Comments on: Mac Mini: I'm not dead, yet

A new report suggests Apple may not be ready to kill the Mac Mini, after a report earlier this week suggested the cheapest Mac was on its way out.

[grpaul349]

Way to go CNET..... sheesh.. how about publishing and finding your own news stories instead of copying (days old) stories from everyone else.

[ace10134]

does anyone care?

[ttfootball60]

I wouldn't be sad to see this one go. I think the Mac Mini is a waste of money, especially if you have no monitor and are starting from scratch. By the time you throw in an overpriced Apple display, it's already up there with the more capable and much nicer Macbooks and iMacs.

Here's an exact comparison from the Apple website: Apple mini ($599.99, 1.83 GHz Core 2, only an 80 GB HDD...very minimal specs compared to other computers) + monitor for 599.99 (20") = 1198.00. 20" iMac with far better specs (2.4 Intel Core 2 250 GB HDD and ATI Radeon HD 2400XT) is 1199.00. That's just dumb.

Now I'm not exactly a Mac fan, I use either Windows or Linux based PCs. However, this is just outright stupid. It's a good idea, but the iMac is so much more of a better deal that it's no wonder there would be rumors of this thing being retired. They need to lower the price drastically, or just lower the prices on their standalone monitors. One thing to note, no one that I have ever met that owns a Mac has owned a Mac Mini...not a single one.

[nevets88]

One thing about my Mini - it boots up in 10-15 seconds - literally, probably less and shuts down even faster. I've yet to see any MacBooks that take less than 45 seconds to boot although I do intend to buy one. As a media hub, this is an invaluable "feature".

[iConquered]

What is everyones obsession with Blu Ray? Blu Ray sales (players and discs) have been down since April of this year. Blame it on whatever factors you want, but people just don't care about spending $30 for a marginally improved picture that requires the purchase of costly HD television set. The benefit of larger disc capacity is also something that has not shown any genuine necessity.

At this point, we can observe the Xbox 360, which utilizes DVD technology. An overwhelming majority of the software for the HD systems (PS3 X360) have been able to fit on a single DVD. The same is true for most PC software. There is no reason for Apple (or anyone) to invest in all new presses for their factories, just to ship software on movies on a medium that primarily benefits Sony and not its business partners or consumers.

With high speed internet increasing in availability, the ability to digitally distribute high definition files, has already supplanted HD disc distribution. Blu Ray was a nice effort, but it was ultimately futile in an increasingly digital world. I can't imagine why Apple should even want to bother with Blu Ray when DVD disc production is dirt cheap (cents on the dollar).

[grand2--2008]

I am a research scientist working for a startup company. We developed and imaging system running a Windows only piece of software installed in a Mac MIni. Cost about $800.

When it came time to do final product development - taken out of my R&D hands - it was immediately decided that they couldn't use any Apple products. They were all PC guys. So, the search began for a Mac MIni replacement. We needed to get the same features in the Mac MIni - firewire, DVD burn, 2GB ram, USB, video, etc.

The final choice was a Shuttle computer. The cost to get the same features as the "high end" Mac Mini - $2200. Go figure..

[C_G_K]

Bill Gates must thank his lucky stars almost everyday that Apple was/is his main competitor. Apple's bungling and incompetence has allowed Microsoft to become the behemoth it is. Apple has consistently fumbled the ball throughout it's history with missed opportunities.

Why does apple never try to appeal to the masses? Make a good, inexpensive product that appeals to a wide audience. If they don't want to tarnish the Apple brand, spin off a separate entity under a different name to make products with more mass appeal. Seems almost like some kind of snobbish attitude or something in the Apple culture. What a bunch of dummies. Let's hope that they get it right with a new line of low end mini Macs *doesn't hold breath*