Mac Mini exposed!

AirPort antenna

Bluetooth card

Bluetooth antenna

Infrared receiver.

Our first Intel-based Mac minis have arrived, straight from the Apple Store, and what was the first thing the cold, cruel alien intellects at Macworld did with one of these innocents? That’s right. We got out our putty knife, popped it open, and spilled its guts out faster than you could say “CSI!”

From this vantage point, the Mac mini hasn’t changed much from its previous version. However, there’s one gigantic change that may not be apparent from this angle: the easily-accessible RAM slot on the left side is gone. Or to be more accurate, they’ve been turned on their side and hidden from view. (More on this in a moment.)

On the far side of the case you can see the new infrared receiver right at the end of the optical-drive slot.

The Mac mini’s Bluetooth and AirPort antennae are still in place, although these versions seem a bit more robust than the we-just-taped-it-together feel of the previous model. There’s one other change that’s a bit hard to see from this photo, but it’s just beneath and behind the AirPort antenna: the Mac mini’s Bluetooth card, relocated to the top of the drive cage.

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Comments

cluth says:

When you said infrared, my first thought was, "This is a step back in time!" After a minute, I realized it was for the new Front Row-compatible remote.

That started me thinking: Infrared remotes are so '90s! You'd think a forward-thinking company like Apple would create a Bluetooth remote. That way, you could play, pause, and crank up the iTunes when you're in the room next door.

Then again, the whole point of the iMac and Mini is to keep the costs down, so reliable, old technologies will have to suffice, I guess...
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Andrew Dunlop says:

I think the main reason for apple using IR is that on the MacBook Pros and IMacs the signal from the remote is picked up by the built in iSight camera so to save having another remote they stuck IR in.

I think also it will always work as long as there is battery power but Bluetooth can tend to be unreliable.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

techcasts says:

New Intel Mac Mini.. mmmmm I gota get one of these! for my music producing and podcasting, which you have to hear at:

www.dsoundz.co.uk

:)

Next week I am podcasting from the Sounds-Expo in London, I wonder what Apple will be doing there?!.. can't wait.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

0ccam says:

But what is THIS: www.lbodnar.dsl.pipex.com/macmini/macmini_ipo d.html
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

architoc79 says:

Our tv's remote are all IR.

Just think about the high usage of the battery of the bluetooth. And then try thinkin' about the low needs of an IR remote control

With your MacMini remote you can control even the newest iPod, or the iSight.

I think it's great!!!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

lazybeagle says:

It would make a good printer stand for my PC printer
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

phillip.platz says:

IR works better than Bluetooth because you can use the remote with any of apple's new IR supported computers as well as the new iPod HiFi. One remote for all your things. How cool.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

!efatima says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Emirates Mac, and we'd love to have all your apple photos added to the group.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

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