“The shortage has been verified four times over by AppleInsider, which has received numerous reports that suggest the constraints are indicative of new models on the horizon, rather than intermittent delays resulting from the onset of the back-to-school buying season, which sometimes sees Apple curb the flow of Macs to its distribution channels in favor of filling large orders to universities,” Jade reports. “‘Every time this has happened in years past, it means that the item we ordered would be revised,’ one buyer for a higher-ed institution told AppleInsider.”
Jade reports, “In March, AppleInsider exclusively reported that next-generation Mac minis making there way through the Cupertino-based company’s verification tests were seen with an HDMI port in place of the existing model’s DVI port.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Andrew W.” for the heads up.]
Does lord Jobs know about this? It’s something from the past “pc era” that has no place in this revolution led by all things iPad.
i can’t wait. wish they would sell it on QVC or HSN
A friend was just about to buy a Dell from walmart for $900. I incredulous to hear the price. I think I turned it into a mac mini sale.
C’mon Vietnam, let’s see you get one of these first. I dare you!
Combine a Mac Mini, with an Apple TV, and Time Capsule, and I’ll buy it.
I’ll buy it without Time Capsule too, and add my own, but an all-in-one unit would be a bonus.
@ Truck Driver – If you had any understanding of what Steve Jobs said, you’d understand that the need for trucks will never go away – it’s just that fewer people will need trucks. So can we please stop with the sour attitude and misrepresentation of his analogy?
@ Gabriel–
I think your clue is broken. You should get a new one. LMAO!!!
@Gabriel
Many think as you do and I would like to believe you are right. But if you watch those videos of Steve talking about how the transition from computers to mobile devices has already happened, then you will understand. He’s talking about the old truck being in the ditch – no longer even on the road.
Hell, he even compares the passing of the pc era to the demise of the floppy disk. How stupid does he think we are?
Tell you what will prove me right or wrong. OS 10.7 – if we ever see it or not. That’s going to be the final test of the future of Apple’s interest in the computer business.
What does ATV have that isn’t already built into the mac mini in the form of Front Row or Quicktime with Perian? Time capsule is a backup mechanism…why would you want it onboard on the mini…wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of wireless back up…looks like I’m the one confused.
As long as the Mini DisplayPort is still there in addition to the HDMI port, that’s fine. Mac mini needs to have the ability to use two displays, as the current one does.
An actual HDMI port (instead of using an adapter) should also provide video AND audio over the same connection, which will be beneficial to the “Mac mini instead of Apple TV” crowd.
@@TheConfuzed1
> What does ATV have that isn’t already built into the mac mini…
The current Apple TV has component video output, not just HDMI (Mac mini has neither without using an adapter for HDMI video). Also, since it has HDMI, you can connect it to your HDTV without a separate cable for audio (or need to get an expensive adapter that merges audio onto the HDMI cable). It also comes with an Apple Remote Control. And if it’s meant to be your “TV box,” you don’t have to have a keyboard and mouse around to use and maintain it. Plus it costs about three times less than the lowest priced Mac mini. Even a used previous gen (Intel) Mac mini costs twice as much.
The reason for Time Capsule is to back up the other Macs in my house.
Also, because Time Capsule doubles as Airport.
As for the truck analogy, I wasn’t following along, because I hadn’t read the article where Steve made the analogy.
I just did though, and I now get that there were subtexts to those posts.
My apologies to Gabriel. I guess your post wasn’t as off-base as I originally thought.
sorry I agree with Truck Driver on this one
In fact it is what I have been fearing as soon as I saw Jobs introduce the iPad…
His recent comments only further cemented this.
You can tell he feels that is where people need to be when reaching for a computer like device.
I am not ready to give up my “truck” any time soon
@ ken1w–
Yes, I understand the differences between the two, and I’m aware of the similarities.
In it’s current form, however, there isn’t much value in Apple TV for me.
By adding the functionality of a Mac, it can serve as not only a media server, but the host computer for syncing my iDevices as well.
It just isn’t that practical for me otherwise, as my wife likes to sneek off with my laptop. An Apple TV would never leave my house.
The Mac Mini, Apple TV, Time Capsule, Airport Extreme
the Mac Mini, Apple TV, Time Capsule, Airport Extreme
the Mac Mini, Apple TV, Time Capsule, Airport Extreme
……. are you getting it yet?
That’s what I want Steve to say next week.
The mac mini has mini dvi and mini displayport. Only the older minis had dvi. HDMI sounds unnecessary, since mini displayport should be able to be adapted for HDMi…
@ TheConfuzed1
I was actually replying to the person who posted after you as “@TheConfuzed1,” which is why I put two “@” signs in my reply (in case that was not clear).
