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January 12, 2005
mini mac, with fries, to go
The Mini Mac is looking like a must-buy, even if another computer was not top of everyone's shopping list. The dust hasn't settled yet, but to me the most important things aren't the computer - a fine beast it seems - but the accessories available.
Put it this way, the Mac Mini could decimate your front room.
There are some add-ons that are needed to make the Mini idea fly in a living room:
1. Bluetooth remote control. For DVDs, iTunes, Keynote, iPod, whatever.
2. iAmp. This will replace your hi-fi. Someone will rush out a decent Mini-style amplifier. As long as the Mac autoplays albums, and you have a remote, it is basically your music system.
3. Media Centre UI. It's time to kiosk everything - full screen versions of iTunes, Quicktime (DVD player), iPhoto... all controllable by remote.
4. iTV. Cable, satellite, terrestrial, digital. It's your new TiVo.
5. Some DVD hack to multi-region the Mac Mini. This is the only reason to keep another DVD player.
In all of this, for some reason I am thinking of the Acorn Archimedes pizza box stack system. It's time for computer separates.
Only thing left in my living room other than the Mac and accessories will be a PS2 and a Gamecube (and a VHS). So, when is the Mac going to compete on gaming?
Two caveats - this thing had better be quiet, and hiding all the ports on the back, and even the power switch, goes against living room usability. So another accessory will be the iPort, giving you access to USB, Firewire and reset from the front. How else are you going to plug in your digital camera and iPod?
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