The Mac Mini is by far the smallest desktop computer from Apple. It's been said that it's being targetted at those interested in a low budget personal computer.

While news regarding the product has died down a bit, Steve Jobs has assured the public that it is still very much alive and will be released with a faster processor.

There are two models currently available at the Apple store, the 1.83 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo (US$ 599) and the 2 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo (US$ 799). The lower priced Mac is packaged with 1 GB of ram and an 80GB hard drive, while the higher end unit will also ship with 1GB of RAM and a significantly larger 120GB hard drive. All the units are not pre-packaged with a monitor, keyboard, or mouse but you can order these in addition to your system.

All in all, both packages look like very attractive alternatives to low cost systems. After looking over the specs, this blogger finds himself wishing that Steve Jobs would create a high-end system designed for gaming while retaining the form factor of the Mac Mini. That would just be sublime.

If you're one of the people who bought an iPhone, you probably know that you have one year of hardware repair coverage and up to two years of technical support. If you think that's not enough, then you can purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan which extends your repair coverage to two years.

You can avail of this anytime within the one-year limited warranty period and your eligibility for coverage under the AppleCare Protection Plan begins on the day you purchased the iPhone.

Before signing up, note that Apple is not authorized to sell the iPhone AppleCare Protection Plan to residents of Alabama, Connecticut, Nevada, or Wyoming. If you don't reside in any of these locations, then you may want to go over this short list of what you get from the plan:

Key Features:

• Extends hardware coverage to two years from the date of iPhone purchase.
• Covers iPhone, iPhone Bluetooth Headset, and all included accessories.
• Guarantees genuine Apple replacement parts.
• Permits transfer of the plan between owners.

Getting this additional protection will cost you US$ 69.99. However, that sounds like a good deal to protect your five or 600 dollar investment. If you're interested, click on our Read link to head to the Apple Store for more details.

nomad7674 over at flickr is reporting that the Apple store in Marlton, NJ, has now begun stocking up on the iPhone's Bluetooth Headset accessory. Needless to say, nomad7674 bought one unit (priced at US$ 129) and happily presented several pictures of the accessory's unboxing.

Going into details of the headset's features, nomad7674 states that the unit is small, but fits comfortably well in the user's ear. The box's kit includes a duo dock charger for simultaneously charging the iPhone and headset. The iPhone even displays both its own and the headset's battery gauge when both are plugged in.

There's also the advertised Travel cable. On a more interesting note, the headset also comes with a Magsafe connector, which magnetically attaches it to the charger dock and prevents it from falling off.

Lastly, the headset appears to be strictly for the phone functions. Activating iPod mode prompts the music to be heard through the phone's speakers. Check with your local Apple Store dealers if they already have stocks, or feel free to drop by nomad7674's flickr account for the headset's pictures. Link is provided at the Read link below.

Here's something you don't see everyday - a crashed iPhone on actual display in an Apple Store, for all the world to see. While we don't know what caused the crash or the events that led up to it, it's certainly something to note that a faulty product of a company that's built around being glitch and crash proof is presented so blatantly in public view.

It's a bit similar to that incident with Bill Gates demoing Windows 98, eh? Anyway, another thing to note - the camera used to photograph the crashed iPhone is also another iPhone that's docked next to it - and it's somewhat disconcerting that the text captured is almost unreadable.

Almost, as you can probably make out the letters by looking closer, but there's still some blurring. Of course, it may just be the photographer's hand being unsteady, as the details of the wall in the background is captured quite clearly.

Despite this rather awkward stumble, the iPhone's certainly enjoying the limelight, with almost all of its customers very happy with their little gadget of Apple joy. Let's just hope they work out all the kinks soon.

With the aftermath of iPhone's phenomenal success, Apple found its Apple Stores too crowded with curious onlookers to ogle the iPhone and the newer iPods. Apple's solution? Charge a US$ 5 entrance fee to gain access into Apple Stores.

Aside from the entrance fee, Apple also had Apple "Muscleheads" guarding the entrance. Apple's vice president of retail outlets, Vince Sciopano, explains the move:

Part of the move was to limit crowds to keep the stores safe, but also we wanted to keep the right kind of people in the stores. By 'right kind of people' I mean true Apple customers with money, willing to pay just to look at our newest wares.

Shades of elitism? Nevertheless, reaction in Canoga Park, California's Apple Store was quite positive. One customer, Alexander Hu, said, "I don't mind paying $5 to get into the store, if it keeps out the iPhone gawkers and Windows lusers who want to drool over the new Macs."

However, some customers criticized Apple's new store policy, saying that the move might make Apple look like "elite snobs".

Sciopano's reply to the criticism? "That's exactly the case."

