Engadget

Mac mini supply said to be dwindling, world wonders 'why?'

Donald Melanson — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:37:00 EST

Need a bit more evidence that Apple has some new Mac minis on the way? Then look no further than Apple Insider, which says that it has "verified four times over" that current Mac mini supplies are running dry, and that new models are all but a certainty. Adding further weight to the story is the fact that these aren't simply reports of delays here and there, but reports from large buyers like educational institutions who say that they've either been advised not to place bulk orders for Mac minis or had their orders pushed back -- in one case to an exact date of June 14th. Needless to say, that all seems to line up nicely, and sounds more than a little familiar. Maybe too familiar?

Mac mini supply said to be dwindling, world wonders 'why?' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple rumored to be readying Mac mini with HDMI

Donald Melanson — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:17:00 EST

A Mac mini with HDMI. Makes sense, right? Well, it hasn't to Apple so far, but it looks like it just might be ready to change its tune. That's according to AppleInsider, at least, which has it from "two people familiar with the matter" that prototypes of a Mac mini with an HDMI port have been seen making the rounds in the usual inner circles. At least one of those prototypes was also said to be based on NVIDIA's MCP89 chipset, which means that any forthcoming Mac mini revision would pass over the latest Core i3, i5 and i7 processors in favor of older Core 2 Duos if it is indeed the chipset used in the final product. Unfortunately, there's nothing more specific than "this year" in terms of a rumored release date, and this is still just one rumor about what would be a fairly big shift in Apple's strategy -- so, you know, keep that in mind before you start ripping apart your current HTPC setup.

Apple rumored to be readying Mac mini with HDMI originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple to introduce host of new machines, new multitouch input devices tomorrow?

Nilay Patel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:51:00 EST

We're not sure why John Gruber and Dan Lyons are having some sort of megalomaniacal Apple super-pundit standoff, but we'll sit here and take the spoils: Gruber's just one-upped Lyons's earlier vague tease of new Apple gear tomorrow with a pretty specific list of things he's apparently heard we'll see, including new iMacs and plastic MacBooks, revved Mac Minis (including one that runs OS X Server), a new multitouch "Magic Mouse" (ha!) and some sort of multitouch desktop trackpad accessory. That pretty much covers every rumor and vague whisper we've heard over the past few months, so it's actually a fairly conservative set of predictions, outside of that trackpad -- which itself may or may not be related to this multitouch input device patent from a couple weeks ago. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning -- at this point we're half expecting a tablet, a pony, and some sort of multitouch waffle maker as well.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Peripherals

Apple to introduce host of new machines, new multitouch input devices tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google AdSense leaks Apple's refreshed iMac, Mac mini, Macbook?

Joseph L. Flatley — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST

This one is for all you online tea leaf readers and Apple SKU / crystal ball aficionados: Further confirming our suspicion that something more affordable may be on the horizon, Google AdSense this weekend started serving users in the Netherlands with ads for new iMacs, MacBooks, and Mac minis. Pointing to a dead link at the country's Apple Store, the ads read (via Google Translate): "Apple's Newest MacBook. Thinner, lighter and faster! Free delivery. Order today," "The Brand new iMac. Ultra Thin 20 & 24 inch models. From only €1099 (roughly $1,603). Apple Store," and "Apple's New Mac mini. Faster and more affordable than ever. From only € 499 ($723). Order immediately." (For a little perspective, that's €100 ($145) less than the cheapest Mac mini currently on the Netherlands online store.) Granted, whenever peeping purported translations from foreign tipsters we're always half-afraid that we're actually reading Celine Dion lyrics or dialogue from Caddyshack, but this one seems to be the real deal -- for whatever that's worth.

Update: Apple's "New Mighty Mouse" advertised as well.

[Thanks, Ronald V.]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Google AdSense leaks Apple's refreshed iMac, Mac mini, Macbook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iMac, Mac mini supplies growing thin, refresh expected soon

Nilay Patel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:44:00 EST

Rumors of updated iMacs have been flying fast and furious lately, and now it seems like they're getting a bit of credibility -- AppleInsider says retailers, including Apple's own stores, have been told supplies of iMacs and Mac minis are "constrained" and that future orders will go unfulfilled. You heard that right -- the Mac mini, the red-headed stepchild of the Mac line, is now also officially on Refresh Watch. Combined with the rumors of revised and potentially cheaper plastic MacBooks and we're hoping Apple's about to get aggressive with its low-end pricing, but that's probably just wishful thinking.

P.S.- Doesn't that seem like a lot of updates to dish out at once? The savvy rumor connoisseur would be expecting a couple random analysts to mouth off at this point, followed by whispers of an impending event and its cancellation due to "last minute issues." Gene Munster swirls his glass and predicts the MacBook will feature CableCARD slots and function as a DVR. Spring follows winter, winter follows fall.

