AOpen has issued a press release regarding their Apple Mac mini knock-off:
AOpen, a member company of the world’s leading IT products supplier Acer Group, drops one of its blockbusters – Mini PC — at Computex Taipei 2005.
Mini PC, a revolutionary IT products developed in cooperation with Intel Corp., proclaims the advent of the “miniaturized personal computing age”, according to Bernie Tsai, president of AOpen Inc.
“The launch of the unique Mini PC testifies the strong R&D capability of AOpen and demonstrates that the product development expertise of our company takes the leading position in the world,” Tsai elaborates.
“Because AOpen’s R&D strength has been recognized by Intel, AOpen was pin-pointed by Intel as a partner in the development of Mini PC,” Tsai explains.
“Measuring 15 cm by 15 cm by 5 cm, Mini PC is not only the world’s smallest Intel PC platform, but also smaller than a similar model on the market,” says Vincent Cho, VP and GM of Solution Products Business Unit. “What is more important, billions of Win-tel users in the world no longer have to tolerate the hassle of switching operating systems just to take advantage of the miniaturized and stylish personal computing devices,” he continues.
“The significance is that Mini PC provides an ideal solution to Windows users aspiring miniaturized personal computing devices,” Cho adds.
AOpen’s Mini PC is powered by Intel Pentium M processors with built-in DVD-RW and 2.5-inch hard drive. Its power is the equivalent to that of a desktop PC, and meets the computing needs of most PC users.
The product is built with mini-PCI 804.11 a/b/g wireless communication module and Bluetooth support. It can also transfer data wirelessly to and from personal computing and communication devices such as PDA and smart phone.
The Mini PC also provides DVI, S-Video, and YPbPr connectors so that it can be connected to HDTV, plasma display monitor, large screen display panels, and high definition audio products. A user can turn the Mini PC into the control hub of a digital home entertainment center.
“AOpen’s R&D expertise has progressed from desktop platforms to small form factor platforms. Now AOpen takes a giant leap forward to develop consumer and ultra small form factor platforms,” says Tony Yang, marketing director of AOpen. “The development of Mini PC proves that the product strategy of AOpen goes in the right direction and AOpen has the capability to develop completely new platforms.”
Excerpts from press reports of Mini PC:
Intel Preparing Release of Mac mini Look Alike
by Staff, 3:15 AM EDT, May 31st, 2005
Intel is expected to release a prototype PC this week which looks similar to the Apple Mac mini, a published reported said over the Memorial weekend. A Mac mini look-alike is set to be unveiled at a trade show this week.
According to Wired, the Mac-mini wannabe uses Intel’s Pentium M CPU and is built by Taiwanese PC manufacturer AOpen – affiliated to Acer – at Intel’s request.
A prototype is currently being shown at the Computex trade show. The show runs until June 4.
Apple need not fear. Analysts don’t expect much consumer demand for the “clone”, writes Wired.
Fear not
IDC analyst Roger Kay said: “I don’t think the two – Mac mini and whatever Intel puts out – are really in the same market; that is, of course, unless Apple starts running OS X on x86 hardware.”
Kay does not expect Intel to benefit from the success of the Mac mini – said to be selling at the rate of 40,000 a month. “The Pentium M and Windows XP are pretty expensive components. It would be hard to hit the Mac mini’s $499 price point with that combo,” wrote IDC’s Kay.
To suggest that the Mac mini should have a competitor in the Wintel market could be seen as ironic, considering that the Mac mini was designed to compete in exactly that market.
Intel first showed its tiny Concept Entertainment PC three months ago. At the time it said that it was “just a concept” and it is unlikely it would build such a device.
About AOpen
AOpen is a member company of the world’s leading IT products supplier Acer Group which has other frontrunning affiliates like Acer Inc., Wistron, BenQ, and AU Optronics. AOpen ranks as one of the top computer solutions and components suppliers in the world, offering micro barebone systems, notebook PCs, PC motherboards, imaging products, VGA/multimedia cards, keyboards, mice, optical storage devices, monitors, and a full range of computer components. With strong R&D and manufacturing experience, AOpen is aggressively expanding its market worldwide, offering local services, and providing 3C parts and components solutions for small, medium, and large businesses.
