Category: Mac mini

New iMac, MacBook, Mac Mini and Magic Mouse Teardowns

iFixit has posted complete galleries of tearsdowns for all the Apple products released earlier this week.

As with most teardowns, iFixit has discovered some key points about the products released this week.

27-inch iMac

  • 27-inch iMac must be fully powered on to make use of the video in feature
  • CPU and GPU situated on opposite sides of the machine, both with large heatsinks
  • AirPort antenna is routed towards the large plastic Apple logo on the back, giving better signal strength
  • Power supply is 310 watts, the largest used in any iMac ever

MacBook

  • Battery offers 9% more capacity than previous generation 60wh vs 55wh but Apple claims a battery life of 7 hours versus the previous 5.
  • Hard drive is no longer easy to replace, but can still be done.
  • Bluetooth antenna is routed through the display housing.

Magic Mouse

  • Touch area is from the Apple logo forward.
  • Top of mouse is translucent.
  • Uses the Broadcom BCM2042 “Advanced Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Bluetooth Chip.”

Mac mini

MacminiColo offers several side by side shots of the new Mac mini and Mac mini server introduced on Tuesday.

Summary of Apple’s October 20 Announcements

Apple today released and updated multiple products, often when this happens certain important details or announcements slip under the radar. In this post those details will be made clearer and more concise.

Magic Mouse

  • Only available in wireless, Apple suggests that one set of batteries will last 4 months.
  • Only two “virtual buttons” no third and fourth button.
  • No Exposé or Spaces functions.
  • When scrolling pages have momentum much like scrolling on iPhone.
  • Shipping end of October.


iMac

  • Engadget has posted a hands-on review with video.
  • iMac now supports up to 16GB of RAM due to double the number of slots.
  • Audio is massively improved, Gizmodo describes a “noticeable difference” over the previous iMac.
  • The inclusion of quad-core i5 and i7 processors in the 27-inch iMac represents Apple’s first foray into desktop class processors in the iMac line. Historically Apple has used mobile processors.
  • 27-inch iMac supports video in via DisplayPort adapters, effectively making the iMac a 27-inch display to external sources.

MacBook

  • Engadget hands on, claims the new MacBook feels more solid that its predecessor.
  • New MacBook loses any form of FireWire, also utilises a Mini-DisplayPort in play of Mini-DVI. New MacBook includes a combined in/out port.
  • Has a MacBook Air style magsafe connector.

Apple Updates Mac Mini, Offers Mac OS X Server Version

Apple today quietly updated the Mac mini calling it the worlds most energy efficient desktop computer. The new Mac mini starts at $599 (£499) and features a faster 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, a 160GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a SuperDrive.

The $799 (£649) Mac mini model features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory and a larger 320GB hard drive.

Apple is now also offering a $999 (£799) Mac mini pecially configured with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server. Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server features two 500GB hard drives for a total of 1TB of server storage in the tiny 6.5-inch square by 2-inch tall Mac mini enclosure.

Apple Predicted to Unleash New Mac Mini, iMac, Time Capsules and AirPort

AppleInsider points towards a post on its own forums from a source who has historically offered accurate information prior to product launches. The information comes hot on the heels of rumours about iMac and Mac mini updates today.

The source claims that three models of Mac mini will be introduced, one with no optical drive, a 21.5-inch iMac featuring a 16:9 ratio widescreen display and updated Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme base stations.

MC207LL/A – K84 BEST BTR- USA
MC238LL/A – MAC MINI 2.26/2×1GB/160/SD/AP/BT-USA
MC239LL/A- MAC MINI 2.53/2×2GB/320GB/SD/AP/BT-USA
MC340LL/A – AIRPORT EXTREME (SIM DUALBAND) – USA
MC343LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 1TB (SIM DUALBAND) -USA
MC344LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 2TB (SIM DUALBAND) – USA
MC408LL/A – MAC MINI 2.53/2×2GB/1TB/NO ODD/AP-BT-USA
MC413LL/A – IMAC 21.5″/3.06/2×2GB/1TB/4670-256MB-USA
MC434LL/A – APPLE VESA MOUNT ADAPTER
MC461LL/A – MACBOOK 60W MAGSAFE POWER ADAPTER – USA

Engadget also points towards a filing with the U.S. Federal Communications commission which has revealed documents that could suggest updated AirPort base stations.

