“Apple is readying to release an improved version of both its iMac and Mac mini lineups by the next few weeks,” MacScoop reports based on information from “sources.”
“The refresh will mainly bring Intel’s 45nm Penryn chip accross the line for both the iMac and the Mac mini,” MacScoop reports.
“The Mac mini’s Intel GMA950 integrated graphics chip should also be replaced by the GMA3100 currently used in the MacBook and the MacBook Air,” MacScoop reports.
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Alexandros R.” for the heads up.]
But will it make my movie watching snappier?
No Jim, but it will make your snapper redder
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Hope it’s without the bug that causes morphx to malfunction on my macbook though.
When will they make a Mac Nano (A Mc mini without an optical drive)?
I HATE EXCHANGEABLE MEDIA! It’s like the 3 in floppy.
Give me a 10 gig memory stick any day.
Apple is going to drive the competition bananas with all these good new stuff. God I feel sorry for Windows/Zune users…… NOT! LOL
I never believed the rumors about the Mac Mini being discontinued. It is as great a drawer of switchers as the iMac is.
@toby
Not a bad idea. With the remote optical drive software used in the MB Air, it could easily make a great 2nd, 3rd or 4th home Mac.
Howza ’bout some Cinema displays with built-in iSights?
PS– Great Joy of Tech cartoon!
Get ready kids!!! Mac Tablet is a reality! Saw one first hand. They wouldn’t let me take a picture of course. Damn!!
“iMac, Mac mini imminent”
try saying that three times….
@ Toby:
Hey, at least ONE of your Macs has to have an optical drive!
At least until the iPhone is a direct conduit to Apple HQ and ALL software is distributed through iTunes!
I really hope this allows for a more powerful GPU in the iMac.
“try saying that three times….”
It ends up sounding like a parrot asking for M & M’s.
“iMac and Mac mini lineups by the next few weeks”
What fecking retard wrote this?
My 2 year old can do better.
Your write – bad grammer iz not well.
besides the size of the screen,
If the MacBook gets the same graphics card, what is the difference from a macbook and a macbook pro? (If you upgrade the second lvl macbook to 200 GB hard drive what is the difference between the lvl 1 macbook pro?)
i also should say that with a macbook upgrade to a 200 GB hard drive it’s $649.99 less than a basic Macbook pro
now if they will just make a fsking gaming MAC!!!!!!
HELLO)!>?!??!
APPLE!>?!?:?!?!
WTF>~!>?~!?!?!
my little cousin wants a machine, but guess what… he is buying a SHITBOX because he doesnt want to spend $2500 on a GD Mac Pro!!!
WTF!
Steve… buddie,,,, call me….
Is this just gonna be a speed bump, or will the iMac screens lose the mirror finish, er gloss, as well?
Second, isn’t Apple’s number of little white box devices creeping anyone out? Mac mini, AppleTV, Time Capsule, what next??
A “corporate look” one thing, but just a little differentiation might be useful.
@gvgnumber1
Those two items that you so readily dismiss(dedicated graphics card and larger screen) are definitely worth it for professionals who need to travel. For a period of time I had a 12″ Pb, then a 13″ MB, however, I found that working on their screens was definitely limiting(not to mention, the slowness of the GPU’s). You are right in that it is only $649 less, however, those two things alone are worth it. I think you also get a backlit keyboard, LED Backlit screen, multi-gesture trackpad, option to have a matte screen.
just my .02
This processor “upgrade” in the MacBook Pro seems to have resulted in little or no performance improvement.
Might want to use a different word to describe this change in hardware.
Hey kids, sorry for the dumb question, but could you use a mini to watch dvds and itunes movies purchases on a widescreen much the same way you could with an Apple Tv, minus the Apple tv 2.0 interface? If the mini’s graphics can drive a 40″ hdtv for instance, I’d spring a little extra and have a full fledged computer and use Front Row. What do you guys think?
@GMan I forgot about that(oy). Those new processors are supposed to run cooler too. I suspect that the next set of speed bumps on the MBP will take advantage of this. However, now it should yield improved battery life with a cooler processor.
GREAT news! The Mini RULES. I may have to get one. My PPC Mini is still going strong nearly 3 years after I got it, 24/7. I LOVE THIS LITTLE MACHINE! THANK YOU Apple for keeping the Mini Alive! It deserves to live!
@some dude
That’s exactly what I use my mini for. But I’m not such a big fan of iTunes because of it’s inability to play avi files. Not only can a Mini do what AppleTV cannot, but with a “real” Mac, I can do much more than the AppleTV. At this moment my Mini is using something called BitTorrent (I have no idea what it does) but I can usually view media files in any format. I highly recommend the Mini as a multimedia PC.
