- the Mac mini is designed to ensure proper airflow when placed on a flat surface,
- to accomplish this goal, the lower edge does not touch the ground (see here for photos),
- a matching recess could be molded into the add-on case's top cover just deep enough to ensure that the mini stays in place and still leaving a gap high enough to ensure proper airflow.
To illustarte: this is kind of what I am talking about. But I like the Mac mini's materials (aluminium and white polycarbonat) better than the acrylic.
In the image I posted, as well as sunilraman's images the slices fit flush with the aluminum body of the mini:
Now that the mini's airflow requirements are apparent, this type of slice would have to make allowances for this by channeling air to the mini from inside the slice's case. Leaving a gap between the two would also work, but be less elegant of a solution.
I hope that we will see the first mini slice from Apple looking very much like the above image, with everything needed inside to make the "digital hub" be finally realized.
Leaving a gap between the two would also work, but be less elegant of a solution.
How about a trough on the top of the "slice" that the feet of the mini fits into with an opening in the rear and walls on the front and side to disguise the gap.
How about a trough on the top of the "slice" that the feet of the mini fits into with an opening in the rear and walls on the front and side to disguise the gap.
It might look nicer, but I think that would cause an undesirable amount of air drag, overworking the built-in fan, and giving less air flow. Someone designing it this way could assist it by putting an intake fan into the slice in question.
It might look nicer, but I think that would cause an undesirable amount of air drag, overworking the built-in fan, and giving less air flow. Someone designing it this way could assist it by putting an intake fan into the slice in question.
i'm thinking a highly conducting "cheese grater" kind of cooling slice somewhere in there to draw all the heat out
now where's that PhD in Thermodynamics* i have... i'm sure i left it lying around here somewhere
*actually i have a bachelor's degree in biology and computer science
Yes, that was understood and appreciated, especially for the link.
The "mini skirt" looks cool. I'm sure that that will be the first of many.
Their existence, especially so soon, validates the premise of this thread.
Ummm... Why? Why this "skirt" thing? I can understand the monitor stands they're selling, and even the side-mounting kit. But why would anyone want a "skirt"?
Here's an idea: cable keeper "skirt". Raises the mini a few inches and has an open back to tuck all your unsightly cables underneath the mini.
I don't know that there are fortunes to be made here, but certainly some profitable products.
With the PowerBooks being speed-bumped, it will be interesting to see how much effort Apple puts into keeping the mini form going. Hopefully, a lot. Speed bumped minis by WWDC? 512MB standard. No price increase. Hopefully better GPU.
Ummm... Why? Why this "skirt" thing? I can understand the monitor stands they're selling, and even the side-mounting kit. But why would anyone want a "skirt"?
The skirt itself is irelevant. But it demonstrates how a proper airflow can be achieved when developing functional "slices" (e.g. hard drive, I/O hub etc. slices)
They are kiosks, which is more or less the same thing as what you are talking about. POSes are generally used by staff, not customers. Yeah, it's a nomenclature thing.
Anyway, I'm peripherally invovled in the POS business, and this was the first thing I thought of when I saw the mini. (My company designs/builds/sells very vertically integrated access control/payment/information systems to entertainment venues.) Basically, you all of the sudden have a very cheap, very integrable device that runs the best version of UNIX in the world, particularly when you have to develop media-rich applications.
I don't have an NDA with nanonation yet. . . I just spotted them today since my company has to be very well informed of information devices that work with RFID. Even so, it looks like they put all of the info they have up on the web. Not only do they use minis, but they use XServes as Quicktime media servers.
I think it's really cool. Everyone knows already that OS X is the best OS out there for media-intense commercial applications. Now that Apple has a product that's applicable in a commercial sense, it should prove that the windows domination of the POS industry will begin to evaporate.
Funny thing is, the day the mini came out, I envisioned a nice, plastic POS that wears it like a backpack.
Here's an article from Digital Connect that is a great general review of the Mac mini, and has some interesting ideas about the Mac mini as a platform in the enterprise market.
