How about a host, OS, AND hardware for $499? Off the shelf?

[stefancrs]

A new computer that is upgradable to 1gig of ram is quite "out of phase" imo.

I've been using 1gig for almost a year now, and I bought this computer about 2 years ago. No way my next computer won't support 4gigs of ram

[stefancrs]

I wish I could get that kind of money building outdated, non-upgradable PC's!

I'm pretty sure you aren't the target market, Bones -- but show me a three pound, 85 cubic inch PC with those specs.

First of all, a pc can't have those specs, but apart from that I could atleast build a way more powerful and upgradable shuttle pc. Not quite as small, but dead sahxy and 18 x 20 x 30cm in size. I don't need a non-battery driven walkman (but the minimac was very nice-looking, but the specs sucked imo)

[kuniklo]

First of all, a pc can't have those specs, but apart from that I could atleast build a way more powerful and upgradable shuttle pc. Not quite as small, but dead sahxy and 18 x 20 x 30cm in size. I don't need a non-battery driven walkman (but the minimac was very nice-looking, but the specs sucked imo)

The mini isn't targeted at people like you and me.

I was very skeptical when the iPod mini came out. I couldn't imagine wanting one myself and so I was pretty pessimistic about its prospects. A year of blockbuster sales of the iPod mini later I'm reminded I'm not in any way the typical Apple customer.

[ouroboros]

iPod mini later I'm reminded I'm not in any way the typical Apple customer.

Hold on, I thought that Apple customers were the not-typical ones?

[fucanay]

as far as a 1.2 or 1.4 ghz G4 not being powerful enough to do music on? i get by completely fine in Logic on my 1.2ghz single processor G4 using nothing but softsynths and EXS24mkII to write music. there's a reason the FREEZE function exists in the program, but i can get pretty damn far without it. i'm also willing to bet that someone using a mac mini with reason would never have to worry about running out of processing power ever.

Agreed!!

I'm running Logic 7 on a 1 Ghz G4 with 1 GB of RAM and doing just fine. as many audio tracks as I need and Freeze allows me to use as many instruments as I need.

I don't think it makes a "great" Logic node, but it will work.

And honestly, a lot the PC folks around here just don't want to say anything good about anything Apple has to offer. That's their choice of course, just probably not the most objective people to listen to. And they have to use Windows, so no wonder they are grouchy.

fucanay

[ouroboros]

[thoshu]

Mac mini won’t break your back when you want to shuffle things around.

the monitor will do so...

[stefancrs]

And honestly, a lot the PC folks around here just don't want to say anything good about anything Apple has to offer. That's their choice of course, just probably not the most objective people to listen to. And they have to use Windows, so no wonder they are grouchy.

fucanay

I do however. Their big screens are dead sexy, so are their laptops.

I wouldn't buy one of those at the moment though, but I can still fancy them

The minimac though... nah, no thanks. It might be suitable as a mediastation, but I have my xbox for that.

[mauseoleum]

this is a godsend for crossplatform (multimedia too)developers. let's pray something happens and it's price drops a bit (dear God, a hint: 300euro with official 512ram).

i've seen some stylish shuttle designs (acceptable cost), plus this IS a mac that i'd like to have (if you need to have a client coming to your place). from website I read it should connect to pc keyboard/mouse/monitor, too? so in theory one should need only a switch and a network cable to make it work along a pc workstation.

edit: in theory you could dualboot it to some powerpc linux, too?

[bewing77]

I'd say this is the optimal home computing machine. If we try to look beyond ourselves and see what most computer users use their computers for we will realize it's not for running Logic. Most computers are used almost exclusively for surfing, mailing and some instant messenging. For this I don't think there is a better product on the market: it's small and quiet so it will be easy to integrate in any home. It looks good: who wants an ugly tower cluttering their home? It's pretty cheap.

Sure, anyone could put together a shuttle system that is more powerful for the same price, but what people often disregard in those calculations are software. You'd have to add windows and a bunch of third party software to match the package apple is selling. And you'll get a box of parts to assemble. And it still wouldn't look as good, be as small or make as little noise. Not an ideal situation for most people. Most people just needs a box that works, they don't want to play Mac Guyver for days before they can use their new computer.

[Z3R0T0N1N]

wow, those are really nicely styled! They look like they would fit in a nice modern minimalist sitting room, and not clash with the Ikea furniture. And really, i don't think that the people who buy this kind of mac stuff really care much about performance the way we do. They will be overjoyed if they can just get some overused breakbeat to play in time with that 'garage band' acid rippoff thingy. I think if i was in to different stuff, and maybe didn't care so much about performance, flexibility, stability, I would probably get one. They are nice and sexy.

[kovacs]

Their big screens are dead sexy, so are their laptops.

Mini-Mac: $499
20 inch Apple flatscreen: $999

...plus keyboard and mouse...

Well, sexy comes at a price!

[popsych]

Can you say : ' PC user addicted to Logic having to use v5.5 now going to logic 7 (or 6 if not all goes well) for the price of a freaking ipod ?????
I may not hate Jobbs so much after all. Just give me the ability to use a PC as Logic Node and then i'll think you're GOD

[BONES]

And honestly, a lot the PC folks around here just don't want to say anything good about anything Apple has to offer. That's their choice of course, just probably not the most objective people to listen to. And they have to use Windows, so no wonder they are grouchy.

I don't limit myself - I have pretty much the same opinion of most proprietary systems, although Apple have by far the most restricted range of options.

A bigger prejudice is that Apple people consistently equate a PC with Windoze when there are any number of OS alternatives freely available for us [and you to a lesser extent].

I just spent 5 minutes at an on-line computer shop and came up with the set-up below. I got the shittiest thing I could in every category but it still outdoes the Apple by a country mile:


256MB SO-DIMM 333 MHz DDR RAM $69.00
AMD Athlon XP 2700+ $159.00
nVidia GeForce 4 MX4000, 8X AGP w/ TV Out - 64MB $69.00
DVDR/RW 12x DVD+R, Dual Layer HD-Burn $109.00
40GB 2MB ATA/100 7200RPM HDD SP0411N $79.00
SHUTTLE SK43G XPC VIA KM400,FSB333 (DDR 333MHz) $355.00

Total Price Incl. GST $840.00
Tax Component (GST) $76.36

That works out to about US$635 but its a much better spec'd machine and looks dead-sexy.


For OS and software, just choose your favourite Linux distribution and all the free software you can handle.

[pooshka]

That works out to about US$635 but its a much better spec'd machine and looks dead-sexy.

sexy? this shuttle case? er... i think the aesthetic value of minimac alone could justify its price compare to this...