This is ridiclous
Just be thankful they didn’t put the power cord there like they did with the mouse.
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So many people referring to using the button to turn the computer off, but more than 95% of the time, you use the OS to turn a computer off. It’s only when there’s a malfunction you would need to turn it off with a hardware button.
This button is primarily for turning the computer on.
Sure but you still need to turn it on though?
This button is primarily for turning the computer on.
Sure but you still need to turn it on though?
?
I’m trying to say that it’s still a useful button to have in an accessible spot because, exactly as you said, it is still used to turn it on.
Not even 0.5% of the time you’re interacting with the computer would you even think about the power button. Maybe in the first week because “lawl it’s on the bottom, Apple so stoopid.” Then you’d just get used to poking under the bottom of the computer and it turns on.
IMO this is infinitely better than on the back like the old Mac mini. My mini is behind my headphone amp, and under a monitor so any time I need to hit the power button it’s a LONG awkward reach.
That’s assuming there’s sufficient space. Even then if you look at the picture, you can see that the power button is on the bottom of the back side of the device. This makes it even harder to reach than if it were simply on the back since you’d need to contort your finger on top of a long awkward reach.
A short press of the power button shuts down almost any computer in existence, why would you use the OS?
It’s still the OS doing it, it’s just reacting to the power button press like any other input device.
You are unbelievably pedantic.
I was going to downvote you when I realized
Yeah, that isn’t a important distinction in a discussion about power button locations
He really is pedantic
Not if you hold the power button. Yeah if you single press a power button, the os can divert that, but long press, the SMC will cut power. Similarly how, pressing and holding the power and the volume down button on a phone, cuts power, even if the OS is hard frozen. Sometimes you just need an emergency exit.
True but that’s extremely rare for people to do.
True but if you can’t do it, you are pretty screwed.
Someone who isn’t a pedant would interpret “using the OS” as going through the start menu, or equivalent.
You raise a good point
Honestly for me it’s muscle memory from the Windows 95 days of “it is now safe to turn off your computer” but I also don’t trust the OS to correctly interpret the ACPI signal sent by the power button 100% of the time. Obviously I’m not an average user, but I could see where an average user might consistently single press the power button to turn off a computer
I turn off my computer everyday maybe I’m one of those crazy ones. I think they did that so people would be discouraged to turn it off. They want the users to use their new AI feature. My other thinking is marketing if people talk about your product that’s probably a good thing.
Can’t listen in if the computer is turned off!
Well like a lover you must reach behind and underneath to turn them on!
…I seriously do not like Apples design language that basically requires me to fondle unseeable parts of the computer to find the power button. Too much risk of spiders back there!
Too much risk of spiders back there!
Found the Australian.
I assume there will be a power button on the keyboard or mouse. This is just sort of a backup.
You assume everyone uses Apple keyboards
I don’t, but apple does. This is why the touch ID is in the keyboard. To be fair it does come as a unit if you buy the mac new.
Please don’t ever turn your computer off, it makes it really hard to spy on you. Thanks -Apple
Apparently there is a button on the keyboard, so you get to buy an Apple keyboard (I guess that is bundled?) and don’t get to use your own keyboard with it.
Doesn’t look like it, or at least, they’ve not included one before (you just got a power cord), so it’s doubtful they would start including one now. Either that, or they’re about to release a power-button/TouchID dongle specifically to use as a separate power switch.
You can use your own keyboard with it
Why am I buying a machine that small if I need to make space for two separate keyboards? I can just buy a different thing instead.
Sounds like you should buy a different thing. I bought one, though. None of this keyboard stuff matters to me, since I won’t even be using a keyboard with it
Sure, but my keyboard doesn’t have a power button.
Oh, I had one of theses keyboards!
Pushing the snooze button insta crashed the PC.
How often do you use the power button to turn on your computer? These days I might use it once a year, at most!
Literally every single time I use it. I only need it to be on when I’m using it, and I don’t use it every day.
How often do you use it, if not every day? Once a week? Once a month?
I use my laptop every day so it makes sense that I don’t use the power button even though it’s right there. I also have a raspberry pi set up to run Retropie that I only turn on once or twice a year when I have an old friend in from out of town. In that case I use the power button every single time but I don’t mind that it’s kind of finicky (I have to turn on several other devices with it as well as a power strip to power them all) because I don’t use it that often.
I could see the new Mac Mini being a bit annoying with its bottom side power button if you’re using it every other day. But honestly I would be more annoyed at the boot time taking 30s than the 2s it takes to reach under the case and power it up. If I had one I would probably just get the keyboard with built in power button and finger print reader though. I use the finger print reader on my laptop all the time because it unlocks my password manager.
Why? This isn’t 1998 anymore.
Well unless you have my shitty ass Thinkpad that can’t reliably go into S0 standby to save it’s life.
I have a desktop and there’s no reason for it to constantly be drawing power. It boots fast enough even with fast boot disabled that it’s not an issue for me.
I leave my work laptop on, but it lives on my desk at work. Not my power bill not my problem. I still have to regularly reboot it because windows can’t update without reboots.
I think the special button on the keyboard is a fingerprint/lock button. Not sure if the computer supports powering on by pressing any key like the MacBooks, but it certainly will wake from sleep with any key. I don’t think you’re supposed to fully power it down as part of regular use, so they can get by with a less accessible power button
We went full circle.
Like a Windows key?
They wanted to put it inside the unit originally
That’s why they put the screen.
Well at least now you can actually see the damn black ports on the silver chassis. The M2 Mac Mini has the black ports on the black backside and it’s such a pain in the ass trying to find the USB C ports when I have to connect something.
But yeah, putting the power button on the bottom is peak Apple stupidity.
Apple insider are already framing this as not a design flaw but an advantage somehow
Hahaha I thought this was the onion and the button was the big fugly thing that covers the whole bottom
I really hope this is one of those tactile hit it from the top and it’ll trigger from the bottom designs. But more likely they just never expect you to use it.
Part of the new Apple power bottom design strategy.
Apple is finally appealing to my interests
Hello.
This is more like a “power button” in that case lol
Now you can slam the top of the machine to boot it up
To be fair, aren’t those mini PCs meant for HTPCs/home servers? You’re not really supposed to turn them off, and if you really want easy power button access you can just set it upside down. I’d say it’s a good idea if you take into account that it’s aimed at Apple customers who care more about “design” over usability. They truly “think different” over there.
Honestly as infrequently as I turn my machines off this really doesn’t bother me. The mouse on the other hand….
Yeah, fuck that mouse, there’s no excuse for that one.
“different” is just another word for “weird”
ThInK DiFfErEnT
After seeing the mouse with ports on the bottom. I’m convinced that there’s a disgruntled designer on their team and this is a cry for help.
I’m not going to get a mac anytime soon, but at least it would stop my cat from powering down everything spontaneously
