Mac mini add-ons: image mockups

[Chip NoVaMac]

How about this as a plan - an office system based off of Mac Minis:

You come into work, bringing with you your highly portable Mini, and dock it in a large box at the end of the line of cubicles (urg), that resembles a removable raid drive system. Inside the box, cables lead to your desk, and the computer acts as a punch card - so when it docks, you punch in, and when you take it out, it punches out. Now - here are the advantages: It leaves you with just a monitor and mouse at your desk, and you only have one computer, no more hassles with leaving files on the work computer. Now, some may say that a laptop is easier, but why force yourself to use a smaller screen and pay more for the computer - use a mac mini docking station!

Hmmm...reading back on this idea it seems a little, well, dumb, but hey, what the hell.

I mentioned this as a possibility for my purchase of the PB a year ago. I really didn't need a notebook, just something that I could take between home and work.

Some would scoff, but their are some like myself had to purchase my computer on my own. But then again at $499 to start, the company might have stepped up to the plate.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I could even see a version of this with a multi-card reader.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Don't forget about a tiny monitor and battery in this same style that attach to the bottom and top like is available for Gamecube

I was thinking of the same thing after seeing LCD screens for the PS 1.

 

[virividox]

I could even see a version of this with a multi-card reader.

i second that!!! great idea

 

[Jovian9]

Wouldn't it have been cool if the Mini had a cardbus port on the back??? If it uses the Intrepid chip just like the iBook and PowerBook (I suspect it does), the interface is already there. Nevermind, just dreaming here...

Anyway... If third parties come up with stackable modules, I hope they won't have much trouble with making them exactly the same color and shade of metal. That's really important, it has to look good.

I don't really mind about a USB/FW hub, but a FW hard disk case would be great. Will a 3.5" drive fit in such a small box?

XtremeMac made a FW/USB Hub that sat underneath the iMac G4 and matched it.......it looked great.....I had one for my iMac G4's. I think the Mac Mini has a lot of chance to have add-ons.

To the original starter of this thread: Great mock-ups!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Another thought would be a TV tuner module like this from Viewsonic:

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/tventertainment/tvvideoprocessors/vb50hrtv/

 

[roadapple]

roadapple, sorry, but ew. It reminds me of those "Made for Windows..." stickers on the front of PC's.
-Chase

yeah I'm sorry, that was just a symbolic effort, but I can't help but think that this new machine is underpowered. I would say the mini would be good for my mother for email (her win98 works great now) but not for my sister who may want to do video and have an "average" system for 2-3 years.

But what if you could add addtional processors in this manner when you needed it? Mini mac getting to slow for Tiger or your new video hobbie? Just add another g4 or g5, maybe you could even use your old g3 sitting in the closet to help out?

 

[Yvan256]

yeah I'm sorry, that was just a symbolic effort, but I can't help but think that this new machine is underpowered. I would say the mini would be good for my mother for email (her win98 works great now) but not for my sister who may want to do video and have an "average" system for 2-3 years.

Will the Mac mini really be underpowered for light home video editing? My brother is planning on purchasing a Mac mini mainly for iMovie/iDVD.

His current setup is a Celeron 700 with WinXP, but he's planning on either a Mac mini or an upgrade to his PC (Athlon something, new mobo, new power supply, new RAM, already bought a 80GB HD).

Of course, his PC will never have iMovie/iDVD, but will the Mac mini handle it? (with 512MB RAM)

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

yeah I'm sorry, that was just a symbolic effort, but I can't help but think that this new machine is underpowered. I would say the mini would be good for my mother for email (her win98 works great now) but not for my sister who may want to do video and have an "average" system for 2-3 years.

But what if you could add addtional processors in this manner when you needed it? Mini mac getting to slow for Tiger or your new video hobbie? Just add another g4 or g5, maybe you could even use your old g3 sitting in the closet to help out?

Under powered I think not, except for speed freaks. I do page layout and PS work on my PB 1ghz and see no real speed issues. I have even heard of people doing decent video work on lesser speeds. The bottleneck may be the HDD speed though.

