Mini atop Greenhouse HDD, speaker system & sub-woofer
Intel is offering $1million in prizes to designers and manufacturers who can come up with sexier alternatives to the “big, beige box”.
The Intel Core Processor Challenge is looking for smaller, more stylish multimedia PCs. The only condition is that entries must be powered by Intel Viiv technology, using the chip giant’s Core 2 Duo processors. Beyond that, Intel urges potential applicants to “think outside the box”.
The competition is open to PC designers and manufacturers worldwide and each company may submit up to five different designs.The grand prize winner will receive $300,000 to enable the mass production of the system and $400,000 to co-market the design with Intel. The runner-up will receive up to $300,000 to help with manufacturing costs.
What do they really mean by “sexy”?
The winner!:
About frigg’en time…
Every time I see all the various cases and power supplies available, I am underwhelmed by the diversity – let alone imagination – of the designs.
Of course, case designs are limited by the motherboard designs – so it is not entirely the case-designer’s fault.
As Eideard’s example picture of a Mini shows these things [with Core 2 Duo] should be very compact, and still easily drive an HDTV.
Article on Core 2 Duo in a Mac Mini
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/323
Thanks for the link, Mike. The Greenhouse Design I showed comes from Japan [I think]. It used to be that Japanese deisgners looked to the US to learn about modern — in terms of modern and marketable.
Although it will take a few more price drops from Intel before I try the same experiment, it looks pretty doable.
I just curious, if you have to add so much to a mini, what not go for an iMac? Do you want it to dive a large screen in a home theater system?
I wonder where the ports are in that computer!
All the ports — and additional in each module — are on the back, like the Mini. Here’s a link.
RT — the sound system add-ons are for folks adding a sound system. The HDD add-on is for folks who happen to be in the market for an add’l HDD and want one that matches up nice and snazzy.
I never bought any of these to add to either of my mini’s — like any geek, I already have extras of monitor, kb, mouse, etc.. Not that it has stopped the system from growing. The Mini has been so successful in this regard it’s starting to be like the iPod for add-ons.
6 All the ports — and additional in each module — are on the back, like the Mini.
Ahh, Eideard… I think Alix was asking about the computer in SN’s post #1. 😉
4 I just curious, if you have to add so much to a mini, what not go for an iMac?
The mini is on top of that stack, with an extra HD below that, the audio amp [with two little speakers on the front corners] below that, and the subwoofer on the bottom.
If you were adding a mini to a home theatre system, you might not ned the extra HD, and surely wouldn’t need the amp/subwoofer.
What will be interesting is a Mini stacked with an “iTV” [whatever they actually call it] – which would offload HD MPEG-stream decompression to the iTV.
I’ve posted somewhere before that a Mini w/ DVD-R, an iTV, and an El Gato EyeTV Hybrid would replace a few components in my home system.
http://tinyurl.com/s3mz8
Otherwise, a 24″ iMac with Core 2 Duo paired with an EyeTV Hybrid would make a nice HD-capable stand-alone system.
Intel urges potential applicants to “think outside the box”.
But please, put the innards inside the box.
A direct link to B & O’s movie clip for their BeoCenter2
http://tinyurl.com/qudmk
Wouldn’t that be a cool HTPC?
Intel should have started a photoshop contest for cool pc design rather than this. All they’ll get is corporate design from established companies that have the budget for a prototype.