Mac mini generation 2 concept

[MacBytes]

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Category: Photoshop and Concept Designs
Link: Mac mini generation 2 concept (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20050529002430)

Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)
Approved by Mudbug

[xtbfx]

Ok, and this is "news" because???

[mad jew]

The ports are all a bit close together for my liking. I don't think this could work.

[dornoforpyros]

uhhh ok...wow you added an extra USB port. Congrats. I was expecting something more like iPod Lounge's iPod concepts where ppl have gone and come up with new forms. This is just...weak. :rolleyes:

[mad jew]

The problems of the mini don't stem from its external form factor anyway. It just needs a few internal hardware upgrades IMO. Apple's current "keep it simple" mantra is pretty cool for now. :)

[slooksterPSV]

I like that, never can have too many USB ports, + there's an extra Firewire port. :D

[billystlyes]

uhhh ok...wow you added an extra USB port. Congrats. I was expecting something more like iPod Lounge's iPod concepts where ppl have gone and come up with new forms. This is just...weak. :rolleyes:

What mini do you own? There are two more USB ports, an extra FireWire port, and Audio-in.

[nagromme]

My 2nd-gen concept:

1 more USB port
512 RAM standard
$50 cheaper

upper model also gets:
2x the VRAM
higher-RPM laptop drive, bigger capacity
same price as always

I can't see much need for more than incremental improvement--not when I compare to low-end PCs that don't even have Firewire, DVI, or a software bundle!

Keeping the modem is of course a must--and not just because it's great for faxing. This is a LOW-end system, and not everyone wants to drop ~$500 EVERY year on broadband just to check email and weather more quickly.

[iMeowbot]

It kind of misses the point of why the connectors are arranged the way they are on the real thing. What's supporting those connectors?

[dornoforpyros]

What mini do you own? There are two more USB ports, an extra FireWire port, and Audio-in.


I own the top secret mini with 3 USB ports...steve jobs gave it to me for all my secret spy work I've done. :p
Ok so I can't count, my point being adding 2 USB ports hardley constitutes a newsworthy concept.

[FredAkbar]

The guy says he dropped the modem to add those extra ports. Don't 75% of computer users have dial-up? I think a dial-up modem is way more important in a cheap computer than an extra USB/FireWire port or two.

I agree more with the suggestions in this thread; RAM, VRAM, and HD speed improvements are more important.

[Platform]

Not bad at all.....but no GPU upgrade :eek: :eek: :eek: :confused:

[dejo]

Not bad at all.....but no GPU upgrade :eek: :eek: :eek: :confused:

Look at the picture again. The GPU was upgraded. Can't you tell? ;)

[SiliconAddict]

uhhh ok...wow you added an extra USB port.

I'd consider that a major upgrade. Lets see. I have my USB Mouse. My USB Keyboard. My USB printer. My USB Canon Scanner. My USB iPod. My USB Pocket PC.

This is pretty in line with Apple: they wear a design into the ground until the last second and only update where absolutely necessary. In this case the only major external upgrades needed is another couple USB ports, and replace the FW400 with a FW800 port. Personally what I would like to see is two USB 2 ports on the BOTTEM of the Mini. Humor my 1337 second grade drawing capabilities. :p

http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24365&stc=1

You guys HAVE to have seen phones that use this technique. Put the ports on the bottom without cluttering the backside up. I've seen the circuitry for a USB interface. There is NO way that it would hit the size of the device other then a handful of millimeters. Heck maybe even have a door on the bottom that swings open so not only can you get at the USB ports and lock the cables into place when you close the door but also easy access to RAM upgrades.

Beyond the ports how about a 5400 or better yet a 7200 RPM hard drive. (The first person who screams heat I'm going to beat you upside the head with facts. Go google the heat output of a 7200 RPM laptop hard drive.) Next is default RAM to 512MB and finally a modest upgrade to the GPU. Maybe one that ISN’T stuck in the Stone Age. How about a Mobility Radeon 9600?? Its already tuned for a small enclosure.
I don’t know. At any rate no one can claim that there isn’t room for improvement in the Mac Mini. The phrase “so close yet so far” comes to mind when describing the mini. A few small tweaks and it would be perfect for the price. As it stands it looks and neutered for the price. I’ve played around with Spotlight on several Macs. You can really FEEL the speed hit you take for that 4800 RPM drive.

[dejo]

Keeping the modem is of course a must--and not just because it's great for faxing. This is a LOW-end system, and not everyone wants to drop ~$500 EVERY year on broadband just to check email and weather more quickly.

Ah, just call it BYODKMM. You've already got to add a display, keyboard and mouse. Why not just add a USB modem as well? :D

[SiliconAddict]

The guy says he dropped the modem to add those extra ports. Don't 75% of computer users have dial-up? I think a dial-up modem is way more important in a cheap computer than an extra USB/FireWire port or two.

