Feb 28th Products: Intel Mac mini and iPod Hi-Fi?

[kalisphoenix]

Please Apple:

- Front Row 2.0 with Hardware decoding/encoding of HD H.264
- Huge 500GB SATA drive
- Gb ethernet for fast transfers
- DVD+RW DL drive
- Core Duo 1.83Ghz for realtime H.264 playback of HD material
- Same price as the PPC mini


= First 'proper' media centre for connection to HD screens

= $$$

You're insane. Seriously. That's just too #$%^ing much for a $600 Mac, let alone a $500 Mac...

The wise thing, in my opinion, would be to give the Mac mini a Celeron D, remote, and possibly the DL drive (though I doubt it). Keep costs low so, you know, it might possibly @#$%ing happen.

Make TV-in and MPEG encoding an external Firewire device. Otherwise I (and a lot of other iMac users) will be pissed that we just paid $2000 for a machine that lacks a critical and easily externalizable technology.

A 3.5" HD with proper cooling could not possibly fit in the current mini case. There's just no freaking way. No way.

 

[monkeyandy]

iPod BoomBox (Hi - Fi)

Is the iPod boombox actually going to be the mythical new video iPod, tablet thing. It sounds like it in this article:

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1468

Have a look at the discription of the iPod Boombox in the third column down. Could this hook up and double as a remote for a new DVR type Mac Mini media centre. Thats what i think this is leading too!

Anyone else think that this is where things are going. You could use this iPod Boombox tablet thing to control your Mac (Mini, iMac, MacBook) Via Bluetooth ? Also sync all your music, video, organiser, everything to it to take away? It could have wireless built in to stream to airport express?

What do you guys think?

 

[Staffroomer]

I'd be interested in the 'Tivo Killer', but I don't think I care about the 'boombox'

 

[sam10685]

Please Apple:

- Front Row 2.0 with Hardware decoding/encoding of HD H.264
- Huge 500GB SATA drive
- Gb ethernet for fast transfers
- DVD+RW DL drive
- Core Duo 1.83Ghz for realtime H.264 playback of HD material
- Same price as the PPC mini


= First 'proper' media centre for connection to HD screens

= $$$

i think everything there is do-able but i think a 500 gig hard drive is a bit much to ask for in a computer that's less than 6 or 700 dollars... maybe 160 or even 240 maybe...

 

[jimthorn]

I'm hoping that the "iPod HiFi" is like a small portable boombox (two speakers, handle on top, radio tuner, iPod Dock) but also includes a built-in Airport Express so that you could stream audio from iTunes to it. I've often wished I could "carry" my music around the house without dragging my computer along. Especially when listening to Internet Radio stations.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Hmmm....maybe there was something to that eight pound, 10" screen iPod reference by Jobs afterall (or was it reversed, 10 pound, 8"?).

Anyhow, I can't wait to waste the very little money I have on Tuesday. But at least I don't feel as guilty buying Apple products as I doing buying clothes.

Apple reinvents the computer, the walkman, and now the boombox?

 

[MacSA]

I hope the new Mini's and iBooks have audio in ports.

 

[monkeyandy]

I'd be interested in the 'Tivo Killer', but I don't think I care about the 'boombox'

Wouldn't it be cool though if the Tivo Killer and Boombox linked up. The Boombox as a wicked touchscreen controller, ipod thing that controls your Mac Mini. If Apple did this pretty much everyone would buy a Mac Mini after buying a Boombox, a great tactical move to sneak Macs into peoples homes!

 

[michaeljs]

If Apple wants the Mini to be a DVR, then it would have to have a huge 3.5" hard disk. That is because to use your T.V. as a computer monitor, it better be HD. Anything less will leave you with blurry text. But HD video streams are huge, and thus the huge hard drive.

Why? My Humax PVR records 40hrs of SD PAL to a 80gig HD - Tivo works similarly. DVcam compression is gives 3.6Mb/sec, so why couldn't a mac mini tivo killer record a tv signal to the hard drive and play out as a straight video signal to a telly - its just one extra connector. Problem is you're likely thrash the HD over time which means you'd be replacing your computers HD more regularly and thus increase the risk of data. If you want a system that does both I'd want two hard drives.

 

[age234]

I've been mulling getting a TiVo, and this might just be the ticket. That combined with iTunes movie rentals = Awwww Yeaaaaaah!

However, if it's a Mac Mini with DVR functionality, I probably won't buy it. I already have two computers, and to use a fully-capable computer to watch TV with seems like a waste. But if it's a standalone TiVo killer, then Awww Yeaaah.

 

[tjwett]

If Apple wants the Mini to be a DVR, then it would have to have a huge 3.5" hard disk. That is because to use your T.V. as a computer monitor, it better be HD. Anything less will leave you with blurry text. But HD video streams are huge, and thus the huge hard drive.

It would be nice to see multiple tuner support, video sharing in iTunes style, and a hardware encoder/decoder for various video formats (MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264, just to name a few). It may not 'need' these things, but for it to be truly extraordinary, it would.

yeah i can't help but keep thinking that to really have a "media center" of any kind it's gonna need some substantial (and fast) storage, some pretty serious video hardware, and decent amount of processing power. all these things are exactly what the mini is NOT. i can't see Apple beefing up the mini enough to support all this stuff and still keep it affordable by mini standards. media center maybe, but i don't think it will be called the "mini".

 

[monkeyandy]

I'm guessing the iPod boombox will be the new video ipod/fullscreen with digital-virtual trackpad. The codename "boombox" is given because it also transmits wirelessly to speakers. But knowing how Steve Jobs is full of surprises, it will probably be the full shabang with widescreen video and much more.
Apple wouldn't be stupid enough to make an actual boombox. It has to be a codename for something much greater.

