Photo of next-gen Apple Mac mini in the wild?

13468912

Comments

  • Reply 101 of 221
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by vinney57 View Post


    I need this little baby right now.



    Anybody think there might be delays because of the Intel/Nvidia spat?



    For the Mini no as it is not likely that it will be using an i7 with Intels Quick Path bus. From what Incan see the discussion revolves around Nvidia chips specific to that interface. It might be holding up the iMacs though. I just don't see a Quick Path based chip going into the Mini this year.





    Dave
  • Reply 102 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    miniDP has no support for analogue monitors. Everything does point to the new mini having both miniDP and miniDVI... PC BYODKM compatibility, as well as dual monitor support (same architecture as laptops).



    Monoprice will offer a MiniDP-VGA adapter
  • Reply 103 of 221
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NeilM View Post


    The FW800 is nice, but what the hell does anyone need five USB ports for on this level of computer?



    I'd rather have 5 USB ports any day over a FW port. On my iMac I'm constantly switching plugs because I'm out of ports. Nothing I have is FW. With everything being USB these days I'm sure there are plenty of people in my same position. The lack of USB ports has always been a complaint with Macs.
  • Reply 104 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    For the Mini no as it is not likely that it will be using an i7 with Intels Quick Path bus. From what Incan see the discussion revolves around Nvidia chips specific to that interface. It might be holding up the iMacs though. I just don't see a Quick Path based chip going into the Mini this year.





    Dave



    The iMac uses a discrete GPU, so I don't think the Intel-Nvidia lawsuit will bring any delay here. Hybrid SLI is nice, but it's not supported on Leopard and I doubt it will make that much difference.
  • Reply 105 of 221
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rolo View Post


    Why couldn't Apple combine the Apple TV with the Mac mini which could also have Time Capsule capability? It'd be a perfect home multimedia server, game machine, backup device, and HDTV add-on for movies and TV shows. Add a tuner and you'd have the perfect home entertainment system. It should be able to have all the functions of a Mac but also the functions of a DVR. If the optical drive could be a DVD/Blu-ray combo, it'd be perfect.



    The economy being what it is, it'd be better for Apple to offer fewer products that can do more, have added value. Combining capabilities into one box instead of having a Mac, and Apple TV, and a Time Capsule could be much better for both the consumer and Apple.



    It would be great, but the problem is Apple could never sell a device like that for $599. It would be more like $999 or so. With that price point customers will buy an iMac or MacBook instead.



    Apple would have to figure out how to get component, RCA, possibly HDMI, along with the other ports that ship standard on the MacMini. It would almost have to have a tiered logicboard, which would raise costs and possibly even make the device larger in size. There's no way Apple could ever sell a slim slot-loading blu-ray drive in a Mac for only $599, or even $799, or hell even $999.
  • Reply 106 of 221
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by whatever00 View Post


    What's so underwhelming about a new generation of CPU, much better graphics (and excellent support for OpenCL), faster firewire and getting an additional USB port?



    What's so next generation about a C2D 2GHz with 3MB cache? Any graphics compared to the GMA950 will appear better. Firewire 800? So? The mini should have had that 365 days ago and I think I broke my jaw from yawning so hard at getting an extra USB.
  • Reply 107 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by whatever00 View Post


    Monoprice will offer a MiniDP-VGA adapter



    Huh... Okay now that's confusing. I stand corrected!



    I thought the whole point of a new standard was that it would be digital only. How can they implement HDCP when someone can just plug it in to a VGA monitor?
  • Reply 108 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rolo View Post


    Why couldn't Apple combine the Apple TV with the Mac mini which could also have Time Capsule capability? It'd be a perfect home multimedia server, game machine, backup device, and HDTV add-on for movies and TV shows. Add a tuner and you'd have the perfect home entertainment system. It should be able to have all the functions of a Mac but also the functions of a DVR. If the optical drive could be a DVD/Blu-ray combo, it'd be perfect.



    Everything you ever need in one box! Server, backup device, all your media and data... BANG! Oh noes it just blew up. It's okay I've used Time Machi... Oh sh!t.



  • Reply 109 of 221
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shogun View Post


    Look for a mini-cube at 4 inches by 4 inches with rounded, polished corners. No CD. No DVD. One cord runs out the back. It splits into power, display and ethernet. USB, Firewire and Headphone are on the back. Internal speakers will sound surprisingly good.



    Ummm...absolutely not! Seems very illogical from a switchers stand point, not mention a typical user.
  • Reply 110 of 221
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majortom1981 View Post


    Why would they use ddr3 memory and only a core 2 duo ? Why not use an i7 or wait till i5?



