Keyboard mac: MacBoard?
Would a super-lowend machine like this be cool?
80's style keyboard-all-in-one.
Basically a lower than lowest-end MacBook without the display, battery and optical drive at a very cheap price.
If a battery would be included, maybe something minimal and UPS-like to basically provide safe sleep if the power goes out.
Comments
Would a super-lowend machine like this be cool?
80's style keyboard-all-in-one.
Basically a lower than lowest-end MacBook without the display, battery and optical drive at a very cheap price.
If a battery would be included, maybe something minimal and UPS-like to basically provide safe sleep if the power goes out.
This is actually something I've thought about repeatedly over the years. Yes the idea is slightly retro but you have to remember the electronics has shrunk remarkably while exploding in power. A keyboard like this with AMD's Ontario Fusion effort might be very useful to a wide array of users. Especially if it has an output to HDTV's and a fast connection to the network.
The only thing you have missing is a track pad of some sort. For many Apples external track pad is probably good enough.
The only thing you have missing is a track pad of some sort. For many Apples external track pad is probably good enough.
I think the focus would be on cheap, something like 1.83GHz or lower Core2Duo or equivalent. Maybe even Atom. 2GB ram, 120GB HDD. Not much else, except an Apple-branded mouse or trackpad bundled. Video driver with h264 hardware decoding. The computer could be viewed as an accessory to the 24" Cinema Display or the living-room TV set. A wireless trackpad would be a good standard accessory for the living-room scenario as it would double as an universal remote for the computer.
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There are some fugly machines like this already available, like the ones from Commodore USA. However, these are mostly vaporware, look very unattractive and are priced and specced too high:
I think the focus would be on cheap, something like 1.83GHz or lower Core2Duo or equivalent. Maybe even Atom.
I think your only choices here are Atom or AMDs coming Bobcat based Fusion product. Not that that is a bad thing as long as you stay on the bleeding edge.
2GB ram, 120GB HDD.
A small flat device like that cries out for solid state storage. If the idea is to be a networked device it would Not need a huge flash disk.
Not much else, except an Apple-branded mouse or trackpad bundled. Video driver with h264 hardware decoding. The computer could be viewed as an accessory to the 24" Cinema Display or the living-room TV set.
That is one use i saw immediately. Another would be as the computing platform for a machine controller.
Not to get side tracked here but I've been looking at getting into home CNC systems. Small computers have an advantage here if it can also run Linux. That is if you decide to go with a USB driven system. Most of these machines are built with used hardware it is all about being on a shoe string.
As a side note at least one guy is working on getting a CNC package built for the Mac.
A wireless trackpad would be a good standard accessory for the living-room scenario as it would double as an universal remote for the computer.
I understand 100%. To get to your lowprice Apple would likely sell the unit completely unbundled.
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There are some fugly machines like this already available, like the ones from Commodore USA. However, these are mostly vaporware, look very unattractive and are priced and specced too high:
I'm not concerned about looks that much after all it One final concern, keyboards take a lot of abuse. For many it is good that they are cheap to replace. In the end I'd think that going for a very tiny box to plug the keyboard into would be better. Maybe something 4 inches square and less than an inch high. With the next generation of high integration chips this size is viable. The power supply would be external which is a good thing. Ideally the computer would provide for a rugged power supply with a twelve volt input. The thought here is automotive and industrial uses.
I'm all for compact but i can't deny the abuse that keyboards get. As time passes the Mini will start to look mainstream as technology forces more case shrinkages. When it becomes possible to put even smaller PCs together and have them be viable Apple will be there with their own.
In any event i can certainly see the positives too. You suspect the Commodore have sale issues due to being ugly. I'd say it goes deeper than that. It comes down to demand, just because I would buy one (home theater) doesn't mean anybody else would.
In some respects Keyboards are thought of as sacrificial PC elements. Nobody wants to spend $300 on such a device. In the end I'm torn as I see both very good reasons and very bad reasons to go this route
Dave
A small flat device like that cries out for solid state storage. If the idea is to be a networked device it would Not need a huge flash disk.
Given the storage needs of OSX, typical OSX apps and typical media on macs, I wouldn't go for anything lower than a cheap hard disk. The 120GB drives seem to still be the cheapest option.
I'm not concerned about looks that much after all it
The thing about looks is usability and optimal form factor: Design in the true sense of the word.
One final concern, keyboards take a lot of abuse.
I'm all for compact but i can't deny the abuse that keyboards get. As time passes the Mini will start to look mainstream as technology forces more case shrinkages. When it becomes possible to put even smaller PCs together and have them be viable Apple will be there with their own.
In some respects Keyboards are thought of as sacrificial PC elements. Nobody wants to spend on such a device. In the end I'm torn as I see both very good reasons and very bad reasons to go this route
Otoh, the same could be said about laptops. In this case, the computer is basically a laptop without the parts that make laptops expensive. Just like laptops evolved from the 80's "keyboard computers", I see room for them to evolve back to provide a really cheap option for cases where a Mini is ridiculously over-engineered and over-priced. (It is for most of its would-be use cases.)
http://macbookairproject.blogspot.com/