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The Mac Mini - $500 Mini Mac - Web Round Up

Thread Title:
The Mac Mini
Thread Url:
http://www.apple.com/macmini/
Thread Description:

It's finally here, after weeks of Speculation, law suits, condemnation, analysis and user backlash....

The Mac Mini is Finally Here!

From the Mac Mini hompage:

Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies — right out of the box. And it boasts a miniscule price to match: Mac mini starts at $499.

and from the technical specs:

Introducing the Mac mini. Everything you need — and not an ounce more — to enjoy digital photos, music and movies. Get a fast G4 processor, slot-loading CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive and a reliable operating system in a body just 6.5-inches square and 2-inches tall. Simply add monitor, keyboard and mouse. You’ll be organizing music and photos, composing tunes and editing movies with iLife ’05 in no time. Surf the Internet with the peace of mind of the secure and stable UNIX-based Mac OS X operating system. And since Mac mini can do wireless, you don’t even have to put it near a phone jack. Configure your Mac mini with an AirPort Extreme Card, hook up an AirPort Express to your DSL connection or cable modem, and start surfing and printing wirelessly. Using AirPort Express and AirTunes, you can even listen to tunes from your Mac mini on speakers in a different room. Starting at just $499.
Configurations

  • Processor - 1.25GHz PowerPC G4
  • Memory - 256MB of PC2700 (333MHz) DDR SRAM, supports up to 1GB
  • Graphics - ATI Radeon 9200 with 32MB of DDR SDRAM with AGP 4X support
  • Hard drive1 - 40GB Ultra ATA1

there is far more detail on the page linked above, you want me to get this story out today right? :-)

Reactions Around the Web

Russell Beattie

$499! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

BBC

The new computer shifts the company into new territory - traditionally, the firm is known as a design and innovation-led firm rather than as a mass-market manufacturer.
The Mac mini comes without a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a second version with a larger hard drive will also be sold for $599.
The Mac mini will appeal to PC users looking for an attractive, 'no fuss' computer
Ian Harris, Mac Format
The machine - which will be available from 22 January - was described by Jobs as "BYODKM... bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse".

MacWorld

Encased in brushed metal, the new Mac mini features a square shape with rounded edges and is somewhat similar in appearance to an Apple

Gizmodo

Here it is, the new Mac Mini, available in G4 flavors for $500 and $600.

Jupiters Michael Gartenburg: Is Mac Mini "the computer for the rest of us?"

This is a perfect response from Apple to the fact that there's been a premium to be paid for using a Mac for the last twenty years. A perfect low cost second computer even if your first computer is a PC with a huge value out of the box experience. Expect more than one iPod owner to want to make the leap and get one of these to use in their home along with their PC. This is where the iPod halo effect will really kick in. Macs for the masses.

ADDED: Here's a list of other coverage - no time for quotes - check out whatever takes your fancy..

Also, Hurricane have the link to the UK Mac Mini Page
Well, what do you think?

- Y! MyWeb

Am i a bad linux user...

If i say that i WANT ONE?

By Nick W at Jan 11 2005 - 20:16

Come on over Nick

You can tell your *nix buddies you use your Mac solely as a BSD terminal ;) The Mini is simply amazing and reminds me a lot of my g4 Cube. This is the machine the Cube was supposed to be.

By your_store at Jan 11 2005 - 20:30

Cool Beans

It's got more power than my eMac so it is perfect for surfing the web. Plus you can use your old monitor from your PC and the USB keyboard and mouse. Hehe, Can you say Switch to Windows users any louder?

(I would add more memory.)

By Brad at Jan 11 2005 - 21:17

Rumour

I hear there's a watermark on the underside that you can barely read, but if you look real hard, in the right light, it says "Fuck you Bill!" :-)

By Nick W at Jan 11 2005 - 21:26

BRILLIANT!!

Go guys!!!

By andy at Jan 11 2005 - 21:28

Did it strike anyone else....

That in the photo above, Jobs looks rather like an english minister presenting the anual budget? heh..
By Nick W at Jan 11 2005 - 21:30

Another pretty piece of packaging work

Just like all the other Macs - they still have little to recommend them unless your into producing pretty pictures while listening to the latest art school poseurs who have decided to form a band.

By Kali at Jan 11 2005 - 23:41

Yeah....

...but then you dont like anything Kali heh...

Im gonna get one :-)

By Nick W at Jan 11 2005 - 23:46

The only reason I would want

The only reason I would want a MAC (besides the the laptop i gave my wife) is to run some special kinds of video and music editing programs that require a really powerfull computer (and, that only comes for MAC OS), so I would personally never pick up that baby-box :)

By Mikkel deMib Sv... at Jan 12 2005 - 01:11

Plug into TV?

I'm a fully paid up member of the "ILoveBillG" club but it would be a nice good looking tiny little box to replace dvd player/cd hifi/tivo|sky+ etc - will it plug into a telly? Is there any way to use a remote instead of a keyboard/mouse? :O)

By chrisgarrett at Jan 12 2005 - 09:51

Neat

I've been thinking along similar lines Chris, the Mac Mini as a media center....

BTW, i've updated the original post a dozen times or more now i reckon, so check it out for additional links and stuff - the latest addition is one of the coolest: Gizmodo Mac Mini Porn which has a truckload of pics from the inside - enjoy...

By Nick W at Jan 12 2005 - 12:40

Boo Hoo

You PC bandits you have obviously never fleshed out OSX properly, hate to say it but it's the future. I could never use a PC (Piece'a'Chit) again. Wait a couple of years until the *nix geeks get into developing more apps and it will be truely killer.

I can work sooo much faster on a mac (expose). Nicer rendering, nicer interface, no spyware or viruses yada yada. You must be total geeks.

I want a mini mac now too! - so cute.

By Xenith at Jan 13 2005 - 03:48

Total Geek?

Indeed, I for one never said I wasn't. :O)
"Be Glad To Be Sad, It's Great To Be Geek".

By chrisgarrett at Jan 13 2005 - 09:46

BTW

I am pretty sure there ARE virii on the Mac platform, they just don't get the same press as A) there are less mac users B) nobody hates Apple as much as MS

By chrisgarrett at Jan 13 2005 - 09:48

Media Center

Now that this little fella is here I bet a lot of people are considering how to program some software to make it into a media center. I would certainly consider it for that.

Also it is not a bad way to get another HD on my home wireless network.

By Brad at Jan 13 2005 - 12:50

As jealous as I am...

of the pretty interface (did you hear all the "ooohs" from the crowd when Jobs let those jpg's fold themselves into an app?) and the relative absence of troubles, as long as the majority of people out there use a PC, I'm going to have to do the same. I have to see what things look like on a PC, and emulating a PC is just... emulating a PC. It'd be nice to have a Mac to play with as well, but I don't have any desire to run two computers in my bedroom. Even with a mini, there wouldn't be space for the cats anymore, and I've got my priorities.

By qwerty at Jan 13 2005 - 15:10

clearly a fundamental cat misunderstanding here

your cats will always make room in your bedroom for themselves, however many computers they have to share it with.

You, however, may find yourself in the hall with only a pillowcase to sleep on.

By Gurtie at Jan 13 2005 - 22:06

Mac Mini as in car computer

Gizmodo have a nice shot and a story about a car company already working on putting the Mac Mini into a car as an onboard computer - NEAT :)

Sorry to break up the cat conversation, im a dog guy myself but when we move house this year, we'll be getting a cat or two aswell...

By Nick W at Jan 13 2005 - 22:11