MacMini
Latest
Daily Update for October 19, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Some fun uses for a remote Mac Mini server
MacStadium does remote Mac mini hosting, offering customers a fully connected Mac mini in a secure, controlled datacenter (just like the folks at MacMiniColo, who we've visited and written about before). If you have a Mac mini already, you can even send it to them for hosting, or you can rent or buy one yourself right from the company. Having a remote server all for yourself can be very helpful, and using a Mac mini for the job can be one of the cheapest and easiest ways to do so. In fact, not only does MacStadium run hosting, but the company has also been putting up blog posts over the last month or so, going through a few different ways to make use of a connected mini for yourself. You could install a remote Minecraft server on it, for example, creating a world that you and your friends can log into anytime. Or you could set up something like Kerio Connect, which serves as a Microsoft Exchange-style way to share and send email, contacts and calendars across a number of different users. Obviously, these tutorials are for MacStadium's hosted minis, but they should work for any Mac mini you've set up to be accessed remotely. Apple's littlest Mac is relatively cheap but still very powerful and MacStadium's tutorials could be a start to help you get the most out of your remote mini.
Motorola's latest ITC complaint against Apple targets newer iOS devices and Macs, messaging and sync
Motorola filed its most recent ITC complaint against Apple so late into last week that the court system couldn't immediately provide more details; we're only just seeing documents now that the weekend is over. As it stands, the case involves seven patents that mostly touch on staple technologies of the modern mobile world, such as syncing messages between devices and bookmarking media playback on one device to resume on another. Does that last technique sound familiar? You might recall it being a cornerstone of the movie and podcast support that Apple has implemented since 2005. Despite reaching that far back into history, Motorola is just as eager to modernize the targeted hardware list to keep its complaints relevant -- the current iPad, the iPhone 4S and other devices are at risk of a trade ban, posing more of a threat to Apple's bottom line than the dust-covered (and near-finished) initial legal challenge from October 2010. Before coming to any conclusions, though, remember that the newer complaint isn't likely to have any speedy resolution of its own. Past ITC cases have usually taken a year and a half to complete, which could leave most or all of today's technology as another distant memory.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Will my brand new refurb Mac come with Mountain Lion?
Dear Favourite Aunt TUAW, I'm using British spelling in honor of the Olympics. I know that I haven't called lately but I've been very busy waiting for my new Refurb Mac mini. It's going to replace my trusty but aging 2007 edition. I've fetched my Firewire cord and have the step by step method of transferring data, etc... and then it struck me - will the new Mini come already equipped with Mountain Lion? How will that affect the migration? I can't sleep as I fret about this, so please offer your expert advice. Thanks... Your 16th favorite nephew, Mark Dear Mark, Auntie's pretty sure that "Aunt" is spelled identically on both sides of the Atlantic, although she should point out that you (and all of her nieces and nephews) have always been her favourite. (See what she did there?) Auntie gave Apple a call and confirmed that refurb minis qualify for the Up to Date program. You'll be able to upgrade for free. What's more an Apple rep confirmed that the migration assistant will work between OS versions, so you'll be able to move your data from the original Lion install to your new mini -- whether you've already upgraded it or not. Cheers, pip pip, and Tally-Ho (two can play at that game), Auntie T. P.S. Uncle Rich is now squirming. Not just because of Auntie's take on the entire British Empire, but also because he's not a huge fan of Migration Assistant's reliability. He writes, "Migration Assistant [redacted] impressively on my iMac. I extracted my MBP HDD and put it in a USB caddy. Told Migration Assistant to use it as the source and let it do its thing. Rebooted; system seemed good. Disconnected the USB drive... and it stopped booting. Something I had on the old OS X install was cross-connected to the USB HDD, and wouldn't start without it! Never did figure out what it was. In the end I did a clean install of Lion, then told Migration Assistant to move only my home directory and not any of the other settings or apps. I had carried my OS X install forward from Leopard onwards, so it was high time for a clean out anyway." #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Dear Aunt TUAW: Disappointed over AirPlay Mirroring hardware cutoff
