Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 6th Oct 2005 22:12 UTC, submitted by Tyr.
Aopen confirmed that it will introduce a mini PC closely resembling the design of Apple's Mac mini (code-named Pandora) in time for this year's Christmas season. Apparently the device will sell in two versions for $399 (E327), with Linux, and $499 (E410) with Windows. No specs have been released yet.
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The problem with these small systems has always been the processor, heat and noise. The mini took advantage of the G4, and traded off performance for compactness. Before the new Intel chips, if you wanted to try to do the same thing and run Windows, you had a real problem. You could run one of the Via processors, but performance has always been poor. Look at the Lex: it is not even very quiet. Or you could move up to the Shuttle, in which case performance was way over the mini, assuming a reasonable configuration, but size was a lot bigger and noise was a bit higher. This is really about the new Intel chips, more than anything else.
I do believe there is a large market for a reasonably performant small fanless system, which runs Windows. The problem the Mini has in terms of sales is that it is a Mac. An equivalent Windows machine should do very well indeed.
As for the Apple quality issue. That's just the usual stupidity. The Mini is not particularly good quality anyway. Its made by one of the usual gang of Far Eastern suppliers. There is no reason why Aopen, or one of 10 other manufacturers, cannot match or exceed "Apple quality". If you doubt this, read, for starters, the material about which screens will and will not work with the Mini. Shuttle on the other hand, the better Shuttles are really outstanding. The Aopen box will be at least as good quality as the Mini.