The footprint of this makes me think it's meant to be a "media center" type machine, but then it's lacking TV output (optional component will add that) and it's lacking digital audio output, so no 5.1 sound.
So... general purpose computer then. But given the size, the graphics card will be on the motherboard and doesn't appear to be upgradeable. Similarly, the rest of the system won't be able to take much in the way of upgrades; it's just not big enough!
So... an interesting box, but... wuh?
If this thing _did_have TV out and digital audio output then I'd seriously consider buying one! It'd look a lot lot neater than a Shuttle.
It's an iPod peripheral for people who already have a PC.
No, really. Think "gateway drug."
Watch for multichannel firewire audio interfaces showing up real soon-- probably at NAMM, and if not then, then simultaneously with the next rev of OS X, which will include QuickTime 7 with better (or, um, "any") multichannel audio support.
I already have a 5.1 home theater system (well, 5.0 'cos I didn't get the subwoofer... maybe when I move into a real house rather than an apartment) with $$$ speakers and DTS and DD5.1 and the kitchen sink. If the firewire audio interface allows me to connect it to a TOSlink device then that means this box needs two adapters to make it into a media center box. Beginning to get a bit expensive!
I was hoping to buy one to replace my HTPC... Its nicely designed, and small, and Apple's site says its whisper quiet - all good attributes of a HTPC. But I decided against it for the same reasons you mentioned.
Once you add a cheap digital audio-out adapter, and a cheap TV-in box, plus some extra ram so it can perform at a normal speed, and the wireless card (why the hell isn't this included in the base machine?!) it turns out to be more like $900. And that's for just the necessities. (1.2ghz base machine, no wireless, no peripherals...
I *really* wanted to buy my first Mac, to... but for that price it's not going to happen :(
From looking at the picture on the website of the ports on the back of the machine, it doesn't exactly look like they have an excess of spare space for connectors, unless they decide they want to put connectors on a second side of the machine.
And it probably wouldn't be as pretty if they put connectors for the keyboard and headphones on the front panel to make room on the back for TV output, s/pdif output, etc.
I'm tempted to buy one just to have a Mac, but I don't know what I'd use it for. You have to wed an iPod to MacOS or Windows so I couldn't switch it back and forth.
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 07:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 07:38 pm (UTC)So... general purpose computer then. But given the size, the graphics card will be on the motherboard and doesn't appear to be upgradeable. Similarly, the rest of the system won't be able to take much in the way of upgrades; it's just not big enough!
So... an interesting box, but... wuh?
If this thing _did_have TV out and digital audio output then I'd seriously consider buying one! It'd look a lot lot neater than a Shuttle.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 07:41 pm (UTC)No, really. Think "gateway drug."
Watch for multichannel firewire audio interfaces showing up real soon-- probably at NAMM, and if not then, then simultaneously with the next rev of OS X, which will include QuickTime 7 with better (or, um, "any") multichannel audio support.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 07:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-12 03:46 am (UTC)Once you add a cheap digital audio-out adapter, and a cheap TV-in box, plus some extra ram so it can perform at a normal speed, and the wireless card (why the hell isn't this included in the base machine?!) it turns out to be more like $900. And that's for just the necessities. (1.2ghz base machine, no wireless, no peripherals...
I *really* wanted to buy my first Mac, to... but for that price it's not going to happen :(
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-12 03:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-12 04:58 am (UTC)And it probably wouldn't be as pretty if they put connectors for the keyboard and headphones on the front panel to make room on the back for TV output, s/pdif output, etc.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-12 05:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 07:49 pm (UTC)I want.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 08:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 09:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-11 11:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-12 02:45 am (UTC)Format it on Windows, turn off auto-sync, now you can drop stuff on it from both platforms.