If you've taken the plunge and are using a laptop as your main computer, it's convenient to have another computer at home. Why? Well, you don't want your laptop running all of the time, especially if you want a more permanent hookup to your HDTV. This is the reason why a Mac Mini complements a MacBook Pro very well.
If you're a mobile warrior, and you've gotten yourself a MacBook, then you should probably think about getting a Mac Mini as your home computer. The Mac Mini can easily be used to stream media to HDTVs and computer monitors, allowing you to switch off your laptop for longer periods of time instead of always having it on.
While the iMac is probably the best solution, it can get expensive to get both a MacBook Pro and an iMac. This is why we have seen so many home setups that include a Mac Mini. These are particularly interesting to have when you plug in your HDTV as well. If you think that you won't need more than 27", then you should think about getting an iMac.
This particular setup comes courtesy of Peter Hellberg from Sweden. He uses a Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and a Mac 24-inch LED monitor in his home. At work, he plugs his MacBook pro into another Mac monitor. If you work on computers day in day out, your employer will usually subsidize your laptop, completely or partially. It all depends on where you work.
Peter is awaiting a pair of speakers from Behringer. The Behringer MS40 Active Stereo Nearfield Monitors will complete his setup. The Mac Mini is hooked up to a 40" Samsung LCD HDTV via a long Clicktronic HDMI cable.
[all photos by Peter Hellberg via CC license]
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what is the screensaver? lol
here is something similiar http://www.macscreensavers.com/2010/08/fliqlo-flip-style-clock-screensaver.html
Found on Peter's Flickr:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/452216/Screensaver/Flipclock%200.5.zip
It doesn't seem to work properly..
It only shows 1 of the 2?
hmmm Snow leopard only..?
Is this a paid advertisement for Apple?
Once you get the second Mac, where do you sync your iPhone? Where does your iTunes and app collection live? What about photos?
This problem makes me nuts. I feel like I always have the wrong machine to show someone a particular photo, or that I can't sync my iPhone when I'm traveling. :)
@biologyteacher: I sure hope not :)
@Jamie25: I connect my iPhone to all my machines (due to the old “same iTunes Library-ID hack”). My photos live on Flickr, my code on GitHub and my music is delivered by Spotify.
I view the hardware as highly replaceable interfaces to my data on the net.
@Peter: Love it. Thanks! We don't have Spotify here in the U.S., but I get the idea: hack iTunes, skip iPhoto.
I already use Dropbox for syncing files between machines. I'll look into the iTunes hack. And nice setup, BTW!
@biologyteacher oh what a surprise, someone making a snide remark about a post containing Apple hardware. Guess what? It's in the title, so you are more than capable of skipping the article if you wish, but I am guessing the title was more of a green light for you to come in and troll.
I'm not a troll deefuzz. My point is that this is to be the technology arm of Apartment Therapy and it's their site they can run it whatever way they wish. But, if you look at all of the recent computer tech articles, they are almost all Mac. This is akin to Automobile Magazine only running articles on Studebakers.
@biologyteacher to be a writer on AT you have to be the design field in some way or another; to make a generalized statement, more often than not, designers own macs. So really you're kind of just harping on the fault of every author's tendency to write about their personal experience and interests.
Yet at the same time, I do agree that iPhone/Pad being nearly the only topic on the recent first page of Unplugged articles is really boring. Big hearts for Steve Jobs and all, but this one company can't be the only tech business making interesting retail products right now.
Throw PC bone: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/dell-inspiron-duo-tablet-netbook-hybrid-unveiled-with-rotating/
BTW the screensaver is called Fliqlo, its quite popular in the Mac Community, you can get the OSX or the Windows version here: http://www.9031.com/downloads/screensavers.html