12-01-2005 05:50									#1
	What, no thread yet on Apple's latest monstrocities? Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Where are the cheerleaders?

	12-01-2005 05:51									#2
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I think that both are excellent designs. The Mini is probably way too expensive and it is too underpowered for this day and age, but they have the right idea.

	12-01-2005 05:52									#3
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I'm waiting for all of the people who called the Zen a clone of the iPod to call the iPod Shuffle a clone of the MuVo.

	12-01-2005 05:53									#4
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Who cares about who cloned whom? The Apple designs make the Zen/MuVo look rather clunky.

	12-01-2005 05:55									#5
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quote: Originally posted by DanS Who cares about who cloned whom?

Apparently they did, which is why they always called the Zen an iPod clone...

quote: The Apple designs make the Zen/MuVo look rather clunky.

If you say so...
It doesn't look clunky to me, even with way more features...


The other thing announced today were MP3 sales for both Creative and Apple.

Creative sold over 2 million MP3 players last quarter, while Apple sold 4.5 million.

Doesn't Apple claim over 90% marketshare?

	12-01-2005 05:56									#6
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The Shuffle is too expensive, lacks a screen and looks ugly.

The Mini is pretty cool though. Short but sweet.

	12-01-2005 05:58									#7
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I too think the Apple stuff looks great. But please, regail us with stories about insufficient battery life or not enough features for uber-nerds.

	12-01-2005 05:59									#8
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4 entries found for monstrosity.
mon·stros·i·ty
n. pl. mon·stros·i·ties
One that is monstrous.
The quality or character of being monstrous.

	12-01-2005 06:00									#9
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quote: It doesn't look clunky to me, even with way more features...

It looks to me like a conventional design for a dictation tape machine, except that it's white. Apple's designs look fresh, unique.

	12-01-2005 06:00									#10
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It looks kind of big ... ?

	12-01-2005 06:00									#11
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The shuffle should have a screen, but the $500 Apple computer is a pretty damned sweet design, especially for n00bs, who won't even want to upgrade. For those who have computer experience, it isn't worth it (of course).

	12-01-2005 06:07									#12
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The mini is underpowered for the price point...if Apple is going to do a low-end machine, they can't put something out that people will be able to take potshots at ("it's got a generation-old processor and half the memory and storage of a cheaper Dell") Especially since OS X runs very badly on limited RAM. I can see where this might have done very well if iTunes+iPod hadn't been opened up to Windows already, but now, I think it will just cannibalize iMac/eMac sales.

In my opinion, what they should have done is offer a similar box with a built-in KVM switch. That way people can just pick one up and plug it in between their existing PC (which they can't get rid of) and monitor...the PC becomes the 'work' machine and the Mac becomes the fun and media machine, as a bridge to eventually dumping the PC altogether in a few years. But Apple has too much pride for that...

	12-01-2005 06:07									#13
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The box thing with the cd looks pretty gorgeous actually

	12-01-2005 06:07									#14
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quote: Originally posted by DanS It looks to me like a conventional design for a dictation tape machine, except that it's white. Apple's designs look fresh, unique.

It's a white pack of Bubbalicious gum...

The MuVo looks like a voice recorder thing because it is one. It's shorter and wider, instead of longer and narrower...with radio, a screen, and voice recording, and USB-drive capability...

	12-01-2005 06:23									#15
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The Apple flash player looks pretty useful, and cheaper than expected at 100 bucks for half a gig. The Creative players are a waste of time: who needs a screen when you only have half a gig of songs on it?

The mac mini looks pretty useful too for people who want a low cost mac but not an all in one. It's not that much more expensive than the top of the line ipod.

I don't see the problem here: people complain that Apple's stuff is too expensive, so they release some cheaper products and people still complain.

Asher's comments about design seem to me to smack of Elvis complaining about this year's Paris fashions.

	12-01-2005 06:24									#16
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DanS is getting more and more crazy each passing day

	12-01-2005 06:25									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon I don't see the problem here: people complain that Apple's stuff is too expensive, so they release some cheaper products and people still complain.

While they're "cheap", they still manage to be overpriced -- a remarkable achievement.

As someone who's owned a flash MP3 player for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that having a screen is definitely useful and definitely an asset...

	12-01-2005 06:25									#18
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quote: The mini is underpowered for the price point...if Apple is going to do a low-end machine, they can't put something out that people will be able to take potshots at ("it's got a generation-old processor and half the memory and storage of a cheaper Dell") Especially since OS X runs very badly on limited RAM.