I think your totally spot on mate. Except for it will double as a remote for the Mac mini!

 

[yoda13]

I think that I am going to have purchase one of these new minis, if the following two things exist in this new realease: 1) a big enough hard drive 2)a respectable graphics card.

Another less limiting factor will be the price. If they keep price points generally where they are, then I will be ordering one, unless the fiance kills the plan, of course...

 

[ipod0324]

Ipod Hi-Fi

Is this iPod Hifi going to be the fullscreen one with the touchscreen technology and disapearing click wheel? What if they put in external speakers and bluetooth headphones? Plus is this thing going to be seperate from the boombox or are these two terms both describing the same product?

 

[iHeartTheApple]

Here's hoping to good specs for the Intel Mac mini... And the same form factor (6.5 x 6.5", don't mind any added height). I got two miniStack already (previous and new model).

Please, let the high-end model have a Core Duo, a mobile X1600 with 128MB, two RAM slots and a 3.5" drive.

Good call on the desired setup...I'd like to see a Core Duo on *at least* the highend model, even if it maxes out at 1.67 or 1.83GHz. I'd like to see it stay the same size if possible, so I'm not too worried about using a 3.5" versus 2.5" HD. But...more RAM and a better video card would be epic!!!

I am sooo excited to see what Apple's gonna give us on Tuesday! Even more so now that its almost definitely going to be a mini!!! I've been wanting to get a mini since I got hooked on Macs...new mini, here I come! Woohoo!

 

[jerelabs]

Sonos?

Could this new device be something like the Sonos Digital Music System?

If that thing was compatible with the iTMS I would have bought one a long time ago.

 

[LaMerVipere]

An Intel-based Mac mini would be greatness.

Include a remote and Front Row, and we're in business!

 

[theappleguy]

My concerns with an Apple DVR are would be the quality of video reproduction. If I play a DVD (made from a DivX file) in my (cheap) DVD player it looks much better on my (old) TV than it does on my iMac's screen - particularly the readability of text. Now, I haven't plugged my iMac into the TV directly to see if the quality is similar to that of the DVD player on screen (I'm guessing it would be) but it does cause me some concern. However, with Apple so involved in media related things now, I am hesitant about how realistic expectations of an Apple DVR are. If they do release one, it better have a better remote than the ones shipped with the iMac and MacBook pro though, small things like having to pause a video in FrontRow to see how many minutes are left gets annoying after a while when they could have added an onscreen display button.

 

[aswitcher]

An Intel-based Mac mini would be greatness.

Include a remote and Front Row, and we're in business!

For me as long as it has decent multimedia connectors in and out - dual DVI (HDCP) or even HDMI...

 

[dongmin]

The most detailed rumors of the Intel Mac mini were described in November:

- Front Row 2.0
- "TiVo-Killer" DVR application
- Built-In iPod Dock
- Possible move to 3.5" hard drive

Remember that the "TiVo-Killer" rumor came from Thinksecret. Their record has been absolute crap the last few go-arounds. They've lost most of their credibility in my book.

Anyways, people who're wishing for a full computer with DVR functionality and large HDs in a Mini form factor are living in never-never land. Something's gotta give. Knowing Apple, they'll stick to their CD-case form factor which rules out including a beefy 3.5" HD. I also don't think Apple will go the TiVo. As many have argued, the DVR model contradicts the current iTMS video-on-demand model. At best, you'll see some interface and performance improvements to Front Row, but I wouldn't expect a whole new model of content management.

 

[monkeyandy]

Could this new device be something like the Sonos Digital Music System?

If that thing was compatible with the iTMS I would have bought one a long time ago.

I think so! The mini will be your storage. the boombox your remote and i
pod. And hookup to different speakers and tv via airport express!

 

[jonharris200]

Safe Prediction For Tuesday

Is the iPod boombox actually going to be the mythical new video iPod, tablet thing. It sounds like it in this article:

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1468

Have a look at the discription of the iPod Boombox in the third column down. Could this hook up and double as a remote for a new DVR type Mac Mini media centre. Thats what i think this is leading too!

Anyone else think that this is where things are going. You could use this iPod Boombox tablet thing to control your Mac (Mini, iMac, MacBook) Via Bluetooth ? Also sync all your music, video, organiser, everything to it to take away? It could have wireless built in to stream to airport express?

What do you guys think?

Yes. I'm expecting an iPod Boombox Touch-Screen Video Intel Hi-Fi Tablet Mini Media Centre Remote to debut. Also available as Pro.

 

[cyberddot]

I'm hoping that the "iPod HiFi" is like a small portable boombox (two speakers, handle on top, radio tuner, iPod Dock) but also includes a built-in Airport Express so that you could stream audio from iTunes to it. I've often wished I could "carry" my music around the house without dragging my computer along. Especially when listening to Internet Radio stations.

I'm hoping for something along the same lines, if maybe a little larger than "small". We're admittedly shy on stereo components (basically..none) so rely mostly on powered speakers and airport for streaming from our music collection or i-Radio. I've been holding back on getting more powered speakers and another express-station because of this very rumor. I'd really like to see my iTunes choices read:

Multiple Speakers
]X[iBoombox
]X[Airport Express
]X[Computer

With whatever other music functionality they can throw in for the price. The TiVo killer has no appeal, since beyond DvD (hail Netflix) we have no television feed.

 

[Foxer]

also, somehow i don't see Apple giving up the actual click wheel. that design has been a trade-mark design since day one. (it has improved over the years...)

Except when they dropped the click wheel (in part at least) on the 2G iPod in favor of the row of buttons.

 

[aswitcher]

Multiple Speakers
]X[iBoombox
]X[Airport Express
]X[Computer

Putting an AX in the boombox would help justify the rumoured $300USD cost.