The new iMAC mini. What do you guys think?

[daeojkim]

I saw pictures of this thing from apple website. It looks wonderful. I guess that is how PC marker is heading. Smaller, good looking hardware that can also be used to match interior design of your house.

Not a big fan of OSX but their hardware design is first rate no question about it. Why can't PC makers make such beautiful PCs?

[jdhurst]

It was a cube type of box with a CD reader (writer?) that I saw. I keep my NetVista A30 in a cabinet, so the "beauty" did not touch me the way it touches some. I remain interested in watching it to see how the public reacts to it. ... JD Hurst

[slagmi]

I've had a chance to play with one of these and it is impressive!

If I was shopping for a new desktop computer it is most likely what I would buy. But be sure and upgrade the RAM, add the burner and the wifi. So figure close to 2 G's after upgrades, tax & shipping.

For that money you could get a T42, loaded!

[K. Eng]

I think It'll sell well to the crowd who needs a machine for basic tasks (email, web, word processing, some music and storing photos) and not much more. It's small, stylish, and has a lot of features stuffed into its chasis.

The low amount of base RAM (256MB) and relatively slow 3D video (Radeon 9200 32MB) won't draw any power users.

[AlphaKilo470]

I saw the Mac Mini, and I do have to say that today, it's a rather impressive machine. My only concern, having been a power user since the mid 90's, is will the Mini Mac still be impressive tomorow? It does not appear to have to many upgrade options, but then again, it appears to be targeted out to the entry market which consists mainly of light users who wouldn't upgrade the thing before buying a new computer anyway. One thing I will give to this computer is the size, it could fit almost anywhere it looks like. I think it'd be cool to have one of those things sitting in my entertainment system hooked up to my tv and sterio. I'd have it set up to play video files and MP3's and I'd also use wireless networking to communicate with my other computers and to access the internet. Get a wireless keyboard with built in mouse, and I'd hate to say this, but my ThinkPads would end up recieving alot less use. (I won't be executed for that last bit of IBM blasphemy, will I?)

[eriqesque]

I've had a chance to play with one of these and it is impressive!

If I was shopping for a new desktop computer it is most likely what I would buy. But be sure and upgrade the RAM, add the burner and the wifi. So figure close to 2 G's after upgrades, tax & shipping.

For that money you could get a T42, loaded!

Are you looking Mac Mini casue top of the line box is about $900 + Tx and free shipping.

[daeojkim]

I saw the Mac Mini, and I do have to say that today, it's a rather impressive machine. My only concern, having been a power user since the mid 90's, is will the Mini Mac still be impressive tomorow? It does not appear to have to many upgrade options, but then again, it appears to be targeted out to the entry market which consists mainly of light users who wouldn't upgrade the thing before buying a new computer anyway. One thing I will give to this computer is the size, it could fit almost anywhere it looks like. I think it'd be cool to have one of those things sitting in my entertainment system hooked up to my tv and sterio. I'd have it set up to play video files and MP3's and I'd also use wireless networking to communicate with my other computers and to access the internet. Get a wireless keyboard with built in mouse, and I'd hate to say this, but my ThinkPads would end up recieving alot less use. (I won't be executed for that last bit of IBM blasphemy, will I?)

I was thinking of the same thing. To be used as basic entertainment computer. It looks great too. The price is also very affordable. It's so tempting... As far as design goes i do have to give Mac the credits. I think they have been making fantastic hardwares.

[AlphaKilo470]

If Apple markets this thing right, it could be their key into a whole new market.

[slagmi]

Oh I'm talkin' about the iMac G5

No, I haven't really played with a Mini.

I should read more carefully!

[daeojkim]

So this thing is about half the size of Mac Cube G4 that was released few years ago. I am not sure how well they did. I was thinking of getting a entertainment center computer with WIndows XP Media center but I will have to put iMac mini into consideration.

Perhaps in the future we will see iMac G5 mini if Apple can come up with a cooling solution in tha small package.

Technology is moving so fast that average electronics usage life time is getting shorter and shorter...

