
Mac mini Monitor
Cannon fodder[/url]
Mac mini Monitor
From T Dreyer
Charles:
I enjoyed your piece on using the Mac mini as a portable PC. Since Steve Jobs' MacWorld address and Mac mini introduction earlier in the month, we have been encouraged by his "Bring Your Own Display, Mouse and Keyboard" comments.
I noticed in your piece you suggest using one of our monitors as the display choice of your package. We're thrilled that you see our product as a peripheral worthy of snuggling into a case with the Mac.
I wanted to bring to your attention our MultiSync LCD1770V display. It is a newer monitor, released this past fall that has much of the same specs as the 1760V you mention as well as an adjustable height stand and easy, more robust control navigation. Plus, while it is a tad larger at 14.4 X 14.3, it is over a half a pound lighter and just over $100 less, putting it below your estimated iBook price.
Just wanted to throw this over to you in case it can make your case more compelling. The press release below has some more detail.
Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you out with anything in the future.
Best Regards,
Tim
Tim Dreyer
Public Relations Manager
NEC-Mitsubishi Electronics Display
NEC-Mitsubishi MultiSync LCD 70 Series with Improved Features & Ergonomic, Thin-Frame Design
The NEC-Mitsubishi MultiSync LCD 70 Series monitor line is distinguished by a softer, more rounded industrial thin-frame design that features an adjustable height stand and unobtrusive OSM control buttons located beneath the front bezel, the new LCD displays complement any office or home while enhancing the computing experience. Replacing the award-winning 60 Series, the complete NEC MultiSync LCD 70 series will be fully available by February 2005. Five new 17-inch and 19-inch models are available as of today and will be followed by the future introduction of 15-inch and 20-inch models.
We recognize that our customers desktop display requirements are as diverse as the environments in which they work and play, said Scott Hoaglund, product manager for NEC-Mitsubishi Electronic Display of America, Inc. Building on a history of progressively advanced monitor quality and design, the new MultiSync LCD 70 Series reinforces our commitment to accommodating the needs of each individual user.
While the NEC MultiSync LCD 70 Series line retains the simple, symmetrical thin-frame design made popular by the 60 Series, the units are differentiated by a subtle roundedness. The new models include:
LCD1770V � 17 analog input model in silver/white or black
LCD1770NX � 17 analog and digital input model in silver/white or black that features a USB 2.0 hub
LCD1770NXM � 17 analog and digital input multimedia model in silver/white or black that features a USB 2.0 hub
LCD1970V � 19 analog input model in silver/white or black
LCD1970NX � 19 analog and digital input model in silver/white or black that features a USB 2.0 hub
The 17-inch panel will become the most popular size for desktop PC LCD monitors during 2004, accounting for 60 percent of the total desktop PC LCD monitor demand, said Jennifer Gallo, IDC analyst. Vendors like NEC-Mitsubishi that empower professionals and consumers to choose the monitor thats right for them will be best positioned to take advantage of this burgeoning market.
NEC-Mitsubishi MultiSync 70 Series LCD Features
Brilliant images and accurate color control are delivered by high-resolution, sRGB-equipped panels. Ambix technology enhances versatility and ensures compatibility across a wide range of platforms by utilizing digital and analog inputs.
NaViSet software enables users to easily adjust display settings with a keyboard and mouse, instead of using the OSM control buttons.
OSM control buttons are now located slightly below the front bezel to create a narrow appearance that compliments its smoother, more rounded design.
No Touch Auto Adjust automatically adjusts screen settings for optimal viewing when monitor is first turned on.
Rapid Response technology virtually eliminates ghosting or blurring.
Built-in power supply and cable management is contained within a thin footprint.
High-bright backlight delivers superior performance for readability and clarity.
Detachable base and wall-mounting capability adds flexibility to free up desktop space and improve aesthetic appeal.
Energy Star 4.0 compliance/low power consumption reduces electrical costs and lowers total cost of ownership
XtraView wide-angle viewing technology provides impressive horizontal and vertical viewing angles up to 176 degrees.
