Comments on: Photos: Mac Mini

Apple's new desktop is a simple box with a low price tag.

[beesh]

Can it accept a PC monitor?

$499 is great if I don't have to go out and buy a MAC specific monitor. I've already got PC LCD monitor I'd like to share with it. Anybody know?
-Bill in Boulder, CO

[aabcdefghij987654321]

Yes

Yes, by using the included DVI-VGA adapter

[zizzybaloobah]

Yes, that's the whole idea

You can switch to Mac and use your existing keyboard, mouse, and display.

[fabsgwu]

Yes, use any monitor you want.

That's the point. You can use almost ANY monitor. The Mac Mini uses a standard VGA adaptor or DVI (digital). You can also use any USB keyboard and mouse.

[digtalcomp]

Yes.

Yes, the monitors are interchangeable, although you might need an adaptor, I doubt it.

[winmanjr]

Yes it can

The mini mac will work on ANY video system. A DVI/VGA plug is on the back of the case and an S-Video adatper is included as well incase you want to use it with a spare TV.

[trellusg]

YES -- that's what makes this Mac a WINNER

Yes. Just plug it in. This is why I'll be buying one for my Mom to replace her aging Windows box -- and she'll be able to plug it into the same monitor.

[kirkules]

Nice Little piece of Machinery

I like it.

Yes

Standard DVI and VGA output

[hatandglasses13]

Any Mac can take a "PC" monitor

There is no such thing as a "Mac specific" monitor. For the most
part with computers, there are VGA and DVI monitors. Either
platform can take either kind of monitor. Predominately, Macs
use the DVI interface and PC's use VGA. However, many PC video
cards are now using DVI, and my PowerBook came with a DVI to
VGA adapter.

There used to be Mac-only monitors

So, it was not as crazy a question to those of us who have lived through all of the Mac incarnations, hehe.

[Stan Johnson]

Small but the price = about the same as a cheap PC

This is a very cool design, however, for the money (because you must purchase all additional gear to make it work) it is not a bargain at all.

Yes, they really should have brought it in cheaper

I mean E-Machines is in Best Buy with Nforce2+ based AMD 3200 powerhouse machines, including all the extras this does not include (16X DVD burner, keyboard, mouse, etc.) for about $100 more. Price/performance comparison would be interesting. But this is literally created as an add-on for people who own an Ipod, hehe. A very exprensive accessory but an excellent marketing tact/niche for Apple to pursue. Kudos.

Great deal

1) The new mini Mac lowers the cost of many people and
schools who don't want to have to buy a new monitor and
keyboard everytime they get a new machine.

2) Talk about making it easy to take your computer with you!
Tell me one other inexpensive PC that you can put in your
pocket and take with you.

No cheaper Dells

As a quick test of price, I checked the Dell on-line store.
Cheapest PC available, w/o monitor came in at $601. This was
truely low-end, and only a 40 GB hard drive compared to the
mini-mac $600 machine with an 80 Gig drive. Looks like about
as good as it gets in terms of price.

This is what their last I-Macs should have been

The gumdrop and square box designs were really quite awful design-wise (hence the slump in sales/profits). This would help them a lot more if they offered it in colors like the original I-Mac. This off-white tone was nice for the ipod, but it really quite ugly for something that isn't hidden in your pocket the whole time. I am sure they will come out with more colors with much fanfare at the next "big" event. Maybe black is reserved for the set-top box version of this hehe.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Finally....

Apple finally realizes it cannot rip people off by charging much higher prices for their so-so hardware, so Apple has to bend down on price. Also people who loves to use Apple products can no longer say they are "superior" to PC users just because they enjoy paying a premium to Apple. Way to go!

agreed, but...

Anyone who claimed (not you) that Apple was superior just because they paid too much for it was just rationalizing a bad/ignorant purchasing decision. It never meant that the Apple hardware was actually superior in any way, shape, or form. I do like the G5 case and monitor designs though...classy. Expensive/way overpriced, but classy.

[TangledThorns]

Wow

Amazing, finally a PC that my Mom can use. I may get one as a media server for my home theater.

[Andrew J Glina]

Small Media Server

80 GB for a "Media Server"! You are joking, please tell me you are joking!

Mini Mac

Can I hook this mini Mac up to my G3 or G4 Powerbook? sounds like it would be just what I need for more space and functionality.

Can this be hooked up to a Powerbook G3 or G4?

Can this be hooked up to a Powerbook G3 or G4?

[Leog02]

No more cube but now Mini sqaure.

I guess Apple just likes to challenge themselves by making a smaller concept everytime. Like the old apple cube this thing is sealed on people wanting a cheap imac. Is this thing even upgradeable. Just asking. Got to give props to imac.

[dejo]

Some upgradeability

Memory and HD are upgradeable. Graphics isn't (but isn't usually
on any other cheap PC).

New imac w/ old imac

A silly question perhaps, but I am assuming it
should be a piece of cake to connect a new
Imac to an old 500Mhz Imac and boot from the
new to improve speed. Correct?

[dejo]

Incorrect

I don't think so.

[ajbatac]

This is the REAL PC killer...

I guess it's time for you PC users to switch to Macs now! It's
easy. Just go here and you'll find out how, http://
www.apple.com/switch/... nice!

[ajbatac]

wrong poster!

this is my post, why did it ever been named as "Posted by:
rorywohl" glitches???

[Bobman]

Not in your life

Even this computer won't get me to switch to mac. 1: It has sissy system specs (1.25 or 1.42 ghz w/ 256 RAM and 32MB Vid?!?!? thats just dumb). 2: Mac OS X is inconvenient when you are used to windows 3: Will not support ANY of the software titles I own (over 100, and most of them don't even have mac versions). 4: This computer cannot be upgraded.
For the same price, you can get a PC with actually GOOD specs!

