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Tuesday's Muse and Apple RAM[/url]
Mac Mini
From Shelley Anderson
Hi Charles,
I was wondering if there is any way to hook the Mac Mini into an older iMac to use its monitor. That way a person could upgrade their hard drive without needing to buy a separate monitor (for those on budgets - like retired people).
Shelley
Hi Shelley;
Regrettably, there is no way that I can imagine of hooking a Mac mini to a iMac display.
However, the online Apple Store sells a very nice NEC MultiSync FE770 17" CRT Monitor for $159.00 (free shipping), which isn't too steep, And perhaps you will be able to sell your old iMac for more than that.
Charles
Tuesday's Muse and Apple RAM
From Brian Braunschweiger
Hi Charles.
I found it interesting in multiple quotes by journalists in today's muse that Apple is sending them demo units with 512 megs of RAM. A tacit admission 256 is too little?
Brian
Hi Brian;
I think it's an acknowledgment of the reality than 256 MB is too little to run OS X comfortably on any machine. I'm sure many do. That's all my daughter has in her 1.25 GHz iBook. However, she's not getting peak performance. I have 640 MB in both my 'Books running OS X and it ain't nough.
Charles
Apple cuts Mac Mini upgrade prices
Apple's New Mac mini Tempts Exasperated Windows Users
NYU Not Behind Bogus Free Mac mini Offer
Apple's New 1.25GHz Mac mini--How Fast Is It?
Apple Extends Mini Brand for Move into Mass Market
Apple's Mac mini Great For Windows Users [/url]
Apple cuts Mac Mini upgrade prices
CNET News.com's Ina Fried reports:
"Apple Computer has quietly cut the cost of souping up its new Mac Mini....
"As of Tuesday, though, many of those build-to-order options are a little less expensive. Upgrading the diminutive desktop to 1GB of memory initially cost $475--almost as much as the computer--now costs $325. Apple also reduced the price for adding Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme to $99, a $30 drop, and cut the price for upgrading to an 80GB hard drive to $50."
For the full report, visit here.
Apple's New Mac mini Tempts Exasperated Windows Users
The WallStreet Journal's Walter Mossberg says:
"If my e-mail from readers is any indication, more Windows users are thinking of switching to Apple Computer's Macintosh models than at any time in a decade.
"A significant minority of Windows users are so fed up with battling viruses and spyware, or so impressed with Apple's iPod music players, that they are seriously tempted to jump to the Mac....
"I've been testing the Mac mini under just that scenario for several days, and it does indeed work well. I connected a mini to a Dell flat-panel screen and a Hewlett-Packard keyboard and mouse, all about three years old."
For the full report, visit here:
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/01/25/100bus_mossberg001.cfm
NYU Not Behind Bogus Free Mac mini Offer
Washington Square News' Amy Odell reports:
News Editor
"An e-mail boasting an exclusive offer of a free computer for NYU students that was sent earlier this month and made to look as if it was sent by the university e-mail system is just spam, university officials said.
"The e-mail, sent out Jan. 15 with the subject heading "[NYU Direct} Great offer for NYU students," lead some students to believe that an administrator had sent the message, which offered Apple mini computers through a link, http://www.freeminimacs.com .
"In fact, there is no "NYU Direct," but rather E-mail Direct, which administrators use to alert students of important events, like the recent blizzard, university spokesman John Beckman said."
For the full report, visit here:
http://www.nyunews.com/news/campus/8679.html
Apple's New 1.25GHz Mac mini--How Fast Is It?
MacsOnly's Bill Fox reports:
"On Saturday we bought a base 1.25 GHz Mac mini at the Fashion Valley Apple Store in San Diego when the store opened. We didn't buy it because it's a speed demon, but because of what it can do for the remarkable price of $499. Apple intends the Mac mini to be an ideal starter Mac for cost-conscious PC switchers, and it is, but many Mac minis will find their way into homes and offices of Mac users as well--like ours, for example......
"So how fast is it? We subjected our 1.25GHz Mac mini to most of our usual speed tests. We compared the results with those from our original 2000-vintage 450MHz Power Mac G4 Cube, stock except for the 704MB of RAM, and our 2004-vintage dual 2.5GHz Power Mac G5--all running Mac OS X 10.3.7....