Quote:
"The Mac mini's price, portability, wireless networking capabilities and bundled iLife '05 multimedia software make it an attractive option to Windows-based PCs for consumers, according to Tohan. "But that's probably not going to be as big of a market for it as, let's say, a company that needs 100 desktops and all those desktops are doing is e-mail, Web browsing and word processing," he said. "Why deal with 100 licenses for Windows XP and protection from viruses, spyware and adware? None of that will be an issue if those 100 people are connected via Mac minis."
"The base model of the Mac mini could make a fine second computer, possibly dedicated to music, movies and video, as its USB and FireWire ports enable storage, audio and video expansion," Gartner analyst Martin Reynolds said in a recent report. ( iServe? )
"Watch for the emergence of USB peripheral boxes that fully integrate the Mac [mini] into a home theater system, which will signal that the Mac mini has become a model for what a media PC could be," Reynolds added.( slice? )
I consider the inevitable penetration of the Mac mini into enterprise accounts an affirmation of the platform status that the Mac mini will attain. It will become the lowest common denominator of OSX for all types of instalations.
Cost analysis and TCO studies of the above referenced businesses needing 100 modern office workstations will be even more true for the company needing 1000 such devices for their office workers. An enterprise needing to upgrade 10,000 cubicles won't be far behind, as initial successes become proof of concept for the wholesale platform change to OSX via the Mac mini I expect to see.
For a small-to-medium-to-large enterprise, i think the mini Tower is great (with a 512mb 1.25ghz 40gb Mac Mini)
1. lifts the mini slightly off the desk -- avoids dust, pens, miscellanous crap scratching and clogging the mini. also, if you spill your coffee/beer(!) on your desk your mini is safe from harm
2. reduces footprint to leave increase desk space for other important stuff like pictures of your loved one/pet/spongeBob
3. protects the mini from scratches, spills, footballs or other objects being thrown around the office (you think i'm kidding about this)
4. if i am not wrong, increases airflow for the Bottom part of the mini (the Left/Right face when placed in the Tower side up) (there are matching vents in the acrylic) - increased longevity and reliability in corporate always-ON environments
5. stylish, unique appearance can have a positive effect on employee morale and daily work experience
PS. i am liking the tower! assuming adequate quality/airflow/stability testing is done, i'd love to see 10-100-1000 of these babies in a corporate environment... wouldn't that be an inspiring, beautiful breath of fresh air from black or beige Dulls
...and just think of all the reduced clutter and savings on ethernet cable set ups with Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and 802.11g (Airport Extreme) on thse babies.... just a Power and monitor cable comin out the back....
[now i got to think up a business case for this second part -- the Bluetooth and Airport full wireless mouse, keyboard, network]
...and just think of all the reduced clutter and savings on ethernet cable set ups with Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and 802.11g (Airport Extreme) on thse babies.... just a Power and monitor cable comin out the back....
[now i got to think up a business case for this second part -- the Bluetooth and Airport full wireless mouse, keyboard, network]
I think it would be a bad idea to have so many of these things in wireless mode for dense offices. For one, there's only so much spectrum, three usable non-overlapping bands for b/g networks and Bluetooth uses the same band too.
Wireless "g" has at best 20Mbps total transfer rate, and that is just for one AP and one client. More users cuts down on the grand total transfer rate and splits it down even further. Having so many people on a plain WLAN might not be so bad if all they do is access the Internet, but if too many try to move data the network will choke. For just one laptop, I've seen heavy WLAN activity slow down Bluetooth such that my mouse lagged over twice as much as usual.
Bluetooth is a lot better behaved with density, as it splits the available band into 79 slices, you mostly need to make sure you have fewer than that many systems within range, assuming there's no nasty channel-to-channel interference.
I think it would be a bad idea to have so many of these things in wireless mode for dense offices. For one, there's only so much spectrum, three usable non-overlapping bands for b/g networks and Bluetooth uses the same band too.
