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Mac Mini coming to an end, maybe?

appleinsider.com — Kasper from Appleinsider seems to think so. Should spark a bunch of debate. Not just on the apple lose, but back to the whole false rumor and stock pricing bit.

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  • Gm7Cadd9, on 10/11/2007, -2/+47If the mini is indeed coming to an end and the 17'' iMac is rumored to be discontinued as well, then this certainly opens up a large hole in the product offering. Hmmmmm
    • Odiwan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+45Crazy. The Mac Mini and the 17" iMac are the only reason I bought Apple computers. The 17" iMac is the only iMac small enough to fit on the counter, under my standard, 18" kitchen cabinets. The Mac Mini is a wonderful PC in general... This can't be true...
    • n8dawg87, on 10/11/2007, -5/+25cue the mid-range-headless-mac rumour mill...

      but seriously this is kind of sad. they were great little machines for home servers or for mounting in cars. The mac mini pretty much defined the mini-footprint pc thats been imitated by so many other pc manufacturers now. RIP
    • EndrWiggin, on 10/11/2007, -5/+24the iPhone is the new $600 Mac...could be a good thing or a bad thing.
    • thufir, on 10/11/2007, -9/+6Perhaps one factor in discontinuing the mini is the fact that Apple has less need to compete against cheaper PC units because of Vista's high hardware requirements.
    • sgtpinback, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7if the mini is killed then we really need to get back the $1499 tower.
    • bigdsinferno, on 10/11/2007, -21/+8who, actually, needs a computer in their kitchen?
    • coit, on 10/11/2007, -10/+36Wow. I just got to the Mac party, and now I learn that I'll never be able to buy another Mac again, as they are abandoning the sub $1000 market...

      I will not pay more than $700 for a new computer. So, if Apple won't offer anything in that range, I guess I'll be back to the PC market, probably running Linux this time since I've weaned myself off the MS tit.
    • jav1231, on 10/11/2007, -6/+18@Odiwan:
      Agreed. The Mini brought many PC users to Mac, including myself. If anything, the Mini is just a tad overpriced in the marketplace of small, headless computers. It needs a bit more speed, a few dollars off, and maybe wifi. This may prove tough to do economically and hence THAT may be its demise.
    • carguy84, on 10/11/2007, -6/+46Step 1) Claim something ridiculous
      Step 2) Be publically proven wrong
      Step 3) But keep trusting the site
      Step 4) See step 1
    • rilindo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8It is also entirely possible that they will come up with a whole new entr- level Mac; maybe some like an Mac that you can actually add cards to it - like a smaller Mac Pro chassis.

      That would rock if that happens.
    • kethraal, on 10/11/2007, -11/+2Crazy conspiracy theory of the week #7:

      Apple is intentionally opening the procut hole for a reason. The reason? Apple plans to first saturate the home entertainment market first, then suddenly surprise everyone with a remarkable announcement. Apple then will send out millions (if they do a good job with hype to get it into homes) of usb drives (iPod Mini HD or smaller) -- which, when plugged into the USB port (the one people have been wondering "Why is that there?" for some time now) will install a Basic Mac OS X installation. The 40GB hard drives were used to ensure enough space for all owners to use the machine for movies, music, e-mail, and even heavy web browsing. How does the installer work? The code to recognize and talk to the dongle/USB HD is hidden in another driver, probably something quite unrelated to USB. It (the code) is simple in it's design, incorporating only a ultra-compact basic USB stack -- designed solely to work with the dongle. Apple has been hiring quite a few low-level embedded programmers lately, and they've almost always been big on optimization. A small amount of code, a couple K or so (small by today's standards) could be hidden "in plain sight" in... say... some mundane driver somewhere. In a one meg driver/framework it should be easy to tuck in a few well-optimized kilobytes of your code. The marketing would, of course, be done in typical Apple style: "A gift to all AppleTV owners: one free Mac. It's on it's way. Love, Apple." -- perhaps a nice script, black on white, possibly with a picture of the Apple TV.



      If the Apple TV achieves even half the per-houshold market penetration of the iPod, the Mac would _instantly_ gain a massive market penetration. Dell wouldn't stand a chance -- especially since the AppleTV connects to any TV, anyone with _any_ sort of LCD/AppleTV setup, even over component, would have a "free Mac and monitor", already in the house.

