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yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
An ultra small iPod classic inspired mac mini.

I'm not saying its good looking

a good idea


HOWEVER i want your opinions and also advice on how to mke mockups with gimp

thankyou.
 

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That's actually rather cool! :) Not sure if I'd prefer this aspect ratio, or the 1:1 that the real mini exhibits...
What are the arrows about btw?

Nicely done yoyo5280!
 
I like it alot. I do imagine though that if Apple were to go ahead with a form factor like this, they would include at least two usb ports, and a microphone port, and it could be based off Intel Atom processor family. Without two USB ports, you can't install files from a local drive.
 
Experiments

Just playing around, next ill try to make a mock-up of a website with specs n stuff
:eek:

I was thinking, maybe rotating the apple logo 90 to make the long side the front. it would be normal when place on a desk, no?
 

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Oh my god. If Apple release a Mac Mini with mini display port and no adapter included it would be so crap and absolutely go against the concept of the original device. *prays it doesn't happen*
 
There are only two things wrong with this Mac Mini:

1. It couldn't possibly have any real power. It's smaller than a 2.5" hard drive.
2. Apple doesn't take ideas from outsiders, which is dumb.

I disagree if, if apple did the cooling on the device like the AppleTV you could have an Intel Atom in there without any problems, yeah its not a Core 2 Duo or a Core 2 Quad, but it would still be a really good idea. For that I think they would come with a Mini-DVI to DVI, or heck you would get to select the connector you want.

I have to say this is one of the best new Mac Mini mock ups that I have seem. I really wish that Mac Nano would be released, looks like an awesome Mac!!!

-iGrant
 
next ill try to make a mock-up of a website with specs n stuff
My advice, if you're going to go to the trouble of designing a website, is to make sure you perform a spell check: there's a world of difference between "shinny" (see your mock up below) and "shiny" (which is what I think you mean) . . .
 
Why would anyone buy a desktop machine with an Atom chip? The Atom is fine for netbooks, which are small and light and not meant as a primary machine. But crippling the Mini by installing an Atom chip just to make the box smaller would be extremely foolish. It would not make a viable desktop machine with that chip.

I don't see them dropping the optical drive on the Mini, either. It's one thing on the Air, which is intended as a second computer. But not on a desktop machine that's meant to serve as a home's only computer.

The mockup looks good, but it's just not practical imo.

I could see Apple making the current Mini shorter (maybe using a 1.8" harddrive), but getting it this small would be counterproductive. Too much sacrifice of power for no real gain...
 
There are only two things wrong with this Mac Mini:

1. It couldn't possibly have any real power. It's smaller than a 2.5" hard drive.
2. Apple doesn't take ideas from outsiders, which is dumb.

Just to play Devil's advocate,

1. Could be flash (SSD) based.
2. They might if mighty Ive agrees and likes the design.
 
Looks kind of cool, but I think it's way too much of a niche product for Apple to consider making something like it.
 
I don't like the pastel colors. Otherwise, I still kinda think it'd be cool.
 
Do not design for design sake (that's vista). Think about usability, and cost to make.

I like the general shape. However, as the low end line, there is no way that it would use SSD (1.8" HD, maybe). As a desktop, it will keep the DVD drive.

The biggest missing feature is a built-in iPod dock.

Imagine the current mac mini, thinner and curved like your design, with a build-in iPod/iPhone dock on top. That will be pretty cool.
 
Just to play Devil's advocate,

1. Could be flash (SSD) based.
2. They might if mighty Ive agrees and likes the design.

Apple's policy is not to even look at unsolicited ideas it receives. If Apple implements something that looks even remotely like an unsolicited idea, it faces lawsuits (it faces them anyway, I know, but if it holds on to ideas people send them there will be real evidence that someone in the company stole the idea).
 
The Apple logo isn't big enough, and the mini doesn't seem to light up anywhere. You could have a wash-of-light led bathing the front edge in a waterfall of white. I'd also turn the logo 90 degrees and make it as big at least as the iMac's, if not the laptops' logo.
 
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