HardMac (MacBidouille in English) contacted their sources “to get information regarding the reason behind the non-evolving Mac mini and three answers were provided,” Lionel reports for HardMac.
• Apple does not like this model, as it was designed under the pressure of shareholders willing to get a cheap entry level Mac hardware.
• A Core 2 Duo-based Mac mini would compete with iMac and MacBook, models for which Apple has larger margins or sale volumes.
• Last answer is probably the most interesting one: a Core 2 Duo Mac mini would kill Apple TV. Indeed, if the minimal GUI of the Apple TV makes it user-friendly and a perfect device for just watching movies, it can not compete with the Mac mini for any further functions, and many Mac users have already chosen the Mac mini to be plugged to their TV even thought it is twice more expensive. If this is true, one will have to expect the Apple TV to become a real business success in order to see the Mac mini being upgraded.
Lionel reports, “Last but not least, R&D resources might have been so much dedicated to the iPhone and Leopard (beside iMac and MacBook revision to come), that Apple could not work on a Core 2 Duo Mac mini and decided to wait for Santa Rosa to bring a Mac mini based on the last Intel mobile platform evolution, together with the new iMac and MacBook models.”
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “LinuxGuy and Mac Prodigal Son” for the heads up.]
If they’re just going to let it languish, then just kill it off. I think that would be a big mistake, but there is no sense in letting it just sit there and rot.
Well, that’s a fine how do you do…..
I’m not suprised by this news, although it’s rather straightforward to turn the mac mini into a 64 bit workstation yourself, just exchange the cpu. I’m planning to just that very soon, just like I exchanged the HDU after 2 weeks to 160 GB.
It will void your warranty though.
I hope it is the last, “R & D resources”
I am waiting for the mini, with 811n
A lack of resources??? C’mon, these guys have billions in cash and can staff up in no time if they desired!
Apple shouldn’t be so protective of the iMac. It’s a great machine. People who want an all in one will still buy it.
I love my mini, it’s a great second complimentary computer to my iMac. The price is it’s best point of course, so you can’t expect it to compete specs wise with the rest of the line-up.
I also know 2 switchers who took the plunge with the mini (toes testing the water first while using XP) both now have iMacs!
Apple don’t drop the mini!
Yeah, the mini certainly needs a refresh. it also needs a decent graphics card instead of the integrated chip it now uses.
Apple STILL needs a mid-range machine with 2 PCI slots (one for a good graphics card) and 4 RAM slots to fill the gaping VOID between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro. It’s logical and they’d sell a ton of them.
I know quite few people who would LOVE this kind of machine!
I don’t buy any of the first three reasons. I think it is the last. Why waste R&D on a minor upgrade when better processors are coming? I’m waiting, and waiting and will probably get a mini this summer, upgrade or no upgrade.
Hard Mac???
That’s one helluva gay site name. Some guy called Francois done up like the biker off Village People fondling his mighty mouse and trying to look hard.
I know I opted for a Mac Mini over AppleTV. OSX looks great in 1080p.
I’ll stay with my G4 Mini and just keep waiting for Penryn models, then.
For something hanging off of an HDTV, the G4 is still quite usable. I still have and use a 550 MHz TiBook, FFS.
With Ubuntu Linux getting better, my need for OS X is dwindling. I hope Apple devotes some resources to it’s core business, and less to the iPhone.
The other killer for the Mini becoming a success is future sales – with the iMac you purchase a screen, keyboard & mouse (plus more features) every few years, whereas Apple only get a cheap box for a new Mini.
Solution: add a PCI slot to the iMac and remove the wireless bluetooth/WiFi from the Mini.
Otherwise drive the prosumer market and create a Mini Pro which is an AppleTV with Mac mode, large drive, 802.11n, HDMI out, digital TV receiver and a BluRay drive for DVDs. This would kill the last of the remaining Media Players.
To crack the enterprise, Apple still need a cheap secretarial WP machine and the Mini is great for that.
This is from a Hardmac.com test of switching processors on a mini to Core 2 Duo. (http://www.hardmac.com/articles/69/page5/)
“- The Core Solo did not surpass 59 degrees and dissipated a maximum of 12.8W.
– The Core Duo did not surpass 70 degrees and dissipated a maximum of 16.2W.
– The Two Core 2 Duos attained the same maximum temperature, 92 degrees, and both of them consumed a little less than 30W.”
After playing with the fan speed, they managed to lower the temperature to 80 (having though increased the noise)
I am sure Apple’s engineers can work things out, but what they really must aim for is a system that behaves like a reliable, stable and quite Mac…
I disagree…I was in an college IT department in Atlanta recently and they were bench testing a mini. Apparantly they have a large amount of keyboards and monitors around the campus. The IT managers logic was why buy 2 computers in a split windows/Mac environment. One computer that would run either was the solution in a cost sensitive situation where all they needed was a CPU for an upgrade. Plus the small form factor of the mini was ideal…I was impressed with the thought he had put into the college’s needs and not sticking with the standard PC formula. My windows centric assistant that was with me was impressed as well. Just my 2 cents..Pete
There should be a non-iMac model between Mac mini and Mac Pro … and its name should be Mac.
Mr. Reeee,
please allow meeee to introduce myself, and then you’ll know yet another one.
I’ve been waiting for about ten years for a ‘regular’ computer from Apple, and bought the mini just as a stand-over.
Still waiting …..
ah the Mini. It’s been my AppleTV for about a year now. I can’t see a thing the AppleTV does that my Mini didn’t do a year ago, and it is so happy working for me it doesn’t have the slightest idea that it is growing old and in need of a refresh.
Like the G4 Cube, the Mini will fall by the wayside. Great idea, good little machine, but with AppleTV being one of the future ideas of Apple…there simply won’t be as big a market for Mini’s.
You know they’re going to upgrade the AppleTV to death, so it’s practically going to be a Mini anyway. The future is in your living room…not your desk.
I actually agree with United States of Generica
There should be a non-iMac model between Mac mini and Mac Pro … and its name should be Mac.
Can’t lose the Mini – can’t let it wallow in the mire either – it is a great box and I think Apple needs to have a low end Mac available for beginners and those who have a nice monitor hanging around. That said… I think they should try and give us some more power in the Mini. Make it a little bigger… but don’t let it go!
I hope Apple doesn’t kill the Mac Mini. Mine is working perfectly for my needs. I have it running in the basement without a monitor, keyboard, or mouse and it wirelessly streams iTunes and iPhoto to both of my Apple TVs. I set it up remotely using Chicken Of The VNC. This setup allows us to watch movies and TV shows, or to listen to music at each of the Apple TVs. It also allows us to watch or listen on any Mac using Front Row. Everybody in the house watches or listens to whatever they want, whenever they want.
Since the Intel switch, and even more since the upgrade of the iMac to C2D, the Mini has become a lousy bargain, compared to the iMac: 2.5″ harddrive, no iSight, no keyboard, no mouse, and a slower processor, too, compared with the entry level iMac. No bright, gorgeous TFT display, either.
For the consumer, buying an iMac is a no-brainer.
The Mini needs a revamp, slightly taller enclosure, user accessible RAM slots and drive bay for 3.5 ” hard drives.
The Mini switched me from Windows to Mac like thousands of others. I purchased two, the original and then the latest. Along the way I bought three iPods, A 20″ ACD, and wireless keyboard and mouse. I never would have sent that much money to Apple if not for the Mini. And, I am not alone. If His Steveness retires the Mini, he should go along with it.
Wouldn’t buy an TV but would buy a mini in a flash if they gave it more guts. And yes, I’d connect it to small flat screen and use it as a media server.