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There are many customers who don’t want the added complexity of running a Mac if the box is just connected to an HDTV to play the media. If next week brings a new “A4-based” Apple TV with new capabilities and a price drop to $99, we will know that Apple is now serious about its “hobby.”
Getting back to the “truck” analogy; you might need a truck, if you’re hauling stuff to the recycling center, or bringing home a new couch. But chances are unless you work in construction or landscaping, or do a lot of camping, you don’t need it all the time.
It’s the same thing with the Mac/iPad thing; if you’re doing heavy image/video processing, or playing certain games, or a number of other activities, you’re going to want your desktop/laptop computer. But if all you’re doing is surfing the Web, reading email or ebooks, watching movies and the like, you can use the iPad, just like you might use your family car instead of the truck to run up to the store to get groceries or to take your Significant Other out to dinner.
PLEASE put a REAL video card in the thing!
I bought one and returned it because of poor video performance.
@ken1w
I was the user @confuzed1.
Appreciate the spec difference breakdown between ATV and the mini….I actually own both so I know the differences….I was actually questioning why the Confuzed1 needs these three products combined. The mini has all the capability of ATV except the mini supports multiple displays and a full on OS…I could care less about one more cable for audio…however I believe with a recent firmware update minidisplay port carries the audio as well…with an mini display to hdmi adapter one cable with extension carries both signals. Once you hook a mini to your 40+” HDTV…..ATV just isn’t a robust enough experience….wireless mouse, wireless keyboard or iPod touch or iPhone with remote app makes the mini a tv box just fine as well…..so many solutions and reasons to hook a mini to yer Television.
I think the truck may eventually disappear because it’s going to reside inside the iPad, heck, someday it may even be inside your iPhone. You’ll be able to attach a 40+ ultra HD monitor to do everything you ever wanted if you need the screen real estate… I think Jobs can see that future as pretty inevitable.
I will probably get a new Mini. This here 6 year old PPC has been a real trooper! It’s my main machine. On 24/7! Has NEVER given me ONE problem. LOVE the Mini!
Jobs’ “truck” analogy is brilliant on so many levels. Trucks are still around, and even essential important for certain tasks, but they are not necessary for most day-to-day activities. Even so, some people prefer a truck as their primary vehicle. There’s zero reason to think Apple may discontinue making “trucks.” Unless of course your real (paid?) objective is to spread FUD on Apple fan sites.
@ Truck Driver
Here’s my version of an MDN Take on your post:
Many think as you do [because we are right] and I would like to believe you are right [close your eyes and take the lithium – everything will be OK]. But if you watch those videos of Steve talking about how the transition from computers to mobile devices has already happened, then you will understand. He’s talking about the old truck being in the ditch – no longer even on the road [you are veering off on the road to Enderleville and Thurottown is just a maniacal laugh past that].
Hell, he even compares the passing of the pc era to the demise of the floppy disk. How stupid does he think we are? [We aren’t stupid, but you are clearly making a strong case for yourself.]
Tell you what will prove me right or wrong. OS 10.7 – if we ever see it or not [The Mac OS X dot cycle is now around 18 months or so]. That’s going to be the final test of the future of Apple’s interest in the computer business. [Apple’s mobile device business is joined like a siamese twin with its computer strategy, both the hardware and the Mac OS X to iPhone OS link. If you believe that Apple is going to simply drop the Mac, then you are seriously delusional. Mac sales were up big time last year, and Apple made $billions from Macs].
Seriously, Truck Driver, your whining is getting old. Apple has been on a release cycle of roughly 18 to 24 months for a while. Apple has also stated their intention to slow down the frequency of Mac OS X releases in the future, which make sense because they have refined the OS quite a bit since 2001. So I am willing to post $10,000 with a legal trustee that Apple will release either a dot update of Mac OS X (i.e., 10.7) or greater (i.e., a major Mac OS X release with a number rollover (e.g., 11.0) or a whole new name) within 24 months from today. Care to put your money where your mouth is?
@ ken1w–
Gotcha. I didn’t notice the second asterisk.
@ brizzle
> however I believe with a recent firmware update minidisplay port carries the audio as well…with an mini display to hdmi adapter one cable with extension carries both signals.
I believe that is not correct. Only the new MacBook Pros released in April 2010 can do this trick. I was just reading this product description from Griffin Tech…
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/video-display-converter
Any new Mac model going forward will probably have this feature.
I am not critical of using a Mac mini as a HDTV media player. I even tried to find a used previous gen (Intel-based at least Core Duo 1.66 GHz) Mac mini when the 2009 model came out. At the time, the going price was still around $400 or more (for even an older Core “not 2” Duo model), which shows how valuable these little machines are for many different uses. It was not worth that cost to me as a “TV box.”
But I did not get an Apple TV either, even though I could have gotten one as a refurb for $149. At this point, I’ll see what happens…
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