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Apples worst idea - drop the Mac Mini


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According to this new article that we just read, Apple is now thinking about dropping the Mac Mini from it's current lineup. If this is true then it's the single worst idea that Apple has ever had. If Apple is to gain market share then they need more products like the Mac Mini, not less. It is one of the reasons why Apple is growing. Maybe the rumors are true - maybe Apple has really lost its mind and is thinking of slowly getting out of the computer business which is why they changed their name last year. I certainly hope not. The Mini was our reason for switching to OS X, and many other peoples too I might add. If they remove it from their lineup, then there will be an awfully lot of unhappy and disappointed Mac users :pirate2:

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Nooooooooooooooo. It makes such a sweet HTPC and is used in so many Car Mods. It is one the most useful machines ever made.

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Guest Ramm
According to this new article that we just read, Apple is now thinking about dropping the Mac Mini from it's current lineup. If this is true then it's the single worst idea that Apple has ever had. If Apple is to gain market share then they need more products like the Mac Mini, not less. It is one of the reasons why Apple is growing. Maybe the rumors are true - maybe Apple has really lost its mind and is thinking of slowly getting out of the computer business which is why they changed their name last year. I certainly hope not. The Mini was our reason for switching to OS X, and many other peoples too I might add. If they remove it from their lineup, then there will be an awfully lot of unhappy and disappointed Mac users :(

 

Changed their name? Hasn't it always been Apple....?

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Changed their name? Hasn't it always been Apple....?

 

They changed from "Apple Computer" to just "Apple". It was supposed to reflect product line changes (AppleTV etc.) or something.

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I don't think this means Apple is getting out of the computer business at all. Read the article they refer to it as the "{censored} child" and its true. As well why would you buy a Mac Mini for your home entertainment center when you could buy an AppleTV a new product Apple is pushing and from Apples side why market two of products that can be used for the same purpose?

 

Apples product line has changed so much over the years, look at when Steve Jobs gained control back of Apple in the late 90's they cut the product line almost in half, and just because they are phasing out the Mac mini doesn't mean it won't be replaced with something else.

 

That being said, their is still the possibility of a 15inch Macbook, and the Ultra Portables.

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why would you buy a Mac Mini for your home entertainment center when you could buy an AppleTV

Who cares about using it as a home entertainment center? It already has Front Row and that's all those wanting the Mac mini really need. I think you'll find that the wide majority of people buying 'minis' are buying them for computer use.

 

from Apples side why market two of products that can be used for the same purpose?

That's a lame argument :( Why then make more than one laptop? Or for that matter, why make the SAME laptop available in TWO different colors like they do? At least the 'mini' is unique. If Apple does drop the mini (and that's a big 'if') then they will be shooting themselves in the foot :unsure:

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I think a lot of people also use it to try out owning a mac. When I got my fist mac I didn't want to pay $1600 for something decent and then find out I didn't like OSX or something. I bought a mini because it was relatively cheap. I think that Apple would see a significant drop in switchers if they got rid of the mini.

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Some have gone so far as to call the mini Apple's {censored} child; the neglected Mac that never was.

 

That seems the main point to me.

 

Besides, the mini isn't that cheap at all. Here is what you pay in Europe for the better model, with some upgrades (using Ireland in this example):

 

Specifications

 

 

* 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo

* 1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x512MB

* 120GB Serial ATA drive

* Mac OS X (Irish)

 

Eur 999.01

 

Macbook:

 

Specifications

 

* 1GB 667 DDR2 - 2x512MB SO-DIMMs

* 120GB Serial ATA drive (5400rpm)

* Keyboard (English) & Mac OS (English)

 

* 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

* Double-layer SuperDrive

* AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth

* Power Adapter

* Battery

 

Eur 1,249.00

 

That is, Eur 250 more, but you get so much better value for your money.

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I think a lot of people also use it to try out owning a mac. I bought a mini because it was relatively cheap. I think that Apple would see a significant drop in switchers if they got rid of the mini.

Exactly! There is no way around it, Apple has gained market share because of the mini for this very reason. It is the single best way for PC users to 'try out' and see how great OS X is. If they drop the mini from their line-up then the Mac Pro will be their only other headless Mac, and not many PC users are willing to spend 2500.00 (or more) just to 'try out' OS X.

