Intel Flaunts Mac mini Knock-off

Rollie Hawk writes "Remember how the Mac mini was designed by Apple to steal PC customers? Now Intel wants to steal them back. Adopting a shockingly similar lunch box shape and light-weight design, Intel's upcoming Mini PC features all the sleekness and portability (physical, that is) of the Mac mini with none of the Mac benefits. Well, at least it will probably have a faster processor. Now if only someone would make a Cobalt Qube knock-off for me."

Comments

it's an empty case

[way2trivial]

built soley for show..

they haven't done anything but stick a clock on the face of an empty stylish plastic box yet.

apple is shipping....

Re:it's an empty case

[northcat]

Windows != PC. You can get all that and more on Linux. And it runs on Macs too.

Re:it's an empty case

[the quick brown fox]

I hope you can return whatever ugly case you bought, because there are some pretty nice looking ones out there... you just have to look really really hard.

Cases:
Silverstone LC09 (Mini-ITX)
Ahanix D4
Soldam Alphia

Barebones:
Shuttle SB86i

Complete PC:
Hush

Most of these are not as cool looking as my Mac Mini, but then, you wouldn't be limited to 1.43GHz G4 and laptop hard drives.

Re:it's an empty case

[Anonymous Coward]

Buy a PC and you have to shell out a thousand more just for a copy of Microsoft Visual Studio. That makes a Mac FAR cheaper for me, as a C++ developer.

Actually Visual C++ .NET costs something like $110 at retail places like compusa, and better yet gcc is free.

Re:it's an empty case

[emilymildew]

Maybe you should learn to read what I am saying.

I didn't call Macs outrageously expensive, I said that the style argument should be brought up when others do. Which happens quite often around here.

Someone has to pay the designers who created those computers, who made them look better than all the others. Consumers do when they pay more for a Mac. That is my entire point.

Why don't you go find a real troll and bother them?

Re:it's an empty case

[xRelisH]

Why can't somebody come up with a decent design?

Try Lian-Li
But I agree with you, most stock PC cases are crap, and are too flashy without elegance. I love the Lian-li cases, they're clean and don't look tacky if you decide to put a few quad-LED fans in there. All sharp corners are lined with a plastic to avoid cuts, the cases are easy to take apart, and most models have slide out motherboard trays. However, these cases do cost a premium.

Re:it's an empty case

[pyros]

by emilymildew (646109) on Thursday March 03, @09:45AM
Mention that the next time someone talks about how outrageously expensive Macs are

by emilymildew (646109) on Thursday March 03, @10:45AM
I didn't call Macs outrageously expensive

by InadequateCamel (515839) Alter Relationship on 09:52 AM March 3rd, 2005
WOW. You must be a politician.

WOW. You must lack the capacity for logic.

Maybe you should learn to remember what you said 60 minutes ago.

Maybe you should learn to use the full quote, in context to avoid obscuring the full meaning. emilymildew said "I didn't call Macs outrageously expensive, I said that the style argument should be brought up when others do." That extra bit after the comma fully explains why you are wrong. And you should probably learn to read what other people are saying.

Re:it's an empty case

[EggyToast]

Even the mac super-computers are quiet. I have a dual 1.8 G5 (the pre-gimped revision, with PCI-X and the bigger HDD) and on top of being one damn fast computer, it's whisper quiet. The FW enclosures I have sitting next to it filled with harddrives are louder, and they're only loud from harddrive whine (which means I want to replace them). Rather than going loud for the dual 2.5's, they went to internal water cooling. Most manufacturers only consider water cooling useful for overclockers, afaik.

Occasionally when I'm doing heavy work the fans spin up louder... and then go back to whisper quiet.

iBooks are actual laptops, as far as I'm concerned, as they don't get hot, they don't make noise, and they don't blow hot air. You can actually use them on your lap with no pads or risers. My girlfriend's iBook is eerie, as it turns on and is used pretty heavily, but makes no sound -- when I first used it (not often, it's a work/lab laptop), I almost thought something was wrong!