Wireless "g" has at best 20Mbps total transfer rate, and that is just for one AP and one client. More users cuts down on the grand total transfer rate and splits it down even further. Having so many people on a plain WLAN might not be so bad if all they do is access the Internet, but if too many try to move data the network will choke. For just one laptop, I've seen heavy WLAN activity slow down Bluetooth such that my mouse lagged over twice as much as usual.
Bluetooth is a lot better behaved with density, as it splits the available band into 79 slices, you mostly need to make sure you have fewer than that many systems within range, assuming there's no nasty channel-to-channel interference.
point noted. i was wondering about those points at the back of my mind... we wouldn't want something silly like poor wireless planning/engineering messin up any flagship corporate mac mini rollouts
It's been about a month since the last post to this thread.
This is something I made for my mini:
It's not done yet, but it is real. The final project's appearance will be only slightly different from what is shown. I will try to match the finish a little better. The top plate to the "slice" isn't there yet and I don't have a skid pad on the bottom, so it will look a little better and rise slightly higher than in the picture.
Um why do you need so many USB and firewire ports? Nah scratch that, good idea, you need like a million free USB ports nowadays for everything from thumbdrives to your rechargeable shaver.
Um why do you need so many USB and firewire ports? Nah scratch that, good idea, you need like a million free USB ports nowadays for everything from thumbdrives to your rechargeable shaver.
Thanks!
I didn't think I need that many ports, just that this is where the design progression led. I bought one hub that includes 4 USB + 3 Firewire, and when designing the case to put it in, I decided to put in opening for two of them because there was plenty of room, so I can add another one like it later. As it is, I'll leave the back one empty.
I would have been plenty happy with half that many ports on each end, but the part wasn't made that way, and as you said, makes sense to have a little spare capacity. Putting in the time and work for one neat hub slice now beats a mess of hubs later.
Comments
Originally posted by RolandG
- the Mac mini is designed to ensure proper airflow when placed on a flat surface,
- to accomplish this goal, the lower edge does not touch the ground (see here for photos),
- a matching recess could be molded into the add-on case's top cover just deep enough to ensure that the mini stays in place and still leaving a gap high enough to ensure proper airflow.
To illustarte: this is kind of what I am talking about. But I like the Mac mini's materials (aluminium and white polycarbonat) better than the acrylic.
Now that the mini's airflow requirements are apparent, this type of slice would have to make allowances for this by channeling air to the mini from inside the slice's case. Leaving a gap between the two would also work, but be less elegant of a solution.
I hope that we will see the first mini slice from Apple looking very much like the above image, with everything needed inside to make the "digital hub" be finally realized.
Originally posted by Aphelion
In the image I posted, as well as sunilraman's images the slices fit flush with the aluminum body of the mini
What is wanted to express was that there the first matching add-ons are popping up.
The "mini skirt" looks cool. I'm sure that that will be the first of many.
Their existence, especially so soon, validates the premise of this thread.
originally posted by Aphelion
Leaving a gap between the two would also work, but be less elegant of a solution.
How about a trough on the top of the "slice" that the feet of the mini fits into with an opening in the rear and walls on the front and side to disguise the gap.
Originally posted by LiquidR
How about a trough on the top of the "slice" that the feet of the mini fits into with an opening in the rear and walls on the front and side to disguise the gap.
It might look nicer, but I think that would cause an undesirable amount of air drag, overworking the built-in fan, and giving less air flow. Someone designing it this way could assist it by putting an intake fan into the slice in question.
Originally posted by JeffDM
It might look nicer, but I think that would cause an undesirable amount of air drag, overworking the built-in fan, and giving less air flow. Someone designing it this way could assist it by putting an intake fan into the slice in question.
i'm thinking a highly conducting "cheese grater" kind of cooling slice somewhere in there to draw all the heat out
now where's that PhD in Thermodynamics* i have... i'm sure i left it lying around here somewhere
*actually i have a bachelor's degree in biology and computer science
Originally posted by Aphelion
Yes, that was understood and appreciated, especially for the link.
