This crazy Mac mini prototype has an iPod dock on top...

Thanks to Casetify for sponsoring today's video! Check them out and use code 15MIANI to save 15% here: casetify.com/miani
Back in 2005 Tony Fadell, the brains behind the iPod and the iPhone, had a crazy idea: A Mac mini with built in iPod connectivity. Today we'll look at this rare prototype that sparked a lot of controversy within Apple before being killed off before the public had a chance to see it! But despite it's short life as just a concept, this rare prototype Intel Mac mini left its mark on the Mac mini that we all got to see and buy. So today let’s go through this rare Mac Prototype from the Intel transition in Apple history
HUGE thanks to DongleBook Pro for loaning me this insane prototype to take a look at: / @donglebookpro
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[@DavidRDHeath]

That was very interesting. A universal iPod dock could have been a good addition to the first Gen Apple TV to widen its media playing ability. It also had a Core Solo CPU.

[@lukemiani]

As far as I know the original Apple TV and the Intel Mac mini had a similar development timeframe, both happening while Apple was gearing up for Intel

[@Pasi123]

The first gen Apple TV had a Pentium M CPU which is the predecessor of the Core Solo

[@peterdagrape]

@@lukemiani I can’t remember who but someone managed to get MacOS running on a first gen Apple TV somehow

[@something2sea]

​@@peterdagrape Quite a few people did… at the time tvOS was a modified version of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, with modified boot graphics and Finder replaced with a modified version of FrontRow (apple's 'couch' media player app). Back when Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger was the current version of macOS there was pretty much one file that needed to be changed on a stock 10.4 installation to get the Apple TV booting from 10.4-that is, if you were willing to crack open the case of your AppleTV and physically swap out the Hard Drive. That 1st Generation Apple TV was probably one of the easiest non-macintosh apple products of the Steve Jobs era to crack. The AppleTV was also the first Apple product line to transition from Intel chips to Apple Silicon, the 2010 2nd generation AppleTV ran an apple A4 chip.

[@squanchy474]

I don’t get why it didn’t use the universal dock inserts like the apple universal dock that came out around this time did :/

[@disklamer]

Always fun with the prototypes, keep them coming!

[@McNibbler]

I’d like to point out “EVT” is actually pretty late in the development cycle, as it’s typically the last or second to last NPI build before the product is handed off and finalized. This would have been a massive change to make that late into the product cycle

[@TattooFrog]

I think it would be cool if they did this now but with a wireless charger hidden in the top

[@myrealusername2193]

I’ve seen someone put an m1 Mac mini in this Mac mini case, and I’m sure someone will or already had modded is to have one

[@jerrybomcool]

You could probably DIY this idea as long as it’s not metal or thick then it should be possible to do

[@Bxredewil]

Like a MagSafe connector on top? That would be v cool

[@jerrybomcool]

@@Bxredewil you could easily do it as long as there is enough space inside. Depends on what MagSafe you buy and how thick or thin it is

[@myrealusername2193]

@@jerrybomcool it’s glass and around half a centimeter, should be perfect

[@Mooooooof]

I remember this being rumoured for so long to be released when the Mac mini first came out. I think there were other prototype macs with iPod docks as well

[@LukerVR]

Mac mini with a notch I never thought I’d see apple go this far

[@lukemiani]

Has Apple gone TOO FAR?! [surprised expression]

[@Piipperi800]

What I think is that you need to revisit your Mac Mini knowledge - 1,1 Mac mini is in fact Intel, PPC Mac mini was a PowerMac10,1 - 1,1 did ship with Core Solos - That antenna board is clipped in place by those plastics, not exactly sure why it's just bing chilling like that either way, great video tho

[@maxmara9864]

The PPC Mac Minis has TWO revisions instead of one. They are the OG minis PowerMac 10,1 and 10,2 in early and late 2005 they are models A1103. The MacMini 1,1 and 2,1 is the 3rd rev of the Mac mini generation models A1156. 1,1 shipped with core solo and core duos T1200 and T2300 and T2400 (late 2006). 2,1 shipped with T5600 and T7200 but can be upgraded to T7400 and T7600.

[@maxmara9864]

The PPC Mac Minis has TWO revisions instead of one. They are the OG minis PowerMac 10,1 and 10,2 in early and late 2005 they are models A1103. The MacMini 1,1 and 2,1 is the 3rd rev of the Mac mini generation models A1156. 1,1 shipped with core solo and core duos T1200 and T2300 and T2400 (late 2006). 2,1 shipped with T5600 and T7200 but can be upgraded to T7400 and T7600.

[@Piipperi800]

@@maxmara9864 my point was that the G4 Mac Mini was identified as a PowerMac

[@maxmara9864]

@@Piipperi800 yes I was just completing related knowledge of these old Mac minis

[@maxmara9864]

@@Piipperi800 yes I was just completing related knowledge of these old Mac minis

[@Stop4MotionMakr]

I work at an art museum and it's the weirdest thing in the world when I see valuable and historically significant objects like these touched and played with by ungloved hands, when at work I have to put on a pair of nitrile glove to even pick up a a paper clip that the artist used to clip together a stack of paper 🤣

[@TimCortesi]

eh... these things are neat and certainly collector's items, but I wouldn't call either historically significant.