[trellusg]

Well, sort of... :)

I'll be upgrading my mom's aging Windows box to this beauty -- but I'm sticking with my Fujitsu P5020D 4lb subnotebook running XP, thank you. :)

[closeupman]

I don't think so

The specs are way to low. This is suppose to be a graphic computer company (Ala Commodore and the better computer AMIGA!!). There should be at least 64MB of Video Ram (and 128MB for the upgraded mini). And it is a bit annoying, but not that a big deal about the byokm. It's like those toys we buy where they should include the batteries, but they don't.

This will only be bought my MAC loyalists and newbies who don't know any better.

Yes, the PC crashes more and the multitude of wires drives me crazy, but you get more bang for your buck w/a PC. Apple should outsource these and make 'em cheaper....

$299...now that would make me switch!!!!!!

WILL ACCEPT VGA and DVI....sheeshh...

Make a long story short...the first poster had a point...
Apple USED to make ADB ports for the Mac...in tradition to their "think different" idealogy, when everyone else was using DVI. Past couple years, Apple decided to SWITCH altogether to DVI, seeing how ADB wasnt popular at all.
This Mac Mini will DEFINITELY open the floodgates to PC switchers...VERY good product Apple! How about a TIVO-type app for the Mac Mini so we can attach to TV as a DVR??

[dejo]

You mean ADC?

I think you meant ADC (Apple Display Connector) and not ADB.
ADB was used to connect devices like keyboards and mice
before Apple switched to USB (before anybody else I might add).
ADC was a proprietary Apple connection that basically included
DVI, power, and USB.

[dog0906]

Great Price - Nice specs for Small Software Companies

This is a great price and product for small software companies, like I own, to purchase a Mac demo to test software. I have test PCs so a monitors, mice, and keyboards are laying around everywhere.

I believe this product will find a small niche with small developers wanting to test the latest Mac OS without spending 1000s of dollars.

Good Job Apple...

PC mouse and keyboard compatible?

Has anyone try to connect a PC mouse and keyboard to a Mac? Just wonder how they work?

[dog0906]

same

it is the same... stick in usb and off you go...

[dejo]

USB? Yes. PS2? No.

If you mean USB keyboard and mouse, no problem. If you mean
a PS2 (or old DIN-5) keyboard or mouse, then it's not possible
(without some kind of adapter).

[Jonathan]

I think that might be a first...

Apple's store must be getting thrashed. I can't connect.

[dog0906]

HOW DOES THIS CPU / RAM / VID CARD COMPARE TO PC?

How does this config compare to run of mill PC... or, in other words, how does these specifications equal a PC? Just wondering if this is not a great PR stunt selling cheap products, or if we are not getting the latest/greatest... thanks.

[dejo]

Run of who's mill?

Depends how you define "run of the mill PC".

As for getting the latest/greatest, you're not. But you don't with
a cheap PC either. For example, the Mac mini uses a G4
processor. The G5 is considered the latest and greatest CPU (for
Macs).

[rpms]

"Glad to see a new choice in the marketplace"

The Mac mini is good news for all personal computer users, because it increases competition in the mass market.

This is the first time in years that Apple has offered a computer at a price that the average consumer is willing to pay. The old iMac (with the conventional, not flat panel, monitor) was the last example. Its price hovered around $1000, which was appropriate for a basic personal computer in the late 1990's. Later iMac designs -- and even the eMac -- were too expensive to be a factor in the mass market. As companies like Dell were driving entry-level PC prices down, Apple was adding new features and raising the price of its entry-level offering. But at $500, the all-new Mac mini meets discount PC's head-on.

Obviously, current and future Macintosh users will benefit from this new, low-cost option. I predict that PC users will also benefit.

Now that Apple's iLife suite is available with a $500 Mac mini, PC manufacturers will put pressure on their operating system supplier (Microsoft) and their utility software suppliers (various). There's no feature deficit in the software that comes with a typical multimedia PC (media player utility, DVD/CD burner utility, audio editor utility, video editor utility, TV recording utility), but the software components don't have consistent user interfaces and don't always work well together. This will change.

And now that Apple's well-regarded technical support is available with a $500 Mac mini, PC manufacturers will have to improve their own support services. However, Apple's consumer satisfaction ratings will decline a bit, as the company begins serving users who lack the computer experience, the self-help financial resources, and the brand allegiance common in people who today spend $1500+ on a typical Macintosh. Apple has no recent experience with mass market computer support.

I do see one longterm drawback for consumers: the entry of the Mac mini will encourage them to worry even more about form and even less about function. Apple's promotional literature (http://www.apple.com/macmini/design.html) criticizes the "Frankenstein machines" that PC manufacturers "slap together". Small, pretty components cost more, don't perform as well, and are harder to upgrade. For example, the Mac mini is built around a laptop DVD/CD drive ("'slim' form factor"). The desktop DVD/CD drives ("5.25-inch half-height form factor") found in discount PCs are faster and cheaper. When it's time to upgrade, replacements are also much easier to come by.

Overall I'm impressed with the Mac mini and glad to see a new choice in the personal computer marketplace.

Paul Marcelin-Sampson
Santa Cruz, California, USA

Note: When I use the abbreviation "PC", I'm referring specifically to IBM PC-compatible personal computers. When I use "personal computer", spelled out, I'm referring to all types, including the Apple Macintosh.

innovative?

Um, when will apple come out with something new? This type of case/computer has been on the market for several years now. apples version looks boring as usual.

[dejo]

For example?

"This type of case/computer has been on the market for several
years now"

Really? What are some examples of computers with this type of
case?

NICE APPLE COPY

Apple write your captions?