"For the most part the Mac mini's performance falls comfortably in between that of the older G4 Cube and the latest Power Mac G5. The hard drive is on the slow side as expected since it is a PowerBook hard drive and the Mac mini's time to shutdown and to export a QuickTime movie in Full Quality DV are longer than expected. Each of the three trials of those two tests were consistent so we have no explanation. The good news is that the graphics results, including those for the 3D game Quake III Arena, are surprisingly better than we expected.....
"If you are not too faint of heart, the Mac mini's case can be opened with a very thin 1.5" putty knife, Apple's official tool--believe it or not.....
"We opened our Mac mini with a 4" putty knife because that appeared to be the width needed to press simultaneously all of the clips on one side. Still, it was not as easy as it looks. We suggest sliding the end of a small wooden dowel in the space between the top case and the ports block to hold the first side up while working on the second side. That way the edges of the aluminum top won't get scarred......"
For the full report, visit here:
http://www.macsonly.com/index.html#241
Apple Extends Mini Brand for Move into Mass Market
macnewsworld.com reports:
"The Mac mini name is a direct derivation of "iPod mini" branding, highlighting the strength of the iPod brand identity, which has been built up by Apple since its launch three-and-a-half years ago. The company refers to this knock-on appeal as the "halo effect."......
"In design and concept terms the mini represents an evolution of Ive's Apple Cube, which was first introduced, at a much higher price, in 2000. The falling cost of small components, coupled with Ive's desire to produce simpler, more elegant solutions, has produced a compact package: the computer is housed in a box that is just 17 cm square and 5 cm deep."
For the full report visit here.
Apple's Mac mini Great For Windows Users
Knight Ridder News' Craig Crossman reports:
"The Mac Mini's price is low because you are expected to BYOMKD or "Bring Your Own Mouse, Keyboard and Display.'' You see, the Mac Mini comes with none of these necessary devices. That's because Apple lets you decide whether you want to use their peripherals or some other brand. You read that correctly. Apple is letting you decide what kind of devices you want to attach to its new little computer, which is very un-Applelike. Until now, Apple has always included their own keyboard and mouse with their computers.
"So why am I so excited about this? Because for the first time, the vast number of Windows users out there who have been eyeing a Mac but were reluctant to get one because of the price now have a viable option to pursue. Part of that option is for them to use the equipment they already own. The other hurdle overcome by the Mac Mini is available desk space. Most users simply have no room on the desk or surrounding floor to put a second computer system. The Mac Mini's tiny size coupled with being able to use the same keyboard, mouse and display now makes that a nonissue.
"Throughout the years, there have been myriad attempts to try to put a Macintosh inside a Windows system. None of them have met with any success. Software emulators were too way slow and iffy running anything of consequence. Hardware add-ons were also a disaster. But now, any PC user can have a REAL Macintosh at their beck and call. Using their existing keyboard, video display and mouse, all that is needed is a KVM switch. A KVM switch is a hardware device that enables a single mouse, keyboard and display to control more than one computer at a time. Using an inexpensive KVM switch like the KVM-201LT, 2-Port KVM Switch from Addlogix ($44.95, available at [url=http://www.kvm-switches-online.com]http://www.kvm-switches-online.com[/url] ), any PC user can instantly have the best of both worlds at their command. Just flip the KVM switch and you're using your Windows computer. Flip it again and you're using a Macintosh."
For the full report visit here.
How To Turn Your Mac mini Into A Media Center
engaget's Barb Dybwad says
"Yep, everyone’s talking about using the Mac mini as a home media center, and there’s a reason why: its diminutive form factor makes it a good candidate to fit unobtrusively into an existing audio/video or home theater setup. It looks more like a consumer electronics device than a computer, so it won’t look out of place in your living room. We think of it as the central brain of our system; the glue that holds all the devices together. It can serve the role of scheduler, controller, audio/video recorder, audio/video playback, audio/video download, and it even makes a decent audio/video production unit, as well. You might not win the next Sundance with your iMovie, but you sure can impress everyone at the next family reunion.
"So for this week’s How-To we’ll cover the various aspects you’ll need to think about when planning your Mac mini media center system, plus show you how to control your Mac mini headlessly from any computer in your house—there’s no need to BYODKM; just BYOB, pop in a DVD and enjoy your HDTV, OK?"
You can check it out at:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000057028826/
***
Charles W. Moore
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