[AlphaKilo470]

Technology has not been moving as fast in the past three years as it was from 1997 to 2002. The past few years has actually been good for people who want to get the most out of their computers, but not so good for technology because Moore's law is finally starting to loose it's effect with silicon. In 2003, Intels fastest CPU ran at 3.2ghz, or something in that range. What's Intels fastest today, it runs at 3.8 ghz. This has also allowed AMD to take away Intels edge even more and Apple to finally catch up. To work around the slowdown of CPU speeds, companies are redesigning cores and changing the configurations, new chipsets and faster RAM are also helping to comp for the lack of higher clockspeeds.

[slagmi]

Yea, good point ALphaKilo470, even AMD & Intels new CPU naming schemes reflect this.

For example, which is faster, the Intel model 340 proscessor or the Intel model 520 proscessor? But doesn't the '520' just sound better? It is.

These days it's become apparent to most all that there are more important things than CPU speed (though us notebook users have known that for years).

I submit that the bottleneck these days is the hard drive. Well, that plus the fact that operating systems and major software programs are so massive.

Perhaps the next jumpstart will happen when someone figures out how to make a 40GB flash storage drive affordable!

And that new iMac G5 isn't much bigger than a notebook. Thicker, about 2.5" approx (guessing from memory). Just take a laptop, remove the keyboard (it's wireless) flip the screen over and so eliminate then hinges, and hang it up on a pedestal. Oh, you do need one cord, the power cord, there's no battery in the iMac G5.

For me, the jury's still out on the Mini. The cube didn't do so well for Apple. Marred their reputation for reliability, lots of repairs were needed on those.

[daeojkim]

Technology has not been moving as fast in the past three years as it was from 1997 to 2002. The past few years has actually been good for people who want to get the most out of their computers, but not so good for technology because Moore's law is finally starting to loose it's effect with silicon. In 2003, Intels fastest CPU ran at 3.2ghz, or something in that range. What's Intels fastest today, it runs at 3.8 ghz. This has also allowed AMD to take away Intels edge even more and Apple to finally catch up. To work around the slowdown of CPU speeds, companies are redesigning cores and changing the configurations, new chipsets and faster RAM are also helping to comp for the lack of higher clockspeeds.

Alpha it's true. I should have said it "moved" too quickly. I would not mind slowing down a little. Then again companies depend on moving fast so they can sell more products.

[dr.b]

My wife is one of this typical mac-users...and this one is much more affordable

[brewt]

I saw the Mac Mini, and I do have to say that today, it's a rather impressive machine.

The only thing impressive about the Mac Mini is the size. The actual hardware specs aren't all that spectacular. If you actually upgrade the system to semi decent specs (more ram, bigger hd, wireless, keyboard, warranty), it ends up to be quite expensive (~$1000), plus you still need to get a monitor for it.

[dr.b]

It like Fast Food, everthing you buy with it cost twice
Why not buying the mini and bigger hds, more ram elsewhere... and keyboard of course (the applekeyboard )

[yukit]

I was thinking about getting a MAC to play with, but the hardware spec is not impressive at all for the price.

You can build a much more powerful AMD based system, even with a HTPC case for that money.

I guess Apple has never been about the performance/price.

iPod Shuffle is much more interesting, especially my wife has been using iPod & iTune with over 700 CDs already ripped.

[brewt]

I was thinking about getting a MAC to play with, but the hardware spec is not impressive at all for the price.

Yeah, because in this case, you're paying extra for size and the name. Even with a Nano-ITX board, you can't build a PC at the size that Apple has managed. That's one of the only things the Mac Mini has going for it.

[janet16129]

One thing that might help sell it is the relative immunity of MAC systems from the plague of viruses, worms, and spyware afflicting Windows today. It's mainly because they are such a small community that it doesn't pay to target them. That could change if they take off. I know, however, that a lot of peoples' systems have become so boluxed up that they are ready to throw them out and start over. My mother's system became inoperable and it took me almost a week to root out all the malware (&@#%*@&% Elite Toolbar). Of course, Apple can't very well advertise this advantage, it might invite attackers.