Rumor: Mac mini turns Nano in late October

I think the only reason that apple will kill mini is to increase profits by introducing a slightly larger unit for $200-300 more. Just think about it. It is nicely priced compared to iMac. The guts are almost the same sans the screen but costs half the price. Apple can probably get away with a bigger mini (gives people room to add larger hard drive, 2 more memory slots) and an add on graphics card slot. In addition, Mac mini is preventing Apple TV from taking off since people with brains will opt for the mini instead of the crippled Apple TV (no HDTV capability, locked into videos from Apple).

You shouldn't believe -anything- you read on Macosrumors.com. It is written by a complete idiot that makes up as many hairbrained rumors in an attempt to maintain traffic so he can generate more impressions from his ad-laiden site.
(Notice how the page has a REFRESH on it in order to cycle more ads and up page impressions?)

This site was discredited years ago as one with zero insider insight or, for that matter, any inspired insight.

We have had a mini in the house for a year now. Great except for one need to reload everything due to bad blocks on the harddrive. Also, since we don't have commercial TV service (cable or satellite) our Apple TV has been a lifesaver. However, whether it is in the form of a Mac nano or TV, I want the following. Instead of just buying content from iTunes, I want rental. However, not in the standard Netflix. Let's say you pay 40-50 bucks a month, just like cable. However, instead of being locked into the TV schedule, I can search and download, just as if I had tivo'ed it, a past show. DRM would be the liberal Apple version.

I could see the Mac Mini/Nano and Apple TV sharing a chassis/form factor, but not being the same product. The Apple TV, which runs a min version of OS X and is incredibly lacking in RAM, is streamlined to do what it does, meaning that unnecessary overhead items like ports, RAM and software extensions are almost non-esistent. And then there's the price. To keep it at $299, they will have to maximize functionality on minimum hardware (like they basically do now).

The mini is a full blown computer,with all the ports, optical disk, expandable memory and a larger hard drive for good reason. Of course, an optical disk player would be ideal for those who want to ditch their DVD player or reduce boxes in their living room.

I actually dig the ATV the way it is. I just wish they would add some more functionality--like streaming radio, widgets, low overhead stuff that would just utilize the hardware that's there. A weather widget like the one on the phone would be awesome, or even a more intensive one, since the iPhon just gives you a basic "it's going to be sunny (or rainy) and here are the high and low temps." I'd like to see them put more development into the ATV and some more marketing behind it to get the volume up, which is what will fuel more buyers and therefore more development. It may not be as feature=laden as a Mac Mini used in the same capacity or a Windows Media Center, but it's simplicity and elegance makes it a pleasure to set up and use, without all that complicated crap Windows and other media center hardware offers. (not to mention the software, which is pretty slick).

MacOS rumors has told us that an ultraportible was about to debut for several years now. Now they say that they are finally about to be proven true. B.S. - that site is a joke. They also argured that the iBook name would live on just before the MacBooks debuted. They were absolutely cocky and dismissive of all the other sites - so sure that they had good sources. They have nothing. Its a shell of a site just barely held together by some tertiary acquaintances of the founder. They have been trying to keep traffic up long enough to sell the domain name but have been unable to generate any real interest since the name is so synonymous with bad predictions and less-than-timely commentary.

More on the Mac Nano and a "photo".

http://www.xyhd.tv/2007/10/industry-news/mac-nano-to-replace-the-mac-mini/

The size will be determened by the size of an optical drive not a hard drive, a har drive is not big at all, the mac nano - if that will be the name - will only loose about 20% of its size so optical drive not hard drive!

Hopefully this theoretical Mac Nano will be cheaper and reasonably priced for what it's meant for, unlike the Mac Mini.

can be used basically for tasks like watching a movie.

.r3 http://www.prankvideoz.com

Also @18 -- G4 Cube - life cycle: ONE YEAR. I can easily see them revamping the Mini and/or creating a Apple TV/Mini hybrid (which just makes more sense and a combo would probably sell better than either device has sold individually).

You can add me to the list of people who will buy whatever compact Mac is available after Leopard ships. I would love to replace my faux-Shuttle box (faux because I built it myself but used a Shuttle-esque case) with a Mac.