PeterGreen
Latest
OS X running on Asus R2H: Mac tablet at last, sort of
While we all just sit around, twiddling our thumbs in tense anticipation of Apple finally releasing the tablet device it's had patented for some time now, Igor is making things happen. No, his discovery wasn't exactly unearthing the long-awaited Apple tablet from a secret vault in Cupertino, but he did manage to get OS X 10.4.7 up and running on his Asus R2H UMPC. Sure, Peter Green's home-crafted MKIII (vid after the jump) was svelte in its own homegrown way, but installing Apple's own operating system on a tried and true Wintel machine is a feat worthy of praise. Although the nitty gritty of the process is scant, Igor notes that he installed OS X "JaS Patched" and also utilized an SSE2 patch to get things moving along; he stated that the installation itself "had no problems," and was quite simple (albeit time consuming) once things got rolling. Moreover, the only quirks he's experienced thus far is the inability for OS X to render the 800 x 480 resolution natively, which snips a few precious pixels of desktop space. Overall, we'd say things must be working out fairly well, as he even goes so far as to proclaim OS X as "his only operating system" installed on the UMPC -- bravo Igor, bravo.
Mac mini Portable - Tablet Edition
Peter Green, who introduced us to the Mac mini portable (MMP) - a battery powered Mac mini rig with an 8-inch LCD, has turned out a new MMP: The Tablet Edition. Also known as the Mac Mini Portable MK III (MMP MKIII), based on the Intel Core Solo 1.5GHz Mac mini.Peter says: "This thing is smaller than a MacBook or anything else made by Apple! It's got a 3 hour battery life, integrated 8" touch screen tablet, full Blue Tooth, Airport, full SPDIF audio in/out and Front Row capabilities, on screen touch keyboard - no hardware keyboard required and has it's own stand!" It's a cool project and impressive from a technical standpoint and yes - I want one - but it's not the most aesthetically pleasing rig, of course. The MMP MKIII is roughly the same height as the original Mac mini, but a tad wider to accommodate all the parts and for better ergonomics. The battery is upgradeable and Peter says "if someone can write me Intel drivers for my webcam - it'll have a built in iSight too!" That sounds like a dare to me.Check out Peter's website for lots more pics, details on how he made the case (plastic sheeting panels and a gas cooker ignition lighter) and how the electronic components were assembled. Great work, Peter!Thanks, Jonathan!
Peter Green's Portable Mac Mini MK III rocks a touchscreen LCD
Peter Green is to Mac Minis what Ben Heckendorn is to gaming consoles, and Mr. Green has apparently one upped himself yet again by creating an even more compact alternative to throwing down for a shiny new MacBook. While Peter has apparently been too busy basking in his own glory to update his site with the juicy details we all crave, the Portable Mac Mini MK III has been spied by aminorjourney's wondering digicam, and judging solely by the looks of things, we dig it. Peter has seemingly crafted a portable enclosure that houses Apple's smallest Mac, a Li-ion cell that "lasts about three hours," and slapped a svelte touchscreen on the outer casing to get your computing on sans a mouse. While we're sure you're craving that case dimension and LCD contrast ratio info, you'll just have to live with photos for now, and be sure to click through for more live action shots of the MK III doing its thang.
MacMini Portable: the next generation
So instead of folding up his computer and going home like some of our more negative commenters had suggested, inventor, composer, and all around resilient guy Peter Green has been hard at work on the second version of his MacMini Portable. As you'll recall, MMP rev. 1 was basically Apple's diminutive PC stuffed inside a custom enclosure, attached to an LCD, battery pack, trackpad, and thumb board, and occupying a footprint smaller than even the most compact laptop. Well now Green is back to silence the critics who questioned the utility of his first project with the MacMini Portable MkII, which makes numerous improvements upon its predecessor such as mounting the thumb board flush with the case, significantly reducing the overall size of the device, and generally making it look more like something you'd want to take out in public. So once again Mr. Green, we salute you, and encourage you to continue ignoring the haters (and refine your creation to the point that they're forced to come around). Make sure to check out the "Read" link to peep video of the MMPMKII in action, complete with a soothing Green-composed soundtrack.Update: Full website now available; click here for the video, and hit the "Read" link to collect more ammo for your flame war.
The unwieldy MacMini Portable
Usually I love hardware hackery in all its glorious shapes and forms, but occasionally I stop and scratch my head. Why, for instance would you want to take a Mac mini, hide its sleek design inside a metal box, graft a black LCD screen on top with a tiny thumb keyboard and non-centered trackpad? Behold the MMP: MacMini Portable. Perhaps Peter Green's MMP will inspire you to build yourself a better portable Mac mini. The more likely scenario is that you'll opt for the lighter (albeit less hack-like) option of a discounted iBook. It's your choice. [via Engadget]