Dear Aunt TUAW, With the new launch of Mountain Lion and its new features, I have somehow started looking at my old mid-2009 MacBook Pro with disdain. One of the features I looked forward to was AirPlay Mirroring which unfortunately my older model can't support due to hardware limitations. [This is causing no small amount of consternation among Mountain Lion upgraders, many of whom expected the feature to work universally. –Ed.] So my question now is, do I really need a new laptop? My hands are itching to get one. Maybe my question should be, what should be the cycle for upgrading laptops (but this is probably more personal). Would appreciate your help and guidance. Thanks. Your loving nephew, Dare Dear Dare, It's never the wrong time for a nice new Mac, if you can afford it. If not, AirParrot is just ten bucks and gives you the same kind of AirPlay mirroring, albeit with more burden on the Mac's CPU and some quality tradeoffs. In return for your $10, AirParrot offers two killer features that Mountain Lion does not. First, you can limit mirroring to a single window. Second, you can use it with an HDTV/Apple TV combo to extend your desktop! Why just mirror to your HDTV when you can use it as an extra monitor? As for Auntie's laptop upgrade cycle, it goes like this: she only buys hardware when she absolutely utterly cannot avoid doing so. It looks like a new Mac mini is in her future, although she hopes to hold off for a 2012 refresh. If not, she's buying a refurb 2011 mini and upgrading it to within an inch of its life. It will fit in perfectly with Auntie's lace doilies and Precious Moments figurines. Hugs, Auntie T. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Apple sunsets a few 64-bit Macs with Mountain Lion, video drivers likely the culprit
Apple is well-known for wanting a close spread in hardware requirements with OS X upgrades, having dropped PowerPC like a hot potato when Snow Leopard arrived just three years after the Intel switch. Whether or not you're a fan of that policy, it's certainly carrying forward with Mountain Lion. When the newly-finished OS hits the Mac App Store, it will rule out the very first wave of 64-bit Macs: certain MacBook Pros, Mac Pros and other early systems will be denied a taste of 10.8. Some sleuthing from Ars Technica suggests that it's a matter of graphics drivers rather than capriciousness on Apple's part, as the Macs excluded from the mix are using 32-bit drivers that won't play nicely with Mountain Lion's 64-bit Utopia short of a wide-scale conversion effort. It's little consolation to those who dropped a pretty penny on certain Macs just a few years ago. That said, Apple is still going the extra mile to support some systems -- if you're reading this on an original aluminum iMac, you're sitting pretty.
Sonnet shipping xMac mini server, Echo Express PCIe adapters to follow suit shortly (update)
Sonnet's no stranger to the Thunderbolt peripheral game and it now has three new Thor-approved expansions to ship. The Echo Express adapter packs one X4 mode PCIe 2.0 slot of the x16 flavor, an extra opening for a connector plate or a double-width card and clocks in at a sizeable $599. At a heftier $899 $799, the Pro model sports two of the same slots and support configurations with larger cards. The AC-powered aluminum housings each feature an extra Thunderbolt port to continue the daisy chain and ship out for duty on June 8th. Bent on turning your Mac mini into a server and have $1,295 squirreled away behind a rack? The xMac mini server 1U rackmount enclosure is replacing its older sibling and adds more PCIe 2.0 slot connectivity. Hit the source links for full tech specs on all three. Update: The Echo Express Pro rings up at $799 instead of $899. Sonnet Tech let us know that the RackMac mini Xserver never shipped, but is being revamped as the xMac mini.
Belkin promises spec upgrade for Thunderbolt Express Dock with USB 3.0, eSATA
Belkin has added some upgrades to its soon-to-be-shipped Thunderbolt Express Dock, and a new Thunderbolt cable for Mac and PC users. The Thunderbolt Express Dock is a first-of-its-kind docking solution for both PC and Mac users that enables instant access to up to nine desktop peripherals with one cable, and provides an easy transition from a desktop workstation to a mobile device. Upgrades to the latest version of the dock include the addition of three USB 3.0 ports, instead of USB 2.0 ports, as well as an eSata port. Thunderbolt hasn't really caught fire yet in the market place, if you'll pardon the pun, but it holds great promise as file sizes get larger, especially media files. Apple includes Thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Air, The MacBook Pro, the iMac and the Mac mini. The Express Dock will retail for US $399.00 and the Thunderbolt cable will list at $44.99. There are already Thunderbolt storage products from Pegasus, LaCie and Sonnet. The newest Apple displays can also connect via Thunderbolt.