      That's the theory, anyways.
    • bobartig, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8@jav1231: I really don't find the mac mini overpriced when you consider form factor. There are a lot of low priced PC's out there, but when I look in the realm of mini form factor devices (ones that are true competitors to the Mac Mini's size), they start at twice as much with worse hardware. The price-comparable models tend to be 50-100% larger. I know that's still a small form factor, but I want "Macmini-small". Am I looking the wrong places?

    • almalax19, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3@carguy84

      You might be talking about other Apple rumor sites, but Appleinsider is rarely wrong. They are the best Apple rumor site by far.
    • fangorious, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11@java123

      The Mini has had wifi from it's inception. It was optional at first, but I believe it's standard on the intel minis.
    • gregdigg, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6I sure am glad nobody is jumping to any conclusions, like:
      1) This is absolutely true
      2) If it is true, that the Mac Mini won't be replaced with something comparable but better
    • dbr_onix, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1'then this certainly opens up a large hole in the product offering'
      'Crazy. The Mac Mini and the 17" iMac are the only reason I bought Apple computers'
      'this is kind of sad. they were great little machines'
      'then we really need to get back the $1499 tower.'
      'they are abandoning the sub $1000 market'

      If someone can justify all of those statements then this *rumor* might almost be believable. There's no reason Apple would discontinue the Mac Minis and lots of reasons why they would continue to make them..
    • zxcv12, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1They may not call it the Mac mini, but something is going to be in that sub-$1,000 market. It certainly won't be the Apple TV like some have suggested. That has been Apple's biggest yawner in a while.
    • steamedlice, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Remember, this is 99% rumor. Sources cited may have been people in Apple's mailroom.
    • polybot, on 10/11/2007, -2/+0I have seen the future, and the future is MODULAR! (or maybe COMPONENT!).
      yours sincerely,
      Nostradamus

    • Berrex, on 10/11/2007, -7/+1my grandma just bot a mac mini she shood haf borted a pc cos teh viruses keep u busy doing sumthing while macs r r8 boring cos all u do is sit der with all ur work done alredady bot u haf enthing 2 do LULZ

      i am a windows represententiv.
    • SVPirate, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1My prediction is they are gonna kill the mini and replace ti with a new... Mac mini. It'll be something a bit different to the current one, perhaps better specc'd and more expandable. That's my hope at least.

      The switch to Intel has created an unforeseen issue for Apple - more people want to tinker with the computers, and more people seem to want a mid-range machine with no integrated display as a result of that. Because of the current lack thereof people are either not buying Macs or (like me) blowing the farm on Mac Pros when they don't really need all that power. Like it or not the iMac has limited market appeal. It's great for what they intended it for (a no-screwing about easy to install and use consumer desktop with everything you need), but for those of us who have a large DVI LCD panel already it's a no-go.

      It's only a thought, but the market has been asking for this for almost a year now, and they do eventually listen to their market. The original mini was at the time a reaction to the ask for a screen-free low cost Mac. It was a huge success at the time, but times have changed.
  • tsunamisteve, on 10/11/2007, -18/+3IMHO, a second-gen Apple TV with slightly beefed up specs is a better product than a Mac mini. Most people use them for entertainment centers anyway. And we're moving past optical formats. Get over not having an optical drive, or go buy a high def player of your choosing if you want to gamble.

    A lot of people are going to hate not having a Mac mini in the product line, but that niche market has twice proven unsuccessful for Apple (Cube, Mac mini).
    • sgtpinback, on 10/11/2007, -1/+36the mini is a low cost computer, which is hardly niche (i.e. narrow, specialized, highly profitable). people want cheap macs. the form factor is not nearly as important as the cost, which makes it very different from the failed cube.
    • coit, on 10/11/2007, -0/+30I use my Mac Mini (Intel) as my primary home computer, I added 2 GB ram, and I can run OS X and Vista at the same time with performance better than my older P4 2.8HT chipped PC.
    • SublimeRuin, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12I too have a Mini and I use it as my main home computer as well as my graphic design/video editing machine. With the 1.83 Intel Duo and 2GB ram this thing is a monster. - And Cheap!

      I'm sure Apple has something cooking to replace the 17" iMac and Mini if both go the way of the cube...
    • meltingrobot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Bah, I heart my little Mac Mini. Of course, I put Linux on it first thing because OSX isn't my thing. But it is a great little machine once you upgrade the ram to 2GB. I love the small size and no fan noise. It's perfect for a machine to run in the bedroom all the time that won't interrupt your sleep or take up floor space since it fits under most LCD monitors.
    • EtherGnat, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3"With the 1.83 Intel Duo and 2GB ram this thing is a monster. - And Cheap!"

