Yet another 2 cents worth...
We may likely see an Intel-based Mac mini announced on Tuesday, but I seriously doubt it will have PVR/DVR functionality, let alone include a TV tuner. For HD recording it would need to add a larger-than 120GB hard drive, which would force Apple to use 3.5" drives, as opposed to the 2.5" drives the mini employs in its present form-factor. Add bluetooth remote with a 2.5" LCD, so you can see what you're doing (who can "touch type" their remote while programming the DVR by watching the TV screen at same time...). Add a Core Duo so the machine doesn't choke on encoding/decoding the HD content. Add at least an ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB DDR2 VRAM, if not 256MB of DDR3. Add another 3-6 ports on back for A-V connections. Hmmm.....
"Aaah!" (lightbulb appears overhead in cartoon bubble) "We best add some extra fans to this thing, lest we set off the smoke alarm..."
So, after you've Frankenfurtered all those nifty PVR/DVR/TV functions to the formerly-astonishingly-petite mini, you now have a beast that is "north of the ill-fated G4 Cube" size-wise, and at least twice the original price of the best-selling (for a reason) mini.
So I think many of you will be disappointed when the Intel mini is announced with Front Row + remote being the only significant changes beyond the addition of 1.66GHz Core Solos, perhaps a BTO of a Core Duo for an additional $150-200.
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However, i do believe Apple will put those features into a dedicated machine, pizza-box-shaped, in black and/or silver, that will fit elegantly into your AV stack. Whether that happens on Tuesday,... only Steve knows (metaphorically speaking, 'cuz I know that a few other dozen-hundred would know, as well, if Apple were releasing something this big.)...
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Sometime this year, before the XMas buying season, Apple will release a true, widescreen vPod. But it would have to coincide with more video content on the iTMS/iMVS/iDON'TCAREWHATIT'SCALLED, including feature-length films. And if Apple truly wants it to be a runaway success, they'll add the following:
• It won't truly succeed unless the bit-rate & resolution are increased.
• An internal Superdrive would be overkill - perhaps Apple should license the UMD from Sony, which are used for feature-length films on the PSP.
• Give it Bluetooth, USB2 and an Express Card 34 slot (people can choose their connections - 802.11n, Ethernet, modem, etc.)
• Power it with a lite version of MacOS X v10.4 Tiger (call it Tigger). Only enough of Tiger to run the following "lightened" apps: Quicktime, FrontRow, iTunes, DVD Player, iCal, Safari & Mail, and "Doodle" for sketching...
• Plus Widget-versions of Stickies, Text Edit, Yellow Pages, Wikipedia, Google, Weather, etc.
• Include InkWell and a stylus, with an onscreen, touch-sensitive keyboard and iPod-like clickwheel for navigation.
• Make 30, 60 & 80GB versions.
Bottomline: Listening to music, or watching video content is not enough incentive for the (upwards of) $5-600 price tag. That's why it needs to have web & e-mail applications, as well as the ability to jot down notes, etc. Just imagine how popular it would be with college students for taking notes, downloading PDF assignments, or making Keynote presentations in their classes.
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I expect the iBook will be announced, if not on Tuesday, on or around April 1st, Apple's 30th birthday. That's in line for both more-plentiful supplies of the Core solo and (possibly) Core Duos at 1.66GHz and, more importantly, just as school districts begin purchasing laptops for the Fall.
