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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Monday, May 16, 2005

Just a thought: Xbox 360 vs. Mac mini

When Apple rolled out its Mac mini in January, a lot of Apple enthusiasts excitedly claimed that the device could easily become a living room-based "iHome" device that might eventually incorporate DVR capabilities. This was all wishful thinking, of course: The diminutive capacity and performance of the mini's hard drive, and its lackluster video hardware makes such a thing difficult to imagine. Plus, the base price of a Mac mini with a reasonable amount of RAM (512 MB) is about $600. That's a bit much for most consumers to swallow, especially when you consider it includes no remote control, DVR software, or TV-friendly front-end.

I like the Mac mini, I really do, though I've grown to become a bit unsettled about some of its lackluster features, which could have been replaced by better parts easily and affordably. But one thing I never bought into is the idea of the Mac mini as an iHome device. It's just not suitable for that purpose.

But the Xbox 360. My God.

A water-cooled, three-core PowerPC processor running at 3.2 GHz? 512 MB of RAM? Vicious graphics, wireless controllers, integrated Media Center software? The next Xbox isn't just a killer game machine, it is the first device to truly claim the title "Hub of your digital home." Microsoft will sell millions of these things and immediately. And I bet they will retail for far less than $600.

The Xbox 360 has caused me to completely rethink my approach to home-based digital media. Currently, I'm running a Media Center PC in my home office, networked to a Media Center Extender in my living room. But we have a separate DVD player and, of course, an Xbox in there as well. The Xbox 360 will replace all three of those devices and, get this, supply new and unique functionality as well. For example, it will stream true HDTV signals, unlike today's Extenders, over a home network. And it will integrate directly with the iPods I already own. Amazing.

In short, the Xbox 360--while still six months away from shipping--kicks the Mac mini in the butt and makes the whole iHome concept look like a non-starter to begin with. I'm starting to believe that the digital media hub of my home will indeed be in my living room, and not in my home office. But it will be an Xbox 360, and not a Mac.

[ Posted at 10:25 AM | Permalink ]