Apple's not-so-fun products (and spinning power)

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Welcome to today's IT Blogwatch, in which Apple has "fun", the reality-distortion backlash begins, and the electrical outlets rotate...

So Jobs unveiled the "fun" products, after all the earlier speculation. Mathew Honan barely stifled a yawn to report the feeds and speeds, "The Mac mini became the latest Apple offering to make the transition to Intel-built processors today, as Apple announced two new versions of the slimmed-down desktop ... entry-level [has] 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo ... 512MB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive, and a Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive ... $599, a $100 increase over the [G4] Mac mini ... The other [has] 1.67GHz Core Duo processor ... 512MB ... 80GB ... 8x SuperDrive ... $799." [Try not to drool in the keyboard while you doze]

» Ars's Eric Bangeman fills in the blanks: "Apple took the wraps off a couple of new products. Are they as fun as Apple promised? ... The new mini also has integrated graphics via Intel's GMA950 graphics processor, which will be a turn-off for some ... In addition to the updated hardware, the Mac mini now includes Front Row. For the uninitiated, Front Row is Apple's 'Not a Media Center' media center ... The other products were focused around the iPod ... $99 leather cases ... 'iPod boombox.' Known as the iPod Hi-Fi ... Absent from the special event was any expansion of the iTunes Music Store in the form of movie downloads or rollout of any sort of DVR-like functionality. Apple seems content with the space it has carved out in the music and growing TV download market, leaving the DVRs and media centers to other hardware makers."

» Damien Barrett: "Apple's event today is being viewed by a lot of people as a major letdown ... Most of us that are being critical of Apple today are being critical of the products themselves. We're more disappointed in an ugly 'Hi-Fi' boombox that lacks many of the most basic features of a standard boombox than we are about Apple not releasing a tablet or new video iPod. We're disappointed that Apple, a company renowned for its innovative products, would release a product that's so...well...not innovative ... The Intel Mac minis are a little better, but we're not happy about the price increase. Apple wants to market the mini as both an entertainment center and an entry-level Mac, but is pricing it out of the accepted range for either market. Not to mention that it's lacking crucial features required by both markets ... And don't even get me started on the leather iPod case ... I'm just as much as an Mac fan as the next Apple-logo-wearing guy, but this is just ridiculous."

» Mike Evangelist: "The more I think about Apple’s announcements today the more I get this odd feeling ... Something is not right. Where’s the ‘fire’ that used to be obvious in every new Apple product? Attempting to make a big deal out of such trivial products and product changes is just plain weird. It makes me wonder if Mr Jobs has become disengaged lately, or shifted his focus too far towards making deals with content companies and artists. Or perhaps everyone on Infinite Loop is drained from the effort of switching over to Intel chips ... I expected the next generation to be something special. Instead we get a few modest improvements, a different chip that makes most of my applications run slower (unless I spend a bunch of money upgrading to new version; if and when they are available), and higher price. A higher price; I’m shocked ... Or maybe the reality distortion field generator is out of alignment, so it’s affecting the people inside Apple instead of outside ... What I’m rambling on about is the way (intentionally or not) Apple seems to be trying to make a mountain out of every little mole hill. Any other company would have announced incremental product changes like this by sending out a press release and adding them to their website. Seems rather ridiculous to have a highly publicized press event for them."

» Steve Borsch: "Maybe all of our collective expectations are WAY too high for Apple, but a new Mac mini, iPod hi-fi and leather cases? Not gonna change the world. Conjecture was a Mac mini-based TiVo-killer media center, iPhone, and a movie download service. Instead, we got an upgrade and a couple of accessories that made even the Apple fan-boys yawn ... there is virtually ZERO buzz in the blogosphere and it's been a couple of hours since Apple's special, invite-only event ended. The lack of conversation is a collective yawn."

» But Warner Crocker sums up your humble blogwatcher's thoughts: "Do you get the feeling that something didn't quite make it to the lineup?"

Buffer overflow:

And finally... A solution to wall-wart madness?

Richi Jennings is an independent technology and marketing consultant, specializing in email, blogging, Linux, and computer security. A 20 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. Contact Richi at blogwatch@richi.co.uk.