Briefly: Mac Mini price cuts, Mac OS X 10.3.8, PowerBooks...

Apple this week quietly lowered the price of some of its build-to-order components on the Mac mini, in addition to offering a faster version of its optical SuperDrive, according to MacNN. The changes come just two weeks after the Mac mini was introduced.

The company's online store is now offering the combination Bluetooth/AirPort Extreme upgrade for $100, a $30 price drop. Separately, the Bluetooth during-purchase option is now available for $50.

Apple has also slashed the mini's 1GB RAM upgrades from $475 to $325, and is offering a faster 8x SuperDrive (with both DVD+/-RW functionality) for the same $100 upgrade price as its previous 4x SuperDrive. Meanwhile a hard drive upgrade from 40GB to 80GB is now $50, as opposed to $90.

The estimated ship time on BTO and standard configuration Mac minis is now at 3-4 weeks.

Mac OS X 10.3.8

Meanwhile, it looks like Apple has distributed yet another pre-release build of its upcoming Mac OS X 10.3.8 system maintenance release.

According to reports around the web, Mac OS X 10.3.8 build 7U10 delivers a kernel fix for 'Audio component.' No other changes to the software were noted.

Mac OS X 10.3.8 will be one of the final updates to Apple's Panther OS. Previous reports indicate that it will deliver improvements to the Mac OS X graphics sub-system (especially OpenGL intensive apps games) and increase overall system reliability.

PowerBook revisions imminent

Not only does Apple inventory data now clearly indicate an End-of-life to all current PowerBook offerings, but several tipsters tell AppleInsider that certain Apple retail stores have rid themselves all display models, leaving the PowerBook planograms vacant and awaiting fresh meat.

Patience.