Apple makes cheap computers and iPods now

[Jake]

Mac mini

2" tall, 6.5"x6.5" square. Slot-load Combo optical drive (cd R/RW + dvd playing) or optional Superdrive upgrade (CD R/RW burning, DVD burning). Play DVDs, burn CDs. Queit. Tiny, FireWire, ethernet, USB 2.o, both DVI/VGA output. Very tine. Height is half the size of an iPod mini. BYODKM. Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, Mouse. First one is $499: 1.25GHz 256MB/40GB More memory and larger hard drive for $599. Will ship on January 22. Ships in a box smaller than the regular iPod box.

iPod shuffle

Flash based iPod. $99 for 512meg, $149 for 1 GB. Has no screen. Can play through one long playlist, or shuffle songs only. But is pretty cheap. USB based. Also works as USB flash drive, obviously.

I predict Apple will sell a hell of a lot of both of these products. The Mac mini is the Mac everyone has told Apple they should be making ever since the first iMac came out, and now with the popularity of the iPod line, maybe they'll make a dent in the budget PC market (moms and family computers, university students, secretaries, libraries, etc). Obviously neither of these are targeted at hardcore/gamers, but still ... great products in my opinion.

[Salka]

On the other hand, a screen adds on another around $200 to that price, as well as a keyboard and mouse, around $50 (at least, in the Irish market it does). So in the end it'll cost people around $749 to get a basic set up, which is what it costs for a PC with the very same specs, except with a printer-scanner-photocopier, webcam, mouse, keyboard, speakers, and a bunch of software. Oh, you try telling people that PC is shit, or the PSC will drink ink like there's no tomorrow, or that the webcam is blind, or that they're better off using PC speakers than those ones.

Also, cheap macs with similar specs are already available for $699 - $749 at work. The Mac Mini isn't that cheap; it just seems like it because the price you're being quoted is the base unit without a monitor or any peripherals. Which you're going to need if you buy it, unless you already have that stuff, but let's assume that most people either don't, or are already using it on another computer. The only real advantage I can see is that you can bring your entire Mac around with you like a laptop... but you can get an old Ibook for around $699 now too, and that already HAS a screen, and a keyboard, and a mouse-type feely-pad thing.

So it's not actually that cheap, certainly not excitingly so. Why not just buy an old mac with the same specs?

I'm excited because I'm getting two Macs tomorrow. They're only a year old, too, and never used. And I get them for free because the guy I know is shutting down his office and is just giving them away. Now I have an ancient, box-looking Mac with a ten inch screen that looks like an ATM, two 386 pcs running windows 3.1, two brand spanking new-ish Macs, an my own PC. Oh, and a five year old Packard Bell laptop with a floppy drive. Soon, I'll be able to start a museum!

[Jake]

Er yes except this computer is tiny, and new, and not shit. Its goal is to appeal to very casual users, especially people who like their iPods and want something that is built with the same mentality. Theres still going to be a huge PC market and the majority of people will still see things in the PC that they like/want more than in Macs, but as far as Apple doing smart things instead of stupid things goes, this is a pretty good one.

[Jake]

Why not just buy an old mac with the same specs?

An old Mac with the same specs would probably cost the same amount or more... A directly comparable Mac doesn't exist. 1.2 Ghz G4's only come in tower models, and with a DVD burner or Combo drive... At least in the US someone is going to try and charge you $400 or so for it anyway. I tried to buy an 800mhz G4 recently after someone stole my 500 mhz one from work through the window, and every single used one in Santa Cruz County was priced over $300. And then its 8 times as big, and used.

It is a bit lame that they don't include a keyboard and mouse, but they're probably hoping (probably accurately) that in many cases people will just replace their PC with a Mac mini, using the old USB keyboard/screen/speakers. Its what I'd recommend to people.

[Duncan]

I was just writing this big arguing post, but then I saw what Jake had just written and you pre-emptively shot that down pretty well. I can get behind this a little more, especially since I now have this ridiculous urge to buy it and use it with my PC monitor/keyboard/mouse. Two computers! Wow!

Actually, I had no idea there were USB-compliant monitors.

Also, the iPod shuffle's low price is neat, but it sucks that there's not that much storage on it.

[Salka]

Yeah, sorry Jake, I just properly read that page through and I'm eating my words.

You can still get a not-shit Mac over here for $699. You know, including the monitor and keyboard and mouse and speakers.

After someone stole my 500 mhz one from work through the window,

Geez.

[Chris]

The lack of a screen sort of defeats what is appealing to me about iPods. If they ever release one with a screen at a price that doesn't require me to not use that money to purchase 10 more CDs, I'll consider it.

But that little Mac is awesome. I kind of want one.

[Bc9b]

The Ipod Shuffle's marketing is brilliant, turning the lack of a screen into a plus. I'm awstruck.

[loonyboi]

The stupid-small size makes for some other really cool possibilities:

- You could use it as an HTPC: Add EyeHome, iTunes, Quicktime/VLC and poof! You've got a hell of a home theater setup.

- It's a perfect match for those people with the super p1mped out cars.

-Um...You could pile up thirty of them and use it as a render farm...

Okay, I'm out of ideas. But it's really cool nonetheless.

If I didn't already have an AirPort Express, I'd totally consider getting one for my home theater setup.

[Jake]

I hope the next Airport Express revision includes support for streaming video over the network. I'd assume that if they ever include video on the iPod (and therefore iTunes as well probably), it'll show up in Airport Express. *fingers crossed*

[loonyboi]

I hope the next Airport Express revision includes support for streaming video over the network. I'd assume that if they ever include video on the iPod (and therefore iTunes as well probably), it'll show up in Airport Express. *fingers crossed*

I think that's a safe assumption.

Or at least in the short term, support for iPhoto sharing. I thought they were going to unveil a minor update to the APX that included photo support...if only because I just got the first version, and Apple loves to do that to me.

[MrHoatzin]

Most of the CDs that I listen to I have converted into oggs because I listen to music on the computer exclusively anyway and this way I can free the cd for something more useful. And now the sixty three thousand dollar question: will this crap support ogg vorbis?

[Wormsie]

iPod Suffle's audio support: MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store, M4A, M4B, M4P), Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4) and WAV.

No OGG, but that doesn't surprise me...

[lailoken]

yeah it's really annoying that thing about ogg, i mean my old old winamp 2.8 still plays them without fault but i can't get itunes to do it? wtf?

as for the mac mini, they should have offered out of the box tv-connectivity or something, think of THAT potential market! I mean everyone has a tv... ok the resolution is really sucky but still... also for that whole home theater setup... but when are new powerbooks coming out? anyone? oh and i really wanna get one too...