As you have probably heard by now, Apple has released Intel Core Solo and Core Duo-based Mac minis, now making half of their product line Intel-based. Specifications:
* Includes Apple Remote and Front Row
* Reported to be 2.5 – 5.5 times faster than previous Mac minis
* 1.5GHz Core Solo or 1.66GHz Core Duo CPUs
* 667MHz Front Side Bus
* 512MB (Upgradeable to 2GB)
* Same form factor as previous Mac mini
* One FireWire 400, Four USB 2.0 ports
* Gigabit Ethernet, Built-in Airport Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0
* 60GB or 80GB Serial ATA harddrive
* CDRW/DVD or DVD Writer
* iLife ’06
It starts at $100 more than the PowerPC G4 based Mac mini (it now starts at $599), but if you’ve been holding off for this, it’s here. By all accounts, most current Mac genealogy software runs just fine under Core Duo iMacs and MacBook Pros – I’m unsure how well a Core Solo CPU would handle Rosetta.
If you don’t want to make the transition to Intel just yet, I’m sure that some PowerPC G4 Mac minis will be available through the Apple Store (As an example, they have 12-inch PowerPC G4 iBooks for $699).
The big event will be April 1st – Apple’s 30th Birthday.