As anticipated, Apple's (AAPL) last Macworld keynote was a snoozefest. The company showed off some software and hardware updates. And the updates to iTunes -- more DRM-free songs, different price points, over-the-air downloads -- were a long time coming.
So just as important as what Apple marketing exec Phil Schiller showed off is what was missing: An update to the Mac mini, which was highly anticipated. And perhaps a surprise visit from Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who is treating a "hormonal imbalance."
The Mac mini is Apple's wildcard -- a computer that seemingly sells well and has a strong following from home theater enthusiasts, some server farm operators, and cheapskates like us, who use it as our main home computer. But Apple didn't do anything with it today, and now we don't know when to expect an update on the one Mac that's overdue for even a speed bump.
Rumors about a Mac mini update at Macworld have floated around for weeks, and we were hoping to see one -- especially if Apple tries to integrate the mini deeper with its Apple TV set-top box. Perhaps we'll see a press release soon.
Meanwhile, we didn't really expect Steve to pop out of a cake and surprise anyone. But this being our first -- and probably last -- Macworld visit, it would have been a treat. We hope he's well as he fights whatever's ailing him. And his replacement, Schiller, did a pretty good job.
See Also: Macworld Keynote: Snoozefest
