MacWorld: Mac Mini - iShuffle

[mr. sparkle]

[mr. sparkle]

More? You got it!

Also Announced:


iShuffle

iShuffle: 512 MB and 1GB Mac and PC iPod-like device. USB connector protected by a cap. Somewhat like a flash memory stick on steroids. Lots of cool accessories as well. The kids will love this one.

Time to mix things up. Meet iPod shuffle, the unpredictable new iPod. What will it play next? Can it read your mind? Can it read your moods? Load it up. Put it on. See where it takes you. Choose from pocket-size 512MB or 1G models starting at $99 and surprise yourself.

iLife: with upgrades to every app.
iPhoto 5 - new book making ability
iMovie HD - supports 3 flavors of HDV
iDVD 5 with dynamic drop zones
GarageBand 2 - up to 8 audio tracks multi-track with a new Jam Pack
iTunes 4.7 - AutoFill feature for random picks - download now

iWork: A package of apps
Keynote 2: upgraded and offers "cinema quality" presentations
Pages: Streamlined and powerful word processor with templates and
themes.

Final Cut Express HD: Like iMovie, an upgrade to include 3 HDV formats.

Eat it up kids!

[mas]

Eat it up kids!

Or don't!

from http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/:

[Charles]

Damn I want a Mini to replace my ancient G3/400 server. The Mini reminds me of the old Cobalt Cube, it's a perfect little file server for corporate LANs, just stick it on the net, shove it in a corner, and forget it.

But I'm disappointed, no speed bumps, and no Asteroid audio interface.

[Watcher]

Hmmmmm.... Mini looks good but there are a few glaring omissions.

1) Audio in. for voice conferencing. I guess people could spring for the apple camera but that's really expensive and not the new user market.
2) 256mb Ram is far too little. Ram is cheap nowadays... they should've gone 512.
3) only 2 USB and one FW400 ports. So everybody shell out for a USB hub cuz you got to plug in your pereferals somewhere. (speaking from a guy who has 10 USB doohickeys to swap in only 7 ports).

Edit: I actually just got into the apple store and if I upgraded I could get it for $599 + internal bluetooth so the USB issue is *somewhat* solved (PDA and phone would talk to it)... BTW what happened to the Macorola phone?

[vir-jin]

:P :P :P :P

$

:P

[Watcher]

I always enjoyed watching Jobs' Keynote on the Apple site... yeah it's old news but he's a performer... how come there's no video this time around? That totally bites. I want to see him survive the glitches and take a jab at Bill (for those who don't know Jobs had probs with one of the puters).

[Charles]

BTW what happened to the Macorola phone?

It was demoed at CES a couple days ago. The phone deal was reportedly mentioned during the Stevenote, but I haven't seen any details of what he said.

The webcast is supposed to be up tonight, after an approx 9 hour delay. Apparently the projection screen was in HD so they had no way to rip it down to NTSC on the fly for a live webcast.

[Caustic Saint]

Mac mini starts at $499.

If you already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you can get up and running in minutes. Or choose any combination of new devices to meet your individual situation. And yes, Mac mini will take advantage of your two-button USB mouse with scroll-wheel and your favorite USB keyboard. Just plug them in.

Translation - we'll charge you even more by not including a keyboard or mouse.

Okay, I know this is how things tend to go on the PC side, but generally only if you're upgrading a system on your own - not buying whole new computer. At least they're including the DVI-VGA adapter in the box. That's very smart of them as I could see a lot of people not realizing they had to buy one and getting pissed off when they realized they couldn't just plug in their old monitor and be up and running.

I can't say that I'm really in the market for one, as my old iMac DV/SE does everything it needs to do (not the priimary computer, more of a download slave machine). At least the Apple J-store markup isn't too bad on the Mac Mini.

I'd really been hoping for PowerBook speed bumps, but oh well. Maybe next show.

[Charles]

The Stevenote is now online:

http://stream.apple.akadns.net/

[yakinoumiso]

Hmmmmm.... Mini looks good but there are a few glaring omissions.

...

Nahh...I think the MacMini is at least partly a play for the corporate environment where issues like display, keyboard and mice don't exist. Also, the ram is bare-bones, but that's still the nature of the low-end beast.

You can buy a $500 PC that has 512 MB ram, but how about FireWire, and Ethernet, or for that matter internal support for WiFi and BlueTooth. Apple's margins have to be small on this, and I for one am glad they omitted the things that buyers could add (if they wanted to) to meet the sub $500 price point.

It looks like Apple did a good job with this.

[American Oyaji]

I'll be getting that Mac mini in about 2 months.

My current mac is a beige G3 tower 300mhz with 9GB hard drive320MB RAM and a 3dfx Voodoo3 video card.

Using the internet has been difficult recently due to upgrades in the html specifications.

I am running Mac OS 9.2.2 and cant run OSX on this computer to use the modern browsers.