      Apple users have a peculiar definition of the word cheap. For over $100 less than the price of a Mini I can get a comparably equipped Dell *WITH* a 22" LCD, 256MB dedicated video card, mouse, and keyboard. http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=6W300&l=en&oc=bddebbd&s=bsd

      I'm not saying the Mini isn't a good computer (I've got two) but cheap isn't a word I'd use to describe it.
  • willgonz, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7I have seen people purchase the iMac because of the built in screen. I haven't seen a lot of Mac Mini purchases. However, I can see an environment switch to Mac Mini's because they currently have Dells with LCD screens.
  • bSimms, on 10/11/2007, -1/+44this is retarded, why would apple discontinue it.
    • longofest, on 10/11/2007, -6/+5economics... its one of their lowest grossing products they have. If it isn't selling well enough to cover the costs of distribution and the cost of people getting it vs. a higher margin iMac, then they will axe it.
    • geekee, on 10/11/2007, -6/+10"this is retarded, why would apple discontinue it."

      They probably figure every Mac Mini sale is a lost sale for a more expensive Mac with a higher gross margin.
    • zeejay, on 10/11/2007, -4/+5Because, hopefully, they're going to replace it with something people actually want. Something without a display, and something with a decent GPU. Not that the mini didn't have certain appeal for certain uses. As the millions of people that buy HPs and Dells will attest, it's okay if it's not the size of a coaster.
    • carguy84, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10"They probably figure every Mac Mini sale is a lost sale for a more expensive Mac with a higher gross margin."
      Ooooooooooor every Mac Mini sale is a sale of a Mac that normally wouldn't have been made. I own a Mac mini, but I bought it for the form factor and hardware, not the OS. If they didn't offer this unit, I'd have built a small PC to run MCE.
    • duster805, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1"Ooooooooooor every Mac Mini sale is a sale of a Mac that normally wouldn't have been made"
      That's true for a % of mac mini sales. What that percentage is, I don't know, nor do I really care but the concept is called Cannibalization where you create a cheaper or alternative product that eats into sales of your existing product lines. The math is fairly simple...are you bringing in more total income than you were before after you take out the added costs of marketing, building and selling the new macs (not to mention the opportunity cost of not putting your resources elsewhere). If that numbers significant and your opportunity cost is low, than go for it. If it's only a small increase and taking a lot of your resources, that can earn a better return for you by spending your money elsewhere (i.e. IRR) then cut it. I'm sure Apple can afford people that can do that math and I would guess it's the latter.
    • carguy84, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1True, but I'd be worried about a company who worries about competing against itself.
  • karlthevegi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3See, I always thought the cube was a pet project of Jobs. I figured he tried to fix the problems plauguing it (over heating for one) with the mini. So why can it? Best guess is a replacement to the lineup. Laptop inards in the mini lock the price in higher with a narrower profit magin than PC's.
    • danielwsmithee, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3I think you are on to something there. I think the mini will be replaced by a new Mac. That has the same footprint as the current Apple TV, but is taller, and can use standard desktop components. The 17" iMac will be removed as well to make room for this machine. Apple could release a 17" display to pare with this new Mac in schools etc.
    • johnpaul191, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1if you RTFA, as dead as they think it is, they even say (at the end) that there may be another revision....
      if they tweak the ports on the thing it could also be seen as the AppleTV Pro. that would answer the calls for AppleTV having a DVD drive. an El Gato system would add the DVR functionality people are looking for too. i hope they keep the Mini around, but who knows how well they are selling. i do know a lot more people with the newest style iMacs than Mac Minis.

      i personally almost bought a Mini last year, but for my money the iMac had a better graphics card and a few other selling points. the biggest appeal of the Mini was "when i replace it with another desktop machine, i can put the Mini in the living room". it was compelling, but another strong point against it was that i did not want to use my old 19" CRT (previously connected to my old G4 tower). i looked at non-Apple LCDs and the iMac just won for what i want/need.
      if i was going to have to go buy a new LCD display anyway.... the iMac won out.
  • warholsbluecat, on 10/11/2007, -0/+25I really hope that this isn't true. I was planning on purchasing a Mac Mini as my first Mac when 10.5 comes out later this year. I want the ability to choose my own monitor, keyboard, and mouse and this was perfect for me.
    • mywhitenoise, on 10/11/2007, -6/+1Then buy a refurb, or used one once Leopard comes out. You'll probably get a better deal if it's discontinued.
    • cvrefugee, on 10/11/2007, -0/+17I wanted a cheap Mac too, just to learn another OS (already use Vista and Feisty). I was just waiting for them to upgrade the Core Duo to a Core 2 Duo (which are exactly the same price now) but Apple hasn't done anything at all.
    • chrishall314, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14I am with you. For me I just have to have a desktop with a large display and ergonomic keyboard. The mini is the perfect option at a great value. Pair it with a 24" display for well less than the 24" iMac. I just don't want a laptop and don't want to spend the money for the mac pro, I don't need all that computer.