Filed under: Desktops

iMac, Mac mini supplies growing thin, refresh expected soon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple rumor Monday, late edition: leaked specs, model numbers, announcement tomorrow?

Nilay Patel — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:52:00 EST

The flood of Apple hardware rumors just won't let up -- not only did commenters dig through those Airport Extreme and Time Capsule FCC filings and find evidence that the new models will indeed support simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation, we've got iMac model numbers and leaked specs for Mac mini and Mac Pro, all of which are said to be arriving as soon as tomorrow. Of course, given the conservative / obvious nature of these updates, all of this information could be coming from some fanboy lair deep in a parents' basement somewhere and still sound plausible, but hey -- we'll find out soon enough, right? Here's what we know so far:

The iMac will apparently come in an entry level MB147 20-inch model, as well as three 24-inch SKUs: MB148 "mass-market," MB149 "high-end," and MB420 "ultimate." All models will go to mini DisplayPort and feature Core 2 Duos up to 3.06GHz.
The Mac mini will indeed feature five USB ports and that funky dual mini-DVI / mini DisplayPort configuration, but it's also apparently going to an NVIDIA chipset like the MacBooks and iMac. The base MB463 model will start with a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, and there's also a "high-end" MB464 configuration.
The Mac Pro will come in eight-core configurations from 3.0GHz to 3.6GHz and 16-core configurations in 3.6GHz and 4.0GHz flavors, and it sounds like it's going to be even funkier on the video tip -- our tipster says it has two regular DVI ports and a mini DisplayPort. Sure, okay. It's also apparently a bit lighter than the current model, at 35 pounds instead of 42.
Tipster Tom noted that the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule FCC filings contain direct references to simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation, so that's looking even more probable.

Obviously we'll let you know if all this stuff slips out with no fanfare tomorrow, but with PMA and CeBIT both going on right now, we think that March 24 date is more likely -- Apple does like to hog the attention, after all. Anyone else have any secrets to share? We're all ears.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Filed under: Desktops, Wireless

Apple rumor Monday, late edition: leaked specs, model numbers, announcement tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple rumor Monday: Nehalem Mac Pro, new Airport Extreme and Time Capsule in FCC, Mac mini box

Nilay Patel — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:17:00 EST

Lots of Apple rumors today following the weekend whispers of a March 24 desktop hardware event, and they fall neatly along the plausibility spectrum:

First up, we'd say a bump of the Mac Pro to Intel's upcoming Nehalem-EP Xeon processors is looking quite likely -- famed OS X hacker netkas was poking around in a test build of OS X 10.5.7 and found support files for i7 chips lurking about, as well as drivers for ATI's Radeon 4000-series GPUs. If you're making a chart, this one's right up there with an NVIDIA-powered iMac refresh -- it's a pretty obvious move.
Second, new entries for the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule have popped up in the FCC, and while the listed dimensions are exactly the same as the current editions, there are no model numbers and something internal has to have changed enough to raise ol' Sammy's brows. That could be as simple as a new radio hardware supplier or bigger drives, but if we were placing bets, we'd say both units are getting updated for simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation -- Apple's really high on 5GHz for laptops and Apple TV, but the iPhone and iPod touch are 2.4GHz-only. Let's call this one even odds, shall we?
Lastly, a new picture of that improbable five USB port Mac mini has surfaced, this time purporting to show the outside of the box. Considering the Photoshop wars the last image of this thing set off, we'd say this is the least likely candidate for a Philly Schills reveal, but then again, Apple's been pretty leaky lately.

That's everything we know -- anyone else have something to share with the group?

Read - Ars Technica on the Mac Pro
Read - New Airport Extreme FCC listing
Read - New Time Capsule FCC listing
Read - One More Thing Mac mini image [Via TUAW]

Filed under: Desktops, Wireless

Apple rumor Monday: Nehalem Mac Pro, new Airport Extreme and Time Capsule in FCC, Mac mini box originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple planning a March 24 event?

Nilay Patel — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:34:00 EST

We're not exactly making plans yet, but word on the street is that Apple's planning a March 24 desktop hardware event. Both World of Apple (which has a decent track record) and a site called My Apple Guide (which we've never heard of but apparently has a "rough" prediction history) say the event's on the books, and considering the age of the iMac and Mac mini and the uptick in rumors lately, it's certainly plausible. We'll wait until we get an official invite before we start making bold predictions, but we're definitely hoping for a mini with at least 25 USB ports housed inside an old Disk ][.

[Thanks, iB3nji]

Read - World of Apple
Read - My Apple Guide

Filed under: Desktops

Apple planning a March 24 event? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Mac mini revealed in video?

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:13:00 EST

Look, we'll level with you: we don't know exactly what we're looking at. After seeing that Mac mini pic yesterday, we were about 140 percent sure it was a classic Photoshop disaster. Now we don't know what to think. One thing is for sure -- this isn't done with Photoshop. The above video was offered up by the original poster of the first pic to back up his or her claims of a "2009 Penryn" mini. Something feels fishy about this, but it's hard to write off the video as pure sleep-deprivation-induced fantasy. So what do you guys think? Crazy mod, new mini, shared hallucination? Fire back in comments!