Apple reportedly readying numerous Retina display MacBooks and multiple accessories for WWDC
New MacBook Pros are practically a given for WWDC (or, let's just say tears will be shed if they elude us), but now, 9to5Mac is stepping up the expectations in a major way. The outlet is now reporting that we could see two different versions of a revised 15-incher, not to mention Retina display-equipped editions of the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. Less certain (but certainly believable) is an iMac refresh, which would again get served with a Retina display, and a fourth major Mac update is apt to see the practically forgotten Mac Pro or the Mac mini updated with bolstered internals. For those following Apple, you'd know that updating so many products at one event isn't a typical move for the company, but Tim Cook's been doing things slightly differently of late -- and honestly, there's no better way to enforce the importance of Retina than to blow it out across the portfolios. Finally, a whole host of new accessories are said to be on tap, with "refreshed keyboards, mice, trackpads and AirPorts" on the list. Hit the source link for the down and dirty, and go ahead and wipe your calendar for June 9th; we'll be liveblogging every last announcement direct from Moscone.
Best Buy Mac discounts hint at clearing inventory, Ivy Bridge revamp coming soon?
Cupertino is unsurprisingly tight-of-lip on when it plans to add Ivy Bridge to its desktop and laptop line, but we think that's not far off: we've even seen some benchmarks. Now, in a move that smacks of inventory clearing but could equally mean nothing, Best Buy has hacked between $20 and $200 from its Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Pro and MacBook Pro offerings. If you're into a bargain, then head down to your nearest big blue-and-yellow store -- and we'll let you know as soon as we see the yellow sticky-note.
OWC releases kit that allows for dual hard drives in 2011 Mac mini
For those keen on expanding the number of hard drives in the 2011 Mac minis, OWC has released a kit that enables users to add a second 9.5 mm or 2.5" SATA hard drive or a solid-state drive to their machines. The US$49.99 kit includes a 5-piece mini toolkit, a tool for removing the logic board, four rubber grommets and hex screws, a Mac mini flex cable and an installation manual. The hard drives must be purchased separately. OWC warns that this installation is not for the faint of heart, and the video below shows how the second hard drive can be added to the Mac mini. [via CNet]
Ask Engadget: Best Mac Mini carrying case?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from Kevin, who's decided to abandon laptops for his Mac Mini. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hi All. I purchased a 2011 Mac Mini with dedicated graphics for PhotoShop and InDesign. I've grown tired of my Core 2 Duo Laptop, instead I want to bring my Mac Mini to and from work (I've got display, keyboard and mouse at both places so it's not a problem). It might be a weird idea, I wanna try it. Any suggestions on what I can use to carry it, as long as its discrete as I commute quite a bit. Thanks!"Well, we're impressed by his commitment and his plan, but has anyone else made the leap and lived to tell the tale? We've never seen a mac at a LAN party, but that doesn't mean there isn't some exquisite accessories available for the purpose. One, two, you know what to do.(NB: If you don't know what to do, it's to give your helpful suggestions and personal experiences in the comments below)
Intel website leaks full Ivy Bridge lineup
Intel apparently slipped and briefly posted a Spring product list that outed 17 desktop chips and 11 notebook chips. Many of these chips were listed in an earlier leak and could land in Mac and PC hardware this year. The PDF document was pulled from Intel's website, but not before the list was grabbed by ComputerBase. You can check out the list of processors in the graphics below and get a sneak peek at some of the processors and integrated GPUs that Apple might use in revisions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac minis or iMacs. [Via Electronista]
Apple releases EFI firmware updates for 2011 Macs, crushes bugs
If you're anything like us, your inner-geek revels in hearing rare system beeps while holding down obscure key combos that only occur while updating low-level firmware. While much of those theatrics have since disappeared in the modern era, those of you with 2011 iMacs, Mac Minis, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs can at least relive some of that nostalgia as you update them to their latest respective EFI firmwares. There's four versions (one for each machine, naturally), yet Apple tells us they all address the same underlying problems, including improving "the reliability of booting from the network" in addition to addressing "an issue that can prevent HDCP authentication" after reboots. Finally, there's improvements pertaining to "boot device selection when a USB storage device is hot-plugged." Direct links to the respective support pages are below, or those seeking to avoid guesswork can simply go on ahead and fire up Software Update. Your call.
2011 Macs get EFI Firmware Update
Have a 2011 Mac mini, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac? If Software Update hasn't yet told you about it, there's an EFI Firmware Update available that you might want to install. According to the release notes, "This update improves the reliability of booting from the network, addresses an issue that can prevent HDCP authentication after a reboot, and resolves an issue with boot device selection when a USB storage device is hot-plugged." The direct links to the updates are as follows: Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.6 - Mac mini (Mid 2011) iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.9 - iMac (Early 2011) MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.4 - MacBook Air (Mid 2011) MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.7 - MacBook Pro (Early 2011) and (Late 2011)
PSA: Can your machine run Mountain Lion?
