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

[bewing77]

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.

And you'll have to assemble it yourself, have no operating system, no software, no support for getting it up and running and only waranty on individual parts, not the entire package. To make a fair price comparison you'd have to compare with a preconfigured PC with windows, telephone support, all ready to plug in and go. Sure you could get Linux, but that means more cofiguring before you can get started. Not exactly what the general, less than computer adept computer buyer needs. And like I said, it still is bigger, uglier and makes more noise. And that spec you just listed there isn't a killer machine either.

And regarding the OS. Most PCs are windows. There are options yes. Linux for example. Wich runs equally well on a Mac if one prefers. Aside from that, what other OS would you seriously consider using for any serious work?

[mauseoleum]

yes, I can really see the minimac as an ideal testing machine for multimedia and web-developers - to see display in mac browsers and test executables. It would be even better, if price drops a bit.

[DHR53]

Actually that machine running OS9, would kick the PCs ass, and you wouldn't have any viruses or spyware either... Hmmm! I might have to do that myself...

[putte]

But what are you going to 'run' on it? Very limited for making music (G4 cpu)(

i agree that g4 processors are outdated.

but i did tons of music with quite some plugs with a g4 400 ..

putte

[DHR53]

I've said it before... But my old 1.25ghz G4 was one of the fastest machines I've owned... and it did everything I needed it to do... Work and music... It was only when I switched to OSX, that things went downhill fast... and I needed a 2500. machine to do the same thing! ...and with less functionality? I still have all my old versions of software, though... Hmmmm?

[Stupid American Pig]

Its a step in the right direction- but its *not* a 499 dollar ready to go PC. I went and "built" one yesterday. To make it a good spec machine you need to upgrade the ram( 512 costs 75 bucks, 1 GB cost 400 something ) EVEN if you have a keyboard and mouse, you at least need a KVM, either is around 100 bucks. I would need the DVI- 15pin converter for video. so I think it would be around 750 bucks to *really* work for me. This isnt outrageous, and I may even consider it- but it is not the <500 dollar PC that apple says it is, and it really is a shame that its not a G5...

[Ben [KVR]]

I can see me saying goodbye to my G3 400 iMac soon

[VicDiesel]

I can see me saying goodbye to my G3 400 iMac soon

Yippee! We're getting a new server!



Sorry.

V. "please don't ban me"

[neverwhere2012]

like i've said in other threads about this thing... i was gonna get an ibook for mobile recording, but since i have a spare monitor keyboard and mouse laying around, i'm gonna get one of these to do mobile recording. was planning on spending a bit over a grand on an ibook setup, but this affords me room for 512mb of ram, a better firewire drive for recording and applecare on the same budget. plus i can use it for my wife's email machine as i'm getting tired of getting kicked off my computer while working on a new idea so she can delete the spam out of her yahoo inbox

[mauseoleum]

Even MacPepol can provide some fun sometimes.



that said, <lol>

I can see me saying goodbye to my G3 400 iMac soon

Yippee! We're getting a new server!



Sorry.

V. "please don't ban me"

[kuniklo]

Its a step in the right direction- but its *not* a 499 dollar ready to go PC. I went and "built" one yesterday. To make it a good spec machine you need to upgrade the ram( 512 costs 75 bucks, 1 GB cost 400 something ) EVEN if you have a keyboard and mouse, you at least need a KVM, either is around 100 bucks. I would need the DVI- 15pin converter for video. so I think it would be around 750 bucks to *really* work for me. This isnt outrageous, and I may even consider it- but it is not the <500 dollar PC that apple says it is, and it really is a shame that its not a G5...

Let's say it all together this time:

This is not targeted at people like us.

If you even know what a KVM switch is you're probably out of the target market. This is for people that don't know anything about computers, already have an aging PC, and want to switch to OsX. I agree that they really need to find a way to get 512MB of ram into this thing but other than that it's perfectly adequate for the job it's designed to do.

We'll see in a few months if Apple guessed right with this thing.

[Urs]

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?

Well, the Mac mini is obviously targeted at people who already have a PC, so they could use their mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, external HDs, LAN, scanners, cameras etc. with it. Yes, this will all work without problem right out of the box, for 95% of stuff you won't even need to install a driver.

I don't know if installing Linux on any OS X machine is a cool thing. I mean, with Fink you can install just about everything available in the Open Source world, and all the typical things like Apache, PHP, MySQL, Qt, XFree86, Xwindows, Gnome etc. run on OS X anyways...

Btw... GarageBand 2 has a decent Amp Simulation and "Vocal Transformer" included, which IIRC is Emagic's replacement for Auto Tune. I think that alone would justify the expense

I'm thinking of getting one as a mobile workstation. It's good enough for presentations, trade shows and work in hotels or during family trips.

Cheers,

Urs

[Ben [KVR]]

To improve it for me they should drop the cd/dvd, modem and ethernet ports, and don't include the DVI -> VGA adapter (make it an option), but include as standard the 802.11g and bluetooth, and stick 512MB RAM in it.

Then sell it for ~£250 in the UK and I'd be very happy .

[whyterabbyt]

kuniklo quoth I agree that they really need to find a way to get 512MB of ram into this thing but other than that it's perfectly adequate for the job it's designed to do.

Its available with 256Mb, 512Mb, or 1Gb of RAM, if you'd care to check the Apple webstore.

[neverwhere2012]

i wonder if apple made a mistake... if you select the 40gb mac mini for $499, it gives you the option of having an 80gb drive in it for $50 more. but the 80gb mac mini is $599. hmmm....