No product of the past several years so completely encompasses the Apple mentality than the recently introduced Mac Mini. Somehow both radical and conservative, it shows the strength that has guided Apple Computers, Inc. through decades of Microsoft dominance, allowing them to remain the only viable consumer alternative to the Windows platform. Yet, with all the focus on the iPod Shuffle and the iTunes Music Store, it would be easy to miss the importance of this tiny new personal computer.
The Mac Mini represents both a harkening back to the original Macintosh and a dramatic change in Apple’s approach to the consumer PC market. During the development of the first Macintosh computer over 20 years ago, Apple designers looked to create a small, inexpensive computer with more than enough processing power to handle typical applications.
The first Mac computers fit that bill in a revolutionary way, but over time the reliability of the systems and the desire to remain on the cutting edge of user experience began to erode away at Apple’s ability to remain inexpensive. By the time the PowerMac G3 and G4 lines were introduced, Apple’s pricing was generally nearly double that of a Windows-based PC. Critics cited that pricing gap as the death knell for Apple.
The introduction of the iMac began the first steps out of that image. The iMac was exactly what the early designers envisioned, but although less expensive than its PowerMac brethren, it was generally still more expensive than comparable Windows-compatible PCs.
The iMac was an important step for Apple. It showed that a less-than-cutting-edge model would do well, especially if that model was equipped with enough power to handle tasks a typical family (or student) might perform.
The success of the iPod can be traced, in part, to the design of the iMac. They were both designed to do exactly what the consumer asked: to be a platform for the most commonly used features. In staying with their tradition of focusing on user experience, Apple looked to make digital music and personal computing as easy and pain free as possible.
The new Mac Mini looks to be the culmination of that vision. At $499, it is the most inexpensive computer Apple has ever created. Its sleek design holds enough processing power to compete with similarly priced PCs. The base model comes with a 1.25 Ghz processor, a 40 GB hard drive and a CD-RW/DVD drive. For only a $100 more, it can be upgraded to a 1.42 Ghz processor and 80 GB hard drive.
With only 256 MB of memory, however, it comes a little underpowered for more intense programs like Photoshop or iLife. Luckily, memory upgrades are fairly inexpensive, and Apple’s design allows for just about anyone to pop in a new memory chip.
The Mac Mini ships with Mac OS X pre-installed, long considered one of the most stable and user-friendly operating systems ever created. Despite a few oddities, Mac OS X is surprisingly secure and free from viruses, security holes and so-called “spyware” problems. Many argue that it might be due to Apple’s smaller market share, but a solid BSD/Unix core behind the pretty face and timely updates from Apple (automatically downloaded via the Software Update feature installed on every Mac) are equally responsible for the relatively secure system. Despite having a slightly different look and feel from other operating systems, most Windows users have no problems quickly adapting to the Mac OS X controls.
Alongside the respectable power of the hardware and the ease of OS X, the Mac Mini boasts a whisper quiet case and aesthetically pleasing look. It’s compact design is just over six inches square and only two inches high, making it significantly smaller than any other popular computer and still smaller than the infamous Mac Cube of several years ago. It comes equipped with a front-loading CD tray and connectors on the back of its molded plastic case.
What is perhaps most interesting is what the Mac Mini does not ship with: keyboard or mouse. While both can be purchased separately via The Apple Store or any place the Mac Mini is sold, they do not come with the computer itself. In doing so, there has been speculation that Apple is gearing itself up to be a computer appliance rather than just a personal computer. More likely, however, Apple simply realized that most people end up purchasing their own mice and keyboards or continue to use their old peripherals long after they purchase a new computer.
Apple seems to be playing off the success of the iPod family, expanding along the same philosophy into their standard personal computer lines. The Mac Mini fully achieves the goals laid out by the original Macintosh designers over two decades ago, but as a new decade of computer sales begins, it looks to broaden the appeal of Apple products. This broader appeal, by making Apple more affordable and accessible to many, may just be the thing needed to increase their market share and knock Windows out of a dominant role in the computer industry.