Press release link here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Intel’s prototype AOpen ‘Pandora’ ripoff of Apple’s Mac mini photos posted online – May 31, 2005
AOpen Mac mini look-alike unveiled; based on Intel Pentium M, runs Windows – May 30, 2005
Gentlemen….start your lawyers…
If I wanted a turd, I’d lay one myself, not buy this AOpen piece.
Is this some sort of joke???
1st post (fingers crossed mind ya)
D’OH!
I love how they keep using terms like “revolutionary” and “leading.”
Last time I checked, those terms were reserved for people/companies that do something before anyone else.
What’s 804.11 a/b/g ?
This thing is going to cost considerably more than a Mac mini.
Depending on ram and hd size, this thing actually competes with a $700-$750 mac mini. If they sell this thing cheap enough, it will go like hotcakes. There is a huge market for unobtrusive computers that would fit into a home entertainment cabinet. AND, they might just advertise it.
Of course AOpen is doing nothing more than trying to overshadow Apple’s unique identity in the computer market with a knockoff, similar to that iPod Shuffle knockoff we saw recently.
Sorry, but this deserves a fisking…big time.
AOpen, a member company of the world’s leading IT products supplier Acer Group, drops one of its blockbusters – Mini PC — at Computex Taipei 2005.
We can only hope they dropped it. Seriously, do people think this form factor is a bombshell? Apple introduced the Mac Mini back in January, so please pardon us if we don’t gasp. We’ve seen Small. Now show us Small, Secure, Easy to use, and Stable. Then, maybe then, we’ll gasp.
Mini PC, a revolutionary IT products developed in cooperation with Intel Corp., proclaims the advent of the “miniaturized personal computing age”, according to Bernie Tsai, president of AOpen Inc.
They proclaim this the “advent of the ‘miniaturized personal computing age”??? I remember this term being thrown around back in 1983 when I bought my Commodore Vic=20. And to even have the gall to call this a “revolutionary product” is amazing. Apple leads (and revolutionizes), Intel (and their ilk) follow (and copy).
“The launch of the unique Mini PC (to be contradicted in two paragraphs) testifies the strong R&D capability of AOpen (and their ability to copy previous existing competitor designs) and demonstrates that the product development expertise of our company takes the leading position in the world,” Tsai elaborates.
“This is our own original design and idea. Nope…no one else beat us to this. We did it first….sorta. Seriously!”
Just because you can rip off another company’s ideas and designs, does not mean that you should. Remember the eMachines iMac lookalikes? I hear “lawsuit” whispered from the rafters with this one.
“Because AOpen’s R&D strength has been recognized by Intel, AOpen was pin-pointed by Intel as a partner in the development of Mini PC,” Tsai explains.
“We copied faster than those dorks at Dell. HAH! Take that Michael!”
“Measuring 15 cm by 15 cm by 5 cm, Mini PC is not only the world’s smallest Intel PC platform, but also smaller than a similar model on the market,” (we HAVE contradiction!) says Vincent Cho, VP and GM of Solution Products Business Unit. “What is more important, billions of Win-tel users in the world no longer have to tolerate the hassle of switching operating systems just to take advantage of the miniaturized and stylish personal computing devices,” he continues.
“Far be it from the billions of Win-tel users to switch due to lousy security, spyware and adware issues, and just all around crappy user experience. Nope, we know Windows users don’t care about that stuff, they just want SMALL STUFF cuz it’s cool!!!! “
“The significance is that Mini PC provides an ideal solution to Windows users aspiring miniaturized personal computing devices,” Cho adds.
“We guarantee you that your computer will be small. We do not guarantee you that your computing experience will be better. Pay no attention to the Spyware, Adware, viruses, patches, or crashes. Look at this case!!!! It’s SMALL! Isn’t it SMALL!? We know you like small stuff. It’s like Super Deformed PCs. Think Dragonball meets Intel.”
AOpen’s Mini PC is powered by Intel Pentium M processors with built-in DVD-RW and 2.5-inch hard drive. Its power is the equivalent to that of a desktop PC, and meets the computing needs of most PC users.
“Because most PC users like SMALL. Hey, it’s just as powerful as a desktop PC…but it’s SMALL.”
The product is built with mini-PCI 804.11 a/b/g wireless communication module and Bluetooth support. It can also transfer data wirelessly to and from personal computing and communication devices such as PDA and smart phone.