      I hope they come out with one more revision to Core 2 Duo.
    • carlosglz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Same here... I would have never bought a mac if it wasn't for the mac mini. I have a 1.66 core duo version, with 2gb of ram running osx and windows xp sp2. It can handle anything I throw at it in terms of video editing, graphics, website development, etc., and it responds very quickly even when running dreamweaver 8, flash 8, photoshop cs2, ms word, and firefox all simultaneously.

      My good experience with the mac mini led me to recently get a macbook when my 7 year old sony vaio crapped out.
  • brstilson, on 10/11/2007, -2/+34I can't believe how many of you are so quick to believe this and are already mourning the Mini. These rumor sites end up being wrong just as often as they are right.
    • colincornaby, on 10/11/2007, -10/+3AppleInsider is usually right. If AppleInsider is saying their best sources are telling them the Mini is dead, I'd be willing to believe it.
    • DelMonte, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4"AppleInsider is usually right. If AppleInsider is saying their best sources are telling them the Mini is dead, I'd be willing to believe it."

      Usually? I could find many examples of when they were wrong. Can you even find me one instance where their own sources accurately predicted something that wasn't obvious?

      Don't get me wrong, I like AppleInsider. But the reason they are now regarded as an accurate source of information is that they stopped relying on their own sources, publishing more actual news than rumors. It doesn't mean than when they chose to use their own sources they are automatically right.
  • LoganT, on 10/11/2007, -10/+6I hope it's going away. We need room for a mid-range tower.
    • chrishall314, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3If it does, I sure hope they replace it with something at a similar pricepoint to the mini.
    • drlha, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Room doesn't need to be made for a mid range tower, the gap exists already even with the mini there.

      Sorry but Apple just isn't going to produce this tower, and the demise of the Mac mini doesn't make it any more likely to happen.
  • hunglowang, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17Mac Mini is a truly wonderful and useful entry product to the apple world, if this is true, i can't believe they canned it.
    • drlha, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11I love my Mac mini, it wasn't my intro to the Mac world, but it was my intro to the Intel mac route. Cheap enough that I bought it just to get experience with Intel Macs. Still I use it every day, even though its just a 1.5Ghz Core Solo, it has all the power I need and nicely powers my 21" LCD that I bought originally to plug into my Powerbook.
    • Sippi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Yeah it is a great product to help introduce new Mac users to OSX and apple. They may see it as a lose, but they should see it as a future long-term customer. Use the Mini to help sell up to a G5 or laptop a little ways down the road.
  • mightyjlr, on 10/11/2007, -0/+13I will be seriously pissed if they get rid of the Mac Mini. I own 5 (one for every TV in the house) and I'm planning on buying a bunch more very soon. I guess I'll have to do it sooner than later. No reason to get rid of the Mac Mini. The Apple TV sucks and would not be able to replace what I use the Mac Mini for.
    • neuropsychguy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7"I'm planning on buying a bunch more very soon. I guess I'll have to do it sooner than later."

      Now we know the real reason behind the rumor - to get people like you to think you won't be able to buy one any more so you go out and buy a bunch! :-)
  • ThreeDee912, on 10/11/2007, -3/+5Just like what happened to the Cube... :(
    • blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Except that the cube was very expensive and didn't sell well. The mini is selling pretty well so the only reason to can it would be to replace it with something similar.
  • loneraven, on 10/11/2007, -3/+12See... this is why I'm reluctant to purchase a mac.

    There's no way in hell I'm buying an iMac. Sure, having a screen + computer in all one package is nice, but I have a habit of uprading things alot. I already have a nice monitor anyway, so why should I be forced to buy another one?

    Mac mini's are nice, but because they are small, they're on the low end for power. The price point wasn't bad, maybe it could've been a little cheaper, but not much.

