MWSF09: xMac hopefuls unite here!

[nickane]

Every macworld, I wonder if they might bring out an xmac. And this year, with the recession, the wildly contradictory rumours about the mac mini and the "promise of something unrumoured" alluded to in the rumours round-up:

http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?p=1356979&posted=1#post1356979

...I've got my hopes up more than ever.

The best part is that I've resigned myself to getting a mini, even if it doesn't have fw800, dual display capability and the possiblity of ditching the optical drive in favour of 2 HD slots (if it had all 3, plus the vastly improved integrated gfx nVidia are offering, it might as well be an xmac). So my hopes are high, even though my expectations are low (which is the ideal mindstate for a member of the xMac crowd ).

 

[reebzor]

Why did we need another xmac thread? I thought I just read through a 10 page one a few days ago... Hate to break it to you, but the closest thing you will get to and xMac will be the upgraded mini.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

What the hell is an xMac?

 

[nick9191]

What the hell is an xMac?

A mini tower, ie. a desktop computer like any PC.

 

[themoonisdown09]

What the hell is an xMac?

I'm not sure. Doesn't sound too interesting... xMac.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

A mini tower, ie. a desktop computer like any PC.

Oh no. Forget I even asked.

 

[nickane]

A mini tower, ie. a desktop computer like any PC.

That's not exactly fair. Since when do apple make computers that look like any PC? The cube was an xmac. A slightly bigger mini with a pci-e slot would constitute an xmac.

Heaven forfend that apple should bother plugging the gaping hole in their product line when they could be making pointless niche devices like tablets and netbooks.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

That's not exactly fair. Since when do apple make computers that look like any PC? The cube was an xmac. A slightly bigger mini with a pci-e slot would constitute an xmac.

Heaven forfend that apple should bother plugging the gaping hole in their product line when they could be making pointless niche devices like tablets and netbooks.

There is no gap. Thats why there is no 'xMac'. The nearest thing to an xMac will be a top of the line Mini.

 

[nick9191]

That's not exactly fair. Since when do apple make computers that look like any PC? The cube was an xmac. A slightly bigger mini with a pci-e slot would constitute an xmac.

Heaven forfend that apple should bother plugging the gaping hole in their product line when they could be making pointless niche devices like tablets and netbooks.

Mini Towers are popular because they are cheap to make. They are not popular because they are upgradable, 95% of people could not give a damn if they are easy to upgrade. Just like 95% of all iMac buyers don't give a damn if they are not upgradable.

You, the people who want to be able to upgrade, yet are home consumers are the biggest niche of them all. Thats why there is no hole, thats why Apple does not cater to you.

 

[G4er?]

There is no gap. Thats why there is no 'xMac'. The nearest thing to an xMac will be a top of the line Mini.

No gap? I want something not near as big as the Mac Pro that offers space for two hard drives and an optical drive. And has more RAM than the Mini. I want to be able to select whatever keyboard, mouse and monitor I want and most importantly be able to quickly replace those parts when they fail instead of having to send my all in one iMac in for repair. Don't need or want a laptop. Show me where Apple offers this product and I'll buy one tomorrow. Instead I am being told that I have to settle for things I don't want or need because there isn't a gap.

 

[Tallest Skil]

No gap? I want something not near as big as the Mac Pro that offers space for two hard drives and an optical drive. And has more RAM than the Mini. I want to be able to select whatever keyboard, mouse and monitor I want and most importantly be able to quickly replace those parts when they fail instead of having to send my all in one iMac in for repair. Don't need or want a laptop. Show me where Apple offers this product and I'll buy one tomorrow. Instead I am being told that I have to settle for things I don't want or need because there isn't a gap.

Ugh... SO close...

The 15" or 17" MacBook Pro fits EVERY requirement of yours except "space for optical drive"... unless you're okay with an external. In which case, buy a MacBook Pro.