“We came up with this stuff all by ourselves. Seriously, what more could you want than a PC as SMALL as ours that does this stuff?”
The Mini PC also provides DVI, S-Video, and YPbPr connectors so that it can be connected to HDTV, plasma display monitor, large screen display panels, and high definition audio products. A user can turn the Mini PC into the control hub of a digital home entertainment center.
“Unlike a product that looks similar that we did NOT rip off. Did we mention it’s SMALL?”
“AOpen’s R&D expertise has progressed from desktop platforms to small form factor platforms. Now AOpen takes a giant leap forward to develop consumer and ultra small form factor platforms,” says Tony Yang, marketing director of AOpen. “The development of Mini PC proves that the product strategy of AOpen goes in the right direction and AOpen has the capability to develop completely new platforms.”
“We saw the Mac Mini and just about wet ourselves. When we saw other people going GaGa over it, we just knew we had to make one ourselves. So we worked as fast as we could to make one just like the Mac Mini, to make some bucks too.”
“Did we mention it’s really small?”
Ironically enough, the MW for this is “court”. Go Figure.
Doesnt ANYONE in the PC business have an original idea of their own?
I mean really.
there totally lying Apple get your lawyers out there an sue!
It’s not the same. It has a button in front.
“No, no, said AOpen, dismissing comments that the Mini PC was a Mac Mini rip-off, of course we’re not competing with Apple – it’s competing with us.”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/02/mini_vs_mini/
off topic: err … what is the input formatting in these MDN comments? HTML? BBCode? I couldn’t find a detail page on that. Thanks.
According to the Wired article mentioned in the press release:
“Several small companies already offer Windows PCs that are similar in size to the Mac mini, but these are relatively expensive, niche products, hardly flying off store shelves at the Mac mini’s estimated rate of around 40,000 a month. The cheapest of them sell for around $600, but a system comparable to the Mac mini would cost closer to $900. Appearances matter too, of course. While the Mac mini attracts adjectives like “sleek,” “cool” and “sexy,” its current lineup of Windows-based competitors could most politely be described as “compact.””
still rather have a G5 than either of these
How can these people sleep at night?
This reminds of hearing Vanilla Ice describe how his IceIceBaby beat was different than the original Queen “Under Pressure” tune.
….No, no, mine is original…it’s… “da da da dadada du” not “da da da dadadA du”
This pc would be perfect for a MAME box to put inside a video game cocktail cabinet machine. The Mac mini would be perfect if the software worked on it. I am speaking specificaly Daphne for the laser dics emulation games, like CliffHanger, and SpaceAce.
The big question is the price… The Mac Mini is $499, but I’ll bet this thing will be at least $699.
Who wants PCs? They cost so much more than Macs…
MDN—I am so happy you printed this release. Geez, what hyperbole! They ought to fire whoever wrote that release; it’s laughable. It would be EVEN FUNNIER if it wasn’t so sad.
Have a great weekend all! WWDC next week. Maybe Steve will “drop” one of his “blockbusters” on us.
Obviously, in Taipei, R&D means “Ripoff & Duplicate”.
I have a feeling that Apple is not going to sue AOpen. Can’t say why. It’s just a gut feeling.
Maybe it’s because Steve Jobs didn’t seem that enthused about it. His intro of the Mac mini appeared somewhat less than “insanely great.” Not to take away anything from the iPod Shuffle, but really,all things considered, the mini should have been his “and one more thing” announcement for MacWorld.
I also suspect that had Apple been advertising the Mac mini (particularly on television) AOpen would not have been so quick to produce this device. You’ll probably start seeing this thing being promoted all over
It may sound heretical, but most everyday people aren’t even aware the Mac mini exists. In that vacuum, AOpen probably figured they’d go for it.
Somebody please tell me we are going to sue these guys. Come on, it’s not like that isn’t a blantent ripoff of the Mac. Surely Apple has the design pattented, so can we please just sue them and get it over with. I espically love that their product is the “revolutionary” one, not ours. Give me a break!! If PC users buy that peice of junk instead of a Mac mini then they are obviously too stupid to own a Mac anyway! We better win this lawsuit!!!
Now this is the type of thing I will end up putting in my living room some day.
From A-open.
http://club.aopen.com.tw/news/News_ShowAnswer.aspx?RecNo=8383