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NY Times Looks at the Smaller Mac mini

by , 2:20 PM EST, March 24th, 2005

The New York Times has published a close look at what makes Apple's Mac mini a mini Mac. In his "How it works" column for the newspaper, Ian Austen looked at the components and design that went into making the Mac mini small, yet quiet, and spoke to Apple execs for additional details on how and why Apple made the decisions it did.

Mr. Austen started his explanation by going back to the early 1980s, when he said that IBM's emerging dominance with its Personal Computer squelched all other efforts to introduce style and design to computers.

"The simplest way today to create a computer as small as the Mini," he wrote, "would be piecing it together with miniaturized parts designed for laptop computers. But Philip Schiller, senior vice president for worldwide product marketing at Apple, says that despite the decline in the costs of such components, many of them remain too expensive for a $500 computer."

Accordingly, Apple approached the design around the assumption that most users would only upgrade their RAM at purchase, and that most people would expand their computers through USB and FireWire.

Other topics explored are how Apple keeps the Mac mini cool, and the fact that Apple does allow users to open up the Mac mini to add their own memory, "provided they do not damage anything in the process."

This information will not be new to denizens of the Mac Web, but for a mainstream audience, the article offers yet more exposure to the Mac platform, and Apple's inexpensive consumer Mac, to an audience not at all versed in such concepts.

Note that the New York Times requires a free subscription.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
View Name:RealityCheck -   Troll Posts: 392 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Major Quality Problem Causes Many Mac Mini Failures
Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1950 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Subject:

Ohhh, "many." Sounds really bad. That's a failure rate of...hmmm....I think it works out to many% I guess.

Close Name:Wings Posts: 87 Joined: 30 Mar 2004
Subject:

Tell us RC, how many is "many", especially compared to the total number of Mac Minis in use? This hardly proves you right about anything. What it does prove is that you are so obsessed with finding anything wrong with a Mac or its software that you will latch on to anything and call it justification for your existence. You could use your time more wisely by disinfecting your PC, for the 50th time.

View Name:Guest
Subject: RC Yawnfest
Close Name:swtzrs Posts: 21 Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Subject: the same new thing all over again

I think it's quite heartening to see the mainstream press getting all gooey over the new Apple hardware, but I feel like I've see it a number of times before. It has a lot to do with Apple's new models being actually worth the time to look at since they aren't just photocopied versions of what was made the year before.

The Mac Mini has fascinating design and feature elements, but so did the G5 iMac - so did the G4 iMac - so did the eMac - so did the Cube - etc ...

Each time Apple has given birth to a new design of hardware, the press lavishes it with attention, and I can't help thinking that the attention the Mini is getting is being pushed and extended by Apple's success in the mainstream with the iPod.

I find it quite interesting to read these articles, but what I really want to hear is that Apple is selling the tiny boxes as fast as the iPod Mini. The media will always cover the latest Apple gear because of the eye-candy element, but the public doesn't always whip out the wallet to pay for it.

Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1950 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: the same new thing all over again

Quote
swtzrs wrote:
The media will always cover the latest Apple gear because of the eye-candy element, but the public doesn't always whip out the wallet to pay for it.


I think that the biggest difference with the mini is taht, for the first time, it's a Mac that someone might consider ADDING to the PC in their house instead of just replacing.

I'm not just talking about the price, but the fact that the number of computers per household seems to be growing. When you add all of that together you open up a lot of opportunities. I'm willing to bet the majority of Mac Mini sales are going to people who aren't getting rid of their old computer (whether Mac or PC) which means they're not "switchers" so much as "adders."

That's a much easier sale to make.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Re: the same new thing
Close Name:Jonovitch Posts: 19 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Quote couldn't be more out of context

<qualification> I would not normally respond, but he is simply immoral. This is not feeding the troll, rather pulverizing the decrepit bridge under which he lives. </qualification>

RealityChick, you need to put on your glasses. Or find a worn-out conscience. And for everyone else who didn't bother to click on the link that RetardedChump gave you, here's the direct quote, this time in context:

Quote
"Many users have reported eventual drive failure beginning with such noises, which are generally astonishingly loud."


In other words, of those people whose hard drive has failed, many of them said it was loud. In the entire article, there is not one mention of any actual number of failures.

For those of you who railed against the troll using his own argument, even if you're right--which you are--fight fire with fire. Call him on the carpet every single time he yanks a so-called quote out of context. He twisted and mangled this one into a blatant, bald-faced lie. He's not stupid, or insane, or even a zealously biased freak. (Well, maybe that last one.) He delights in purposefully distorting truth.

RabidChunderhead, you are incorrigibly devoid of any ethical standard regarding a polite conversation, the publication of basic information, or even a heated debate. You are intentionally dishonest and unabashedly misleading, and I dare say, you are flirting with pure evil. You are a disgustingly blatant liar of the worst kind: you're way too easy to catch.

Jon

Close Name:Mom Posts: 8 Joined: 11 Mar 2005
Subject: Don't use the Mac Mini to record tv programs

The Mac Mini's hard drive will give out too soon. I feel sorry for the Mac users that want to use this toy to tape Battlestar Galactica only to find out that their hard drive crashed before it was done. Then they will have to go over their friends' houses who recorded it on a much more reliable device - the VCR.

View Name:Guest
Subject: RC Yawnfest
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
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Subject:
Close Name:jacrav Posts: 268 Joined: 04 Jul 2001
Subject: I'm glad to see …

… that RC's Mom just joined our little club and started supporting her baby. At least he now has some help on the forum. Good for you, RC. Keep on trolling ! It's always fun to read you, thanks for the laughs in an otherwise very drab world …
So far I've sold 3 of my friends on the Mac mini, and they're all very grateful. I thought you'd like to know …
No grinding noise, no HD failure … I'm virtually knocking on your head for good luck …

Close Name:Sydde Posts: 1821 Joined: 30 Aug 2001
Subject:

Quote
Apple should get praised for designing a computer as small as a Mini that can house a G5 without catching on fire


Now, let us not get carried away here, they have yet to accomplish that.

View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
Close Name:acdc1174 Posts: 677 Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Subject:

Well, considering that you are in warranty, chances are good you'll be getting a new mini. Be patient and understand thaat ALL companies occasionally get a bad unit. As long as Apple makes you whole, you should be okay. Good luck.

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