Category: Apple

The New Mac Mini

Yep, it was true, Apple is now selling a ‘budget’ computer.
Being that these little gems are tiny, 6.5″x6.5″x2″, it might as well be portable.
When I get one, I’m going to use this sucker on trips! Pack a little VGA to NTSC scan converter, the keyboard, mouse, power adapter and your set! I’ll have to either work with the video in on a TV at where I’ll be staying or I’ll use my little LCD screen. It supports 640×480, if the mini works at this rez I”ll be in business. I don’t expect I’l be doing anuthing other than saving images to the HD from my camera so the low rex should work.
I see the future peppered with docking stations with built in monitors, speakers, and whathave you in them.
Heck, use one in your car. Car dock anyone? Get a nice little IR USB remote and pump your iTunes into your stereo.
It would make a nifty brain for a robot. Anyone have a Firewre/USB based motor controler? Run it with Java… Use a DV camera as your image capture device as your vision system input…
Lots of market space for cool designer covers and skins (al la iPod).
Turn it into a DVR with a USB tuner device.
Clustering?
Wow… I’ll take six please!!!

-John

An Affordable Mac?

Ok, when was the last time you saw ‘affordable’ and ‘Apple Macintosh’ in the same place? Yeah, I can’t remember either… If the rumors are true, then Apple will be offering:

  • G4 based 1.25 GHz slim line box
  • 256MB of RAM
  • USB 2.0
  • FireWire 400
  • 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet
  • 56K V.92 modem
  • AirPort Extreme support

Sounds like the perfect entry level Mac! I have a Mac compatable DVD burner in a Firewire enclosure so I’m all set.
Apple to offer a $500 Mac?

-John