Thin frame design enables space-saving, multi-monitor environments.
USB 2.0 hub for easy peripheral connections.
Dynamic Video (DV) mode that is designed to improve color and contrast.
Hi Tim;
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. It's a great looking monitor, and the lower price as you note makes my argument for the Mac mini's value even stronger.
Cool!
Charles
Cannon fodder
From Chris Long
C:
You MUST have seen this one by now.
http://www.divisiontwo.com/articles/MacMini2.html
It's being ripped to shreds all over the net. It is flat-out hilarious.
Enjoy!
C
Hi Chris;
Yes; linked to it last week.
I think it's intended to be hilarious. Whatever, it succeeded.
Charles

Mac mini Monitor
Cannon fodder
And For Steve Jobs's Next Trick... The Mac Mini offers flexibility and style at just $499
Mac mini and DVI, A Follow Up
David Coursey on Apple's Mac mini
Overclockers rev up Apple's Mac Mini
Small is Beautiful
The Many Faces of Mac Mini
Apple Finally Produces An Affordable Macintosh
They Say Less Is More. I Say Less Is Perfect! [/url]
And For Steve Jobs's Next Trick... The Mac Mini offers flexibility and style at just $499
BusinessWeek's Stephen H. Wildstrom comments:
"The new Mac Mini, starting at an impressively low $499, brings Apple into the consumer mainstream. As you would expect for a product from Steven Jobs's Apple, it is utterly unlike anything else on the market......
"I used the new Mac with Microsoft and Logitech keyboards and mice with no problems; the alt key corresponds to the Mac's "option" key and the Windows key to Mac's "command." Mice, including wheel mice, work without additional software.....
"The real importance of the Mini is that it overcomes the twin barriers that have kept Apple out of many homes: cost and lack of design flexibility. Yes, you can buy a serviceable Windows PC for even less -- for example, a Dell Dimension 2400 with no monitor for $319 after rebate -- but you'll get a box that's big, ugly, and a lot noisier.....
"Lovely as the Mini is, software is the more compelling reason to buy it. Mac OS X offers the best combination of elegance and stability of any operating system......
"I don't know if the Mini will increase Apple's market share, but it should......."
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_07/b3920035_mz006.htm
Mac mini and DVI, A Follow Up
HardMac's Lionel reports:
"One of our readers has sent us this photo, showing a Mac mini plugged to a Plasma TV via the DVI.
"Of course the Mac mini looks like so small when sitting close to this huge display (128cm diagonal) with a definition 1380x760"
You can check it out at:
http://www.hardmac.com/niouzcontenu.php?date=2005-02-04#3611
David Coursey on Apple's Mac mini
David Coursey says
"One of the things I've been�hearing�is that Apple is a lot less excited about the Mac mini than the rest of the world seems to be. I saw an example of that Wednesday at the Apple Store in Emeryville, CA, where to mini was hidden away in a corner. I didn't even see it until I started looking.
"Why? Because Apple's been burned by a very similar machine in the past and doesn't want to get burned again. There's also the question--at least in the stores--of the mini stealing sales from more profitable products.
"Return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, specifically the summer of 2000 when Apple introduced the Power Macintosh G4 Cube. .... Sure, the machine was cute but it had problems."
For the full commentary visit here:
http://blog.ziffdavis.com/coursey/archive/2005/02/02/5738.aspx
Overclockers rev up Apple's Mac Mini
theinquirer.net 's Wil Harris says:
"Fruity overclockers have found a way to up the CPU speed on Apple's tiny new Mac Mini.
"Incredibly, Apple controls the system speed on its boards with simple jumpers. By disassembling the system, you can alter the jumpers and see how your rig performs. Add some additional cooling and you might just be in for a free upgrade.
"The jumper settings suggest to us that there are perhaps some more speed grades of the Mac Mini to come in future months, with up to 1.58GHz apparently being supported by this revision of the board."