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Maybe they're dropping the Mini, and making an affordable tower

But that would still be going backwards (and Apple doesn't usually go backwards). One of the big reasons people love the mini (among many others) is because of it's small footprint.

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This is just all speculation at this point. Its highly unlikely that Apple would discontinue the mini, considering it has helped tremendously in making lots of individuals switch to a Mac. Yes, the mini is trailing behind the rest of the family...but that does not constitute the assumption that this is being done so that Apple is seeking to discontinue it, as this rumour claims. Its just way to much of a risky move for Apple to make...especially at this point in time, when many individuals worldwide are coming to a common realization that Windows is not the only operating system out there. I feel that if Apple by some small chance (slim chance, but its not impossible) did remove the mini...then for sure they would substitiute it with either an even slimmer/smaller footprint Mac, or a Mac mini-tower...essentially a much smaller and watered down Mac Pro, yet still being more powerful than the Mini, thus kind of making the choice between smaller footprint or more power for the same price. Those are the only two possibilities, but I doubt that Apple will leave the sub 1K market....atleast for now.

 

Either ways, we have 17 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 14 seconds until we find out. :D

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One thing is for sure. Apple has been neglecting the mini as of late. I mean the price has been staying the same for so long, and with just one measly update? That's lame. It's either laziness on apple's behalf, like because they have no real competitors to the mini or they really are going to discontinue it. :(

 

But the 1.83ghz/superdrive mini...I'm sorry, it's overpriced. And this is coming from someone who adores the mac mini. I can get an acer aspire 5570 laptop, with a dual-core intel processor, and 1 gig of ram, and a dvd-writer, and Windoze home premium, for $699. It does everything the mini does, includes a battery,

And I Don't Have To Bring My Own Keyboard And Mouse®.

 

I'm sorry apple, you had me for a while there, but you lost me. Either bring down the price or update the mini.

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Although I usually believe AppleInsider, they're making an assumption just based on the fact that the Mac Mini hasn't seen many updates lately. But as they themselves point out, has it ever really been updated drastically? Nope. So why all of a sudden believe that it's going to be pulled?

 

The last time I tried using a Mini was in an Apple store before the Intel transition. Honestly, my first impression was "wow, this is a slow little piece of {censored}." I don't know if they've honestly improved performance since then, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're still unbearably weak. I don't know anybody who uses one for normal computing purposes. As a computer, it sucked, and as a media center, Apple TV outshines it.

 

Basically, I don't think AppleInsider has enough hard credentials to be believable, but at the same time I wouldn't care too much of the Minis were pulled.

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Apple won't just replace a product they just introduced. (Appletv)

 

Then again, they won't get rid of the Mac mini, without something to replace it.

 

So my prediction: updates for mini, price drops? Maybe even the much vaunted mini mac tower?

 

But they do have to do something. The mini is getting old and bad value

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a Mac mini-tower...essentially a much smaller and watered down Mac Pro, yet still being more powerful than the Mini...

 

That would be a good option, IMO. A good step towards that "something between the Mac Mini and the Mac Pro" that so many have been asking for.

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As much as I would like to see Apple release an affordable tower, I really don't see it happening. The only reason the Mac Pro in tower form is around is because it absolutely needs to be to fill it's intended function. In the world of King Jobs, function follows form and there's no reason why the average home user needs a system in an expandable tower case. Which would be more important to Apple- making a few entheusiasts happy by releasing a cheap expandable tower, or getting attention and driving the marketing machine by building something flashy? The only reason I could see for Apple making, say, a Core 2-based system in a minitower case would be to combat the Hackintosh scene. Admittedly, that would be pretty badass if they could pull it off. Stick a C2D and G965 board in a case 3/4ths or 2/3rds the size of the Mac Pro with x3000 graphics and one PCIe 16x slot and 2 or 4 memory slots. Keep the 2 of the drive bays of the Mac Pro and eliminate one optical drive. But again, a system that mundane yet well-designed (from an engineer's standpoint) won't be seen from Apple while Jobs is around. More likely would be a new cube. Give better CPU options than the Mac Mini and add a PCIe 16x "diagnostic" ; ) slot and you'd have a fast system that's expandable but still stylish enough to get the seal of approval from the design Gods.

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