I’m convinced Apple’s new Mac Mini will be the company’s most important computer since the original Macintosh. Here are just some of the audiences it will reach.
Switchers: Imagine a family that bought a cheap Dell for $700 and is getting sick of viruses, security problems, hassles connecting peripherals, and all sorts of other unpleasantries. They never would have thought of investing $1000 plus in a new Mac, but they just might think of switching over for $499, and just bringing their keyborad, mouse, and display with them.
Media Center: Want something in your living room to be a digital music/DVD/digital photo server — perhaps connected to your TV instead of to a monitor? Here you go.
Newbies: Have an iPod and hoping to buy your first computer? Are you more concerned with digital photos, storing music, and playing DVDs than you are with business software? What a great entry level computer.
Portables: Do you work at home and the office, but don’t want to drag a 6 pound iBook back and forth while working off a laptop screen and keyboard? Throw this in your briefcase (6.5 inches wide and two inches tall and only 2.9 pounds) and just plug it into a screen, keyboard, and mouse at your destination.
Multiples: Want a second computer on your desk to move files, work on when your first one is on the blink, or just play around with? Now’s your opportunity.
The bottom line: Apple picks up market share on Windows computers for the first time in years–not dramatically, but noticeably, while positioning itself for greater gains in years to come.
What do you think? Are there other audiences or purposes I’ve missed? Do you see any educational uses?
Papyrus News 
I priced a Mini with 512mb, Superdrive, keyboard/mouse, & Airport card at $811. The cheapest display Apple sells is $189 and it’s a behemoth CRT; sum it up and you’re at $1000. The cheapest flat panel Apples sells is $999.
The equivalent eMac is $1,153; it includes the monitor, of course and is equipped with an 80g HD instead of 40. An equivalent iMac is $1,453 with corresponding flat panel.
This is barely the ‘most affordable Mac ever’ as far as I’m concerned. They wanted something they could advertise at that price point and ended up stripping off the peripherals that are standard in the Windows world, where $499 will get you everything I priced except the drive will not burn DVDs, the monitor is a CRT and you need to add a $15 ethernet card. Adding a DVD burner makes the whole thing $630. Taking off the Airport card, the Mini with peripherals and CRT comes to $900. There’s still $270 difference there, enough for a very decent printer with a lot left over.
I think it’s a gyp for Apple to use the word ‘affordable’. For mid to low income families, that’s not true. It would be more honest to consider it a very compact CPU with a very cool design. Yet to be seen is if users can crack the thing open themselves to enhance the memory without having to pay the exorbitant Apple service center and memory prices, saving a good chunk of money.
Sure, Apple will pass on discounts to institutions. But so could Dell at their respective prices, too.
I am an OS X user, not a Windows accolyte.
Miguel,
The main people being targetted already have a keyboard, mouse, and display (and for those who do need to buy those things there’s no need to buy them from Apple when cheaper versions are available elsewhere). The Dell you can buy at a better price will be prone to virus and security problems the moment you go online, and won’t come with the cool and easy to use photo, movie, and music software packaged in iLife.
Yes, having to pay people to install memory is a ripoff. I hope that the next version will come with more memory or a larger HD. But, I expect that the type of people that buy this won’t want to be opening it up anyway. They’ll buy a standard version and use it until it no longer meets their needs, and cross that bridge when they get to it.
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