Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs

DIY Mac projects are always a iffy proposition. Not only does Apple make its products more difficult to rip apart than most, the sight of a dissected MacBook or iPod is often enough to make some of the more faint of heart readers break out the smelling salts. Not so for 123Macmini member Anthony, who looked at a mini and a G4 Cube and decided that they must be made one. The goal being, apart from the deserved bragging rights, to add a TV tuner and an expansive 3.5-inch 500GB SATA hard drive more suitable for a media PC than the mini’s comparatively puny 2.5-inch drive. The TV tuner turned out to be the easiest part, with Anthony simply opting for Elgato’s external EyeTV Hybrid unit, but the rest of the project is definitely a don’t-try-this-at-home deal, with modifications aplenty right down to the power supply cables. Still, for specs like these in a genuine Apple box, it’s about your only option at the moment — at least until Apple maybe, possibly fills in the gap itself. Check out a couple more pics of the action after the break, then click through to the source for the complete blow-by-blow account.

[Via Digg]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Desktops, Misc. Gadgets

If you’ve been looking for an IP-PBX solution for your biz but have been dissatisfied by the lack of potential lawsuit-inducing options, then Berlin-based 4S newcom GmbH may have just the gear for ya. It’s newly announced “iBlue” is an IP-PBX system consisting of the company’s own 4S IP PBX software, a Mac mini, and an iPod shuffle, which should be enough to get you up and running with some SIP-based VoIP in no time. The shuffle part of the equation is unfortunately less exciting than you may think, with the now-dated player simply serving as a glorified software-delivery device — though as our pal Om says, it sure helps grab some attention. Sweeting the deal, 4S is also throwing in five snom300 VoIP phones, with the software licensed for up to 250 users and 30 parallel calls. If that works for ya, you’ll be able to grab an iBlue for a cool €3,000 Euro when it launches November 6th.

[Via GigaOM]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs

While rumors were a swirlin’ in the days leading up to Apple’s “It’s Showtime” event, one thing we didn’t exactly forecast was a refresh in the Mac mini lineup. Nevertheless, Apple bumped its most minuscule Macs by tossing in Intel Core Duo processors, while leaving just about everything else (including price points) the same. In case you’ve been dreaming up a homegrown media center or recording studio, and need to know if the revamped mini would fit the bill, Macworld’s review crew has the scoop. Reviewers admired the inclusion of Core Duo chips in both high and low-end models, the built-in WiFi / Bluetooth, and the “admirable” Front Row performance. Aside from praising the small footprint (and the “impressive versatility” it allowed), they found the “10 to 15 percent” performance boost quite helpful in the typical media center related tasks, but (as expected) didn’t hesitate to slam the weak integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics set. Overall, the speedier new Mac earned a 4 out of 5 ranking, and was deemed an “excellent, fully-featured system” — so be sure and hit the read link for the complete critique on the this maxed-out mini.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Media PCs

Many have tried, but few have conquered the Mac mini when it comes to keeping slim and looking fit. Lucky for us — or at least our Japanese friends — DosPara seems to have managed both feats, and they even tossed in some Core 2 Duo action in there, just to show off. We couldn’t really ask for much better specs on this little 1.7-inch thick dynamo. Beyond the 1.66GHz T5500 C2D processor, the box runs a dual-layer DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, a 4-in-1 card reader, DVI and S-Video outs, and a TV tuner on the WMCE version. The 512MB of ram and 80GB HDD aren’t quite as exciting, but we’ll live. Unfortunately, the price isn’t so hot, at 122,580 Yen ($1,043 US) for the base version and 139,980 Yen ($1,191 US) for the WMCE unit. Still, we like what we see, and we think we’ll have to wish Apple and AOpen better luck next time.

[Via Akihabara]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Desktops, Robots

Sure, those infernally cute desktop-bound Mac minis might get all the ladies, but this here Mobile Mac mini bot hopes to make something of himself in the big city. His wheels are made for rolling, and that’s just what he’ll do, but he’s also got a free-roaming video camera for beaming grainy webcam shots back to mission control. Along for the ride is a 7-inch touch screen, spiffy headlight, and IR range sensors to keep from bumping into things. The bot can be controlled via WiFi or Apple IR remote, and while there isn’t much AI to speak of yet, there’s plenty of potential with that plucky Mac mini at the helm.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Desktops, Transportation

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment, Media PCs, Peripherals

Peripherals manufacturer Miglia has just announced a new external analog TV tuner for the Mac mini, but because they’d already used the name TVMini on another line of products, they decided to confuse us and call this mini-shaped tuner the TVMax. Naming schemes aside, this model — which adopts the same form factor as several mini hubs that we’ve seen — seems to offer everything a TV junkie could want in a external tuner, including MPEG-2/4 and DivX hardware compression, PVR capabilities via the bundled EyeTV 2 software, direct iPod or PSP export, and of course, the obligatory electronic program guide, which in this case is the excellent TitanTV. You also get the standard set of A/V inputs for recording from camcorders or VCRs, as well as a wireless remote to free you from clicking around to change channels, all for $250 and available immediately.

[Via Mac Observer]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Desktops

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.