For the first time, that I can remember, Apple's entire home page - minus Final Cut Pro - can be purchased for less than $1000. Personally I think this is a big step for Apple; it shows that while the the pro / high end market is still their major focus, they are beginning to put a little emphasis on making "consumer" level products. One of the new products has really captured my attention is the Mac Mini.


For the last year I have been wanting a PVR of some kind, and will admit it have been envious of my evil Window's using friends for being able to purchase a Windows Media Center - although I would never buy one. I have thought about a TiVo several times, but each time I stop just before making the purchase in hopes that maybe Apple will step into this market. For a second I thought my wish was going to come true with reports of a rumored iHome, but sadly it ended up being fake. Although the rumored "headless Mac" turned out to be real, and called the Mac Mini. The second I heard the official price and saw a picture of it I knew this would be the perfect system to build my own version of an "iHome" around.

Basically my idea includes a Mac Mini, a Elgato Eye TV Wonder or Eye TV 200, my home theater, and my TV to create the ultimate "iHome" Entertainment Center. To me the ability to pause and record live TV is appealing, as is viewing my digital photo collection and listening to mp3s, but for the ultimate "iHome" I want the ability to do more.

Currently while watching TV I set my iBook on the coffee table in front of me so I can IM with friends, check email, even help someone out with a Flash or XHTML / CSS problem. So what I need out of an "iHome" device is not just the ability to pause and record live TV, look at my iPhoto collection, or listen to music in iTunes; but the ability to minimize my TV from full screen to a small window and work on my Mac without ever leaving the couch. Yes, this can be done today without the Mac Mini, but unless I was to get a new PowerMac to work on and turned my old one into an "iHome" then this was an idea that was way to expensive to bring to life; unless I sat and watched TV in my office, or moved my office to my living room - neither of which I want to do. But now for $650 (low end Mini + TV Tuner hardware), true more then a TiVo but around the price if not less then an average Windows Media Center, I can finally have my "iHome" just the way I want it.

So for me yesterday's releases were more then just an indication that Apple was starting to target the normal consumer market, but the ability for me to create what I don't think Apple will. I have already purchased my Mac Mini, went with the 1.42 fully outfitted with a Superdrive, Internal Bluetooth and Airport Express. All that is left is for me to grab an Elgato product and set it all up. Apple says it will be here by the 22nd, so I will be sure to post up a product review as well as how things turn out with my "iHome".