Ah, compatibility, she can be a cruel mistress, prone to leaving your favorite devices out in the cold and your wallet a few bills lighter. Apple's latest OS update, Mountain Lion, is no different. OS X 10.8 won't run on just any Mac, so, the question is, will it run on yours? Well, if you've got any machine from 2009 or newer the answer is yes. Older than that and things get a little bit shaky. iMacs are the most forgiving, with support starting on the mid-2007 models. Any Pro desktop from early 2008 on should be fine, while Xserves get cut off at early 2009 along with the Mac Mini. The original Air is already getting turned aside and you'll need a late 2008 model (or newer) for the update, while vanilla MacBooks are nearing total obsolescence as support starts with the aluminum models from 2008. Lastly, those of you rocking 15- or 17-inch MacBook Pros should be golden starting with late 2007 models. Oh, and any 13-inch Pro should be good to go.
Apple updates EFI firmware on 2010 Macs: offers Lion internet recovery, not much else
Staring forlorn at that two-year-old MacBook, just sitting there in the corner? Well, there's good news; Apple's decided to furnish those 2010 models with a new EFI firmware update. Arriving on its MacBook Air (late 2010), iMac (mid 2010) and MacBook Pro (early 2010) models, it adds support for Lion's internet-based recovery feature -- something that's very useful for those optical drive-less MacBook Airs and Mac minis. The update also fixes a bug on Air models, where it would reset if the power button was pressed immediately after booting from deep sleep mode. You can consult your Mac's software updater for the new firmware -- it's out there now.
Great things to do with your Mac mini
Today, we celebrated the Mac mini's 7th anniversary. As workhorse machines go, the mini cannot be beat. It provides a great deal of computing power along with a small footprint and plenty of ports for devices. Add any monitor, keyboard, mouse, or trackpad and you're ready to rock and roll. Here are some of our favorite ways to use minis in real life. Media Center. The Mac mini gives you the media power of an Apple TV, a small footprint, and adds computing on top. Connect your Mini to an EyeTV or similar capture system, and you've created a workable DVR solution. Yes, Apple dropped FrontRow support with Lion, but we're very fond of Plex and XBMC. First Development Mac. Intel minis make perfect "first" development Macs, offering a stepping stone into the Apple world for anyone reared on Windows or Linux. You can purchase a Mac, a dev membership, and all the accessories you need to get started with iOS development for under $1000. These minis also act as a gateway drug for many developers. From there, it's onto iMacs and MacBooks. Kid Computers. Nothing says education like mini. Get your students started with a great Mac experience, at an affordable price. Most kid software, browsing, and email will run on older minis, so you can buy refurbished while knowing your kid can still get the job done. Embedded Systems. Minis are easy to deploy to embedded systems, from kiosks to interactive museum exhibits. Their Apple lineage also means that servicing and warranties are taken care of through low-cost AppleCare. Windows Platforms. One word: BootCamp. Your Mac mini may be one of the best Windows systems you ever owned. Got other ways you love to use Mac minis? Join in the comments as we celebrate 7 years of the little Mac that could.
Happy 7th anniversary to the Mac mini
"I wish I had a nickel for every time somebody asked me that," Steve Jobs said as the question "Why doesn't Apple offer a stripped down Mac that is more affordable" flashed up behind him during Macworld 2005 keynote. Today, that stripped-down computer celebrates its seventh anniversary. The Mac mini has had its demise predicted nearly as often as the iPod classic. But the durable little machine keeps chugging on and has inspired everything from a fan of RAID machines to media centers, car stereos and even apple pie. While the Mac mini began its life as a low-end PowerPC G4 machine, current build-to-order models can meet or exceed stock-configuration iMacs. They've become smaller, more powerful, yet are still an excellent switcher machine for those who already own a monitor and keyboard. They also can function as a server or serve a variety of needs for homes and businesses. Here's to you, Mac mini. I expect to still find you around for years to come. You can check out the original introduction from 2006 below.
TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for the best Mac of the year
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! Today TUAW is asking for your vote for the best Mac of 2011. The nominations included the 2011 version of the Mac mini, the 11" and 13" MacBook Air, the 13" and 15" MacBook Pro and the 27" i7 iMac. Only one of these Macs will win TUAW's top honor for Mac hardware. Which device is the winner is all up to you. %Poll-71616%
