500 quid for the new Mac Mini?

What planet are Apple on? I have a Mac and have had one in one form or another since 2000 but in what universe do they think we're going to stump up half a grand for a average-spec Mac Mini in these times?

It is a mystery why Apple set those price points - for the whole range. Would be a nice enough minor refresh but for the cost. I've had the things since the IIe in the '80's, I'm not going to upgrade my main machine I'm going Hackintosh. Thanks for the ride Apple.

Exchange rates can't help.

But it is greener than the last one...

Top of the range Mac Pro with stock fittings has seen a massive increase, yesterday's price £3,009 and today£4,579

The shareholders insisted that they have an entry-level machine, subsequently the Mac Mini was born. Regardless its still a heavy price but people are buying so who are they to complain. The thing is once you buy your first Apple its fairly unlikely that you will go back to using a PC - so essentially they have you by the short and curlys.

people are buying

Are they still? I'd be surprised if the sales figures aren't halved by a combination of the recession and Apples non-aggressive pricing.

I'm going Hackintosh

Have you seen EFi-X?

Wasn't the previous gen min about £470? for 1gig ram. They got very long in the tooth and were probably always high priced for what they were, but people bought them

they are still buying. apple had their biggest quarter profits ever recently.