Mac Mini

The M1 Mac mini – A Short Review and Unboxing

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Mac mini M1

Edit: this post was supposed to come out last December, so yes it is very late. And I know we will likely have a new Mac mini in twenty four hours’ time.

Yes, it is true. The M1 Mac mini has been out for a full year. Why did I buy it now? Because the M1 Pro Mac mini did not materialize in 2021, and because I happened to have a good deal on the existing silver model.

I have yet to replace my main Mac with the Mac mini, and it is currently connected to my TV, but it happens to be the only desktop I have that runs Monterey, and it is a champ at that.

The Mac mini is silent, runs fast, and does all the M1 stuff I need it to do. I am just slightly regretting not getting the 512GB model now, but a TB3 drive should suffice for additional storage.

If you are thinking of buying one today in Feb 2022, I will wait until March to see if a M1 Pro Mac mini is out by then, and if that model is a better buy. A theoretical M2 successor to this Mac mini probably will not come until later this year.

Here are some unboxing photos.

Mac mini M1

Mac mini M1

Mac mini M1

Macworld predictions roundup

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We are 5 days away from the holy mecca of all Mac fans – Macworld Expo. As usual, there are many last minute rumors flooding the Mac rumors sites. Will do a listing of all the rumors listed on Macrumors.com so far.

Basically, we have the following;

1. iWork and iMovie to become online apps
2. iPhone nano
3. Cheaper MacBook
4. Smaller iPod Shuffle
5. Updated iMac and Mac mini

So, the usual question: how true are these rumors?

Firstly, the possibility of iWork and iMovie becoming web apps is high. However, it is highly impossible that desktop versions of the apps will be totally gone. It is almost impossible to recreate web versions of the desktop apps while retaining all functions that the current desktop apps have, and if iWork’09 have lesser functions than iWork’08 had, we all know how well that will turn out. Anyone remember the iMovie’08 fiasco?

Secondly, iPhone nano. So yeah. You have the usual case makers revealing the possible existence of a nano-ized version of the iPhone. So what? Who cares? If it’s cheaper than the iPhone then maybe you will have a few people who are interested, but right now I think more people are really interested in getting the next iPhone software update from Apple in order to get more functionality out of their current iPhones.

Next, the cheaper MacBook. So drop the white MacBook entirely and lower the price of the entry Aluminum model. That will rock with me. Possibility of such an action happening at Macworld 2009 is low though.

Next, the smaller iPod Shuffle. Possible. Just not at Macworld 2009.

Lastly, the updated Mac Mini and iMac. This is almost a definite YES. 3 almost definite updates;

i. MiniDisplay port. Apple’s new standards-based almost-proprietary-for-now port will make its way to all Macs.

ii. Nvidia 9400. Obviously.

iii. New CPUs. You know which ones I’m talking about.

I can’t wait for 6th Jan!!!

The disappearing Mac Minis

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Was at Funan today with a friend, Hansen, just doing some window shopping after successfully getting an exchange for my Logitech USB Audio Headset. Somehow the topic of a home media centre came up, and I was telling him how much better a Mac Mini will do the job compared to this stupid looking round saucer-like Sony Vaio we seen in a Sony shop on the second floor. We decided to go check out the price of the Mac Mini, and to my surprise and shock, none of the Mac resellers in Funan were selling the Mac Minis! I didn’t exactly probe the reason behind the non-sales, but something tells me that the Mac Mini will be no more.

Is the Mac Mini finally going to get killed during MacWorld? Will there be a much better and slimmer replacement?