“Apple’s Mac mini will be reborn as the digital hub centerpiece it was originally conceived to be, Think Secret sources have disclosed. The new Mac mini project, code-named Kaleidoscope, will feature an Intel processor and include both Front Row 2.0 and TiVo-like DVR functionality,” Ryan Katz reports for Think Secret.
Katz reports, “Sources are confident the system will be ready for roll-out at Macworld Expo San Francisco… The new Mac mini is also said to sport a built-in iPod dock, a feature that was scrapped from the Mac mini Apple first introduced one year ago… Sources have hinted that additional media announcements will further propel Apple’s strategy, and with the hardware, software, and iPod sales behind it, Apple now seems poised to firmly plant its footprint in living rooms.”
Full article here.
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MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews have heard unconfirmed rumors regarding Intel-based Macs and Apple digital hub products, including DVR functionality, slated for debut at Macworld Expo in January which align closely with this Think Secret report.
Related articles:
RUMOR: Apple working on new home entertainment product for early 2006 – November 23, 2005
Report: TiVo to add Mac OS X support for TiVoToGo ‘sometime next year’ – November 22, 2005
RUMOR: Apple to employ Intel’s ‘Robson’ NAND flash tech to create ‘instant-on’ Macs – November 22, 2005
TiVo adds Apple iPod support to TiVoToGo – November 20, 2005
RUMOR: Intel-based Apple iBooks coming in January with extremely low price tags – November 17, 2005
Intel-based Macs dominate January’s Macworld Expo 2006 rumor mill – November 14, 2005
RUMOR: Apple’s Intel-based Macs coming in first quarter 2006 – November 04, 2005
Elgato CEO to head Apple Germany – October 18, 2005
Let’s hope that Wall Street likes what they see. Let the fun begin. So long Billy Boy and your burning xBox 360’s.
Nice… but I still want intel-PowerBooks…
Wow! That’s huge. I’d like an iBook with this functionality instead of a Mac mini though.
Man, I hope so! This is what I’ve been waiting for.
The article also says Apple will drop the smaller notebook harddrives in favor of cheaper but larger standard drives. I always felt that was one compromise that was ill-conceived since the goal of the Mac mini was to provide the lowest entry price into the Mac universe.
I wonder if they have figured out a way to make HD recordings or at least ED recordings without ticking off the media companies.
I imagine they will also finally have a digital audio out as well.
A mac mini with an optical audio out (toslink please!!) and frontrow/remote would go immediately into my living room. Anything else would be an appreciated bonus.
The former head of El Gato (EyeTV) has returned to Apple.
Ahh… finally. Something to forget the real Kaleidoscope that someone at Apple must really hate.
Gimme, gimme, gimmeeee! And givit a whopper of a HD so I don’t have to disgrace the Kal … er, mini with surrounding HDs that’ll clutter my new Media Room.
I’d buy one in a heart beat.
Put me on the list.
I’m going to be dead a long time, so I think I’ll keep up to date with all the toys. What TV should I buy? I guess my kids will get my old Elite 55”.
MW–things—-How do it know?
I find the idea of a mac based digital hub/media centre type product very interesting. I see it as the perfect product for new intel macs to start with. Theoretically they could be less of a computer and more of a consumer device like a dvd player or iPod so the compatibility of apps will be less of a problem since it will most likely not be used for stuff outside of front row etc.
im gonna put off buying my new HD tv until this thing comes out. I want to make sure they will ‘talk’ to eachother.
Now things begin to fall into place. We can maybe see why Apple didn’t ally itself with TiVo. We can also see that through the success of the Music Store Apple could easily create a network listing service ala TiVo that would allow seamless and easy programming of your new device.
One flaw in this logic? If you can record your own episodes as you did with TiVo, does this not directly compete with the iTMS TV episode downloads?
MDN word ‘Normal’:
If true, and if Apple really nails it with this one (Front Row, wireless networking, television connectivity, Bluetooth, VOIP access, etc.), ‘normal’ is about to change.
I wonder if the new MacMini will be able to take advantage of higher broadband speeds either wireless or hard-wired? I guess what I am talking about is the next generation of the internet.
“…We need a little Christmas, right this very minute!”
windows fans are now suddenly quiet. suckers.
Sorry it took me so long to post, i had to rush into the living room and clear a spot for this new device. I can’t wait!
Now, which credit card will I use to purchase it…?
Will we see new computer monitors that will also serve as HDTV monitors? 2006 should be a very interesting year of new products.
I agree with an iBook having these functions but you can’t very well record programs if you take your iBook with you. A small and cheap headless Mac as a component in the living room makes sense.
“I for one would put my Sony products on eBay, and buy the Apple equivalents in a heartbeat.”
http://themacintoshstudio.blogspot.com/2005/11/computers-as-appliances.html
a couple of concerns:
* doesn’t that mean the iTunes shows such as “Lost” will be competing with DVR. why pay when you can Tivo?
* Mini will need more memory and processor to support DVR functionality. Let’s hope Apple moves away from the iBook architecture used in the Mini.
finally, TV tuner in the Mac. Cool…
I agree with Grrila’s point about TIVO conflicting with ITMS’s episodic downloads.
Instead of recording directly from TV, I think, at least for this round, Apple’s new Mac Mini will enrich Front Row so that it will be easy to search ITMS for new episodes, and download it there and then for viewing. Currently you need the mouse to select and download via iTunes6, but using Front Row transforms the experience into something even simpler.
With the built-in iPod dock (how with the universal dock adaptors) you can download the latest shows, and transfer immediately to the iPod to take away.
I’m happy that they’ll revert back to 3.5″ drives… I wouldnt mind sacrificing a little more size for the 200+GB storage space! As another poster said, much better than having two attached external drives!
I don’t see it happening. Apple will not do a DVR. They are too close with Hollywood. Plus it would cut into their revenue stream for shows in iTMS. Lets face it, the cable and satellite companies have just about taken over the DVR market. As they should. It makes perfect sense for the cable box to store the shows.
The next Mac mini WILL connect to your home entertainment center, but it won’t have DVR capabilities. It will allow you to play your music through your stereo. It will allow you to show your photos on your tv. And it will allow you to play your own movies through the television. But it won’t record tv. Mark it down.
iSteve: “but you can’t very well record programs if you take your iBook with you.”
I was thinking along the lines of the Slingbox™ — (from the web page) “a groundbreaking piece of hardwired ingenuity that will literally transform the way you watch television. The Slingbox enables you to watch your TV programming from wherever you are by turning virtually any Internet-connected PC into your personal TV. Whether you’re in another room or in another country, you’ll always have access to your television. . . We support literally thousands of devices. Slingbox is compatible with TiVo, Comcast’s Motorola DVR, Replay TV, Ultimate TV, DISH, DirecTV, and more.”
http://www.slingmedia.com/slingbox/
(lots of marketing spin above but still sounds promising)
‘Own Mac & PC’ et al have dissapeared I see…no doubt they would be saying ‘I have both Windows media centre and Kaleidoscope and they’re just as good as each other…..
Ho ho ho…in your dreams Windows defenders.
Time is up. What iPod did for MP3 players, Kaleidoscope will do for the sitting room and just as Intel chips and Vista will do for Powerbooks, iBooks, iMacs etc.!
The crown is yours for the taking Mr Jobs.
sorry, you are max’ed out. too many trips to vegas.
“Apple will not do a DVR…it would cut into their revenue stream for shows in iTMS.”
How many people forego buying a song on iTunes because they recorded it off the radio?