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Apple set to axe Mac Mini?
From reghardware.co.uk:
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Apple’s diminutive Mac Mini is due to be discontinued, it has been claimed, quite possibly the victim of the even smaller but no less Mac OS X friendly Apple TV.
According to an AppleInsider report, Apple sources claim the Minis for the chop – maybe after a near-term upgrade, or maybe sooner.
If the allegation is true, its no great surprise. The Mini was launched essentially as a compact, living room friendly Mac, and almost immediately Mac fans began to wonder how they could use it as a TV-centric media playback machine. Apples apparent unwillingness to bundle the box with a TV tuner and DVR software – despite many rumours that it would – left the Mini as just a smaller, cheaper Mac.
I hope this doesn’t happen. The real problem with Mini lately is that it’s just too expensive and under-equipped. The whole point of the thing (at least initially) was to give people a sub-$500, decently equipped Mac option. Now they start at $600 and you need to spend even more than that if you want a good configuration. At that point you might as well get a iMac.
I have 2 computers in my house. An ancient dell running linux for me, and a super cool mac mini in the living room for everyone else. I love the mini! The form factor is great. Intel Core duo is a powerhouse, 2 GB of memory, wireless keyboard and mouse, DVI output to flat panel LCD, and it runs so very quiet. It’s the coolest computer I’ve had in 2 decades.
I have no regrets, and only hope if they do replace it, it’s with something similar. As someone else said, possibly with an HDTV tuner and DVR built in that would work with the Apple TV. That would be cool. too I guess. But the mac mini is a great machine.
-Shawn