have a Mercedes compared to your Dell.” That what Mac users say.
Here’s what they should say: “I’m overcharged for my computer so I can have cool apple stickers for my car.” “I like being raped by Apple it’s fun!”
–Apple get raped different
They have to use the core solo, otherwise they would canabalize their high end sales (MacBook PRO, Mac PRO, iMac), with sales from MacMini and iBook’s.
It sucks for us the user, but will help with the up sale at the apple stores.
*Sigh*
“Using the Core Solo is just stupid. It only is about $30 less list price [1], so probably only a few dollars less in the quantities Apple buys. Apple will certainly differentiate itself with having the worst low end but relatively expensive laptops if they actually do that.”
THEY ALREADY DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GEEZ!!!!!
Honestly, when I read the name Katie Marsal as the byline, I think of an article that is 99% speculation heaped onto 1% of information.
Isn’t she the one who blurted out about sjobs Intel demo running on Quad Pentiums, which was blatantly false, and the article was then disappeared off their site within days.
“It sucks for us the user, but will help with the up sale at the apple stores.”
Apple’s better at that than making computers
I wonder what the performance specs will be on the core solo vs the current mini g4….
and FUseeK running around this post….is like someone brining their retarded child to a dinner party. The adults are standing around, eating canapes, making adult conversation, but that one damned kid…
And if you have a special needs child, or are one, I must apologize for the comparision.
Again, arrogant Mac users!
“We’re adults we worship our computers”
“We hate retarded people who tell the truth”
“We’re so cool because we made Steve Jobs richer”
Get a life FUseeK.
FUseeK: it’s past your bedtime.
FUseek…lol
aren’t you tired of Viruses? (60,000) known
how about the 13.5 million lines of spaghetti code in XP!!
THINK DIFFERENT
in time you’ll have no other choice.
wow, you usually don’t get many trolls who hang around for more than once post! you wanna talked about getting raped, FUseeK, go log onto some windows machine that isn’t bogged down to 486 speeds by anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, and it’ll likely be a victim of rape itself.
and no offense to anyone still using a 486.
Hey, we still use 486’s (and even 386’s) to run machines where I work. They work great using DOS. They only need to do one thing and they do it well as long as you don’t use Windows.