New (?) Mini mac pics

[Hammer]

I compared prices at an online shop and some of the machines were HP - complete with Celerons.

Refer to
1. HP's Compaq Presario SR1000Z series for AMD based systems (www.shopping.hp.com).
2. http://www.itfacts.biz/index.php?id=P1534

AMD already out sells Intel in certain PC desktops segments.

I wonder if some companies have suddenly put some machines on offer because they know people will be comparing prices?

HP’s Compaq Presario SR1000Z have been already been selling for awhile now i.e. before Apple's Mini-Mac.

[Floid]

Waccoon wrote:

Floid:  Don't forget, that's before the student discount.

Well, lots of companies offer K12 discounts, too.[/quote]
I was thinking of the college discount; fewer companies offer that, it's more obfuscated from the PC vendors that do, and by that point, students are usually making their own purchasing decisions.

As to keyboards... PC USB keyboards are said to work, and generic USB mice definitely do.  Someone once said that Option (Alt) and Command (Apple) trade places, but I just ran back and forth comparing layouts, and that means the 'positions' are Mac-correct when plugged into a Mac -- you'd just want to pop your keycaps around.  (Or buy a cheap MacAlly keyboard instead of the official Apple one... Or this para-ruggedized thing someone showed me the other day.)

[sir_inferno]

DonnyEMU wrote:
I am sorry 1.2 Ghz? I'd rather buy a Mini ITX motherboard and build for myself..

That's EXACTLY what i thought when i saw it...

i mean...buy one of the ready made cases [which most people who've played lego will be able to assemble], or even shove it into anything you want (a mac mini case?  :-D )....

[c64_d0c]

the mac mini is all and including the price tag what the amigaone should be.... if this had been the amigaone with the finished aos4.0 it would be a massive success... but as usuall its not the reality... i am still sitting on the fence and i will still be sitting there for a 5 years at least before i do anything amigashoping, i got my classic maybe i get one of them new ppc cards, so at least i can try out aos4.0....

 :-(
________
Nice tits live

[HopperJF]

Looks like this house is getting TWO of those in a few weeks.
I'll have a second Mac for portability (its smaller than a laptop for crying out loud) and my parents are sick of Wintel so I'll get them one too. :-)

/me can see these babies selling like hot cakes.

Looks like with the iPod, Apple are really opening up to the masses.

[Dan]

Argo wrote:
I could see one of these in the living room as part of the entertainment center. When I first looked at this my thought was "This should be an Amiga".
To me the Mac is becoming more and more what I think the Amiga would be like if Commodore hadn't gone under due to the management.

I agree
iMac Mini vs A500/A1200
OS: You can use the GUI or commandline as you like, WB and OSX is simliar in this. OSX gets bonuspoints for including a full POSIX-enviroment from start.
Software:Pretty similar Garageband,iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie vs Soundtracker, DPaint,

Ram:Buyers will soon want extra ram, same for both. Biggest mistake on the A1200 no easy way of adding ram. A500 wins on easyness to add more.
Tv-out:Both requires an adaptor(mac mini) or special cable(A500/A1200). A1200 superior here. A500 had the adapter included in price.
Sound in: both needs a sampler.

Other expansion: All can add external hardrives pretty easy. Videodigitizers can used(firewire/side-expansion/par). USB+Firewire is pretty much the same as par, serial,diskdrive and expansionbus of the amiga.
PricePretty much the same.

So it is very an Amiga for the 21-century.

[HopperJF]

Granted,
and that is one of the main reasons why this little wonder has much mass appeal. Evidence of this? Well in the short time this machine has been heard of I know a hell of a lot of people who want one, and that includes even the most hardcore x86 fanatics. I think this is mostly down to the price although after a few months of using the machine I am sure they will realise why the Mac is such a great, under-rated machine (much like the Amiga was).

Today.. I have converted about 10 of my friends to the Mac, almost by accident. I never had to persuade, or push or anything. They just seen it, and the price, and decided they were going to GET one.

I think it will sell very well.

[Dan]

minator wrote:

Mini ITX motherboard,
Mac Mini motherboard..
Nearly the same dimensions nearly the same cpu speed, one intel one G4.

Not quite, the VIA CPUs are very weak compared to, well, everything.

Not Geodes :-P

At the same clock speed the G4 will kick it's ass.

No doubt.

Something you could set the record straight for me on is just how much RAM does OS X like to have so the OS isn't paging to the hard drive all of the time..

256MB should do fine providing you're not into heavy multi tasking.
My machine is currently using 309MB and thats running Safari (8 tabs open), iTunes, mail, SETI, 2 finder windows, Activity monitor & a desktop pager.

OS X is not Windows XP...

I don´t see much difference in terms of memory usage?

[Holley]

Also, those darn costly and jam-happy slot load DVD drives...

The same kind of costly and jam happy mechanism thats been working fault free in my car stereo for the last 5 years?

