Mac mini
From Freepedia
Image:MacminiAPPLE.jpg The Mac mini is an Apple Macintosh desktop personal computer designed and marketed by Apple Computer. It is designed to attract owners of Windows computers, iPods, older Macintosh models, and anyone interested in a low budget, easy-to-use personal computer. It was announced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 11, 2005. Two models of the Mac mini were released in the US on January 22, 2005 (January 29 worldwide). Slightly updated versions were released on July 26, 2005.
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Overview
The Mac mini is distinctive in its extremely small size and form factor, and in the fact that the computer comes without a display, keyboard, or mouse. Many potential users have already invested in mice and keyboards (compatible with the cross-platform USB standard), and displays, all of which they can attach to the mini or share using a KVM switch. The Mac mini measures 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) wide, 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) deep, and 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall, and is the smallest Macintosh desktop computer ever produced. It weighs 2.9 pounds (1.32 kg). Soon after the introduction of the Mac mini, Apple lowered the price of their keyboards and mice, as the Mac Mini does not come with either of them.
The Mac mini ships with Apple's Mac OS X operating system preinstalled, and also includes software such as a Chess game, AppleWorks, Apple's productivity software, and iLife, a set of five Apple-designed multimedia programs to create and manage videos, music, photos, and DVDs. It also comes bundled with the two commercial games Nanosaur 2 and Marble Blast Gold.
With iLife and the optional SuperDrive, the Mac mini makes for a compact media editor/player.
Specifications
January–July 2005
Two models were originally announced:
- 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processor and 40 GB hard drive, for US$499 (€489 in the Eurozone, £339 in the UK, CDN$629) (Model # M9686LL/A)
- 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 processor and 80 GB hard drive, for US$599 (€589 in the Eurozone, £399 in the UK, CDN$899) (Model # M9687LL/A)
July–October 2005
As of July 26, 2005, all models included:
- 512 MB PC2700 (PC3200 also supported at PC2700 speeds) Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
- ATI Radeon 9200 graphics card with DVI and VGA output (DVI to VGA adapter supplied) and 32 MB (non-upgradable) video RAM
- Two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port
- 10/100 Ethernet
- Built-in speaker and headphone/line out socket
The 1.25 GHz model (M9686LL/B at $499) included:
The 1.42 GHz model (M9687LL/B at $599) included:
- Slot-loading CD-RW/DVD Combo drive
- 80 GB hard drive
- A dual purpose card for AirPort Extreme wireless network interface and an internal Bluetooth adapter
The 1.42 GHz model could also be purchased with a slot-loading CD-RW/DVD±RW SuperDrive for $699 (M9971LL/B).
Optional built-to-order add-ons included:
- RAM up to 1 GB (The Mac mini has a single RAM slot)
- V.92 56 kbit/s modem for 1.42 GHz models
- Slot-loading CD-RW/DVD±RW Superdrive
- TV Output adapter (S-Video and Composite video)
October 2005–present
On October 1, 2005, all models were "silently" upgraded:
- The 1.42 GHz processor was upgraded to 1.5 GHz
- The graphics card remained an ATI Radeon 9200, but now featured double the VRAM at 64MB
- Hard drives were also upgraded to 5,400-rpm models
- Bluetooth 2.0+EDR support
Opening the case and modifications
Some Mac mini owners have managed to use a putty knife to pry open the computer's case, thereby gaining access to the interior to install cheaper 3rd-party memory upgrades [1]. Apple Computer also have sent its dealers putty knives. In fact, the official Apple service source for Mac mini describes this procedure in detail [2]. Besides using a putty knife, some people have also managed to pry open the case using several disposable bamboo chopsticks [3]. While opening the case does not actually void the Mac mini warranty, anything broken while the case is open is not covered.
Other modifications include overclocking the processor [4] and installing Linux on the machine [5].
Some speculate that some of the internal components imply that the unit was originally planned to feature a built-in iPod dock [6]. They found that the optical drive's riser also included a FireWire bus. Another theory behind this is that it was just going to be used for another FireWire port which was removed from the design.
Accessories
Like the iPod, there are many third party accessories being released. For example, the MiniMate[7] adds up to 400GB hard disk space and three additional USB and FireWire ports. Other accessories include stands and lights designed around the Mac mini's shape.
References
- Arthur, Charles (12 January, 2005). "Mac rumour sites get it right" at The Register
- Katz, Ryan (27 September, 2005). "Updated Mac minis arriving, details revealed"
External links
| Apple hardware since 1998 |
| Macs: iMac | Mac mini | eMac | Power Mac G5 | iBook | PowerBook G4 | Xserve | iMac G3 | iMac G4 | Power Mac G3 | Power Mac G4 | Cube | PowerBook G3 |
| iPods: iPod | iPod mini | iPod photo | iPod shuffle | iPod nano | iPod U2 |
| Accessories: AirPort | iSight | Cinema Display | Xserve RAID |