    I'm not interested in a notebook, because I simply have no use for one, and a Mac Pro is simply overkill for a majority of people and way expensive. It also bums me that I can't build my own computer for a mac (I was considering building a hackintosh...it's a possibility). All I want is a mid range tower, and then apple has a new customer in me and many people. They used to do it before, but not now. Why?
    • drlha, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7My advice to you is to buy a notebook. You don't realise how useful one is until you have one, plus you can plug it into your LCD and use it like a desktop computer no problem as MacBooks do closed lid operation.

      This is the 21st Century - its time you bought a notebook - there's a reason why they're outselling desktops these days.
    • kcsmith2, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Or, desk-space and inclination allowing, you could plug your monitor into the iMac's DVI port and have a dual-screen setup. My workstation has two screens, and I've gotten terribly used to having the extra desktop space.
    • zaren, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@drlha:

      I run my MacBook at my desk plugged into an extenal display. The screen format is funky, since the MacBook is widescreen and my desktop display is not. On the bright side, you can turn off the backlight and extend it's life while you're using it :)

      Also, I just tried to run it in closed lid mode, and it went nighty-night on me. So careful using that as a selling point, because I don't think it's true.

      Other than that, you made valid points. If you're going ot be sitting at a desk for long periods of time wit ha laptop, I highly recommend running it off of an external display.
    • fangorious, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0@zaren:

      There's probably a setting in System Preferences to disable sleep-on-lid-close.
    • loneraven, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@drlha

      Oh I have a notebook already that I use for work, but I never have any use for it outside of work. And I really can't use OS X for work because I have to use very specialized applications.

      I prefer the desktop form factor because I have the piece of mind that I can upgrade or replace nearly everything in case something goes bad.
    • bradleyland, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@zaren

      Operating your MacBook while closed is frequently referred to as "clamshell mode". When you close the lid, the laptop will go to sleep, but if an external monitor is plugged in, simply click your external mouse and the laptop will wake up again. The built-in display will remain asleep.
  • nblsavage, on 10/11/2007, -0/+20The Mini is a suprisingly powerful computer (provided you stock it with enough RAM) Hell, it even runs WoW well enough to be playable (which is amazing considering the anemic video card) If the Mini hadn't existed - I wouldn't have a Mac.
    • pierre, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9Exactly, it allows people who could never afford one, to finally get a mac. Hope they keep it around.
  • DeFex, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6Could be they have an even smaller one in the works.
    • blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I have a picture of it. Just look closely at the dot at the end of this sentence.
    • QuimZ, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Making it even smaller while keeping an hd+ optical drive+ heatsinks+a bare-minimum of space for air circulation would be crazy. Not saying it can't be done, but I'm not saying it can be done and be as capable or hold the same price.

      As a graphic designer by day, light gamer and porn lover by night, I would totally be about a value conscious mac with a real video card.

      a sub-$1000 mac with PCI-E graphics cards, and maybe 4 dimms would clean house. Ship the bastard with one dimm at 512, use a 3.5" HD, don't manufacture the case out of a solid block of aluminum... You'd really be tuning into the student/young adult department without putting them into multi-k-debt. An economic system with power and flexibility.
  • clyde2801, on 10/11/2007, -7/+3Is it possible to dissasemble a mac mini, and put the components in a pc case for a true hackentosh?
    • nblsavage, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Silly question - why?
    • Balanced, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3It's possible, sure... Just not necessarily a good idea.
    • MeltedUFO, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8You could probably just buy a regular PC case and just stick the Mac Mini inside it.
    • clyde2801, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The reason why I asked was to see if you could more easily add larger hard drives, a video card, memory, etc to it...
    • mabhatter, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1That's what people CAN'T do and why Diggers want more. The motherboard included in the mini is more than powerful enough for hobby work.... it's a core duo after all... but none of the built in chipset IO is pulled out for hackers to get at. You get 2 USB ports out of 8 possible (did they at least enable 2 hubs or pull both ports off one leaving 3 idle?) You only get 2 SATA ports out of 4 or 6 supported (and SATA is only 1 drive per connector). There's no PC Card or Express card slot. Most importantly, there's no way to get to the 20 left over lanes of PCI-E built into the chipset.