I agree more with the suggestions in this thread; RAM, VRAM, and HD speed improvements are more important.

Yah dropping the modem is a BAD idea. In my group of friends and relatives I would say 1 out of every 6 people I know still is on dialup. Its slowly decreasing but the simple face is that (Yah I know it sounds barbaric.) but some people don’t use the net that much and for $9.99 for dial up its “good enough”. *shudders* Heathens.
Now what might be a better solution is an airport express type device that can ship with the mini if you need it. Plug it into the wall where your phone line is, plug into the phone line, then WIFI to your Mini. Leave that as a sep $50-$80 addition or something.

[Lacero]

I think a modem is still essential. How are you going to send and receive faxes? What happens when your DSL connection goes down and you need to connect remotely from a different location? It's great to have more USB ports, but you can add a small hub for that. A modem, you can't easy just plug in.

[SiliconAddict]

I think a modem is still essential. How are you going to send and receive faxes? What happens when your DSL connection goes down and you need to connect remotely from a different location? It's great to have more USB ports, but you can add a small hub for that. A modem, you can't easy just plug in.


I do most of my faxing over the net now a days.

[Platform]

Look at the picture again. The GPU was upgraded. Can't you tell? ;)


:p Only VRAM....no use unless a better GPU ;)

[billystlyes]

I'd consider that a major upgrade. Lets see. I have my USB Mouse. My USB Keyboard. My USB printer. My USB Canon Scanner. My USB iPod. My USB Pocket PC.

This is pretty in line with Apple: they wear a design into the ground until the last second and only update where absolutely necessary. In this case the only major external upgrades needed is another couple USB ports, and replace the FW400 with a FW800 port. Personally what I would like to see is two USB 2 ports on the BOTTEM of the Mini. Humor my 1337 second grade drawing capabilities. :p

Cool idea! That might keep the cables neat. One of the things I like about the concept is the audio-in feature.

[nagromme]

I'm on modem :)

I had broadband and liked the speed... hated the customer service.

I like what I can spend the money on instead even better :)

[Windowlicker]

This is never going to happen. There is a reason for having only two USB ports and one FW. That is: want more? Buy eMac or better.

[Windowlicker]

Don't 75% of computer users have dial-up?

Is that so?! I thought the dial-up has been dying for quite some time. Then again, Finland definitely doesn't correspond the whole world..

[Windowlicker]

I do most of my faxing over the net now a days.

I don't even get all this fax stuff.. Why can't the fax already be replaced by email? sending a fax to the other side of the world costs $$$, email doesn't. And if it's because a telefax couldn't be faked, that's just not true.

[Abstract]

uhhh ok...wow you added an extra USB port. Congrats. I was expecting something more like iPod Lounge's iPod concepts where ppl have gone and come up with new forms. This is just...weak. :rolleyes:

While its all great and everything that someone designed the "look" of the back of a 2nd generation Mini for us, an Apple engineer would actually have to get the USB ports, along with all the other ports, to where they are in that diagram, which may not be very easy in such a small machine.

Its easy to draw a diagram and say, "Apple should do it this way," but from an engineering standpoint, it may not be possible. They'd need to add these extra FW and USB ports to the logic board, which may either not be easy, or would be costly for Apple.

Anyway, people are getting a great machine for $499, so even if its not perfect........tough! :p

[dotdotdot]

Wow, that is stupid - dump a modem for extra USB ports on the cheapest Mac??? Well, DUH, if someone's going to buy the cheapest mac, whats saying they won't have the cheapest internet, dial up?

Some Mini purchasers don't even know what USB ports are! They see two on an Apple keyboard and two in back of the machine and assume they are the same.

I say if you were to do that, have a modem to ethernet converter and have it share one spot. Or just increase the size by 1/2 an inch to have a real video card and hard drive instead of it being a screenless ibook.

[Cybernanga]

I don't even get all this fax stuff.. Why can't the fax already be replaced by email? sending a fax to the other side of the world costs $$$, email doesn't. And if it's because a telefax couldn't be faked, that's just not true.

To send & receive a fax, all you need is a phone line, and a fax machine/computer.

To send email, you need a phone line (or some other connection method) an email capable device/computer AND you need an ISP that offers service in that area, AND you need an account with that ISP.

If you travel on business, pretty much everywhere you go, you will be able to find a phone line, or a fax machine.

Getting online to send an email is not that easy.

If you are sending something to the otherside of the world, they may not have email, but they most probably can receive faxes

Plus, you can use your fax modem as an answering machine, and other neat stuff that can only be done via phone.

[dornoforpyros]

I'd consider that a major upgrade.

you consider 2 usb ports a major upgrade? I tottally agree that you can never have too many USB ports but I hardly consider 2 usb ports major.