I am STOKED about that mac. I don't have usb now, so I need a keyboard and mouse. I priced it out and I can get a new system with 512MB ram for under 1000 dollars.

I'm so sold.

[GomiGirl]

I have a heap of old mac monitors in my office if anybody is interested.. going cheap. Also lots or keyboards floating around. Only one button mouse (s) (or is that mice?) to spare.

PM me if interested. Most are 17"+ but not USB...

[vir-jin]

I have a heap of old mac monitors in my office if anybody is interested.. going cheap. Also lots or keyboards floating around. Only one button mouse (s) (or is that mice?) to spare.

PM me if interested. Most are 17"+ but not USB...

If I had any space left, I would collect them for deep nostalgic reasons!

[Skankster]

-
-

The Mac Mini



I was actually in the markit for a UNIX based DVD player
(my current region code only allows me to play Japan DVD)

[cstaylor]

I have a heap of old mac monitors in my office if anybody is interested.. going cheap. Also lots or keyboards floating around. Only one button mouse (s) (or is that mice?) to spare.

PM me if interested. Most are 17"+ but not USB...

[American Oyaji]

I'll say this, apple just knocked the computing world on its head again.

Now comes a rush of mini computer PC knock offs.


I expect that this mini is gonna sell HUGE in Japan with all the space considerations.

SPEAKING of mini.

Mini-me is on a reality TV show called the Surreal Life.

VH1's homepage

[American Oyaji]

Did I mention that I'm sold on this?

[goldenboy_ge]

How dare u turn ur back on Bill Gates! :P


The Bill-Windows Invasion



Kill Bill

[FG Lurker]

[American Oyaji]

One of those old machines or a mac mini?

heh.

They aint moving that product inless they price at half the mini.

[FG Lurker]

One of those old machines or a mac mini?

heh.

They aint moving that product inless they price at half the mini.

Definitely those (old) machines are not worth more than 20,000yen at this point.

I am wondering what will happen to the G4 1Ghz and faster towers though. Even with their larger cases I can't see them selling for *more* than a Mini with similar or better specs. But at the moment used recent-model G4 towers are outrageously priced.

[aquamarine]

(grins ear to ear)

[American Oyaji]

silly

[tonikoro]

[FG Lurker]

Some "internal" shots of the Mac Mini:

http://www.mini-itx.com/news/13909018/

And some video showing how to take it apart, upgrade the hard disk and memory yourself:

http://www.smashsworld.com/2005/01/taking-apart-mac-mini-how-to.php

Putting in a 7200rpm 2.5" notebook drive would give a nice performance boost...

[Addition]
Another interesting article comparing the Mac Mini to a cheapo Dell:

[GuyJean]

And some video showing how to take it apart, upgrade the hard disk and memory yourself:
http://www.smashsworld.com/2005/01/taking-apart-mac-mini-how-to.php

Mac heads remember the paper clip. Now we have the putty knife.

GJ

(An unfolded paper clip would eject a CD stuck in a frozen machine by poking it in a tiny hole near the CD drive) - http://www.ehow.com/how_6528_eject-stuck-floppy.html

[cstaylor]

Rebooting and pressing the mouse button works for the CD-ROM drive these days.

[GuyJean]

Rebooting and pressing the mouse button works for the CD-ROM drive these days.

I know.. I think the paper clip is a thing of the past.. At least for the Mac.

Actually, I've used the paper clip when the machine was off; beats rebooting just to eject a CD..

GJ

[FG Lurker]

The New Mac Mini is All About Movies
Robert X. Cringely (PBS), January 20, 2005

Steve Jobs is so enigmatic. A couple weeks ago at MacWorld, he introduced the 2.9 lb. Mac Mini and the reaction was so great it was like he had re-invented the PC. Readers are all excited by the little box and have been asking me for my take on it. Like everyone else, I had to scratch my head a bit and ponder what this thing is really for. I know, I know, it is for all those PC drivers who bought an iPod and are now supposed to trash their Windows PC for a Mac Mini. Yeah, but what's it REALLY for? Movies.

[...]

It is simple to say that Apple hopes to repeat with video the success it already has with iPod and iTunes. Jobs denies interest in video, citing the dominance of cable companies, but then he always denies right up until the moment he changes his mind, and that moment is coming.

[...]

The Mac Mini would look fine on, under, near, or generally around your TV. It has a DVI connector and so do many HDTVs, including those from Sony. Sony in its HDTV manuals says the DVI connector is "not intended" for connecting a computer, but it seems to work. That brings us back to Mr. Ando and my guess about the next Year of HD announcement or two. When OS X 10.4 ships, the Mini will suddenly become Apple's version of a media PC. Like the iPod, it will be a simple device that serves proprietary content, in this case HD video. Just like Gateway, HP, and Dell before it, Apple will start selling in its stores HDTVs, only they'll carry the Sony brand. Do you want to buy a Gateway TV or a Sony TV?

(Full Story)

A very interesting read. All speculation of course, but intriguing none-the-less.