You can check it out at:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=21071
Small is Beautiful
Robert X. Cringely says:
"Compared to the Mac Mini, AMD's PIC is Half the Computer at Less Than Half the Price. What's Wrong With That?
"After two weeks of writing about Apple's Mac Mini, I have tiny PCs on my brain. This time, it is AMD's Personal Internet Communicator -- a $185 PC that probably ought not to exist at all, but I'm glad it does. The PIC's stated objective is bringing computing to 50 percent of the world's people by 2015, and to do that, AMD is selling the little bugger through third world phone companies and ISPs. I think, with a few modifications, they should sell it here....
"Think of the PIC as a cheaper, dumber Mac Mini. Most of the right bits are there and the price is right. Yes, there should be a Linux model, there should be Ethernet, and that xBox (literally) hard drive is too small. But even without Linux, given a bit more effort on AMD's part, this little guy could be used to replace fading K-12 PCs all over America at prices that schools can actually afford. The power savings alone are such that an eight watt PIC will pay for itself in under two years."
For the full report visit here.
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20050203.html
The Many Faces of Mac Mini
AMUG's Arthur Whalem says:
"This is the lowest cost new Macintosh ever produced by Apple and worth a look....
"As a long time PowerMac user I wondered how much performance and flexibility a PowerMac user would give up if he purchased an Apple mini 1.25GHz model...
"When you examine the tests comparing the mini 1.25GHz combo with the eMac 1.25GHz combo and the PowerMac G5 Dual you learn the mini has the slowest performance of all three computers. This is probably not a big surprise as it is the least expensive computer. When using the mini for web browsing, email, iTunes, word processing, Quicken, and CD burning the mini performs well....
"While the mini's desktop performance is not equal to a PowerMac G5 wouldn't it be nice to have a mini that you could use if your Macintosh needed repairs? Having a Mac mini in the house provides a mini server that could also be used as replacement Macintosh if yours is in the shop or has to be fixed....
"The mini is a combination between a portable and a desktop computer. While the 2.5" internal drive allows the mini to be as small as possible it also reduces it's performance. ....
"If you already have a keyboard, mouse and a spare monitor and you want to add a low cost Macintosh computer to your home or office the mini can be a good option. If you are only looking to use a Mac mini as a desktop computer you will find it provides a cost effective solution. However, if you would like to have a personal file server and perhaps a video/music server for your home theatre as well you may find the many faces of the Mac mini even more valuable."
For the full report visit here:
http://www.amug.org/amug-web/html/amug/reviews/articles/mini125/
Apple Finally Produces An Affordable Macintosh
The Associated Press's Matthew Fordahl says:
"When the original Macintosh computer was little more than a sketch, its creators envisioned the machine retailing for about $500. But when the first Mac finally rolled out in 1984, it carried a hefty price tag: $2,495.....
"Now, it's finally selling a computer, the Mac mini, for $499, the same price as one of its higher-end iPod music players...
"The Mac mini is elegant, inexpensive without being cheap, and it's not a magnet for the viruses, worms and other malware floating around the Internet. It could fit in any room as a first, second or third computer. And it plays well with others on a home network.
"Most of all, it's a low-cost alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s Windows that doesn't carry the learning curve of Linux. It also doesn't presume you're guilty of software theft. And refreshingly unlike Windows, there's no activation when you set it up - or anti-piracy checks afterward. ...
"... you could abandon Windows altogether - at the risk of breaking out in a cold sweat, not knowing what to do with the money you would have spent on anti-virus and anti-spyware software."
fu
They Say Less Is More. I Say Less Is Perfect!
LIVEdigitally's Luis Sosa says:
"The Japanese believe in the power of minimalism.
"If the world made sense the Mac mini would come from Sony, a Japanese company. Instead, however, it is a product made by Apple Computers out of Cupertino, Ca.
"The mini reflects Apple's understanding of a fundamental truth in computers: people are no longer swayed to buy a new computer simply because it is faster. During the early to mid 90's, not upgrading your computer meant being relegated to obsolete, slow-running software and much less usability. These rules are gone (for now at least). The adoption of the Internet shifted the importance of "megabytes" and "gigahertz" to the importance of bandwidth. This shift is now being followed by a shift towards the concept Apple embraced at the beginning of this century: the digital hub. The Mac mini is the perfect digital hub and here's why....
