Apple gave me a lot to write about these past few days if I had more time. For now I'll stick with the Mini and an interesting post I read.
First let me say, I'm pretty enthusiastic about the Mini and have begun mentioning it as a viable option to a few people I know are getting around to picking up a new machine for their home. Tim Bray posts an interesting analysis of the Mini using his mother as the target audience. Bray figures for less then $700 and reusing her monitor and printer she would be set.
I would expect that a few vendors will come out with a less expensive options that looks good with the Mini.
I'm not in Apple's intended audience for the Mini, but I think it does give dorks like me a nice little no-nonsense (sorry, built-your-own-machine-linux wonks) file/web/whatever server for the home network. However that could just be the beginning to a broader mainstream use.
Now think of Mac Mini as a “home media server.” Last month when rumors were flying thick and fast, Jonathan Greene very rightfully pointed out the true potential of this device. Mac Mini is perfect sitting next to your Sony FlatScreen TV. I think just like an iPod economy sprang up around the hit digital device, it is time for peripheral makers to bring to market add-ons like TV connectors, remote control modules and the sort. Elgato can turn your Mac Mini into a nice TiVo replacement. All it needs is a little imagination. Om Malik via B2Day
I was thinking the same thing. Really I was.
Anyone that has looked into the technology behind a PVR such as Tivo's knows that the device is really just a specialized computer running Linux which is why its so hackable spawning numerous books and its own weblog. (PVRBlog already picked up on this same angle here.)
At $499 and with a TV converter, remote and a bit of specialized software you are there. A 40-80 GB hard drive is a fair amount of storage and with Ethernet, USB and Firewire jacks on-board the options for expanding that capability are many.
What would be more interesting is if the software also enabled Peer-to-Peer distribution of movies and TV shows via PVRs – through in a legal and equitable manner of course. (Software developers aren't the only one who need to eat.) Netflix and Tivo have teamed up to explore digital distribution of movies and serial TV shows though I wouldn't be surprised if P2P is being avoided though. My guess is that the entertainment industry would have nothing to do with it because of the bad vibes previous incarnations (Napster and Kaaza) left with them no matter how cost effective or applicable it would be.
<p>Apple gave me a lot to write about these past few days if I had more time. For now I'll stick with the <a href="http://www.apple.com/macmini/">Mini</a> and an interesting post I read. </p>
<p>First let me say, I'm pretty enthusiastic about the Mini and have begun mentioning it as a viable option to a few people I know are getting around to picking up a new machine for their home. Tim Bray <a href="http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2005/01/11/MiniMac">posts</a> an interesting analysis of the Mini using his mother as the target audience. Bray figures for less then $700 and reusing her monitor and printer she would be set.</p>
<p>I would expect that a few vendors will come out with a less expensive options that looks good with the Mini.</p>
<p>I'm not in Apple's intended audience for the Mini, but I think it does give dorks like me a nice little no-nonsense (sorry, built-your-own-machine-linux wonks) file/web/whatever server for the home network. However that could just be the beginning to a broader mainstream use.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Now think of Mac Mini as a “home media server.” Last month when rumors were flying thick and fast, Jonathan Greene very rightfully pointed out the true potential of this device. Mac Mini is perfect sitting next to your Sony FlatScreen TV. I think just like an iPod economy sprang up around the hit digital device, it is time for peripheral makers to bring to market add-ons like TV connectors, remote control modules and the sort. Elgato can turn your Mac Mini into a nice TiVo replacement. All it needs is a little imagination. <a href="http://gigaom.com/2005/01/11/mac-mini-a-fixed-mobile-pc/">Om Malik</a> via <a href="http://business2.blogs.com/business2blog/2005/01/mac_minithe_hom.html">B2Day</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I was thinking the same thing. Really I was. </p>
<p>Anyone that has looked into the technology behind a PVR such as Tivo's knows that the device is really just a specialized computer running Linux which is why its so hackable spawning <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?search-type=ss&tag=tima02-20&keyword=Tivo&mode=books">numerous books</a> and <a href="http://www.pvrblog.com/">its own weblog</a>. (PVRBlog already picked up on this same angle <a href="http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/2005/01/mac_mini_a_kill.html">here</a>.)</p>
<p>At $499 and with a TV converter, remote and a bit of specialized software you are there. A 40-80 GB hard drive is a fair amount of storage and with Ethernet, USB and Firewire jacks on-board the options for expanding that capability are many.</p>
<p>What would be more interesting is if the software also enabled <a href="http://www.timaoutloud.org/archives/000070.html">Peer-to-Peer distribution of movies and TV shows via PVRs</a> – through in a legal and equitable manner of course. (Software developers aren't the only one who <a href="http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4870">need to eat</a>.) <a href="http://news.com.com/TiVo,+Netflix+sign+movies-on-demand+deal/2100-1041_3-5390718.html">Netflix and Tivo have teamed up</a> to explore digital distribution of movies and serial TV shows though I wouldn't be surprised if P2P is being avoided though. My guess is that the entertainment industry would have nothing to do with it because of the bad vibes previous incarnations (Napster and Kaaza) left with them no matter how cost effective or applicable it would be. </p>
