TECH BLOG
Notebook Mania: Has Apple Forgotten the Mini?

The last time Apple updated its smallest Mac was Aug. 7, 2007 -- well over 14 months ago. If you think about it, 14 months in "computer" time without a single update -- no processor boost, no new hard drive, no extra memory -- is like 1 million years in geologic time.

Left Behind

In 14 months, things change in the world of computing . Evolution is happening. Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) hasn't stopped producing new processors, the price of RAM (random access memory) has dropped, and hard drives have gotten more megabytes. Plus, in this era, we're on the rising cusp of HDMI, the high-definition multimedia interface that connects a plethora of components to HDTVs -- and to an increasing number of new PC monitors on the market.

But the Mac mini remains saddled with the same DVI video out. And this is just one example. Apple's low-end notebooks, the MacBooks, are now running significantly faster Intel processors, which also happen to sport a faster front-side bus and Intel's GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor with 144 MB of shared DDR2 SDRAM -- as opposed to Intel's aging GMA 950 graphics processor that has a paltry 64 MB of DDR2 shared SDRAM. Granted, it's not like either graphics processor can kick butt and take names -- which is why many industry watchers expect Apple to start delivering new MacBooks with graphics chipsets from Nvidia later today.

Another case in point: The 80 GB hard drive in the low-end, US$599 1.83 GHz mini is pretty much an insult. The 2 GHz is little better. It ships with a 120 GB hard drive for $799. Let's put this in perspective: The iPod classic -- that's right, an iPod -- now has a 120 GB hard drive.

Timeless Design

True enough, the Mac mini's exterior design has stood the test of time. It's small -- a couple of inches tall, a little wider than a DVD disc, and it weighs less than three pounds. And it still looks damn good. Place it on any desk or next to any widescreen TV and it still looks sweet.

My point? Apple doesn't even have to redesign the case to still have a great product, even though Dell's (Nasdaq: DELL) new colorful Studio Hybrid PCs are nice. (But all this is not to say that a little shiny piano black wouldn't go well with a cheaper third-party monitor or HDTV.)

Missed Opportunity

Sure, in a lot of ways, the Mac mini has always been positioned as an entry-level Mac. It doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse or monitor, and while that reduces the cost, the Mac mini is still more expensive than most low-end desktop PCs. It seems as if the Mac mini is stuck in a sort of netherworld of Apple computing. At $799 plus $225 for a low-end, third-party monitor, plus $50 for a cheap, third-party keyboard and mouse, the $1,199 low-end iMac starts looking like a compelling desktop/family PC instead of the Mac mini.

But the Mac mini has the potential to be one of the most versatile Macs ever. In addition to a desktop unit for schools, businesses and the home, the Mac mini can really excel as a home media server . For those households with multiple MacBooks moving from room to room, heading off to the coffee shop, and leaving on jet planes, the Mac mini could be the stationary Mac that could hold the master copies and backups of a family's media: The master iPhoto library, the master version of iTunes that holds all the songs, TV shows, videos and movies. Hook it up to an external hard drive and let Time Machine back it all up.

In fact, a Mac mini connected to an HDTV in the living room could be all this and more, blowing the Apple TV out of the water in terms of flexibility . Apple's Front Row -- remember that cool application? It's been all but forgotten.

The point of hooking a Mac mini up to an HDTV isn't so much to make a run on the small home-theater PC market, but rather gain the benefits of a home media server without needing an external monitor and a place to put the mini.

But You Can Do All That Already

Of course, you can do all of this with a Mac mini right now -- set it up as a home media server, stick it on a shelf under your HDTV, and run it with your home theater system. The graphics connections aren't as nice as they should be, but hey, it'll work. The problem is, the Apple aficionados who are savvy enough to be aware of the possibilities also end up looking at the Mac mini with puzzlement: $599 for an 80 GB hard drive? $799 for a paltry 120 GB?

Even if Apple doesn't see a major market for the Mac mini, why can't the company at least beef it up for its loyal multi-Mac customers? Please, Apple? Just a little?