To me, it's like comparison shopping for HDD insulation to fit inside your computer that handles heat effectively and cuts down on noise, vs. simply buying a new, quiet harddrive. Or replacing all of your internal fans and case with stuff specifically designed to monitor heat and run at appropriate speeds. Most people have experienced the point where it makes sense to simply buy new stuff instead of kludging together your old crap. To many people, that "new stuff" is a mac, since it hits so many of the points. I know it did for me. I see the software as a bonus, which is a pretty sweet bonus :D

And the bulk of this post doesn't even consider how much thought is put into the insides of their computers. Working inside a G5 is a treat, since it doesn't feel like "working." Never having to deal with the tangle of cables inside a computer is a treat most x86 users haven't experienced.

Re:it's an empty case

[Leo McGarry]

For $500 you could build an amd64 system with "better" hardware that would absolutely knock the panties off a G4 MacMini in terms of sorting, fp/int calcs, ffts and huffman encoding (amond others).

Um. That's fine and all, but what happens when you actually want to use that computer to do something other that, you know, sorting numbers?

It's entirely possible that, if you're willing to completely discount the cost of your own labor, you might be able to build an ass-ugly computer for a few hundred bucks. But it won't have any software. How much is the software going to cost you? And don't say "it's free," because we're talking about a Mac here. You can't buy a PC equivalent of iLife at any price, but you can at least get kinda-sorta close by buying various pieces of off-the-shelf software. You can't even get that close using freeware.

So for your investment of X hundred dollars and countless hours of your own time, you've succeeded in building an empty computer that you then have to spend hundreds or even thousands filling with software.

Dumb idea.

Re:it's an empty case

[BasilBrush]

Why was that modded as troll? You do get a complete professional development IDE for multiple languages for free with OS X. It's called XCode, and it's not limited by license type or by being cut down. It's teh very same environment that Apple use themselves to develop the OS. As such, it's nearest comparison on Windows is the full professional version of Visual Studio.

Re:it's an empty case

[Spruitje]

The fucking problem is that you can get an equivalent PC for less. Of course thats without the design. But then again thats what the grandparent said...


You can't.
Not one running MacOS X and in the same formfactor.
And don't forget the apps.
iMovie, iDVD, garageband, etc..
You get a machine with a processor with a higher clockspeed.
But that's doesn't say anything.
Clockspeed is not everything.
A 2,5 Ghz PPC970 is a lot faster than a 3,05 Ghz XEON or P4.

Re:it's an empty case

[eraserewind]

Well, you can download the Microsoft command line C++ compiler for free. There are plenty of open source IDE's of assorted quality out there.

You can (or could, I don't know about now) also get a version of Visual studio with a crippled compiler free with some books. Then you just change the internal tool paths to point to the command line compiler.

Not "Upcoming"!

[Some guy named Chris]

From the second paragraph of the article: " It's unlikely that Intel itself would build such a device."

Then, the article clearly goes on to say that this is a empty plastic shell, designed merely to inspire Intel's partners, not an example of any upcoming Intel product. I guess that doesn't sound as exciting and inflamatory, though.

Just an empty shell

[Nuclear Elephant]

Intel has a habit of showing off empty shell concepts and hoping that some manufacturer will pick it up. It's highly likely that this was the case here - no new product yet, just a plastic case that looks kinda like a Mac Mini.

Faster Processor

[COMON$]

Define Faster Processor.

http://www.barefeats.com/macvpc.html

I always love to hear from people who equate MHz with speed and and power.

Microsoft + DRM integration talked about as well!

[SuperficialRhyme]

Why is no one talking about this part of the article:

At the same time that Intel is looking to push computermakers on the design front, it is also working to improve the quality of such devices. It is also working to ensure that content can be secured to the satisfaction of Hollywood studios, which will decide whether or not to make their movies available on such machines.

MacDonald brought Microsoft eHome executive Joe Belfiore on stage to talk about collaborations between the two companies. He spoke about an effort to make sure Microsoft's digital-rights management technology is compatible with Intel's push for standards to enable content to move among home devices easily while still being protected from widespread distribution.