[@joshuaroney]

@@TimCortesi they definitely are lol

[@whophd]

I love the way the CD-to-iPod data conveyer is right there

[@AppleBman]

Here's another likely reason why it never shipped: Jony Ive. Jony never would've signed-off on an ugly 30-pin dock connector dominating the pristine top of his newest design. At Apple in 2005 form trumped function every single time.

[@julieboruta]

As long as apple added a bigger connector tray hole for different size iPods I see that working out just fine on the Mac mini.

[@SamuelDantowitz]

Luke you truly are putting out unique content unlike anyone else on KZbin. It’s awesome to see these lesser known Apple stories and prototypes. Keep it up!

[@IhorPushkar]

That is really a great piece of tech, very interesting concept.

[@joepisciottajr]

I’m a new subscriber and binge watched your channel for 2 weeks straight. Like a few hundred episodes. Because of your channel I bought a 2012 Mac i7 Mini and tricked it out with 16G RAM, 256 SSD, Big Sur, paired with a 2011 Apple 27” Cinema Display (2560x1440), Apple Magic Keyboard & Mouse for my home office (have new Apple gear at work). Have $400 into this entire setup. My son wants to do the same now.

[@ghost-user559]

You should do it if you have done it before, but idk if I would do it unless you know you can handle it. It’s one of those things that the second you take it apart then you have to do it. One wrong plug or wire and you could break your WiFi antenna or ruin your whole motherboard. So I personally have avoided doing it on my MacBook because I read the reviews of other people who did everything right but the cables still snapped and now they don’t get WiFi, or their display flickers, or they broke off their fan connector and now they don’t have a fan. It’s just janky parts and everything can go wrong even if you know exactly what you are doing. If it’s a backup computer? For sure do it because it’s worth the risk and it will run like new. But if it’s your only machine right now? Then I would not risk it at the moment. You want to do it, but you also can’t control how those older parts are going to be and if the connections are loose or bad quality. (This is about the thermal paste lol, the comment changed by the time my response posted, nice setup btw)

[@lukemiani]

That’s a great setup for the money!

[@ghost-user559]

@@lukemiani How do you feel about Monterrey on a 2012 MacBook Pro? Any issues regarding the patcher, or any features missing? It has 16GB Ram and a 1TB SSD. Currently on Catalina. Would you go for Big Sur, or jump all the way to Monterrey?

[@joepisciottajr]

@@ghost-user559 I did the Big Sur patcher on my 2012. Wasn’t sure about Monterey either. I do have Monterey on my 2021 MacBook Pro of course and Big Sur is very close to the same features so I’m happy with it in my Mac Mini.

[@ghost-user559]

@@joepisciottajr Thanks that’s very good to know. It’s amazing how these little machines can still do the job a decade later. The only thing that always scares me is the patching process. Whenever the screen goes blank I really do wonder if it’s coming back on again lol. Where did you get ahold of your Cinema Display and peripherals?

[@YashAtishay]

I wanna see a modern version of this, a MacMini with a Qi charger on top

[@DustyKing]

It would be cool but I think due to heat Apple would not put a wireless charging on top of the Mac Mini. Yo, but that’s a good idea.

[@YashAtishay]

@@DustyKing oh yeah man that would heat up crazy but then am sure since MacMini has a fan, Apple can engineer some way to move that heat

[@epychan922]

i love prototypes

[@IlcanalediGabriele]

you are the TOP YT about retro-tech , TY to exist Man

[@Sisamuth]

Has been enjoying these old Apple products and prototypes videos

[@keith.s7139]

Great video! I definitely think this could have been a good product if the dock could be used on all 30pin connection devices (like say a speaker dock).

[@thehobnob]

That sponsor segment must have been fun to film 😂

[@fidiak]

Thanks for video, very interesting.

[@IlcanalediGabriele]

AMAZING feature !!

[@rayproductionsbackupchanne3862]

i've got a iphone smart battery case prototype here. it's outside is basically retail. but it's running a EVT firmware with all sorts of fun stuff. the iphone XS smart battery case still has air power references. the case was originally designed to be released with the iphone x

[@half-qilin]

Macmini1,1 actually does refer to the first generation Intel Mac mini, the PowerPC Mac minis use Powermac10,1 and Powermac10,2

[@whophd]

I literally found my G4 Mac Mini yesterday, and have no idea what I should do with it

[@MegaChriz]

I’ve kept mine ready to go all those years. In the past year I’ve used it once: only to import a CD into iTunes 😆. My new Mac doesn’t have a CD player and the CD player in my MacBook is broken.

[@TominoCabana]

An iPod classic doc on a mac mini would have made this a must have in the mid 00’s

[@jamesjamias6796]

Great infomercial for caseify!