Wow! iMac and Mac mini updates coming. Who would have thought that? I mean they are the only two computers that Apple hasn’t updated this year. Are these rumors sites that hard up for traffic that they need to post the obvious? In other news, Apple to update iPod soon.
So is there a rumored release date on the update for the mac mini? God I have been waiting too long to get my hands on one of those little guys!!!!
The mini will get”pumped-up” and become the rumored mac home server/entertainment center.
Just my .008 euros worth
“my little cousin wants a machine, but guess what… he is buying a SHITBOX because he doesnt want to spend $2500 on a GD Mac Pro!!!”
Your cousin is a cat????!!
I’m still waiting for my Mac Mini Pro.
so whats the GMA3100 like for general use ?
forget gaming , i mean running leopard on an hdtv etc , videos etc etc
Rumor?! Not even a matter to talk about! It’s a logical step since there is no other chip around to put in there.
And also true: Developpers new to iPhone-Mac platform will need a MacMini next their PCs…
Well,
in Germany and Switzerland, AAPL is blowing out a lot of refurbished iMacs at quite low prices.
Also, as almux mentioned, Intel is said to phase out Merom-based chips (for Penryn) and chipsets very quickly, so AAPL more or less had to ship new MBs and MBPs.
The only question is: before or after Easter!
So what? As we’ve already seen with the MB & MBP, there is no appreciable speed bump, just lower power consumption.
Wonder if the iMac may have an LED screen, now that would be an improvement.
Left side of brain: Until existing iMac inventories are proven to dwindle I wouldn’t put much stock in this rumor.
Right side of brain: Whoo-hoo!
It might be that lack of substantial speed increases for Mac with Penryn chips is due to software not optimized for the new CPUs.
d’monder says: “Second, isn’t Apple’s number of little white box devices creeping anyone out? Mac mini, AppleTV, Time Capsule, what next??
A “corporate look” one thing, but just a little differentiation might be useful.”
============================
Hmmm, I’m staring at my AppleTV here, and it’s nowhere near a shade of white. Have you even seen an AppleTV?
Mimic maniac imminent.
Hmmm, I’m staring at my AppleTV here, and it’s nowhere near a shade of white. Have you even seen an AppleTV?
Yes, have one. And “silvered grey” then. Looks close enough to white for me.
The point is, if you stack the four (Mac mini, Apple TV, Time Capsule, Airport Extreme), could anyone tell them apart without being an Apple geek?
Reminds me of a recent visit to a mid-luxury car lot. The only way to recognize the models (not just trim levels) were slight differences in the grilles and the names on the trunks. Apple can do better than that.
Damn it! I was waiting for the day when my iMac would be superseeded 🙁
One of my switchers doesn’t have a lot of money and the Mac Mini was the deal breaker. Personally as an iMac user I think the Mini sucks, but for people on a tight budget and/or have a monitor lying around it really is the ant’s pants.
Wonder if this explains the entry level imacs and mac minis in the refurb store all of a sudden?
“Damn it! I was waiting for the day when my iMac would be superseeded”
That’s what I’m doing in my garden next week.
Mini just needs a few tweaks along with a bit more speed:
– ‘n’ wireless
– beefed up graphics processing
– a sturdier optical out jack
and the lower-priced model should include as standard:
– 2G RAM (or a case we can open with a screwdriver)
– the super drive
then the higher-priced model would just have a faster processor, up to 4G RAM, and a larger hard drive.
Blu-Ray? No. HDCP/HDMI DRM belongs on the AppleTV peripheral, not inside our Macs.
I have a mac mini.
It works perfectly for everything I throw at it.
watch hdtv from my elgato hybrid, play ing WoW, download/play video, transcode video.
it doesn’t need a speed increase or graphics update-it works great the way it is.
@nekogami13: I agree! I have a Mac mini which I use as an HTPC with my Samsung HDTV and an Elgato Hybrid. The Mini is steady as a rock, and our six-year olds use it with the Apple remote for watching TV, movies, etc. They hardly ever touch the keyboard or mouse. We use it for that and with iTunes, iPhoto, etc. This setup replaced a lot of the AV-hardware we had before: DVD, Cable Box, etc. Connected to an AV-receiver you get surround-sound too. It runs quite and cool and is never turned off, and only rebooted when an update mandates it. Awesome!
Why would Apple discontinue such an excellent and versatile product? This is not just for switchers, it’s a great HTPC-product in itself! No need for a screen in that setup, and a Mac Pro would never fit in the cabinet as the Mini does.
I’ll buy a new Mini any day when it supports 1080p and comes with a Blu-Ray drive. Any day!
/mike
Imminent huh? Lets see this article came out what march 7th and the new imacs came out on the 28th of April…. Yeah that is really imminent….. Nice job
The mac mini IS NOT GOING TO GET BLU-RAY ANYTIME SOON! Get over it
Still waiting for this imminent release