A Disney executive also spoke about the potential for bringing its Moviebeam service to PCs. The service, which offers more than 100 movies on demand, currently works only with set-top boxes.

That seems to be more disturbing than Intel trying to get manufacturers to compete with a mini-esque PC.

The Aztec

[justforaday]

This is exactly the same as when Intel unveiled the Aztec prototypes right after the introduction of the original iMac...

Re:I'm going to switch

[johnpaul191]

good thinking maybe..... if nothing else waiting for 10.4 to come installed will save you $129-$149 (not sure what 10.4 will cost).

though sometimes right after the new OS ships they will take existing stock of hardware and give you a boxed version of the OS for free. sometimes........

10.4 will be shipping well before the Mini gets revised, unless some major software issues come up.

Re:pathetic attempt

[starunj]

The Creative Zen may be an iPod mini rip off, but I think the interface is better on the Zen.

Say you have a long list of songs, then to get to the bottom of it rather than rotate your thumb
in a circular fashion (many times over), isnt it simpler to rest it on the down arrow on the Zen?

Re:cobalt qube?

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh, VIA have finally released the nano-itx board?

Re:I'm going to switch

[amichalo]

I think that much of your issue with OS X is simply understand a new paradigm for using an OS.

A few comments make me think you have missed the point:
Finder is like "Explorer" for Windows - it allows you to navigate a file system, go in and out of folders, etc.
"Docking Station" (the Dock) is NOT like the Start menu in windows and NOT like the task bar ar the bottom either. It is a place where you can put applications you often run, so they are easily accessed, as well as applications that are running, to easily switch between, as well as open or closed documents you may be working on and even file folders and finally, the trash can. That's why they call it the Dock, you can just "dock" things there.

Another issue I think is confounding things is that to install an application in OS X, 9 times out of 10, you just copy one file from the CD to the hard drive. It can live in just about any directory and when you click it, it launches. This is WAY different than windows, but very nice because you don't end up with dozens of files everywhere for a single program (makes uninstalling clean too!) But I digress - you may find it helpful to drag your "Applications" folder to the dock (right side of the divider bar, near the trash can is where documents and folders go). When you want to launch an application, simply hold down your mouse click on that folder for about a second and the contents will pop up, allowing you to launch an application from there.

As for the keyboard shortcut things, I am surprised how much you feel they are necessary. I don't believe, but admit I could be wrong, there is anything that cannot be done with just the mouse that can with a keyboard shortcut.

I have two recommendations - if you are really worried about the way the OS works, go to a local Apple store or even CompUSA/other Apple retailer and ASK SOMEONE TO SHOW YOU AROUND IT. Yeah, it is a different experience, but I argue it would be easier to learn than Windows, had someone no experience with either OS. SECONDLY, there are great books at Amazon/etc for switching to OS X from XP. Here is just one.

Re:I'm going to switch

[JHromadka]

The Finder is nothing like the Start button. It is like Windows Explorer. If you want something like a Start Button for your commonly used apps, create a folder somewhere (mine is called QuickLaunch) and then put aliases/shortcuts to your applications in there. You can even create subfolders if you like. Now drag your Quicklaunch folder to the right-side of the Dock and it will stay there. Now everytime you want to get to your apps, right-click that folder and up pops a list of your apps, just like the Start button in Windows.

If you don't want to go through all that, you can always just click Finder and then click on the Applications icon in the sidebar to jump directly there. And when you feel you're ready to learn keyboard shortcuts, go in to the Mouse&Keyboard Preference pane and you will find a list of them (you can change them too).

Re:YDL Briq

[tubbtubb]

That having been said, if PC manufacturers can shove a desktop P4 or Athlon64 in a laptop, they could also shove it into a approximately Mini-sized computer.

True, but can they do it and still have decent specs, very little fan noise and sell it for $500?

If they put P4s in laptops then they must be able to put them in network equipment, military hardware, embedded applications, etc? Why aren't x86 desktop processors more popular in those applications?
Also, you make a good point about the utility of the form factor. One could make arguments about desk or TV console real estate, but its really just the 'cuteness' that has appeal to so many people.
It may not be a rational desire, but I bet Apple will sell a ton of them.