The "mini skirt" looks cool. I'm sure that that will be the first of many.
Their existence, especially so soon, validates the premise of this thread.
Ummm... Why? Why this "skirt" thing? I can understand the monitor stands they're selling, and even the side-mounting kit. But why would anyone want a "skirt"?
Here's an idea: cable keeper "skirt". Raises the mini a few inches and has an open back to tuck all your unsightly cables underneath the mini.
I don't know that there are fortunes to be made here, but certainly some profitable products.
With the PowerBooks being speed-bumped, it will be interesting to see how much effort Apple puts into keeping the mini form going. Hopefully, a lot. Speed bumped minis by WWDC? 512MB standard. No price increase. Hopefully better GPU.
- Jasen.
Originally posted by jasenj1
Ummm... Why? Why this "skirt" thing? I can understand the monitor stands they're selling, and even the side-mounting kit. But why would anyone want a "skirt"?
The skirt itself is irelevant. But it demonstrates how a proper airflow can be achieved when developing functional "slices" (e.g. hard drive, I/O hub etc. slices)
Originally posted by Aphelion
POS Slice ~ Point of sale terminal with touch screens Perhaps with a small LCD panel to show shoppers price totals etc.
Done.
http://www.nanonation.net
They are kiosks, which is more or less the same thing as what you are talking about. POSes are generally used by staff, not customers. Yeah, it's a nomenclature thing.
Anyway, I'm peripherally invovled in the POS business, and this was the first thing I thought of when I saw the mini. (My company designs/builds/sells very vertically integrated access control/payment/information systems to entertainment venues.) Basically, you all of the sudden have a very cheap, very integrable device that runs the best version of UNIX in the world, particularly when you have to develop media-rich applications.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
Done...
Great link Splinemodel! So without giving any NDA type of info, are your contacts considering integrating the mini into a POS terminal?
The kiosk's that nanonation are selling look great. See how fast someone has jumped on the mini as a platform to build on!
I think it's really cool. Everyone knows already that OS X is the best OS out there for media-intense commercial applications. Now that Apple has a product that's applicable in a commercial sense, it should prove that the windows domination of the POS industry will begin to evaporate.
Funny thing is, the day the mini came out, I envisioned a nice, plastic POS that wears it like a backpack.
"The Mac mini's price, portability, wireless networking capabilities and bundled iLife '05 multimedia software make it an attractive option to Windows-based PCs for consumers, according to Tohan. "But that's probably not going to be as big of a market for it as, let's say, a company that needs 100 desktops and all those desktops are doing is e-mail, Web browsing and word processing," he said. "Why deal with 100 licenses for Windows XP and protection from viruses, spyware and adware? None of that will be an issue if those 100 people are connected via Mac minis."
"The base model of the Mac mini could make a fine second computer, possibly dedicated to music, movies and video, as its USB and FireWire ports enable storage, audio and video expansion," Gartner analyst Martin Reynolds said in a recent report. ( iServe? )
"Watch for the emergence of USB peripheral boxes that fully integrate the Mac [mini] into a home theater system, which will signal that the Mac mini has become a model for what a media PC could be," Reynolds added.( slice? )
I consider the inevitable penetration of the Mac mini into enterprise accounts an affirmation of the platform status that the Mac mini will attain. It will become the lowest common denominator of OSX for all types of instalations.
Cost analysis and TCO studies of the above referenced businesses needing 100 modern office workstations will be even more true for the company needing 1000 such devices for their office workers. An enterprise needing to upgrade 10,000 cubicles won't be far behind, as initial successes become proof of concept for the wholesale platform change to OSX via the Mac mini I expect to see.