[Paul O'Keefe]

The reason there is only two USB ports on the mini is that Apple designed it with the wireless keyboard in mind (which sort of goes against the budget idea).

With wireless keyborad and mouse, you would have 2 ports open for printer/scanner and camera.

Personally if would never have a printer/scanner combo. I understand that even that solution doesn't address the need for a USB port for iPod type devices.

The mini is alot like the original iMac in that apple wants third party manufactures to address port shortages and external devices for those who need 'em.

[narco]

I also agree -- dropping the modem would defeat the whole purpose of the mac mini: a cheap method to get on the internet and do simple things.

Unless Apple wants to pull an iMac circa-'98 and drop the floppy and force people to either use alternate methods or buy an external drive. I bought the external drive back then and I only used it a few times. How does Apple know these things?

Fishes,
narco.

[nagromme]

I don't even get all this fax stuff.. Why can't the fax already be replaced by email?

* Because a great many business will accept a signed document by fax in place of the physical original, but will not accept an emailed scan. (Strange but true, since half the stuff I fax out IS a scan.)

* Because many of the people sending faxes TO you may not be at an Internet-equipped computer, or may not have a scanner, or email, etc... but any old customer service operator can easily send you a fax.

* Because not everyone has a Mac or Acrobat and thus the ability to email a PDF from any program. But any program can send a fax.

* Because sometimes you don't know where to email a document, but you have the company's fax number. Plus, sometimes faxes can get attention to an urgent matter, instead of being lost in an inbox or voicemail.

* Because a fax doesn't take that long to transmit a page, no matter how complex--because the quality is inherently limited. While some PDFs can take a long, long time and even exceed some email services attachment limits.

[Stridder44]

Ok, and this is "news" because???

Agreed.

[iMeowbot]

You guys HAVE to have seen phones that use this technique. Put the ports on the bottom without cluttering the backside up. I've seen the circuitry for a USB interface. There is NO way that it would hit the size of the device other then a handful of millimeters. Heck maybe even have a door on the bottom that swings open so not only can you get at the USB ports and lock the cables into place when you close the door but also easy access to RAM upgrades.

That would be pretty, maybe not so cheap to build :( Another way they could handle expansion is to add a dock-like header connector and add an octopus cable with additional ports. That's not a pretty option, but Apple seem to have already decided that the back of a mini is going to be ugly.

[solvs]

Ok, and this is "news" because???
;)

Photoshop and Concept Designs

[68k_575]

Call me a troll, but they should dump the FireWire port. That should help 'em squeeze in an extra USB port or two. Now that all iPods are USB only out of the box, and almost all external hard drives for under $200 are also, there's no real reason to have FW on a lowend Mac anymore. Sure, there's still camcorders and Target Disk stuff, but anyone who wants to use any of those things will be spending a hell of a lot more than 500 bucks on a computer anyway.

[nagromme]

Call me a troll, but they should dump the FireWire port.
....
Sure, there's still camcorders and Target Disk stuff, but anyone who wants to use any of those things will be spending a hell of a lot more than 500 bucks on a computer anyway.

Not a troll, but I disagree: more different ports, more options, more expandability = better. (Firewire is a kind of expandability the Mac Mini offers that a big bulky PC of similar cost typically does not.)

If a $500 computer can edit home movies, why do you assume that "anyone" who makes home movies demands a high-end computer?

Home movies aren't for the tech elite.

Neither are faster drives. A lot of people don't need more power than the Mac Mini--it's enough power to run my entire web/media development business from. That doesn't mean they don't want the choice of a faster backup drive.

Or a faster daily use drive for that matter: since the Mac Mini's internal is a laptop drive and thus on the slow side.

Lastly, even if ONLY the tech elite want Firewire... plenty of them are buying Mac Minis too.

[James Philp]

IMO FireWire is FAR superior to USB 2.
Anyone who knows anything knows that a FW external HD is the only real option - USB 2 just doesn't have a sustainable data rate that's up to scratch.
I don't have enough FireWire ports on my iMac!
I have 3 iPods, an external CD burner and going to get an external HD. There's no way I'm going to get a USB 2 one.
I don't think that you have to be a Pro to want extra HD space via an external drive.

[tech4all]

Yep, dumping the modem port would be a bad idea. The Mac mini is marketed to people who don't have thousands of dollars for a top-of-the-line Mac, thus may not have the money for broadband. As a result they probably have dial up.

[Qunchuy]

Call me a troll, but they should dump the FireWire port...Now that all iPods are USB only out of the box,...
TROLL!

Only the iPod Shuffle lacks FireWire.

[auxplage]

I saw a a survey result that said almost 50% of U.S. homes are on broadband, but it has leveled off.