Ahem, anyway, TBH this is everything I wanted from a MicroA1 or Peg2, ready built with no worries.  Apart from an Amiga (ish) OS.

[JoannaK]

Holley wrote:

Ahem, anyway, TBH this is everything I wanted from a MicroA1 or Peg2, ready built with no worries.  Apart from an Amiga (ish) OS.

I'll second that.

[Dan]

I think it will be hit in the educational market. Both with schools and students. And  OSX is really cheap and easy when it comes to unixes/posix/bsd whatever. thats a huge benefit in this market
And it´s back to the original iMac concept of trying to compete with PC at PCs pricelevel.

I think its time to do this rigth :-D

I almost consider getting one just to run this http://www.kallisys.com/newton/einstein/
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13456

But I wouldn´t have minded if it was higher and had regular DDR DIMM and a 3,5" HD instead of SO-DIMM and 2,5" HD. What would a little more height mattered compared to the price difference? :-?

[Ilwrath]

The same kind of costly and jam happy mechanism thats been working fault free in my car stereo for the last 5 years?

Yep.... Those very same CD load mechanisms.  Of course, the one in your car has an EJECT BUTTON.

I particularly like the part after step 5 in the CD removal procedure....  (And why should I need a 5 step CD removal procedure, anyhow?  Is asking for a stinking BUTTON too much??)

If none of these tricks work, you’ll probably need to call for help.

 And don't expect that call to be covered under any warranty....

[HopperJF]

Excuse me sir, but what makes you think a button will make much difference?
I have had CD's stuck in a PC many times, and pressing the button was useless and of course with it being  a tray load there was no way to pull it out.

[StormLord]

Have any of you critisizing minimac thought something like QUALITY ?
I belive not ...
QUALITY is a way of life . and belive me it cost LESS! and I will explain: Computers are TOOLS not investments, tools for your entairtainment, tools for your work, Imagine a dremel tool for cutting holes, the QUALITY tool cost twice than a cheap tool but is CHEAPER because it works most of the times for more than twice holes than the cheap one. And have you observed any of you that the CDROMS,HDs, etc has the apple logo on top of the logo of the brand that produces them? its because apple gets the A+ quality compoments and most of the other inventors (cause of price competence) get Bs like me and you that we built our own computer. I own a computer company that sales hardware and support for both mac and PCs and belive me the SAME models that apple use in their product has more HBF (hours between failure) than the same models I use for builting our PC's (And my company is not a cheapPC assembler) and NOONE mac until now came with problems on arrival, but many MANY compoments for the PC about 1\10 came problematic. Also Don't forget the design that apple always has , apple CREATES FASHION remember coloured computers,semi and clear cases etc... AND SIZE DOES MATTER!!!! SMALLER IS BETTER (and more expensive!). And just think if you want a more beautifull furniture for your room, more beautifull clothes that lasts longer and ALL that in a very PRACTICAL way...
Don't forget that the OS with a REALY big bundeled software are include in that price, stability and beauty, and NO virus and exploits, you realise that its not at all a bad price! I have a faster machine for about the same money BUT... its BIG, its not as stable,makes NOISE!, always a risk of virus and a big hard drive full of ?BLOATWARE???
Expandability ? a friend of mine having a 4 years mac (cube) is waiting for his dual G4@1800Mhz card.. 4years OLD!!! can you find something for a P3 now without changing the ENTIRE computer (including the power supply!!!)
Only amiga is more expandable than mac.. a '92 machine with expansions for PPC, PCI, soon coldfire and another PPC solution...
You may be evangelist for the one firm of the other but the conclusion is only one:
If you (like me) don't need computers for job (my job is to fix them not to use them!!!) and want to feel the creativity feeling then get a bunch of cards with that money spend some time to built and test and be happy but never fool yourselves: a mac with the same money and lesser efford will ALWAYS be a better product.
Minimac will be my first owned mac and it will reside between my 2 (FAST)PC's and my 2 working and Highly expanded amigas. (My previous mac, a powerbookG4 12' was a present from me to my wife)
Always be HAPPY and..... smarter!

[Ilwrath]

Excuse me sir, but what makes you think a button will make much difference?

Well, at least it's a start.  

I have had CD's stuck in a PC many times, and pressing the button was useless and of course with it being a tray load there was no way to pull it out.

Tray loads are easy to fix.  Stick a paperclip in the hole and rip the tray out.  If that fails, it's a cheap commodity part to replace.  A big negatory on both counts there for the Mac, though.

[adolescent]

@StormLord

Apple has never been known for it's quality. Your statement about A+ quality components and MTBF (HBF as you say it) is hogwash.  Please supply some real sources to back this up.

No viruses or exploits.  Then why is there Antivirus software and system patches?  No system is perfect, they all have flaws.

The only reasons that Macs cost more than equivilent PC are: 1) people are willing to pay, 2) Apple has a hardware monopoly, and 3) Apple uses illegal price fixing strategies to eliminate dealer competition.