In one of the poorer kept secrets in Cupertino, Apple released the iPod Hi-Fi and the Intel based Mac-Minis yesterday. Apple promised us "fun" products but nobody told us that they were going to be ugly.

What the hell is that thing? This from the company who has given us so many cool looking products in the last few years? Did they fire all the designers?

The real bummer is my source on the inside says Apple execs were worried it sounded too good. It's no big secret that the sample rates on the iTunes music store are disappointing to true audiophiles. Now with an Apple logoed product that can reveal those shortcomings, some felt the new speakers might hurt iTMS sales.

Aesthetics notwithstanding, Apple is targeting this product squarely at the Boses and the Denons of the world. At $350 it's aimed, like all Apple products, at a more discriminating buyer. Best feature? Analog or Digital input in the back.

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Airport Extreme and bluetooth are now standard, not optional and it scomes with many digital lifestyle type improvements.

Standard equipment is, Front Row, Apple's media management software, an IR port for the Apple Remote, two more USB 2.0 ports (for a total of four), SPDIF (in and out), and Gigabit Ethernet.

It also works in conjunction with Apple's Bonjour networking to allow steaming of audio, video and photos from any Macs (and maybe some PCs) on your network.

It's not exactly the HTPC many had hoped for but it is a step in the right direction and at least the mini ain't ugly.

More Good write up on the mini.