Mac mini: Creative Uses for the Little Mac that Could

Last year, AppleInsider claimed inside sources foretelling the forthcoming discontinuation of the Mac Mini. This year, they are claiming that not only is it going to stay around, but that it is going to get a big bump in specs, including 45-nanometer 2.1 Ghz Intel processors and Intel XMA X3100 graphics controllers. So, not only has the Mac mini not been discontinued, it looks to have a long life ahead of it.

Many people have done some very creative things with the Mac minis, and while I don’t have any sales numbers from Apple, it is possible that all these creative minds have helped Apple decide to keep this machine on. After all, we know what happens when you see that prominent Apple logo on the top of the Mac mini.

For instance, Peter Green made a Mac Mini Laptop. Not quite as svelte as the MacBook Air, but you can’t hate a man for trying.

Mini Laptop

Someone made a Mac mini robot, with a now-extinct iSight.

Mini robot

If you got really crazy, you could make it a toilet paper dispenser (what?):

tp.png

In addition, Macminicolo.net is there to provide you with a place to store your Mac mini as a server. They are running a contest to give away a year of colocating and a Macbook air. [Full disclosure: I entered the contest, and I really hope they pick me as the winner!]

Matt Burriola even installed his Mac mini in his Mazda 3. It sits over in the glovebox and is controlled by a 7″ Xenarc touch screen. Adding it to your car is not for the newbie; it takes a lot of time and know-how to be able to do that.

mazda.png

My personal favorite is the Mac mini Millennium Falcon. Derrick Hixson took the shell off the mini and put innards inside a toy replica of the Millennium Falcon. Then he added an iSight in the turret as well.

Falcon

What other creative uses have you seen for the Mac mini? Sound off in the comments.

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