February 28, 2006: Apple introduces an upgraded Mac mini, an affordable computer powered by an Intel processor.
A “headless” Mac for entry-level users, it’s the third Apple computer to switch to Intel chips. Oh, and it makes one heckuva media player when plugged into a television set.
Mac mini: A headless Mac
When the first-generation Mac mini shipped in 2005, it represented the first low-cost, consumer-level Mac desktop to ship without a display, keyboard or mouse since the iMac G3 signaled Apple’s return to dominance. (There was, of course, the beloved G4 Cube, which sadly sank without a trace beforehand — largely due to its high price point.)
With subsequent back-to-back hits courtesy of the iBook, iPod and iTunes Store, the time seemed right for Apple to lure Windows users interested in jumping to Mac. Especially those who didn’t necessarily want to shell out big bucks for the then-current iMac G5.
Read more at CultOfMac.com