I ’m a big devotee of the Mac mini . I have been from the first prison term I realize it , in January 2005 at Macworld Expo . And once I grabbed a putty tongue and cracked one open , I was overcharge . It was a wonder of applied science as well as toll , and I ’ve now got one in my office and one in my closet at home .
So today ’s announcement of the Mac mini ’s 2d act was , for me , the most interesting part of today ’s Apple presentation . The Modern Intel - based Mac minis volunteer several feature that accost some serious limitations of the previous models ; they ’ve also got some architectural changes that will stir up quite a turn of debate among the Mac faithful . And , of form , that famous $ 499 Mac scheme is no more , replaced by a souped - up organization with a $ 599 price tag .
What ’s new and good . The most obvious feature the first Mac miniskirt lacked was a built - in remote - controller user interface , something that would let you cabbage it up to your TV set and home theater and control it from your couch . I spent the good part of a summertime trying to program a Keyspan USB outside ascendance to drive various multimedia system political program on a Mac miniskirt hooked to my TV solidification and stereophonic , and it never really cultivate well . Mostly because the remote control ’s built - in software was n’t great .
Front Row , bring in with the last iMac G5 simulation , was obviously the answer to the job , so much so that everyone immediately began speculating about when Front quarrel would finally appear on a Mac mini modeling . Well , now ’s the metre . Although Front Row still has quite a few limitations — read my iMac G5 review for the details — it ’s still a great remote - drive interface for use when you ’re seat across the room on your lounge .
And Front Row ’s one big new feature — livelihood for video , photo , and music communion via iTunes and iPhoto — make the Mac mini an even better home - theater Mac , because you do n’t even have to adulterate your music , video , and picture libraries onto the Mac mini for browse them while seat in the living elbow room . terrific .
Another big hole in the original Mac mini was a want of support for digital audio output . That ’s also been repair in this model , meaning you could bond a new Mac mini to your place theatre pass catcher and watch videodisk will full 5.1 - channel audio frequency output . Who needs a videodisc thespian ?
One of my personal peeves about the original Mac miniskirt was its skimpy selection of ports : one FireWire and two USB . Well , there ’s still only one FireWire larboard — yes , rumors of FireWire ’s death are still greatly exaggerated — but the newfangled Mac mini hasfourUSB embrasure . The maker of Mac mini - sized USB hubs might be sighing with resignation , but every potential new Mac mini owner has to be excited about the summation .
Show us your ports ! ( Left to right ): Power , Gigabit Ethernet , FireWire , DVI , one USB port occupied by the keyboard , and three more USB ports gratuitous !
Finally , let ’s not forget the openhanded new thing : the subsystems of the Mac mini itself . These new Mac minis have blaze - fast 667MHz autobus speeds and Intel processors — including a dual - core processor on the more - expensive shape . Faster RAM , a quick bus speed , more processor hoard , and a fast processor all add up to a change for the better .
What ’s changed and gone . If you expected this new Mac miniskirt to have an internal modem , you have n’t been pay attending . It ’s a toast .
Also gone : a traditional video board . or else , this Mac mini come with an integrated Intel video processor , the GMA950 . Macworld ’s own Peter Cohen tells me that , at least on paper , the GMA950 is “ considerably quicker and more capable ” than the ATI Radeon 9200 card included on the old Mac mini . However , there is one trouble spot : unlike other telecasting card , which have special computer memory dedicated specifically for them , this picture processor uses the Mac mini ’s master computer storage .
That stand for that the Mac mini ’s base RAM configuration of 512 MB isn’treally512 . The graphics retentiveness use is , at minimal , 80 MB — think of that the Mac mini ’s floor RAM is in reality 432 MB . And it could be even lowly , since that 80 MB figure is definitely a minimum . Not a trouble if you add RAM to the Mac miniskirt ( easy now that this model hastwoRAM slot ! ) — and I ’d recommend that potential buyers consider doing just that .
The $ 499 question . Fourteen calendar month ago , Mac user were thrilled to see Apple introduce a new Mac with a $ 499 price tag end . But the Modern Mac mini merely does n’t go that low-pitched . I can see how many people would be let down with this , but let ’s not drop off wad of the fact that the $ 499 Mac mini was a bare - bones arrangement . Or as I drop a line back then , “ A $ 499 computer can become a $ 1,203 computer very rapidly , and a $ 599 computer can step up to a $ 1,253 machine just as riotous — and all without keyboard , mouse , or display , mind you . ”
If you are someone who is not interested in connecting your Mac miniskirt via AirPort Extreme or Bluetooth , you may bitch about the higher root word price of the Mac mini . When the Mac mini was introduced , the price to contribute AirPort Extreme was $ 79 ; for Bluetooth , $ 50 . They ’re included on every manikin now , which is near — but , yes , the price is higher , too .
Summing up the day . I’m pretty worked up about the new Mac mini . I hope that Front Row go forward to evolve , but even in its current body politic it makes the Mac mini a potentially excellent home - media appliance for the living room , attached to a smashing home theater auditory sensation system of rules and a widescreen TV . I do think that there ’s way for a crummy Apple Cartesian product that’sjustFront Row and not a Mac as well … but I guess we ’ll have to wait for a succeeding Apple result to see if such a product really exists .
In the lag , the new Mac mini seems to be an excellent improvement on its predecessor . I ca n’t wait to get one . And to see what ’s indoors ! My putty knife is at the ready .