"I have been using the Mac mini for a little over a week. I am by no means an average computer user. I do photo editing, video editing, and even some occasional gaming. The mini has done everything I have asked of it, and gracefully. Granted, it is not a G5 and doing comparable photo editing and video editing tasks on one is obviously a different experience. But this is like comparing a Honda Civic to a Ferrari, and frankly, the majority of PC owners out there would be thrilled to use a computer as reliable as a Civic!"
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.livedigitally.com/2005/02/they-say-less-is-more-i-say-less-is.html

Apple's Mac Mini: Half The Server At A Quarter Of The Price
Mac mini in a Chevy Nova, Overclocked, Running Apache (In Theory)[/url]
Apple's Mac Mini: Half The Server At A Quarter Of The Price
Load test are performed by Tenon and Macminicolo.net on a low-end Mac mini to validate their claim that the Mac mini was a suitable web server platform for 80% of the web sites on the market.
The tests measured the performance of a 1.25Ghz Mac mini compared to a 1.8Ghz dual-G5. Both servers were running Mac OS X 10.3.7 and the Apache 2.0.50 web server under iTools. The Mac mini had been outfitted with an extra 256MB of memory, otherwise the system was a stock release from Apple. The dual-G5 also had 512MB of memory and a 140GB disk - also a readily available stock Apple configuration for about $2145.
The Mac mini topped out at 1239 hits per second, yielding 2502 Kbytes/sec of data served, while the dual-G5 held up 2174 hits per second, yielding 4387 Kbytes/sec. It is probably that other testers will be able to produce improved hits per second from both machines, however most day-to-day installations will orbit around these performance levels.
While these figures aren't at the top end of the generally available ISP-class web server performance curve by any means, the economics of the Mac mini are such that for the first time ever there is a competitive Macintosh server able to handle more than 1000 hits per second yielding 20Mbits of data at a price that meets or beats much of the industry - and it all comes in an Apple package with their traditional emphasis on quality, style and Mac OS X's UI. A great little server for the rest of us!
Complete results are at:
http://www.macminicolo.net/results.html
About Macminicolo.net
Macminicolo.net, a subsidiary of Underwriter's Technologies, has been in the business of maintaining collocated Macs since its inception. Underwriter's Technologies is an Austin-based provider of internet services. The company was the Austin Business Journal's third largesweb-hosting firm last year. Contact macminicolo.net at ( 512 ) 853-9500 or:
http://www.macminicolo.net
Founded in 1989, Tenon Intersystems is a leader in high-performancenetworking. Tenon technology has provided the framework for world-classnetworking on the Macintosh for over a decade. Tenon is continuing thattradition on Mac OS X. Tenon Intersystems can be reached in the U.S. at 805-963-6983, by the internet at [Email Protected], or via the web at:
http://www.tenon.com
Mac mini in a Chevy Nova, Overclocked, Running Apache (In Theory)
gizmodo.com says
"The Mac mini is quickly become its own platform and it's been a while since we've seen something fall straight into the imagination of hackers and tweakers so quickly ..
"Classic Restorations, whose almost off-handed comment about using the Mac mini has an in-car computer prompted a flood of press and community interest, has installed their first one inside a cara 1969 Nova SS, no less. I spoke to those guys last week and they're pretty excited, but are definitely interested in getting some people together to work on a collective project to use the mini as an in-car computer (getting GPS running, etc.). If you're interested, you all should get together and start a project or something."
You can check it out here.
***
Charles W. Moore
Note: Letters to Mac mini Muse may or may not be published at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
Opinions expressed in postings to Mac mini Muse are those of the respective correspondents and not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Editor and/or Applelinks management.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in Mac mini Muse, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Tags: Blogs ï Mac mini Muse ï

Other Sites
