I love the idea of it, and I love how tiny it is. Will probably get one when money isn’t so tight.
But I was curious if the power button was accessible without lifting it. And it genuinely isn’t. Why does Apple like shoving important IO and buttons underneath the device. Good thing it’s light?
Oh and a funny thing was the staff had to loosen its mount on the table so you could turn it on.
What is a “screenless laptop in a case” if not just a desktop computer…? And what is there to “enforce”, really?
It refers to the low power consumption of the chip, conventional wisdom is to shut down old, large or power hungry desktop computers because they generated a lot of heat and consumed a lot of power while idle.
Whereas if you think of the Mini more as a laptop in terms of the heat it generates and the power it uses, then it makes more sense why they think you don’t need to shut it off.
The enforcement is breaking bad habits that make your experience worse. There is no reason to wait for the computer to boot every time you need it, but people still do it because old habits die hard. But if they just stopped, they would enjoy and use the product more.
This is the “you’re holding it wrong” patronizing attitude all over again. I’m still extremely confused that it’s remotely controversial that tucking a power button at a place you can’t reach it on a piece of consumer electronics is stupid design. That you have to pull your computer from wherever it is to do something as basic as turn it on is stupid, no matter how you spin it.
I never said it couldn’t be interpreted as patronizing, but it’s also a fact. Apple absolutely thinks it knows better than their customers what they want, that’s the “courage” thing they were referring to in eliminating the headphone jack on the iPhone.
That’s what I mean by opinionated design. I’m not espousing it or defending it, I’m just explaining it. I would take issue with calling it “stupid” though, it’s actually very considered. Whether or not you agree with the reasoning or conclusion is your own business, but stupid implies a lack of consideration or an oversight. It’s definitely not that.
If after all that you still feel it’s stupid or patronizing, then this is not the product or company for you. Which is also totally OK. Not everything has to be for you.