Could The iPad’s Biggest Competitor Be… The Mac Mini?

5. Small business alternative

Apple is currently offering two versions of the Mac Mini. The basic option is the most likely to be purchased, but the other model, Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server, could be a fine option for small businesses. The device allows users to run Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server from the Mac Mini, delivering Web storage and if need be, Web server service. It’s more expensive than the standard Mac Mini with a starting price of $999 (or £929 in the UK).

Obviously, the iPad would perform a different function than the Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server. But from a purely functional perspective, it’s hard to choose the iPad over Apple’s new Mac. If companies want a cheap computer, they can find it with the Mac Mini. If they need something to help them backup content or manage their Web site, they can get it with the Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server. It’s a win-win.

6. Flash

Apple has made it abundantly clear that it will not support Flash in the iPhone OS. That’s certainly the company’s prerogative. But it hurts the iPad. Luckily, the Mac Mini doesn’t suffer from that problem. Since it runs Mac OS X, the Mac Mini supports Flash. So, the 75 percent of Web videos and 70 percent of online games that the iPad won’t support will work on the Mac Mini. If customers are looking for a device to surf the Web and they’re choosing between the iPad or the Mac Mini, the latter’s Flash support might be enough to give it the edge.

7. The entertainment value is there

A key component in the Mac Mini’s value proposition is entertainment. The device isn’t meant to be a product that only makes users more productive. It’s designed to sit in the entertainment center for those moments when owners want to watch some Web videos, stream Netflix content, or download television shows from iTunes. The iPad is also a fine entertainment device. But since it doesn’t support Flash, Web video options are limited. And with a 9.7-inch display, it’s hard for the iPad to be called a better entertainment device when it’s competing against a device that can connect to any HDTV.

8. Apps aren’t like desktop software

Although Apple’s App Store has over 240,000 applications ranging from productivity apps to games, it doesn’t compare to the ability to run complete desktop applications on a computer. Plus, most of the viable applications in Apple’s App Store are mobile versions of Web sites. Since the Mac Mini delivers a full browsing experience, few folks will find much missing when they opt for Apple’s budget computer over the iPad. Apps might be all the craze in the mobile market, but when they’re compared to desktop software, they just don’t compare. And they never will.

9. Ethernet goes a long way

Since the iPad is designed to be a mobile alternative to computers, the device lacks an Ethernet port. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but considering the Mac Mini offers an Ethernet port, it should get the nod for Web connectivity. Yes, wireless connectivity is getting better, but it doesn’t compare to having a wired connection. Trying to load sites or streaming video is far more efficient on a wired connection than a wireless network. That won’t be changing anytime soon. So, if consumers are looking for a device that delivers the best Web experience, the Mac Mini is for them.

10. Pop in a disc

One of the major complaints consumers and enterprise customers have with the iPad is that users can’t install software via a DVD drive or pop in a CD to listen to music. The issue, according to Apple, is that the iPad is meant to be a lightweight, portable device. A disc drive would have hurt its chances of achieving that. The Mac Mini, on the other hand, features a DVD drive. It might not seem like a major feature, but it makes the device a more legitimate computer. They can install software from that drive and add tracks from CDs to their iTunes library in just a few minutes. Plus, if the device is connected to an HDTV, the Mac Mini can double as a DVD player.

Updated for the UK by Peter Judge