http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/perhaps it's 8 inches diagonal?]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
TK101]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
The guy I talked to said they were shipping next week too...]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
http://www.megamacs.com/v1/?action=view&pid=FanMNMM160

strange.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/

...]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
The guy I talked to said they were shipping next week too...]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
And yes, go to tomatochip.com and buy some short cables.

But here's my beef: no front panel ports!!! C'mon people. Even Apple has wised up and put some front-panel ports on the G5 tower. Just one or two, pretty please?]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
At which point you would only have 2 free firewire ports....

Which is only 1 more than you had to begin with...

Kinda odd that they give you three to add one....and by odd, I mean lame.

]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
Daisychain six and get a Terabyte tower!]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
This really looks good.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
In my opinion, they really would have been better off making it a firewire drive (and have one port left) and advertise it as a combo USB hub and firewire hard drive in one, rather than trying to pitch it as a Firewire hub that most people will be disappointed with.

Then again, thanks to Firewire's daisy chaining, you may not *need* more than the one port. I have four hard drives and an iPod plugged into mine, and two of those drives are bus powered (as is the iPod).]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/1. the miniMate comes with SHORT (~8") FireWire and USB 2.0 cables, white in color.
2. The miniMate is 6.25" x 6.25" x 1.5". The box is 8" x 8" x 4".
3. The bottom of the miniMate is rubberized, much the same as the Mac mini. you can put either on top of the other.
4. the Mac Mini has one FireWire port, which is fine as long as the components to attach are have a second port for daisy chaining; we added an additional port so a camcorder or other video device can be connected without interrupting an existing FireWire chain.
5. The disk drive will mount as a FireWire device as long as a FireWire connection is present; otherwise, it will mount as a USB device. this way, FireWire will always be used as long as its present because the hard disk will yield better performance with a FireWire connection.

Regards,

Alex Koyshman
Director, product development
MicroNet Technology]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
http://www.micronet.com/General/minimate.asp

]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
What about sound, I always worry about noise and Macs. They are created so perfectly - even the buzz of a power adapter irritates me these days (Windows users please mock me - then notice the irony in your finger pointing). Sorry for that outburst, I had to use a windows 'box' at work today; I think I have a headache.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
2. Regarding empty cases, though possible, less opportunity for the company to make any margin (i.e. profit)

3. I hope they offer empty cases.

]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
Not sure there will be a bare no drive version either because profit margins are usually higher with a hard drive.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
Personally I think it would not look as good when under or on top of the Mac mini, however a product already exists to do this.

What is it? What is it? You ask.

Duh! It is the miniMate of course!!!

Remember the miniMate like the Mac mini is SQUARE in shape. So all you have to do is turn it around 180 degrees. You can even have the sockets on the left or the right by turning it +90 or -90 degrees.

You will however need longer FireWire and USB cables to reach around to the back of the Mac mini from the miniMate. Apple do some nice thin white cables that would be just the job.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/mac-mini/

which all come with 3-5 year warranties...]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/05/10/adstech/index.php

But the company's website STILL hasn't been updated to show it.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/22/micronets-minimate-mac-mini-hub/Dec 19th 2005 12:13AM