      Even if you put it in a case, you can't ADD anything to the system that's not already available. Personally, I'd like to see an edge-card connector on the mobo so you could add a box under the unit with PCI-E slots. Like the iPod, that would absolve Apple of some warranty issues, but let hackers knock something off to satisfy fans. The defining characteristic is that it would still have the 2-3 GB ram limit and be limited to laptop processors... that would clearly keep it out of the hands of professionals, but make it a darling of hackers who don't buy $2500 boxes anyway. Side note is that the mac mini is also a great linux box because it's stock Intel reference spec. Adding the ability to add real PCI cards would seal the deal for a lot of embedded applications like Kiosks and cash registers, etc that need "just one more" piece of custom hardware so they can't use the mini. Because Apple controls their hardware closely, and updates infrequently, it's a good system to play with Linux on... and the form factor for the price is great too.
    • tandytk9, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@mabhatter: I have a Mac mini and it has 4 USB ports, not 2. Your other specs are wrong as well. Looks like you're talking about the original G4 Mac mini, not the Intel Core Duo Mac mini.
  • bblades, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I adore my G4 mini. It is a great machine, and the form factor is beautiful. The problem is that when the G4 mini came out, it had the same specs as the iBook. Now that the Macbook and the Imac have almost identical firepower, they want to keep the Mini a generation behind both, and is hobbled in comparison to an iMac. The 17" iMac is just a better deal right now. Also losing that $500 starting price hurts.
    • bjornski, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1But then they'd lose the "I paid more for my machine, therefore it's better" argument.

  • Teku, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2I envision apple turning their stores into a variant of the build a bear workshop except with computers... it would be great. (I am kidding, though you can tell less and less with mac fiends)
    • QuimZ, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Mac stores are kind of like build a bears now...

      Except...You're the bear and the sales team/genius bar rips you open and stuffs you full of *****, then stitches up what was left on your credit card, and sends you home in debt.

  • pierre, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6I REALLY hope this is not true :-(

    The mini is the only mac I can really afford. I love them and have bought 3 so far. 599 makes it an easy entry point for people who cant spend over 1000.00 for new comp. Also, I already have a nice monitor so why should I be forced to buy another one with the iMac.... Hopefully they will replace it with another headless model if they do decided to kill it off.

    Save the Mini !!

  • lateralus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8That's too bad (if it's true). Long Live the Mac Mini

    There's no other system like the mini. Nearly dead quiet, can run XP/OSx.
  • maybeinoregon, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1So much for reading things on 'appleinsider' -

    That article points out just how stupid the people over there really are. iLife which comes with the mac mini has been updated SEVERAL times - the reason the mac mini has had few updates is - there isn't anything to update. It works like it is supposed to.

    If anything - all of us who are using the Mac Mini as a hub for our entertainment centers have solidified its existence. What does Apple TV do for me the mini doesn't? - answer - nothing.

    I like surfing the web on my plasma - I like using my keyboard via bluetooth on my couch - I like the space the mini takes up (or doesn't take up) in my entertainment center - I like the fact I can use the mini in conjunction with a RAID 1 500 GB drive which houses all of my digital content from Movies to Pictures to Music - I like the fact that my blackberry phone can sync with my mini.

    If anything - the mini fills a void that no other manufacturer has been able to fill - that why I purchased it - I don't see it going away - if anything they are using Apple TV to move into streaming media and movies larger than 640 x 480 - it is the test product - not the mini.

    Thats my two cents anyway.
    • kcsmith2, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Actually, it's the one product in the line still on a Core processor rather than the Core 2 processors. Even though they did away with the Core Solo, there is a drastic performance difference between the Core Duo and the Core 2 Duo. Less heat from the Core 2's as well, which I'd think would have been a no-brainer for the Mini. I've read a few reports of people swapping the Core chip for a Core 2 Duo and posting results from the upgrade. The lack of the Core 2 chip is why I haven't bought a Mac Mini as of yet - if it gets upgraded, I'm about sold.
    • mabhatter, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3actually there is NOT a dramatic difference in performance between Core Duo and Core 2 Duo. This was discussed when it came out. The main addition to Core 2 was reduced power and 64 bits and an official offering for the desktop... neither are interesting in the lowest end machine. The performance improvement was only in the %10 range, but the price difference is 30%..remember this is supposed to be cheap.
  • derekknight, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7The Mac Mini is a great great computer line! I certainly hope this is only a rumor. I bought one for mom and one for dad. They love their Minis! Mom had a Dell before and that bastard was more finiky than the cat.

    They are popular too! Try picking up an Intel Mini on craigs for less than $100 off retail. Nearly impossible.

