New Mac Mini, iPod Hi-Fi system cuts need for CD storage
Sun
Apple Computer Inc.’s new Hi-Fi speaker system for its iPod player was shown at an unveiling at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. Photograph by : Associated Press
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday introduced a speaker system for its iPod music players and a revamped Mac Mini computer that will let users access music, video and photos across their home networks.
The new Mac Mini includes Apple’s Front Row software, already found on the newest iMacs, so users can connect the computer to their televisions and control music, videos, or photos with a remote.
An added feature of the Front Row software will let users locate and share media content from other computers within a local wireless network. This means a user can play songs or stored TV shows that are pulled off a computer in another room in the house.
The new Mac Mini looks much like its previous incarnations but is the first to include Intel Corp. chips. Apple said the $599 US model that has a single-core chip operates up to three times faster than its predecessor. A higher-end, $799 model that has two computing engines in one processor runs about five times faster, Apple said.
With the $349 iPod Hi-Fi system, users can dock their portable players into the speakers and use a remote control to operate it from afar. That means there’s no longer a need for a cabinet full of CDs, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said in a presentation at company offices.
“It’s home stereo reinvented for the iPod age,” he said.
The iconic iPod player has fuelled Apple’s growth in recent years and led to a booming industry of accessories ranging from speakers to clothing, as well as an increasing number of cars that come equipped with iPod-ready stereo systems.
Apple’s new boom-box-like speaker system will compete with its accessory partners, but senior vice-president Phil Schiller said Apple will continue to support members of the “iPod economy.” He said there’s enough room in the market for a range of products.
“It’s all about the iPod lifestyle,” Schiller said in an interview.
Apple has become the pacesetter for digital media products, and its shares have more than doubled in the last year. Apple has sold more than 42 million iPods since its 2001 debut.
Shares of Apple fell $2.50, or 3.52 per cent, to close at $68.49 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The stock’s 52-week range is $33.11 to $86.40.
© The Vancouver Sun 2006
