Mac Mini: Out-of-the-Box
For those new to Apple products, the out-of-the box experience is a tradition in this, the second Jobsian Era. While most manufacturers outsource one’s buying experience to the ripping of cardboard and rending of styrofoam, Apple has determined that no element of the buying experience should be left ignored, from retail to packaging. Thus goes our review.
We purchased our first mini at the local Apple Store on the first day they were available. From the parking lot to the store, we passed six people carrying the Mac mini’s distinctive box. At the store, we found ourselves in line, craning to see if there were enough to go around. Behind the counter were stacks of iLife and iWork boxes, as well as a stack of Mac minis.
The line advanced quickly enough, but then we met with the Consumer of Doom; she asked detailed questions about printing digital pictures. (Ever stand in line for U2 floor seats, only to be thwarted by someone asking about arena football, clearly oblivious that they were about to be lynched? It was like that.) Having restrained our Fist of Death, we asked for a 1.42GHz mini and left scant seconds later. (We got their last Mac mini, it turned out.)
Buying the mini isn’t much like buying a computer. No tower of cardboard, just a small box with a handle. It’s so small that the boxes are displayed right there in the store, not stashed in a back storeroom. There were no offers of help to our car, no concerns of whether we should bring the car closer or whether it would fit in the trunk. If you know what you are doing and have already brought your own display, keyboard and mouse, it is the easiest computer purchase you’ll ever make.
As we walked back to the car, passers-by made a number of comments regarding our purchase. Clearly, people know about the mini.
The first observation is the back of the box: a getting-started fourfold panel directs the user to attach a USB mouse and keyboard as well as VGA or DVI monitor.
A utility knife dispatches the clear tape, and the box unfolds.
The first thing we face is a drop-in copy of iLife ‘05. iLife ‘04 is installed on the hard drive, so an upgrade installation is needed. (One imagines iLife ‘05 will come pre-installed in future manufacturing runs.)
Next is a box of DVDs and documentation for your system, with the “Designed by Apple in California” line prominently displayed. Inside are two DVDs: “Mac OS X Installation Disc 1 and Apple Hardware Test” and “Mac OS 9 Install Disc”. That Mac OS 9 disc might seem misplaced with Mac OS X “Tiger” looming on the horizon, but it’s still very necessary for K-12 institutions and long-time Mac families. Among the documentation is “Software License Agreement for Mac OS X—Single-User License”, “1 Year Limited Warranty”, “iLife ‘04 + Mac OS X 10.3 Software Coupon”, and—wonder of wonders, we find actual documentation—the “Mac mini User’s Guide” at a full 105 pages. This last item covers basic setup and troubleshooting information. If buying for Grandma, beware; this guide uses a very small font.
Removing the DVD/documentation box reveals the Mac mini itself. Surrounding the mini is approximately 1 inch of solid styrofoam packing; even the most barbaric shipping company should be able to deliver the unit unscathed. A clear layer of plastic protects the mini from cosmetic blemishes; it is easily peeled away.
Our first observation on the mini is the bottom of the unit—it is entirely made out of a rubbery non-skid material. This material is unique among Apple products, and a welcome change from tiny rubber feet. The mini is definitely small and light and feels quite solid. It feels remarkably sturdy, as though it could withstand a great deal of weight. (We resisted the urge to stand on it as a test.)
Below the mini is the external power adapter, power cable, and DVI to VGA adapter. The international-current power adapter is perhaps one-third the volume of the mini, and respectably heavy. The adapter connects to the mini using an unfamiliar connector; the pigtail to the wall uses the same, if unfortunately named, “Mickey Mouse” connector often seen on laptop computers. The two-cable adapter arrangement is common with Apple’s portables, and international markets should expect to only see a different wall cable, but the same power adapter.
All told, a very gratifying experience: ease of purchase, quality of packing, minimal amount of materials to dispose of at the end of the process, and a very attractive product.