Well, the Steve killed another of my predictions last night. I was expecting the next Intel-based Mac to be the iBook. It looked like this: Who the hell is going to buy one of the Power Macs, which will stick with the IBM G5 probably until late fall, when a desktop computer with more ass is available for about a third of the price? So, you stick with the mobile branch, starting with the Powerbooks, then the iBooks. The you upgrade the desktop offerings, starting with Power Macs, then the iMacs, and, last but not least, the Mini. I was exactly wrong about pretty much everything.

This upgrade is a bit puzzling, marketing-wise. Power Macs have expandability, but the Intel-based Mac Mini is breathing down their necks, processor-wise. And they’re adorable, quiet little boxes. I mean, just look at it:

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It’s a fine desktop computer, as long as you’re not planning on running Quake 4 on it.

I’d love to replace my aging Windows desktop. About the only things holding me back at this point are abject poverty and the lack of a German version of Quickbooks for the Macintosh.