OS X will run absolutely fine on that machine. I've used OS X on an emac with a slower processor and the same amount of RAM and it is fine for everyday use.

If you wanted to do some heavy graphics, you might think of putting in 256MB of RAM - otherwise it's fine for normal use. And you get the latest edition of the iapps.

	12-01-2005 06:29									#19
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quote: As someone who's owned a flash MP3 player for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that having a screen is definitely useful and definitely an asset...

It depends what you want. That thing will hold about 20 albums at most. I don't even use the display on my discman. If you wanted a serious music storage device, a HD based player is what you need.

But the point of the thing is to fill it up with songs and just let it play. I think they'll sell a stack of them. It's tempting me to finally shell out for an mp3 player - I'm getting sick of my discman skipping on the bus out to Erindale.

	12-01-2005 06:30									#20
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who would buy the flash one if they already have an Ipod? you agathon?

	12-01-2005 06:30									#21
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quote: It's a white pack of Bubbalicious gum...

You're so pathetic that you have to plagiarize from Apple's own site.

	12-01-2005 06:33									#22
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quote: who would buy the flash one if they already have an Ipod? you agathon?

I don't have an ipod. I've been resisting the idea for a while as I don't want to spend 500 bucks on a music player that plays in a lossy format. I'd have to go through the hassle of getting a Firewire upgrade too. I'd need the 60 gig ipod to fit all my music on, and I would probably have plenty of music left over.

But $100-150 bucks for a discman replacement that will hold 10-20 albums worth of stuff sounds pretty good. Plus it's small.

	12-01-2005 06:39									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon OS X will run absolutely fine on that machine. I've used OS X on an emac with a slower processor and the same amount of RAM and it is fine for everyday use. If you wanted to do some heavy graphics, you might think of putting in 256MB of RAM - otherwise it's fine for normal use. And you get the latest edition of the iapps.

Depends on whether or not Apple is really trying to run with their 'media hub' concept...it would be fine for papers and internet use (until too many apps are open at once, but that's a user problem, if a common one) but I wouldn't want to play with any audio or video on it. I didn't see the actual announcement, just the writeups, so I don't know what target they're going after other than 'cheap'.

	12-01-2005 06:40									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon quote: It's a white pack of Bubbalicious gum... You're so pathetic that you have to plagiarize from Apple's own site.

Look at it -- they're identical in aspect ratio and shape...

	12-01-2005 06:48									#25
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Nice designs, even though I think Apple's old, colourful logo is way better than the current one.

	12-01-2005 06:50									#26
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Apple's may or may not be technically inferior, but their designs far surpass the competition.

	12-01-2005 06:55									#27
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quote: Depends on whether or not Apple is really trying to run with their 'media hub' concept...it would be fine for papers and internet use (until too many apps are open at once, but that's a user problem, if a common one) but I wouldn't want to play with any audio or video on it.

OK. This is a misconception. My machine is a lot more modest than that one, although it has 512MB of RAM. It runs OS X just fine. I can have every app open on my machine if I want with no performance problems - OS X is just like that. Try it sometime.

That machine will run the iapps and play video just fine. Apple makes the whole thing, and I have never come across a machine of theirs that didn't work perfectly performance wise with the OS and apps it shipped with.

Of course, you wouldn't want to run Final Cut Pro on it, but that's not what it's designed for.

quote: I didn't see the actual announcement, just the writeups, so I don't know what target they're going after other than 'cheap'.

Presumably, they've done some research on this. The #1 thing that people have complained about for years is that Apple doesn't have a cheaper computer. This is meant to appeal to Windows users who have an ipod and would like to try a mac, but don't want to shell out on a new monitor and peripherals. It's nice and small too. You could put it next to your tower and switch over without having to buy a new desk.

It's a pretty good deal. I'd like to see a Dell of equivalent size with equivalent software for around that price. The design is quite nice too - I always liked the Apple Cube.

quote: Look at it -- they're identical in aspect ratio and shape...

There's a reason for that. It's called convenience. Looking around Future Shop's website, the ipod shuffle seems a pretty good deal in comparison with what they're offering.

	12-01-2005 06:56									#28
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quote: Nice designs, even though I think Apple's old, colourful logo is way better than the current one.

The problem is that homosexuals have appropriated the rainbow - that doesn't play well in the red states.

	12-01-2005 07:04									#29
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Unless this person has Hendrix hands, this picture gives a better impression of the mini.

Attachment: hands.jpg
This has been downloaded 156 time(s).

	12-01-2005 07:06									#30
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It's so sexy I'd buy one just to look at.