http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Add a stupid security lock, seriously how hard is it just to include that little hole for the lock ]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Larger case, not smaller.
Make 2.5 HD's slot loading for easy swapping.
Use the i3, i5 and i7 CPU chips instead of the (very) old Core2Duo's.
Entry level price at $499 to $599 (like the old one).
Include the remote, (like the old one).
Give SSD option in custom config.
Offer Dual HD for all levels, not just server + CD/DVD drive, not instead of.
Make case bottom square for easier access to entire machine internals.
]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
USB 3.0!]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/I'd definitely want an OTA Tuner instead of having to buy one from ElGato to run EyeTV. Somebody had mentioned that this MacMini might not be able to handle 1080p. If that's true then it should have a more powerful processor or a better video card.]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Are you high?! ]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Then, why on Earth is the SD slot in the back? Because it would not be pretty enough if it were not in the front? At least, put it on the side. This might be an example of Apple sacrificing function in the name of form.

I looove Apple, but sometimes... Oh well, nobody's perfect.]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/make it a dell zino at half the price...]]>Aug 13th 2010 11:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/blu ray drive
why have 1080p resolution if you dont use it much]]>Aug 14th 2010 12:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 12:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 1:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 1:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/I want one covered in Swarovski crystals. Money is no object.]]>Aug 14th 2010 1:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/While they should drop the price, they won't. If someone walks into an Apple store with the intention if buying a Man Mini. However they see an iMac that has better specs has a screen and is only $500 dollars more, there's a good chance they'll walk out with an iMac. Sucks for people who want a cheap HTPC.

If I were to change the Mini, I would make it black (power coated), Core i3 or 5, easy to replace HDD, Blu Ray, and Windows 7.]]>Aug 14th 2010 2:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
I use this model as a media player with 5TB of USB connected external MiniMax HDDs.. I promise you it CAN handle 1080p encoded at bitrates as high at 3,500kbps, which all my video has been for my projector.

The previous MacMini didn't have a hope of handling this stuff though. That extra bit of 'oomph' in the processor has made the difference.

(close down any other software running though..!)]]>Aug 14th 2010 3:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/I agree $699 is too much even with my student discount it's still $649. This is definitely the most "giftable" Mac. I was thinking of getting one for my mother as well but the $700 price tag seems a little steep. I got her a Dell some years back and I have wished I hadn't ever since. The $499 price tag of the Dell seemed to be just fantastic deal at the time, spec wise anyway. Apple, give me back the $500-$600 "giftable" (on a budget here) Mac Mini! It doesn't have to be a powerhouse just better than an old dell. I mean the bar isn't very high here.]]>Aug 14th 2010 4:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
http://www.amexdigital.com/Press_Release-E_Portable%20Blu-ray%20Super%20Multi%20Drive.htm

I'd prefer the ability to easily swap the hard drive and have two so I can get a small SSD for the boot drive.

In terms of CPU, I don't mind the Core 2 Duo. Obviously the Core i3 or i5 would be better but it's because of Intel's design blocking other IGPs. I much prefer the 320M GPU so that I can play Crysis. It plays GTA 4 too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeFKtItZ-iw

An XBox is $300, the Mini is $700 and if you plug in a 360 controller, you get close to the same experience as well as a large back-catalogue of PC games. I got a $150 discount so I got one instead of an XBox and I love that it's so small and near silent with no external PSU.]]>Aug 14th 2010 5:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/It starts at 800 euros (= more than $1000 ) in Europe.
Need I say more?....]]>Aug 14th 2010 6:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
I believe the same about the price...there is absolutely no reason to be so expensive.]]>Aug 14th 2010 6:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 7:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
About as hard as it is for them to add holes to vent hot air out of the side of the macbook pro and away from your crotch.]]>Aug 14th 2010 8:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 10:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
I'll tell you why Apple doesn't have Bluray, because they are too close, too exclusive, they only work with themselves.

While Microsoft, works with tons of hardware developers.

Apple rather die before using something that they didn't invented, they don't like to collaborate.

It won't surprise me if they are working on "iRay"]]>Aug 14th 2010 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 10:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/If they just left out the DVD drive, and used the server case, I'd be fine with a $100 price drop. Heck, they could even cut the hard drive size to differentiate it from the rest of the models. It'd be sort of like a desktop equivalent to the Macbook Air.]]>Aug 14th 2010 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/That being said, there's really no way to do Blu-Ray "right"-er than it has been. It's disc playback.
I think the biggest problem is the HDCP chain issues you get with the Blu-ray licensing scheme. Every piece of the chain from disc to monitor needs to be HDCP compliant, or the disc won't play.
It's hard for some people (obviously not the people who read this site, but most people) to realize that their shiny new Mac Mini with Blu-Ray won't play on their old Dell monitor using an HDMI-DVI cable because the old monitor is not HDCP.]]>Aug 14th 2010 11:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Plus licensing requirements for Blu-ray are still extremely strict, with high royalties. Apple has tried to get the BDA to change them, but to no avail. When you see those licensing requirements changed, you will see Blu-ray in a Mac... but as it's going, streaming in one form or another will take over the world first.]]>Aug 14th 2010 11:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 2:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 3:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 14th 2010 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
1 0 8 0 p

FFS.]]>Aug 14th 2010 4:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
I think the feature set/price/place in product line is all messed up. Truth is, the Mac Mini offers basically only MacBook-level performance, and once you buy a keyboard/mouse/monitor, it's the same price as a MacBook, but without portability.

They should either position it less expensively, or give it more value as a desktop machine. They could make it as big as a toaster and pack much more goodness in it, and no one would fret about the size increase (well, except for maybe those Mac Mini colocation places):
-Core i5/i7 processors, and not the ULV ones. Mobile or desktop version, either one is a nice improvement.
-nVidia 335M video (or follow suit with the iMac, and go to AMD video)
-User-upgradeable storage and RAM (the available bump to 8GB RAM was excellent, but would be nice to see more drive bays, even if they do remain 2.5")
-If they insist on not having a PCIe slot, at least give it an ExpressCard slot. The user doesn't need to crack open the case for that.]]>Aug 14th 2010 5:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Add all of that and have a Hauppauge 1212 style tuner option to allow for the mini to be a complete HD HTPC system including PVR. The original HDPVR already looks rather at home next to an old style mini. Let the mini gobble up the HD-PVR and you would have a cool complete solution.]]>Aug 15th 2010 3:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 15th 2010 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
That and AMD does not impress me, I have had more issues with their processors than I can count.

And then if you want blu-Ray yuo have to either dish out major cash for software that can play the discs or pirate the software, both unsavory solutions. And you have to have a compliant display.

Blu-Ray is great and all, but I don't havethecash to throw around for those suckers at sometimes two or three times the price of a DVD.
]]>Aug 16th 2010 2:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 16th 2010 10:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/Aug 13th 2010 11:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/how-would-you-change-apples-hdmi-equipped-mac-mini/
Replace the C2D P8600 (2.4GHz, $200) with a Celeron T3300 (2.0GHz, $80). Most people won't notice a difference, but there's $120 off the top. Cut a little hard drive size and make Bluetooth optional, and you're down to $550.]]>Aug 14th 2010 1:22PM