Apple Readying Flurry of Updated Products Today

Following months of rumours surrounding new iMac and MacBook computers, today brings new rumours that point towards the release of updated computers and potentially new peripherals today.

John Gruber of Daring Fireball has briefly mentioned in a post that today will see the release of:

  • Redesigned polycarbonate MacBooks
  • “Impressive” new iMacs
  • Updated Mac minis with one model shipping with Mac OS X Snow Leopard server
  • Multi-touch Magic Mouse
  • “Multi-touch trackpad gadget”

Additionally HardMac reports that a distributor of consumer electronics has confirmed the existence of two new product references in its database.

Despite being open to interpretation HardMac speculates that this could be new iMac and Mac mini models appearing in the system.

Online Adverts Point Towards iMac, MacBook, Mac Mini Refresh

AppleInsider over the weekend published a collection of screenshots showing Google ads which advertise products not currently available; a sign that Apple’s rumoured refresh of the iMac, Mac mini and MacBook could be imminent.

The ads which were spotted mainly in European countries read as follows:

“Apple’s Nieuwste MacBook®”
“store.apple.com/nl/macbook Dunner, lichter en krachtiger! Gratis bezorging. Bestel vandal.”

“Apple Store: New iMac”
“store.apple.com/nl-store Ultradunne 20 & 24 inch modellen. Vanaf slechts €1099. Apple Store”

“Apple’s Nieuwe Mac mini”
store.apple.com/nl-store Sneller en betaalbaarder dan ooit. Vanaf slechts €499. Bestel meeten.”

Translated to:

“Apple’s Newest MacBook”
“store.apple.com/nl/macbook Thinner, lighter and stronger! Free delivery. Order today.”

“Apple Store: New iMac”
“store.apple.com/nl-store Ultra thin 20 & 24 inch models. From only € 1099. Apple Store”

“Apple’s new Mac mini”
store.apple.com/nl-store faster and more affordable than ever. From only € 499. Buy assay.”

AppleInsider points out that currently the cheapest Mac mini available is €599 as opposed to the advertised €499.

Mac Mini and iMac Shortages Suggest Refresh

Over the last few days shipping times for Mac mini desktop computers on the Apple U.S. and Canadian online stores have slipped from the usual “Within 24 hours” to “1-3 business days” suggesting a shortage of Mac minis and a potential refresh in the near future.

TUAW also notes that the iMac which has been rumoured to be imminent for a refresh is far below normal stock levels at one Apple retail store.

Rumours over the last few weeks have pointed towards a refresh of the iMac and MacBook, the Mac mini was conspicuously missing from these reports.

Apple Prepping Cheaper Macs

AppleInsider reports that Apple is planning to introduce cheaper Macs, possibly as soon as this coming spring. According to AppleInsider the move comes as consumers switch to budget computers such as netbooks.

Details no where exactly the cheaper Macs will appear are not known but AppleInsider notes that Apple could reduce the price of the MacBook in the near future as part of revisions across the line.

While exact pricing is unclear or still undetermined at this time, the Mac maker earlier this month quietly flaunted its capacity to deliver a premium system at near recession pricing when it began offering educational institutions a 2GHz, 20-inch aluminum iMac for $899. Even when priced at a $100 to $150 markup for the consumer markets — as Apple is more than likely eager to preserve its margins — such an offering would make a material dent in the entry-level cost of owner or switching to a Mac.

Apple Updates Mac Mini and iMac

From Apple’s press release

Apple today announced updates to its iMac and Mac mini desktop lines, including a 24-inch iMac that is priced more affordably than ever before and a Mac mini with powerful new integrated graphics. For the same $1,499 price as the previous generation 20-inch iMac, the new 24-inch iMac delivers a 30 percent larger display, twice the memory and twice the storage. Delivering up to five times better graphics performance, the updated Mac mini now features the same groundbreaking NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics introduced with the aluminum unibody MacBook family. The Mac mini is the world’s most energy efficient desktop, drawing less than 13 watts of power when idle. All iMac and Mac mini systems come with Mac OS X Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife ‘09, Apple’s unparalleled suite of consumer applications for managing and organizing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music.
iMac
“Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it’s also the world’s most energy efficient desktop computer.”

