Nettop's treat to Mac Mini, or is it time for NanoMac?

[PracticalMac]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nettop

Very small sub $299 computers using low power (<8 watts) and cost components, Intel Atom for example.

Think MacBook Air for desktop. Mac Air?
Well, terrible idea actually, since MBA is very very expensive.

no optical drive
small (<32gb) drive space
no bluetooth
VGA output port (not DVI or DP)
No iMovie (and some other apps)
Size of a paper back book

Oh, and no FireWire (NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo! Thats it, I am out of here... )





Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
It almost sounds like an iPod Touch.
If only it had USB for keyboard and mouse...

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
It almost sounds like an iPod Touch.
If only it had USB for keyboard and mouse...

The iPod port is a USB port, I believe. I'm sure if you were dedicated enough, you could hack together something to give your iPod touch a mouse and keyboard - it also has bluetooth, why not use bluetooth? Doesn't it also have a video-out?

Has anyone done something like that before?

EDIT:
Here's an example of a bluetooth keyboard working
http://www.gadgetlite.com/2009/02/25/apple-wireless-bluetooth-keyboard/

 

[Scarlet Fever]

Low voltage chips are useful in notebooks because it can extended battery life, or retain the same battery life with a smaller battery, resulting in a more useable, lighter machine. They aren't terribly useful in a desktop computer, as it is always plugged in to a power source, and is sitting on a desk. The Mac Mini is already one of the most power efficient computers on the market, and is obscenely powerful for its size. I don't think we need a Mac Air.

 

[mrsir2009]

Don't need a Mac Air, what's the point of having a desktop smaller than the Mac Mini?

 

[PracticalMac]

The iPod port is a USB port, I believe. I'm sure if you were dedicated enough, you could hack together something to give your iPod touch a mouse and keyboard - it also has bluetooth, why not use bluetooth? Doesn't it also have a video-out?

Has anyone done something like that before?

EDIT:
Here's an example of a bluetooth keyboard working
http://www.gadgetlite.com/2009/02/25/apple-wireless-bluetooth-keyboard/

Sweet!
But why not have keyboard support in the first place?
I can understand Apple may not want to hook up keyboard because it will sap power (not bluetooth), but the iPhone being what it is they should anyway.


As for "NanoMac", and people miss what I am getting at:
It is NOT about computing power, but PRICE. It is the SAME issue, people buy PC's becuase they are cheaper then Macs.
Many customers, even if they know the Mac is a better machine, still get a PC becuase it is cheaper (despite it having Vista, etc).

If Apple can make a design with good performance but cost $349~$399 (at least $200 less then Mac Mini, small, simple design, no-DVD, smaller RAM and HDD), it will likely be a great seller.
Imagine all the schools who could now afford a Mac.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

Many customers, even if they know the Mac is a better machine, still get a PC becuase it is cheaper (despite it having Vista, etc).

These are not the people Apple are targeting. There will always be demand for small, cheap cars, but you don't see Lamborghini scrambling to create a cut-down version of the Murcielago, do you?

If Apple can make a design with good performance but cost $349~$399 (at least $200 less then Mac Mini, small, simple design, no-DVD, smaller RAM and HDD), it will likely be a great seller.
Imagine all the schools who could now afford a Mac.

Can you honestly imagine a switcher going in to an Apple store and asking for a $400 machine, only to be told it's got no optical drive?

Where Apple's goal is to sell one $1000 machine, Dell's goal is to sell four $250 machines. There is nothing wrong with either business model.

 

[PracticalMac]

These are not the people Apple are targeting. There will always be demand for small, cheap cars, but you don't see Lamborghini scrambling to create a cut-down version of the Murcielago, do you?

Can you honestly imagine a switcher going in to an Apple store and asking for a $400 machine, only to be told it's got no optical drive?

Where Apple's goal is to sell one $1000 machine, Dell's goal is to sell four $250 machines. There is nothing wrong with either business model.

nearly 10% national unemployment.
Businesses slashing budgets
Bonuses being cut.

Some how I think a lot of people are watching their budgets, saving money any way they can.


OTH, as many MR posters for the MBA and UniMB pointed out, not everyone needs FW, opical drives, and other items.

IOW, you completely missed my point.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

nearly 10% national unemployment.
Businesses slashing budgets
Bonuses being cut.

Some how I think a lot of people are watching their budgets, saving money any way they can.

In America. The damage doesn't seem to be as bad in the rest of the world, but that's another issue.

OTH, as many MR posters for the MBA and UniMB pointed out, not everyone needs FW, opical drives, and other items.

IOW, you completely missed my point.

You're right, not everyone needs FW, optical drives and other items in notebooks, such as the MBA and UniMB. I haven't put a disc in my macbook in about a year, and very few of my mates even know what firewire is.

However, everyone I know uses a computer, whether it be laptop or desktop, to rip music for transfer to an iPod or similar device, to play games, to watch movies, to share files, etc. They need an ODD in at least one computer.

As I said before, the people cutting their budgets are not the types Apple are marketing to. The kinds of people who bought the UniMB don't care about FireWire, and the kinds of people who bought the MBA generally have enough money to either buy the USB Superdrive or a secondary computer to use Remote Drive. Apple didn't omit the ODD from the MBA to cut costs, the omitted it to reduce size and weight, which in an ultra-portable notebook is important.

I really don't think I'm missing the point at all.

 

[PracticalMac]

In America. The damage doesn't seem to be as bad in the rest of the world, but that's another issue.

You're right, not everyone needs FW, optical drives and other items in notebooks, such as the MBA and UniMB. I haven't put a disc in my macbook in about a year, and very few of my mates even know what firewire is.

However, everyone I know uses a computer, whether it be laptop or desktop, to rip music for transfer to an iPod or similar device, to play games, to watch movies, to share files, etc. They need an ODD in at least one computer.

As I said before, the people cutting their budgets are not the types Apple are marketing to. The kinds of people who bought the UniMB don't care about FireWire, and the kinds of people who bought the MBA generally have enough money to either buy the USB Superdrive or a secondary computer to use Remote Drive. Apple didn't omit the ODD from the MBA to cut costs, the omitted it to reduce size and weight, which in an ultra-portable notebook is important.

I really don't think I'm missing the point at all.

More concise explanation then previous, good arguments.

I agree Apple does target a certain market, but in business penetration counts more then segment. Yes, there is a middle ground between the two, but I think Apple should be more active in adapting to low price system that gain more customers.

And as I said, schools would be a huse market for such a low cost Mac, which Apple does not currently offer.

eMini anyone?

 

[three]

Apple won't do this. Looking at how Apple treated the netbook issue with the MacBook Air, they will keep the Mac mini as the cheapest Mac.

 

[NT1440]

Don't most if not all nettops use an atom processor?