    These are great quiet headless servers too! We use one at work for web serving for an online store. It's rock solid. The only time I reboot it is to patch. Knowing Apple, they would not kill the Mini without replacing it with something in the price point. Let's hope!
  • Laytonx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9We need a mac tower thats not a billion dollars. A mid-range mac tower would go well with my other macs.
  • clintone, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Seems to me that Apple is trying to grow their PC market so why would they just discontinue the only affordable Mac. I purchased one because I had always wanted a Mac but did not have $. If anything it would make more sense for them to release an entirely new affordable model instead of discontinuing the Mini. Or they could go back to their rich niche market. Please I don't ever want to go back to a cheesy Windows PC but will never be able to afford a high end Apple PC.
  • kspen, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4The intel minis have non-soldered socketed CPUs so the upgrade path is good for awhile.
  • jav1231, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Apple will need a sub-$1000 computer to stay in the game.
  • orvtech, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4humm, i was actually selling my 2 desktops (one server and one gaming station) since i was moving to a smaller place to get a mac mini. i think applea needs to leave a small-form-factor computer that looks good in a leaving room :D
  • cosmolo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Mac Nano ;-)
  • cyberdependent, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Well damn. I've been sitting on my money for a while now, convinced that they'd be bumping the Mini up to the Core 2 Duo any day now... I just want a second (er, third) computer to go in the basement for a little garageband/iMovie action, nothing too taxing. A G5 tower is too much power & money for my needs, my flat panel iMac is the mac I've enjoyed using the least since my Performa 630, and I already have a laptop...

    Now, to bite the bullet and buy a referb now, or wait to see if they end up with some sort of clearance sale?
    • yensed, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2 * 1.66Ghz Intel Core Duo
      * 512MB memory
      * 60GB hard drive1

      $599.00
    • Dracker, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2A low end Core 2 would be a welcome upgrade. This would shift to 64 bit even the lowest products in the line, to stay current.

      I think the mini still has a good market. Apple needs to have a product that can compete in the relatively low cost area.
    • ChLb, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I'm in the same boat. I thought the last upgrade wasn't big enough, so I've been waiting. It's now been 3 months since they should have released and upgrade, plus with the wait until October for the new OS to come out, I've been planning for almost a year wait.

      I sure hope they don't kill it. I don't want an all-in-one iMac or a laptop and can't afford/don't need the Mac Pro. I just want a small desktop with a Core 2 Duo, 1gb of RAM, a DVD-burner, and an upgradable graphics card, along with the Mac OS.
  • yensed, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7Other then the fact the mini is small and is the cheapest Mac, It doesn't have much going for it. I would Much prefer to have a larger version with Upgradeable Graphics, 3.5" HDD support, More USB ports and a similar price range. And still come w/o a Monitor... Now that I could buy a Mac and have Windows run on it as well, I'm interested. But none of the current hardware appeals to me(as a windows user) on the desktop side. I don't want something thin with a monitor built in, and I don't want a tiny box with a notebook HDD, Mediocre Graphics and limited ports. I want to be able to throw a new card into the thing and have Dual Displays, Or a TV Tuner. Or even just a performance boost.
    • fantasticjon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3I know they won't do it, but I would actually like to see the cube form factor come back. I think the reason they didn't sell well had nothing to do with people not liking it or wanting it. It was just too expensive. It was like $2500, which was a lot for a computer even back then.
  • clintone, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3 A notebook is not a reasonable alternative. They are hot and break down quicker ( the battery first). They are more expensive and need to be charged. Also the Min offers plenty of firepower for the average user and still blows away anyone who is coming from a crappy windows OS PC that breaks down constantly.
  • Gectow, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3i do hope this is a mere rumour, i remember 2 years ago i was introduced to OSX to do video editing and fell in love and lusted after a mac loving everything about them, but i couldn't afford a G5 iMac it was just too much, then the Mac Mini was released and i was sold instantly, i had my own mouse keyboard and screen i knew and loved from the pc and i used the educational discount and ended up with an absolute steal, i later got a Macbook for uni when it came out and ive been generally happy with it, but i still use the mini as a bullet proof ever expanding media server / edit suite / internet radio player / word processor / RSS reader / batch file converter e.t.c i really think apple should continue with the mini, or atleast lower the price, as someone commented earlier, the iPhone maybe apples idea of thier new $600 computer but you cant run a 19" screen and video edit an entire feature film on it. something my mini has done. it may have that aged Radeon 9200 graphics card but it can render DV video at a competant rate, without fancy filters it works as a budget edit site nicely. many people are asking for more expandable headless boxes but i think that by doing this they are loosing the apple individuality that makes DOES make sence.
  • picaman, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Go to an Apple Store and count the number of Minis, if you can find them, and compare to the number of iMacs.

