Apple offers Mac Mini 'grab bag'

Consumers who buy a Mac Mini this week may or may not end up with a machine that's faster than the desktop Apple Computer was selling in prior weeks.

The company confirmed to CNET News.com that it has started offering machines that in some cases have improved processing powers and other enhancements. However, Apple is not labeling the new machines in any special way, so buyers have no way of knowing if they are getting the more capable models.

"Some Mac Mini systems may contain components that slightly exceed the published specifications," Apple said in a statement. "There are no changes to the published specifications or part numbers."

Apple would not confirm the exact specifications of the enhanced systems, but enthusiast site Think Secret said that some models were shipping with 1.5GHz processors, up from the current 1.42GHz, as well as a faster DVD burner, more video memory and improved Bluetooth wireless abilities.

Industry watchers were confounded by Apple's decision not to explicitly label the upgraded models.

"It doesn't make sense to me why they would do this," said Technology Business Research analyst Tim Deal, who added that Apple's tactic creates something akin to a "grab bag."

Stephen Baker, who follows the retail PC market for NPD Techworld, called the move "highly unusual," saying that meaningful changes to a computer's hardware specifications typically are designated by a new part number.

Not adding one could irritate some retailers and even cause headaches for Apple in its own retail stores, Baker said. Customers who end up with only the advertised specifications may decide to return their product, knowing that better models exist.

"Most retailers are pretty careful to make sure that what's on the box is what's inside and that the customer gets what they believe they are buying," Baker said. "It's a measure of trust. Whether it's better or worse isn't even necessarily the issue."

An Apple representative was not immediately able to say why the company decided to handle things as it has.

"I don't think you should mix the channel like that and not make people aware," Deal said. "If you are upgrading a product category, then traditionally you will offer some price discounting on the existing product to clear out the channel and then introduce the upgraded version with some amount of hype."

The Mac Mini is Apple's lowest-priced line of computers, with models ranging from $499 to $699. Apple last formally upgraded the Mac Mini in July, adding faster processors and more memory.

In August, Apple announced a promotion that would allow customers to test drive a Mac Mini for 30 days. However, the promotion was dropped a day later with no explanation.

[M C]

Industry watchers "confounded"...and that's different from when...?

Nice to admit they don't know something for a change...wait, no, they're actually expressing their confusion by slamming the new idea. Maybe their heads will explode and we won't have to read their idiotic "analysis" in Cnet anymore.

Yes, Mac geeks may return a Mini or two in hopes of winning the lottery ("Wooo! Six percent speed boost!! In yo' FACE!!"). Fortunately, the Mini is not targeted at the geeks. Apple knows this - why don't the analysts?

[ddesy]

Not so fast...

Do you even realize how many geeks are buying these things to have a quiet little computer to do anything they want with? They've ended up in cars, home theaters, as little web servers.

Whether Apple intended it or not, they have to know that there are geeks buying the Mac minis. I'm a certifiable geek, and I've considered getting a second one!

[Thrudheim]

Big deal . . .

So people who really want the mini with the newer specs should
wait a couple of weeks. People who don't care can order now.
They might get something with specs a little bit better than those
on the label. Big deal. No one is being misled into buying
something less than advertised.

[System Tyrant]

Well

I agree that Apple isn't really misleading anybody since they spec the systems at the lower specs. However, in my mind it sounds like Apple is going to create a bunch of confusion and frustration. I also think that a lot of potential buyers will just wait until they know exactly what they are getting. I am one of those people that (if I were buying one) would wait.

[OS11]

no, this is an apple screw up.

this story shows a lack of discipline on Apple's part.

i can't think of the last time Apple had product in the pipe without having it made "official". sure, apple's pipe with the mini is longer than the rest of the mac product line, perhaps that's the reasoning. (fill the pipe before announcing, thus few stock balanced minis)

but either way, it's a poor precedent on apple's part.

too much confusion, don't do it again.

So....WTF?

So, yes, HERE I AM YOU MICROSOFT LOVING APPLE BASHIG SCHMMOZES! AN APPLE USER ABOUT TO QUESTION *** APPLE WAS THINKING!!!

Seriously. *** is going on down there in Cupertino. Did obs finally have a enrvous breakdown or what?

Sorry for the typos

Microsoft doesn't have spell check and I wasn't wearing my contacts. lmao

Market forces.

It's more a recognition of how people are actually buying these
things. This is a smart move. People care less about individual
components today anyway--especially Mac consumers.

Plus these improvements are super marginal; as long as what's
in the box isn't less than what's on the box, this may allow Apple
to shop around for the cheapest supplier of components at any
given time.

Pay attention friends: This is JIT Manufacturing+Marketing at
it's best.

[the liquid man]

makes no sense????

