New stuff from Mac

[pzarquon]

Re: New stuff from Mac

They won't have any until later this month. I went to check.

Thanks for that, Mel. I would've gone myself. Did the same delay apply to all the newly-announced products (Mini Mac, iWork/iLife)?

Walt Mossberg, alpha geek at the Wall Street Journal, got to play with an iPod Shuffle, and posted a very extensive, real-world review. He notes that it's the least iPod-like of the iPod line, and that the lack of a screen is the biggest downside, but notes:

I've been testing the new iPod Shuffle for a couple of days, and, in my tests, it fulfilled -- and even exceeded -- Apple's claims for convenience, battery life and song capacity. Sound quality is so good you can barely believe the music is coming from something so small... this is a good product that will enlarge the iPod's appeal, especially with kids, people on low budgets, or people who work out. I imagine some existing iPod owners will also buy Shuffles as sort of add-on players. And the iPod juggernaut will roll on.

[pzarquon]

Re: New stuff from Mac

Hmm. When those new iPods show up at the Apple Store, snap one up... and let us know here, too!

Apple: Up to 4-week wait for iPod Shuffle
MSNBC, 2:59 p.m. ET Jan. 18, 2005

Just one week after launching the tiny iPod Shuffle, a lightweight and much cheaper model of its market-leading digital music player, customers face a wait of two to four weeks before their order is shipped, according to the company’s Web site Tuesday... There is a two- to three-week wait for the $99 iPod Shuffle, which holds about 120 songs, while customers face a wait of three to four weeks for the $149 model, which has double the capacity, according to the Apple Web site.

[mel]

Re: New stuff from Mac

Apple's newest Macintosh computer went on sale for the first time in Hawaii today at the Apple Store in Ala Moana Center. When I got there early this afternoon, all inventory in stock were sold out and only a few of the coveted G4 Power Mac based computers were out on the display floor.

The Mac Mini is a very small computer about 6 inches square and 2 inches high. It connects to a standard Macintosh or VGA monitor and USB keyboard or mouse. I think it also accepts a wireless keyboard. To that you can connect a variety of USB and Firewire devices. I ran iTunes on this thing, and one thing you'd definitely want to get is an external speaker source because the Mac Mini's speaker is sonically challenged... meaning it is small, tinny and soft.

The mini is a fanless G4 and it looks like everything is sealed in the simple but attractive enclosure. I did not inspect it very closely to see whether or not there are user accessible screws or panels you can take off to install more RAM or a larger hard drive. I suspect it does not. The display model had only 256MB of ram. I think all G4's running OSX should get at least 512MB of ram. The best would be to max it out with 1 gig or whatever the ceiling is.

I was a bit concerned about heat generation not only from the Mac itself but also the power brick, since like a Powerbook, this Mac's power supply is external of the computer. I asked the sales guy at the Apple store about heat and he let me feel the small power brick located under the display table... it was only lukewarm.... doesn't seem like heat could be an issue with this puppy, though I wonder if it would generate more heat if you put in more ram.

Needless to say I shot a photo of the Mac Mini with my tiny Sony camera while I was there. It will give me some inspiration as to whether or not I spring a few dollars for this computer.

[pzarquon]

Re: New stuff from Mac

I was at the Apple Store today, too, to stock up on iPod supplies. Since today was the Mac mini/iLife/iWork unveiling, it was very busy, and the line for the registers at the back stretched almost to the entrance at one point. Oddly enough, I noticed some employees with iPod Shuffles around their necks, so I asked when they'd get them in.

"We had a few last week, but they went fast," the guy said. "Better to just order online."

Went fast, hmm? I imagine employee sales took a good chunk out of inventory!

[mel]

Re: New stuff from Mac

Oddly enough, I noticed some employees with iPod Shuffles around their necks, so I asked when they'd get them in.

"We had a few last week, but they went fast," the guy said. "Better to just order online."

I was told the same thing when asked about the iPod shuffle. I have learned that the best thing to do when it comes to new Apple products is just wait a few weeks when the initial hoopla dies down before you buy one.

In the case of the Mac Mini, I'll probably wait to around July or August when hopefully Apple will introduce a version that has more Ram as standard equipment.

I read in my TidBits email newsletter that the Mac Mini insides are not user accessible. They recommend you take yours to an authorized dealer if you want to add in more ram.

[Miulang]

Re: New stuff from Mac

The upgrade pricing for the Mac Mini apparently is coming down (probably because they knew everyone was upset that they couldn't screwdriver their own upgrades). Take a look at the pricing now...

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-5...tag=zdnn.alert

Miulang

[pzarquon]

Re: New stuff from Mac

The Apple Store at Ala Moana got a fresh batch of iPod Shuffles. Of course, I watched as they just about sold out of 'em again.

[mel]

Re: New stuff from Mac

Mac Made Easy up in Nuuanu had a supply for Mac Minis for sale as of this past Thursday.

[Miulang]

Re: New stuff from Mac

Pssst! If you wait a little longer, rumor has it that you will be able to buy an iPod Shuffle at our favorite lowlowlow price purveyor, WalMart! Apparently there's a deal in the works with Apple for WM to buy 250,000 units.

Miulang

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000410029748/