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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:30 AM PT Posted by Narasu Rebbapragada
Intel-Based Mac Minis; New iPod Hi-Fi Dock
Apple today introduced its Intel-based Mac Mini with Intel Core Solo (single processor) chip. Apple says that the single-processor Mac Mini is 2.5 to 3 times faster than the G4 Mac Mini. A Core Duo version (two processors) is 4.8 to 5.5 times faster than the G4 Mac Mini. The announcement was made at the usual Apple-style dog-and-pony show his morning in Cupertino.Apple's added Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire, DVI out, four USB ports, and analog and S/PIDF sound inputs and outputs. Also included: the Front Row media software (plus IR remote control) for controlling music, movies, and photos from the couch. This is the same remote and software combo that comes with the Intel-based iMac and MacBook Pro. Here's the new Mac Mini with its remote control:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is now demo-ing how the Mac Mini can play another Mac's iTunes songs, view another Mac's iPhoto photos, play another Mac's videos (iTunes Music Store purchased and otherwise). This is doable as long as that other Mac is on the same network. This is through Apple's Bonjour (previously Rendezvous) network technology. The Mac Mini comes with Apple's iLife '06 suite of apps, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
(As usual, Steve is using great photography and music to demo these features. I'm feeling teary at the cute penguin sitting on surely melting Antarctican ice.)
The single-core processor with 512MB of memory, 60GB hard drive, and combo drive will cost $599. The dual-processor model with a 1.67-GHZ processor, 512MB of memory, and a SuperDrive (DVD writer) costs $799. They are available starting today.
Music
Apple also introduced the $349 iPod Hi-Fi, a home-stereo quality speaker set for the iPod. It's a three-driver system. On the top of it, there's a universal iPod dock connector, which Jobs says has an adapter for every iPod Apple's ever made. The set is white with a black mesh grill and can be battery-powered with D-sized batteries. Here's what it looks like:
The speaker set also has two 80mm mid-range speakers, a 130mm dual voice coil woofer, and a ported bass-reflex design. It works with the Apple IR remote. It has Auxilary and S/PDIF optical audio inputs. It goes on sale today. It's pretty. It's the same idea as the BOSE iPod stereo. Steve says he's getting rid of his stereo and going with this. Hmmmm.
After the presentation, the press went to a demo of the iPod Hi-Fi in a Apple mock living room. I stood next to Ernie Rideout, editor in chief of Keyboard Magazine, and we listened to several types of music using the system. The rock tracks sounded fine to me, but Ridout said the classical track "sounds a little squashed to me. I'm not hearing the clarity I was hoping for."
Aside: Apple sold its billionth song on iTunes Music Store. Some lucky kid in West Bloomfield, Michigan, won the billionth-song contest. Apple showed a TV segment about his winning. (We think that there was an orange bong on the table behind him in the broadcast, but I can't confirm that.) Also, Apple will sell $99 leather cases for iPods starting in mid March.
Is an Intel-based Mac Mini or the iPod Hi-Fi on your buying radar?
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I think a mac mini as a PVR is almost plausible now
nothing too exciting, lame
If it turns out the mini mac would be a good alternative to a DVR I'd be interested.. Using the mini to DVR without having a subcribtion to any sort of TiVo like account would be nice... I was hoping for an improved ipod vid, maybe with "true vid" and "Wireless" would have been nice, I think it's coming soon enough though just not today....
It's the i-boom! Radio Raheem would be in his glory!
Boring!!!!
meh, i'm not excited by the speakers. guess i'm not in that niche. at home, i dock my ipod and play it through my stereo system, which i know sounds better than that thing. if i felt the need for something portable, i'd use the altec lansing iM7, because a.) it's $100 cheaper, and b.) it offers some protection for the ipod, should it get hit by a stray basketball at the park.
a sub-par home stereo replacement plus a sub-par boombox substitute do not equal a $350 gadget, even if it does have the apple logo on it. there are already better options out there.
A top of the line Mini is nearly as expensive as a bottom of the line iMac, but with the iMac you get more of everything. The Mini is too expensive!
I am considering a Mac Mini but would like to consider alternatives. Which products compete with a Mac Mini in terms of capabilities, connections, included software and form factor?
I think this is a huge step up on Apple's part. Especially on the heels of Microsoft announcing seven, count em, SEVEN different variations of "Windows Vista" that is due out later this year. So, while the loyal Microsoft users and technophobic housewives in Virginia try to find out what "variation" is right for them, others will be settling into this idea of the Mac Mini being a real multimedia powerhouse. These 'variations' can turn to be very bad to Microsoft because it leaves more of a window for PC manufacturers and retailers to convince the "non-techy" consumer that the best, and most expensive variation is best for them, when they're just trying to get the highest sale. Microsoft's attempt at a media center seemed to be a pretty big of a yawn, and it doesn't look like it will get too much better with Vista - although a part of me hopes I am wrong. Both Apple and Mac made announcements this week that show signs that they are settling in for the Media Center battle.
mini dropped dedicated gfx. Thumbs down to Apple! Mini is now too expensive, they should have kept a version at a $499 price point. Their objective is supposed to be to sell more computers, and to do that they need to persuade Windows users to switch. Unfortunately, a ton of people would rather pay $299 for a Dell than $599 for a Mac, even if the Mac offers better bang for the buck. Jobs, heres the memo you never recieved: People look at price numbers, NOT performance numbers (unless ure an enthusiast, and most people arent).
iPod Hifi? Gimme a break. This sucks. Period. I think I'll take my $350 to buy a Creative X-Fi and nice pair of 5.1 surround sound speakers from newegg instead. This is such a waste of money. Everybody already looks to people like Bose for superior sound anyways, not Apple. If this was more like $50-$75, offered an FM radio and alarm clock, I'd consider it, but $350 is too much of my hard-earned money. Nice try, big loss. This is trying to capitalize on the success of iPod and will fail miserably. Expect it to go the way of the Newton and eMac.
Why go mac? Mac is such a useless os and every1 nose it. Pc is the ultimate solution for gaming. an 300 + for a stupid speaker is really a complete waste of money. Whereas u culd get about 50 bucks for a good set of speakers instead of wasting $$$$$$$ on a complete and utter waste on mac speakers. Ipod is gr8 an is the only thing gewd tht has com out of mac!!