Re:Wait until someone trys to market one...

[rxmd]

As if the all-in-one iMac form factor computer was something that Apple invented.

My Macintosh SE/30 says they did, and its ancestors agree, starting from the original Mac 128k. Well, maybe Apple didn't invent the form factor entirely, but they definitely were the first to deploy it on a large scale.

I distinctly remember Compaq Prolinea (sp?) 486 all-in-one computers, which crammed a CD-Rom, Floppy(!), and all the other needed parts into an oversized 14"-15" monitor.

Yes. This form factor was rather popular at the time. I don't know when the Prolineas hit the market, but the Macintosh Performa 520 appeared in 1993.

Okay.

[porkchop_d_clown]

You have to be careful - the "Macs are slow" flame war has a long history.

But, a lot of people have complained about the speed of the OS X Finder compared to Windows Explorer. Generally the complaint is what you've mentioned - slow app loading speeds, rather than slow performance once they're loaded.

10.3 should help a lot with that. Another trick is that if these machines really are used rather than new-in-box they might need to be "optimized". Check sites like MacOSXHints for references to "update_prebinding".

Also, look for a tool called "MacJanitor" which can help clean up the grunge on older systems.

Re:Innovation?

[2nd Post!]

Why are we talking about the original iMac, again?

Let me list the things they've done SINCE, as innovations:

Software, first
iMovie: Turning Joe Everyman into their own director and producer.
iDVD: Turning Joe Everyman into their own DVD factory
iTunes: For introducing to the world the concepts of database driven music libraries
GarageBand: Turning Joe Everyman into their own digital band

Hardware, next
iPod: The first true portable music library. It can count as ancestors the Creative Nomad (about the size of a Mac mini) and the PJB100 (about the size of a paperback book). The iPod, in comparison, was the size of a deck of cards, could be filled to capacity in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours because of Firewire, and could be used with one hand.
Wifi: They definitely didn't invent it, but they made it available, quickly, on all their hardware, they built in antennas into all their machines, and they built in first class support in their OS. It took years for others to build antennas, software, and hardware support into their laptops.
Firewire: In a world of USB, Apple decided to design, release, and adopt Firewire; easily 10-50 times faster, it was the computer that was the bottleneck and not the interface. USB2 wasn't available for WindowsXP until SP1 in 2002. Firewire was available on the first iMac by the end of 1999.
XServe: One of the worlds most cost effective OEM supercomputer cluster nodes; dual 64bit CPUs with vector processing units at 2.3GHz for $3k
iPod mini: If you thought the iPod was small, the mini was smaller still, and before any of their competitors.

Others, last
iTMS: They created the first music store where for $1 you could burn your purchased music to CD an unlimited number of times, upload to an unlimited number of iPods, and listen to on 5 computers; all other stores limited you to only listening to one computer, none allowed you to upload to an mp3 player, and non allowed you to burn to CD.

So do you really think Apple hasn't had any innovations since 1998, when they released the colored iMacs?

Re:Mac Mini doesn't come with a fricken' monitor!!

[Alpha_Traveller]

Ah, slight nitpick... the Hard Drive is 40GB. You're off by 20GB. This is more than enough space for a Macintosh that would be used by someone who is focusing on reading email, writing documents and a few basic issues of why you'd by a small PC in the first place. You're not buying it to crunch numbers, you're buying it to be 'basically useful' to you.

Personally, I think Apple's done the right thing at exactly the right time. There are so many viruses, trojans, etc on the PC side of the house and virtually none on the mac side by comparison -that makes a lot of PC users and the media stand up and take notice. Finally Apple simplicity and anonymity pays off, and you really don't need to do much at all, just plunk down $499 and cannibalize the PC garbage lying around the house to escape the MS-Insanity.

The $499 version specs:

1.25GHz PowerPC G4
256MB DDR333 SDRAM
ATI Radeon 9200 with 32MB DDR video memory
40GB Ultra ATA hard drive
Combo drive
DVI or VGA video output
AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth optional