AOpen Preps Sales of PC with Mac Mini-Like Case

In the wake of Apple Computer's Mac mini launch earlier this year, a number of--ahem--homages are appearing in the form of PC designs that closely, um, resemble the small-form-factor design that Apple first used. Now, the first of these copies is set to ship from AOpen, which will launch its AOPen miniPC this week. There are some big differences between an AOpen miniPC and an Apple Mac mini, however, despite the surface similarities. First, the AOpen will cost just $399 for a version that ships with the Linspire Linux distribution, or $499 for a version with Windows XP. And unlike the Mac mini, these PCs feature actual modern Pentium M processors, and not previous-generation Power PC G4 chips. OK, it's a ripoff. But it's a ripoff that runs all your software, so it could be interesting