    For the same reason's they use DDR3 RAM in the MacBook and MacBook Pro with the same C2D.
  • Reply 111 of 221
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by whatever00 View Post


    This argument does not apply for notebooks, because they come with input devices. They are also unlikely to be tethered to an external HD or printer due to their mobility.



    Most switchers' keyboards are cheap old ones with no USB ports, which necessitate 5 USB ports on the mini. The iMac includes Apple's keyboard, which has USB port.



    All of the devices I have cited are common devices that need to occupy USB ports for long periods of time. In particular, the external HD is used for Time Machine backups.



    Steve Jobs just called. He told me to tell you to go buy a USB Hub.
  • Reply 112 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    Huh... Okay now that's confusing. I stand corrected!



    I thought the whole point of a new standard was that it would be digital only. How can they implement HDCP when someone can just plug it in to a VGA monitor?



    The miniDP-VGA adapter does not convert the signal from DP to VGA. In this case, the miniDP port is simply acting as a passthrough interface. The computer is responsible for supplying the VGA signal. If HDCP-protected content is being played, the computer can simply refuse to supply VGA signal or it can supply it at SD resolution.
  • Reply 113 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bugsnw View Post


    Steve Jobs just called. He told me to tell you to go buy a USB Hub.



    This is a bad excuse when you are trying to convince people to switch to your product. After all, those people didn't have to buy a USB hub to attach those basic peripherals (We are not talking about some expensive, obscure devices here and I didn't even list less common devices such as scanners) when they were using PCs, why should they when they switch Macs?



    ps. Thank you Mr. Jobs (or is it Mr. Mobs) for your advice. I am perfectly fine with two USB ports on my iBook.
  • Reply 114 of 221
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Hi guys;



    Some comments that people need to digest.



    1.

    Apple will go FW800 simply because it offers a clear advantage over USB and at this point likely doesn't cost much if any more than an old FW400 chip. In the Mini FW800 would be a huge advantage.



    2.

    Later Firewire standards make use of the FW800 port hardware. There is the possibility that this is an FW1600 or FW3200 interface. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking. More importantly Apple needs a high speed interface to match up with faster external storage.



    3.

    5 USB ports would be great. With modern chipsets they are for all practical purposes free. As many have already noted more ports connect directly to the chip set means more reliabilty for USB.



    4.

    Display port ought to be a requirement. Having easy access to a DVI port does imply easier integration into a media center application.





    Now as to fake or not I really don't know but I will guess fake. The reason being is if that was all we where going to get it would have come out by now. The pic would be a nice machine if it had a faster CPU and frankly would be desirable for this user but I will believe it is real when I can buy it in the Apple store.



    Dave
  • Reply 115 of 221
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Remember the thread about data centers using minis. That would be way cool to use FW800 with external storage for a web servers.
  • Reply 116 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    1.

    Apple will go FW800 simply because it offers a clear advantage over USB and at this point likely doesn't cost much if any more than an old FW400 chip. In the Mini FW800 would be a huge advantage.



    2.

    Later Firewire standards make use of the FW800 port hardware. There is the possibility that this is an FW1600 or FW3200 interface. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking. More importantly Apple needs a high speed interface to match up with faster external storage.



    Has any FW3200 chipset come out yet?
  • Reply 117 of 221
    I think someone else mentioned that this could be a prototype from some time in the past. That alone might explain the miniDVI port as there may not have been adapters available at the time for miniDP --> DVI conversion. Who knows?



    If it's representative of what's coming then I'm encouraged by the inclusion of FW800. Perhaps Apple had enough feedback on the elimination of FW from the MacBook that they did a redesign of the mini and iMac. Maybe that redesign is why these two desktops are late to the party.



    Of course it could also be for better compatibility with VGA monitors but that almost seems a little out of character for Apple.
  • Reply 118 of 221
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by whatever00 View Post


    Has any FW3200 chipset come out yet?



    Until FW3200 devices arrive whats the use? Same goes for USB 3 for that matter...
  • Reply 119 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macxpress View Post


    Until FW3200 devices arrive whats the use? Same goes for USB 3 for that matter...



    The same reason why Apple used a draft-n wireless chip in the first Macbook.
  • Reply 120 of 221
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quevar View Post


    Could the NVIDIA and Intel lawsuit be holding this up? If Apple wanted to use NVIDIA chips, Intel could have said they won't give them unless they use a non-NVIDIA graphics chip since they claim it's a unlicensed chipset.



    Nope. That lawsuit is regarding nehelem generation chipsets, which are the ones that will be released later this year. The mac mini is still going to use the core2duo chips which the license is in place for.



    Also the macbooks do have 5 usb ports, just that 2 of them are used by the keyboard and isight internally to the south bridge or whatever nVidia calls their I/O.
Sign In or Register to comment.