  
  

Best Buy has begun sprucing up its Apple electronics section and has redesigned the Apple corner, now dubbing it the new Apple Shop. The cool Apple store redesign was done not only for aesthetic purposes but in an effort to boost sales. Morgan Stanley said that a full expansion to all Best Buy stores can produce about US$ 400 million more in Mac sales each year.

In the center of the computing section of a Best Buy store stands a two-foot thick black wall, with speakers and LCD display embedded in it. The black wall serves as the center of attraction for the whole set-up.

Some of Apple's offerings are laid out on the table in front of the LCD display to let people have a first-hand look at the products. iMacs and MacBook Pros are on display, with the Mac Mini conspicuously out of the action. Apple also did something to Best Buy's tired-looking tags by hiding them in black Apple plastic folder jackets which can be flipped to reveal the prices.

The Apple corner renovation is done in part in an effort to expand Apple's presence in Best Buy stores and widen its market base. They initially started with doing the renovations for 7 Best Buy stores, then eventually spread out to about 50 locations. Apple plans to expand the new Apple Shop corners to 200 Best Buy stores by fall this year.

Check out the rest of the photos by following the Via link.

 

To make buying an iPhone easier for the market, the Apple Store online has been updated with a product page of their latest world-dominating baby, the iPhone. It was released in retail just a few hours ago over at the east coast, and at that time, the online store went down for a bit to make way for the iPhone's online debut.

It's US$ 499 for the 4GB model, while the 8GB is clocked at 600 greenbacks. All relevant information relating to the mobile phone's features and AT&T rate plans are found behind the Read link below. You might also want to check out the Accessories tag of their product page - that's a snazzy looking Bluetooth headset. The Gallery section contains not just pictures, but even video walkthroughs that tour you through the iPhone's interface.

Shipping is free, but the downside is you'd have to wait around two to four weeks for it to arrive. Oh and don't forget to read the fine print: "iPhone orders limited to two per customer." Makes sense to echo the rule they've set up in their actual brick-and-mortar stores. Besides, stocks are limited.

Doesn't that Read link just tease you? Must... Resist... Urge..

 

A Gizmodo tipster was able to take a snapshot of what was curtained off in a section of New York City's Apple store. The layman wouldn't know what to make of the image so the tipster was nice enough to offer some insights. He writes:

Thanks to my cat like reflexes, I was able to snap a picture before the enigma that is the Apple store was shrouded in black velvet again. There's actually 2 curtained off areas, you guys only mentioned one before, this all happened at the one you guys didn't take a picture of before. Not to ruin any of the fun of guessing, but my genius told me they were just adding more genius bars, and thats what it looks like.

We hope you were able to decipher what the message was through the self-promotion. In any case, what do you think about the image? Post your insights below.

Earlier this week, it was announced by Apple that YouTube videos will be available on Apple TV after a software update that should be available this June. Of course, this mention of YouTube has lead to a surge of interest, so here's more on the software update.

Speaking to iLounge, Apple Vice President of Worldwide Mac Hardware Marketing David Moody said that YouTube will soon be encoding videos in the H.264 format that is preferred by Apple TV.

Moody also adds that because of YouTube's new encoding, all new videos submitted to YouTube after the Apple TV update arrives.

It was said that from the update's launch until Fall, YouTube will be encoding all of their videos into H.264 format until all of them are available on Apple TV.

Moody notes that at the moment they view Apple TV to be much like the iPod in it's early days. The company is supposedly still identifying the strengths of the product and they're still trying to add features that users will enjoy.

This adoption of YouTube is an move to capitalize on Apple TV's two strengths which is being connected to the internet, and having an extendable, upgradable, software platform.

In related news, Moody also revealed that the 160GB Apple TV can soon be acquired by users in retail Apple Store locations. No specific date yet, but pricing is said to be at US$ 399.

A recent article on online site Mac Life discussed the everyday life of an Apple Genius - the guy manning the Genius Bar in every Apple Store. Don't get your hopes up too much though, they're not out to create a cure for cancer or bring world peace.

These tech-support guys aren't your factory-trained, straight-off-the-assembly-line kind of people. They have to pass an initial screening and go through a two week Apple certification course training for OS, Desktop, and Portable not to mention to re-certify every year.

In addition to technical knowledge, they are also given lessons on how to deal with customers, something other established companies need to invest in. While the training is all hush-hush, two geniuses gave the low-down on their experiences as Geniuses.

There are stories about weird customers and the tips they give on how to maintain electronics better. They even discussed one of the common problems that most gadget users are guilty of: rough handling.

Not all these guys may be Mensa members or possess really high IQs that modern science would brand them as geniuses. The way they have been trained and the professionalism they bring to their posts, though, is nothing short of, well, genius.

If you want to read more about how it is to be an Apple Genius, click on our Read link to take you the full article.