[jriemer]

The problem with that is that the Mac Mini's hard drive is too small to store much of any HDTV content.
You can add mulitple external Firewire or USB2.0 drives for less than a dollar/Gig each if you need to store content near the unit.

As Hodar said, the Mac Mini maybe the uber DVD-home entertaiment hub - not a number-cruncher / gaming machine.

[Terpfen]

Yes, I understand that--I'm saying it's not adequate enough to be called an uber anything. It's certainly not going to function as an HTPC--the Radeon 9200 isn't exactly what I'd call the best DVD decoder around. The thing's sound chip is a mystery, and it has no surround sound capabilities that I can find out about.

If it had better video and sound, it'd be great. But adding various parts on eliminates the whole "small and compact" feature, and you might as well just get a Windows-based HTPC.

[Hodar]

Thanks for the acknowledgement. Again, IMHO (I have not signed any NDA's - just well read and some suppostitions on my part) regarding this.

In the January presentation when the iShuffle and Mini-Mac were announced; the CEO of Sony was present. Why? Sure, sony makes some of the LCD screens for Apple, but his hardly warrents the presence of the CEO of one of the world's largest corporations. Fluke? I think not.

A really great article, elaborating much more on this thought may be found here .

I must again emphasize, this is a truly outstanding article. Some really awesome points are made, and I think this man is 100% correct.