[Thanks, Blake]

Filed under: Desktops

New Mac mini revealed in video? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac mini update with dual display support, banner unfurling rumored for Macworld festivities

Ross Miller — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:17:00 EST

We've got less than 48 hours until Apple's last Macworld keynote, and the rumor mill keeps hinting that Phil's gonna announce new Mac minis, which so far are purported to have the Macbook's NVIDIA chipset, aluminum casing, and an SATA optical drive that can be swapped out for a second HDD. Go ahead and add dual display support to that list, which is what Apple Insider is speculating based on their sources saying the new minis will sport both a mini DisplayPort and a mini DVI connector. Additionally, the site has managed to snap some shots from the Moscone Center of the expo being set up. There's a picture of a monitor showing what's presumed to be a live feed of the keynote rehearsal with a blurred figure that kind of looks like Al Gore, and inside the south hall there are several mysterious banners concealed in white cloth. So pretty much status quo, though is it just us or do the banners seem to look a little tired and thin this year?

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Read - Apple's next-gen Mac mini to get dual display support
Read - Macworld site rife with concealed banners

Filed under: Desktops

Mac mini update with dual display support, banner unfurling rumored for Macworld festivities originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple rumor roundup: aluminum Mac minis and supersized iPod touches

Ross Miller — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:42:00 EST

Listen, you know the drill by now: Macworld is less than a week away, and that causes a Cupertino-sized rumor mill to fill up with hints of new / refreshed hardware of all shapes and sizes. The crew at TUAW claim they've heard from sources that a new Mac mini will be unveiled with an aluminum finish, a Time Capsule-esque "lip," and a SATA optical drive that can be customized as a second HDD instead. Additionally, TechCrunch says it has three independent sources that confirm there's a large iPod touch is coming next Fall with a 7 or 9-inch screen. There's no indication if they expect a Macworld announcement here, but if true, we expect the cargo pants industry to react accordingly. Finally, and possibly related to the TechCrunch rumor, a Taiwan news site claims Quanta Computers is expecting to add Apple and Sony (is that you, Vaio P?) as clients for manufacturing netbooks in 2009. For those playing along at home, at some point next year we should expect a bigger iPod touch, a netbook, a smaller iPhone, a revised iMac, a revised Mac mini, and absolutely no love at all for the Mac Pro.

Read - Large form iPod touch to launch Fall '09
Read - Rumor watch: new Mac mini go for launch
Read - Quanta expects zero YoY NB shipment growth in Q4, 2008

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Apple rumor roundup: aluminum Mac minis and supersized iPod touches originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple chimes in to debunk those Mac mini / iMac rumors

Darren Murph — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:20:00 EST

There was a day during an age not far removed from our memory in which Apple would remain dead silent on any murmuring going on regarding its wares -- clearly, that day has passed. In a rather unprecedented move, an actual spokesman named Bill Evans emerged from the Cupertino cocoon in order to put to rest all those wildly speculative rumors going on about new iMacs and / or Mac minis. Quite frankly, he uttered that "[Apple's] holiday line-up is set." Our take? This move is likely being made in order to assure prospective holiday shoppers that buying now is "safe," and that new gear isn't just weeks / days / nanoseconds away. C'mon, you know a well-oiled machine like Apple doesn't want all sorts of about-to-be-outdated Mac inventory clogging its supply chain when Macworld rolls around, don'tcha?

[Via CNET]

Filed under: Desktops

Apple chimes in to debunk those Mac mini / iMac rumors originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AppleInsider says the Mac Mini is dead

Nilay Patel — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:22:00 EST

Well, we're getting closer to another Stevenote and the Apple rumor mill is at full tilt, so take this one with a huge grain of salt, but the team over at AppleInsider says they "sincerely believe" that the Mac Mini is about to be discontinued. Citing sources for whom they have the "utmost respect," AI says that Apple management was only bending to shareholder demands for a sub-$800 Mac when it developed the Mini, and that the recent release of the Apple TV all but spells the end of significant updates to the lil' bugger. We can see what they're getting at, we suppose: the Mini has never gotten a lot of attention, but the similarly-discontinued products AI compares it to -- the Cube, the PowerBook 2400, and the 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- were all higher-end machines, while the Mini sits at the very bottom of Apple's product line. On top of that, the description of the Apple TV as the "next-generation Mac Mini" strikes us as a little odd, since the Mini was never sold as a media extender (even though you can use it that way) and the Apple TV was never sold as a general-purpose computer (even though you can use it that way). AI does seem pretty confident in the case it's laid out -- but as with all things Apple, only time will tell.

Filed under: Desktops

AppleInsider says the Mac Mini is dead originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2007 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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