I'd feel shafted if I got one tha wasn't upgraded...knowing that there are better ones out there

[Earl Benser]

You are guaranteed...

... to get no less than what you ordered, for the price appropriate.
Your complaints are ridiculous.

[Thomas, David]

Excuse me?!

You'd feel shafted if you bought something that actually met the specifications you shopped for?

Go away. Just go away.

[Thomas, David]

DUH!

What is all the fuss about?! This is down-right ridiculous that none of you have grasped what may be going on. To make it worse, this is implying that people are complaining about better computers than advertised. That alone is ludicrous.

Could it simply not be that Apple is clear a group of components out of it's inventory? That instead of putting "lower" grade components into its higher-end machines, they are simply putting "higher" grade components in their lower-end machines.

This is the source of your "issue"?! Just shut up and try to get one, or just shut up.

[deanwaterman]

It's not Just Speed Boost....

It's not just 1.42 to 1.5 speed bump. The significant upgrade is 4x
to 8x SuperDrive with Dual Layer Capabilitiy, 32MB Video to 64MB
Video and a faster HD. Yes, I would wait for the upgrades if the
price is staying the same. I am a big Mac user, but I disagree with
how Apple is handling this. The fear is, and rightly so, that no one
would want the "old" model. There is a better way than deny, deny,
deny. Find it Apple. You are to good for this.

[eviltoaster]

INGENIUS!!!

Great strategy! Youd be suprised how picky people can be with these minor upgrades.

Think about it: If Apple created a "new" Mac Mini, all of the slightly slower ones would be shunned and unbought in want of a new slightly faster one.

Instead of all of that loss, just start throwing in the slightly faster ones into the mix. People are getting what they paid for, but if they're lucky they get a little extra!

Kudos to Apple! Great Thinking!

[Xiaxua]

I'm sorry...

...but it doesn't sound like a "minor" upgrade to me. Bumping up
RAM from 256MB to 512MB is a "minor upgrade". Boosting the
whole system so that it makes Tiger actually tolerable is not.

You are all wrong, I think?

What if the hotter machines also have an Intel chip. Mini's would
be a good place to pop them in unannounced. Certainly good
press for those ready to switch. I'll place a $1 bet.

Green Devil

[Earl Benser]

Sorry. ...

... you lose.

Donate the dollar to charity

[CitizenX]

No

Then you would lose the publicity of the announcement. It
would be sheer stupidity.

[mgreere]

Apple's always good for page hits

CNET's been using the strategy for at least 10 years. Hey, it works!

Of course, they're negative about Apple whenever possible. I'll
guess that ups the hit count.

[CitizenX]

Intelligen response

It's happened before and will happen again. Apple is also
faced with dropping the price of the older models if they
announce the newer model for the same price. This
requires price protection for the dealer or you have a group
of pissed off dealers unable to sell the older models.

You are exactly right. You say "Kewl" and count your
blessings.

[Xiaxua]

If so...

...then why did they bother with the August RAM bumps to the Mini
at all, if they knew they were going to have better machines just a
month later? Why not just have a firesale for the "old" Mini models
to clear the channel?

Unless, of course, there are far too many unsold Mini units to be
written off in order to make way for the new ones. There's
something Apple's not telling here, and I suspect it's not good
news.

[Xiaxua]

The Mini conspiracy theory

I suspect this new phenomenon is tied to last month's (?) Mac
Mini free trial fiasco. That sounded to me like a rather desperate
ploy to make people buy a Mini at any cost. Maybe not as many
Windows users as Apple had hoped had jumped ship. Maybe
Apple met their target but wanted more. Whatever the
underlying reason, one thing that's clear is that Apple wanted to
sell more Mac Minis, and fast.

To me, there are two possible reasons why Apple would want
this.

1. To appease shareholders and analysts: Apple had had an
astonishingly successful quarter, where sales of its Macs
outpaced PCs. And the company wanted to extend that to this
quarter which is about to end (and perhaps maintain it as a way
to drum up interest for the Macintels). Or...

2. Apple made far too many of the Minis, buoyed by the brisk
sales when they first came out. Demand soon tapered off and
Apple was left with a warehouse full of inventory. Since the Mini
is no longer flying off the shelves, bait had to be offered to
entice people to go into a frenzy again.

And what's one of the best ways to make people scramble to buy
more Minis than they need to? If you've watched "Charlie and
The Chocolate Factory", you'll already know the answer:

Just seed the Mini warehouse with a few enhanced models. (In
the film, Willy Wonka put 5 gold tickets into his output and
millions of chocolates literally flew off the shelves in a matter of
days. It remains to be seen if, in the Case of the Mysterious Mini,
real-life will imitate art.)

[Earl Benser]

Irma DOES have skill...

... at wild story writing. What an imagination.....