The elegant, full-featured iMac line starts with the 20-inch iMac for only $1,199 with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 320GB Serial ATA hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics. The 24-inch iMac features a beautiful 1920-by-1200 pixel widescreen display that offers 30 percent more screen real estate than the 20-inch model, and starts at just $1,499. The 24-inch iMac includes up to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 640GB or 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, and a variety of graphics technology from NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics for ultimate performance.

Every iMac features a glossy display with a built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers in a thin aluminum and glass design. The new iMac also includes a Mini DisplayPort connector for a pure digital signal to Apple’s new 24-inch LED Cinema Display with adapters available for DisplayPort, VGA, DVI and Dual-Link DVI displays. iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme(R) 802.11n Wi-Fi networking; Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; a total of six USB 2.0 ports (including two on the Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire 800 port.

Starting at $599, the Mac mini is an innovative, tiny desktop measuring only 6.5 by 6.5 by 2-inches. Available in two models, Mac mini features a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, up to 320GB Serial ATA hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800 and a SuperDrive. The Mac mini features NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for up to five times better graphics performance than before and now with dual display support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini DisplayPort or DVI connections. Using less than 13 watts of power at idle, up to 10 times less power than a typical desktop PC, the new Mac mini is the most energy efficient desktop in the world.

The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

  • 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
  • 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
  • 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
  • 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • built-in iSight video camera;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • four USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
  • the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

  • 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
  • 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
  • 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • built-in iSight video camera;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • four USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
  • the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 2.93 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

  • 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
  • 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 120; with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM memory;
  • 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • built-in iSight video camera;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • four USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
  • the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $2,199 (US), includes:

  • 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
  • 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 130; with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
  • 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • built-in iSight video camera;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • four USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
  • the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 2.0 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $599 (US), includes:

  • 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
  • 1GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
  • 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
  • five USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port; and
  • one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both
    optical digital and analog.

The new 2.0 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US), includes:

  • 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
  • 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
  • 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
  • a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
  • Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold separately);
  • built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
  • five USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port; and
  • one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both
    optical digital and analog.

Apple Store Goes Down, iMacs, Mac Minis, Mac Pros and More Expected

As online Apple Stores around the world begin displaying the familiar “We’ll be back soon” message, it looks increasingly likely that Apple will introduce minor updates to the iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro as well as updating the Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme.

As detailed by Mac Rumors part numbers and specs were posted to their forum which correspond with last minute rumours that began circulating yesterday.

The iMac will now be available in one 20-inch model and three 24-inch models, processor speeds are on par with the current line-up but memory and hard drive has been doubled in most cases.

MB417LL/A – IMAC 20″ 2.66/2GB/320GB/SD/MSE/KB-USA
MB418LL/A – IMAC 24″ 2.66/4GB/640/SD/MSE/KB-USA
MB419LL/A – IMAC 24″ 2.93/4GB/640/256/SD/MSE/KB-USA
MB420LL/A – IMAC 24″ 3.06/4GB/1TB/512/SD/MSE/KB-USA

Two Mac mini models will now be available with Mac Rumors speculating that the low-end model will be at a new price point of $499 down from $599.

MB463LL/A – MAC MINI 2.0/1X1G/120/SD/AP/BT-USA
MB464LL/A – MAC MINI 2.0/2X1G/320/SD/AP/BT-USA

Although not originally thought to be updated today the Mac Pro appears to also be receiving a minor update. Of particular note is the adoption of the new ATI Radeon HD 4870 graphics card. The specs for the two Mac Pro models are as follows:

MAC PRO 2.26_8CX/6X1G/640/GT120/SD-USA
MAC PRO 2.66QCX/3X1GB/640/GT120/SD-USA

As detailed yesterday, the release of the FCC filings suggest an imminent update to the AirPort Extreme base station and Time Capsule.