1. lifts the mini slightly off the desk -- avoids dust, pens, miscellanous crap scratching and clogging the mini. also, if you spill your coffee/beer(!) on your desk your mini is safe from harm
2. reduces footprint to leave increase desk space for other important stuff like pictures of your loved one/pet/spongeBob
3. protects the mini from scratches, spills, footballs or other objects being thrown around the office (you think i'm kidding about this)
4. if i am not wrong, increases airflow for the Bottom part of the mini (the Left/Right face when placed in the Tower side up) (there are matching vents in the acrylic) - increased longevity and reliability in corporate always-ON environments
5. stylish, unique appearance can have a positive effect on employee morale and daily work experience
PS. i am liking the tower!
...and just think of all the reduced clutter and savings on ethernet cable set ups with Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and 802.11g (Airport Extreme) on thse babies.... just a Power and monitor cable comin out the back....
[now i got to think up a business case for this second part -- the Bluetooth and Airport full wireless mouse, keyboard, network]
Originally posted by sunilraman
...and just think of all the reduced clutter and savings on ethernet cable set ups with Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and 802.11g (Airport Extreme) on thse babies.... just a Power and monitor cable comin out the back....
[now i got to think up a business case for this second part -- the Bluetooth and Airport full wireless mouse, keyboard, network]
I think it would be a bad idea to have so many of these things in wireless mode for dense offices. For one, there's only so much spectrum, three usable non-overlapping bands for b/g networks and Bluetooth uses the same band too.
Wireless "g" has at best 20Mbps total transfer rate, and that is just for one AP and one client. More users cuts down on the grand total transfer rate and splits it down even further. Having so many people on a plain WLAN might not be so bad if all they do is access the Internet, but if too many try to move data the network will choke. For just one laptop, I've seen heavy WLAN activity slow down Bluetooth such that my mouse lagged over twice as much as usual.
Bluetooth is a lot better behaved with density, as it splits the available band into 79 slices, you mostly need to make sure you have fewer than that many systems within range, assuming there's no nasty channel-to-channel interference.
Originally posted by JeffDM
I think it would be a bad idea to have so many of these things in wireless mode for dense offices. For one, there's only so much spectrum, three usable non-overlapping bands for b/g networks and Bluetooth uses the same band too.
Wireless "g" has at best 20Mbps total transfer rate, and that is just for one AP and one client. More users cuts down on the grand total transfer rate and splits it down even further. Having so many people on a plain WLAN might not be so bad if all they do is access the Internet, but if too many try to move data the network will choke. For just one laptop, I've seen heavy WLAN activity slow down Bluetooth such that my mouse lagged over twice as much as usual.
Bluetooth is a lot better behaved with density, as it splits the available band into 79 slices, you mostly need to make sure you have fewer than that many systems within range, assuming there's no nasty channel-to-channel interference.
point noted. i was wondering about those points at the back of my mind...
More of a slab than a slice, but an interesting concept for a Mac mini A/V dock
This is something I made for my mini:
It's not done yet, but it is real. The final project's appearance will be only slightly different from what is shown. I will try to match the finish a little better. The top plate to the "slice" isn't there yet and I don't have a skid pad on the bottom, so it will look a little better and rise slightly higher than in the picture.
Um why do you need so many USB and firewire ports? Nah scratch that, good idea, you need like a million free USB ports nowadays for everything from thumbdrives to your rechargeable shaver.
Hella sweet
Originally posted by sunilraman
Jeff, you da man. That is the bomb! y'all......
Um why do you need so many USB and firewire ports? Nah scratch that, good idea, you need like a million free USB ports nowadays for everything from thumbdrives to your rechargeable shaver.
Thanks!
I didn't think I need that many ports, just that this is where the design progression led. I bought one hub that includes 4 USB + 3 Firewire, and when designing the case to put it in, I decided to put in opening for two of them because there was plenty of room, so I can add another one like it later. As it is, I'll leave the back one empty.
I would have been plenty happy with half that many ports on each end, but the part wasn't made that way, and as you said, makes sense to have a little spare capacity. Putting in the time and work for one neat hub slice now beats a mess of hubs later.