 

[roadapple]

Will the Mac mini really be underpowered for light home video editing? My brother is planning on purchasing a Mac mini mainly for iMovie/iDVD.

His current setup is a Celeron 700 with WinXP, but he's planning on either a Mac mini or an upgrade to his PC (Athlon something, new mobo, new power supply, new RAM, already bought a 80GB HD).

Of course, his PC will never have iMovie/iDVD, but will the Mac mini handle it? (with 512MB RAM)

Don’t listen to me; the mini 1.25 g4 is a powerful computer that works fine for all for the current iLife apps.

I am not in the market for a new mac, I am just thinking about what I hope apple will release in the next 1-2 years, which is a completely differently then when one is actually going to buy a new system. Using my sister as the switcher, the $499 mini could be a good start if money was tight and she had a good monitor, but if she was going to add the superdrive and some ram, plus a 3rd party flat screen, then maybe the 17” (pushing $1600) imac g5 would be better over the long run. Then we could make that some argument to justify a powermac…

The mini is a cool little system that hopefully will be right for many people. Although at that price it losses one of the best aspects of a mac, having everything you need in the box, just plug it in and it works. Maybe try to use one before you buy it, I never thought that my current 667 g4 was “slow” till I used a dual 2.0 g5.

 

[Yvan256]

Don’t listen to me; the mini 1.25 g4 is a powerful computer that works fine for all for the current iLife apps. [...] Maybe try to use one before you buy it, I never thought that my current 667 g4 was “slow” till I used a dual 2.0 g5.

Problem is, we don't have any Apple store in Canada (and we'll probably never have one where we live), nor any Apple reseller (I think one local shop is an Apple reseller, but he has zero Apple gear in stock, never mind on a demo floor).

The only way we could try a Mac mini would be to drive almost 2 hours to a store in Montreal. Makes for a long trip back-and-forth to simply try out a computer.

 

[iJon]

They should also make one with built in speakers. Thats one thing that the Mac Mini is missing.

The mini does have a built in speaker. It's nothing to write home about but it's there.

jon

 

[dejo]

I could even see a version of this with a multi-card reader.

Did you see post #47? 3Memos did a mockup.

 

[dejo]

dejo. You missed the iPod docking chunk.

Yeah, I know. My Photoshop skills limited my ability to create a mockup without it just looking like a box with a black hole in it.

The below item could also be the UPS for the mini. Maybe have 4 little lights that show the remaining charge on the battery. Like they have on the ibook and PowerBook batteries.

Now that I could probably do. I think it might need a big toggle power switch too, like most UPSes come with. I'll post a new pic if I have success.

 

[MacNeXT]

Aluminium isn't metal.

Yes it is

 

[confuzatron]

Old school

 

[AliensAreFuzzy]

Yes it is

I think he's just being a smart*** because technically it's a metaloid

 

[snkTab]

have you seen the new ps2s? i have one and it is ultra small. it would be awesome if they made one to fit under a mini, using the minis drive bay and memory but the ps2s gpu and controller ports.

 

[_bnkr612]

or this.

just buy this

Seems like a sexy deal.

 

[jlewis2k1]

who uses floppies these days? i seriously thought that floppies were long gone.

 

[Yvan256]

Yes it is

I thought metal had to be magnetic? Magnets can't pull aluminium...

Oh well, my mistake.

 

[Yvan256]

Is that 720KB, 1.44MB, 2.88MB, Zip 100MB or Zip 250MB?

 

[Yvan256]

Mac Mini Mega-Tower

I don't know guys, this is getting ridiculous...

 

[confuzatron]

Is that 720KB, 1.44MB, 2.88MB, Zip 100MB or Zip 250MB?

Well, the 'Mini' is a mass-market entry-level machine, so anything more than 720Kb would be a bit over the top (IMHO).
People who need the full 1.44 meg would most likely have purchased a G5 or power mac.

 

[confuzatron]

who uses floppies these days? i seriously thought that floppies were long gone.

Good point.

BTW, having never owned a Mac before in my life, I just ordered myself a Mac Mini 1.4GHz. Tee hee!