As predicted by half the internet, new slightly shinier Macbooks have been released today by apple. No huge changes beyond the move to Core 2 Duo processors and slightly shinier starting specs.
Sadlty no sign of a decent graphics card, which is the main thing that would stop me from buying one. I would consider a slightly smaller laptop if it had that feature. But more on that another time.
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I've been thinking about where apple is going wrong, particually in light of the MacBook refresh. Admitedly i've got my eye on a MacBook pro but i've definatly been tempted by the small form factor of the Macbook.
However the Macbook is still too big to be small in my eyes. Looking at people who have the Powerbook 12", its a small, but beautiful form. It shouldn't be used as a desktop replacement, but i have no qualms using an external monitor and keyboard (although i do prefer my trackpad these days), when doing long stints at my desk.
There are other implications of the 12" form factor, beyond the size, a smaller screen does result in better battery life, as was established with the 12 " powerbook versus the 15" powerbook.
Sadly for whatever reason, the small and powerful seems to be lacking from apple, its an oversight because i know of many mac users who swear by their 12" powerbooks and ibooks, (if i had the money i'd buy a 12" ibook to have as a rough and ready machine if i wanted to travel).
Assuming its not Apple missing the mark, it must be some form of ulterior motive, either its a design issue (unlikely since there are smaller than 12" windows laptops", or more likely they have something in the wings they are preparing to bring out of the wings at the right time (after a few more tweaks).
Speculating i do wonder if they are looking at fuel cell based mini macs, although the tech is still a little bit infant stages, but an ultraportable with days of battery life with a decent OS would be a definate apple coup...
Anyway, I'm going to keep my eyes and ears and 4 noses peeled, and if i hear anything, this blog will be the 3rd place to hear about it from me...
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When the Mac Mini came out, i thought it was one of Apple's best moves, present to the world a cheap, very stylish, reliable replacement for whatever Windows PC they are currently using. Using semi-decent components, and a decent graphics card, i would have been tempted, if it were not for the fact that i had my shiny powerbook, and i was a student without funds.
I realise that Apple, in somewhat crippling the Mac Mini line, they were trying to prevent the gouging of the Mac Pro, and iMac markets, but these are different markets entirely.
The MacPro is a professional workhorse machine, current configurations have 8 core environments, which would give most desktop apps a run for their money. Unless you have more money than sense, you buy a MacPro because you need something that powerful for your work.
The iMac is for those who want a problem free, stylish, one piece desktop computer, its a computer for home offices, dorm rooms, and other places where space, and lack of cables are at a premium.
These obviously aren't the only uses for Macs, but they are the core targetted segments.
The Mac mini was developed to go after 2 new markets, the first, intentional one was that of Windows Switchers. The switching market is good, but perhaps not as well marketted as some other Apple products. This is in part why i suspect it has not been as successful as it was hoped.
However in building a cheap, small, moderately powerful mac, a new market was created, and that is of the person who wants a mac for a specific function, rather than the general purpose macs of the past. The obvious one is that of a media centre mac, which while clever, the AppleTV is not. However applications as very small server, cheap desktop to suppliment a laptop, or even, when installed with Bootcamp and Windows, makes a small moderatly powerful, very portable lan party system. However by crippling the Mac Mini, this market is reduced, if not lost, and the thing is in each of these uses, these are not functions that would be filled by any of the other desktop models.
Although my thought train has just realised Apple might do a refresh with Leopard and go "Here is Leopard in a box" which would be a good contrast as people realise again how horrific vista is, and the prospect of buying a Mac Mini, which runs leopard, with a good advertising campaign, would almost certainly be a hit.
So good luck Apple, I hope you are thinking along those lines, and in the not too distant future, i might be adding a Mac Mini to my network.
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