    There's your answer. I love the Mini, and it brought me back to the Mac fold, but there's a sense that the writing is on the wall.
  • atbnet, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Chill out folks, this is just a rumor without any basis at all. For example this Digg article says the Mini is going to die while this http://digg.com/apple/7_Predictions_for_WWDC_2007_2 (right below this entry mind you) predicts that we will see new Mac Minis at WWDC.
  • startzpe, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Maybe they are going to merge AppleTV & Macmini into one product?

    • ronsii, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1I doubt it, first off they would have to charge twice as muck since it is two computers in one hence it would be too much even for the dedicated mac aficionado.
  • digitallysick, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3This has to be false , the mac mini is the only way to really get in the under $1000 range. I think they are great and would hate to see it go. Why not update it and max it out!
  • postalblowfish7, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1whenever apple cans a line a new line is born. this signifies the possible coming of something insanely great... if it's even true :/
  • Kitsune818, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Did anyone else have a problem with "Not just on the apple lose, "?
  • arbulus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3This is so much *****.
    "Mac Mini dead? Maybe?"

    Ooh, I know here's one: "Apple to stop selling electronics and only focusing on building toasters."

    Or maybe: "Next Gen iMac to transform into a king-size waterbed"

    Might as well. This ***** ***** is so unsubstantiated that you might as well just start pulling stuff out of your ass, because that's all AppleInsider, Gizmodo, or any other Mac rumour site does.
  • meretricis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4The majority of macs bought by the public are non-upgradeable, half of us can't afford towers, so why shelve a desktop version of your powerful laptops. Mind you, you could just hook up a monitor and keyboard from your laptop , shelve it and call it a desktop.

    It's what got me to buy a mac. I could actually afford it. Perhaps that was the reason d'etre.. hook line and sinker.
  • Ossuary, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4The mini is a great little niche product. Not the perfect computer by any means, but very good for certain projects. Apple needs to have an inexpensive $500 - 600 Mac. Sure it can be slower than the rest, but the price point is what drew a lot of people in.
  • Rhatz, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Well lets hope the Mac mini becomes a thing of the past. this will free up the niche market for a new maker that has a better idea of what a sub $800 computer should be able to do.
  • opticrime, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I can only speak for myself here, but Cupertino might want to think of these economics:

    PC user, looking to buy
  • aforonda, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I really hope they are wrong, I don't want our media beaming to our tv, we've got a full on mini hooked to the tv with a giant external hd. With Front Row this makes the mini a no brainer for a very simple htpc, and given that it's a full blown computer with osx we can do all kinds of cool stuff. Installed VLC on it and it plays anything, we just don't need AppleTV the mini is perfect for my family.
  • Truth42, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1I've been using Macs since 1986 and I won't shed a tear if the Mac Mini bites the dust. I'm the unfortunate owner of one, having had my old G4 Cube stolen in a burgulary. My insurance company insisted on replacing the Cube with the Mac Mini and I've hated it ever since.

    I recently gave the Mini to my four-year-old daughter. She seems to like it.
  • opticrime, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Damn you, Digg! You cut me off.

    Anyways. PC user, looking to buy a sub-$1000 desktop with a small footprint. Between reusing existing PC components and having Bootcamp to 'fall back' on, it makes the risk of trying out a Mac practically nil. A year using the Mini, and I'm buying a Macbook to replace my PC laptop. They improved the 'trialability' of the Mac, and won a user-for-life. Not a bad deal.
  • raano, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4The only reason I have a Mac now is because Apple offered the Mini. I couldn't afford their regular PC prices. Consequently I've purchased software, a Mighty Mouse, etc because I had the Mini. It would be a mistake to withdraw the Mini without putting another sub-$800 machine in it's place.

  • Solkre, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2This sucks, i want a mac-mini but I was wainting for one with a better GPU. If this falls off the map, I wont have any models I'm interested in buying.
  • JohnnyRad, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I got confused what the article was talking about. Thankfully they put the graphic of a tombstone with "Mac Mini 2005-2007" written on it, and everything was cleared up for me.
  • MacParrot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2If the Mac mini is going away, one thing they could do to keep a sub-$1000 computer and not duplicate product lines would be to use the motherboard from a MacBook is a relatively flat case (similar to the LC/II/III from long ago). Keep the small size but now it also offers a little more expandability (more ports or possibly hard drives). While I wouldn't want one for my day to day stuff, it would be great for the kids. It would also remove the slow 4200-5400 2.5-inch drives they saddled the mini with for the speedier 3.5 SATA's
  • pcharles23, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1it may up the ebay value if these lil bastards ... Supply and demand... :)
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