[@robinbrzezinska5789]

excellent video; I would have bought something like this if they put in the production process. I would have liked to see how it would have worked out.

[@Tamay.]

Would be cool to see if you would literally put a connector onto the pads on the retail model and then test it with the dock top

[@DMoneySmooth]

I think I like your sponsor messages as much as I like your videos... Keep up the good work.

[@mouldycheeseproductions6981]

PowerPC G4 Mac mini was PowerMac10,1 not MacMini1,1. The First intel Mac mini was MacMini1,1

[@HiFiInsider]

what music does Tony have on the iPod?

[@FS--ew3se]

Oh shit I need to get a Mac mini. They are gorgeous machines. Congrats on getting your hands on one.

[@ksagvold]

@6:03. The intel mac mini's were also 1,1 models. I actually just looked on mine seconds ago. Core Duo 2006 Model.

[@jim_bocho]

I would have loved this in my Mac Mini G4. Was my Multimedia Center that I therefore also used to manage my music and then sync to my iPod (full-size iPod though.

[@tobiastho9639]

In the beginning of the 30pin connector i remember many problems with it. Much better to have the iPod doc were you could fir inserts for each iPod model.

[@anthonycastro5402]

We need more prototype videos

[@drticzon]

Make sure you clone that internal hard drive since that OS may have special software to allow that iPod to show up on the desktop.

[@ThinkingBetter]

How did this development sample leak out of the Apple facilities? Usually these things are not allowed to be given out.

[@megatronskneecap]

It would have been awesome to see them actually do this. As soon as you dock your iPod, it goes into FairPlay mode and plays music or movies.

[@asnovasdodia]

THE AD WAS AMAZING. Gonna buy

[@jacobchurch10]

Macmini1,1 was the identifier for the first intel Mac mini, the PowerPC Mac mini used the identifier PowerMac10,1 and 10,2

[@tylerphalen4223]

I bet that exact iPod and that exact Mac mini have met before 🤯

[@themacintoshnerd]

6:06 1,1s are intel minis the PowerPC ones used PowerMac for the machineid

[@davidbillberg2203]

The original or first Mac Mini was also my first Mac back in 2005!

[@bmwloco]

I have a Tivoli Audio with an old style iPod charger on it. Dang good stereo though.

[@egmccann]

Interesting. Also I'd have seen it if the two were sold together, maybe, or as an option.

[@georgesenda1952]

I found a 27 inch Apple Thunderbolt display on the screen & am wondering if it can be repaired. Outer glass was smashed, it was very dirty but cleaned up. Had a Vesa attachment. Sides of the outer screen look rusty. I,plugged it in and nothing went poof.

[@froggybrolly]

Nice find! If the LCD is OK, IIRC the front glass is held on with magnets like contemporary iMacs and iFixit guides are available, so if you can find a replacement glass panel (from a non-working but intact model maybe) it should be a fairly easy fix. Good luck :)

[@justalittletechy]

I love these videos

[@codymurphy3493]

The spiritual successor of this would be a wireless charger on the surface of the Mac Studio and Mac Mini

[@BullyParkerMaguire]

Insane!

[@VMiXEZ]

I just love the ad. LOL

[@TheMetalMag]

thx Macmiani

[@luisamudio]

For when a best budget ecossystem with refurbished/used models?

[@Mainyehc]

A universal iPod/iPhone Dock, compatible with the pack-in adapters that came with later iPods and were sold separately, would’ve been a fine addition to the Mac mini up until the demise of the 32-pin connector, I guess. I understand the AppleTV was already mentioned as a candidate for that, but it wouldn’t make any sense; before the days of Apple Music and other subscriptions, the Mac *was* indeed the digital hub, and the AppleTV was as much of a subsidiary to it as the iPod.

[@alexis0a]

I think that if we make it with an universal dock for any iPod could be great :)

[@bobcubsfan]

Hi Luke. Great fun. Suggestion: When using an abbreviation such as EVT, tell your audience what it means. I looked it up while watching the video.

[@largewallofbeans9812]

Should have had compatibility for the universal dock inserts.

[@dotapark]

Ah, my greatest regret. Mac Mini. I should have bought one when I was young.

[@DaveFlash]

what an opening stunt!

[@mind_v]

just imagine what happens to precise camera module even with this Casetify case. you won't drop your smartphone ever

[@ultraviolettp3446]

Another reason you are my favorite Fruit company fanboi (fruit fly) - you do things that others don't do and that goes into history of Fruit products. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I just wasted 5 minutes of my life watching Brownlee do yet another M2 review - he offers nothing compelling. But you do. Thanks for taking the time and keep up the good work.

[@tompov227]

I believe the PPC mac minis had PowerMac identifiers 10,1 and 11,1 I think and the Intel Macs adopted the MacMini1,1 identifier

[@D38AS3R]

Just loved the Nano, got mine on launch day! It served me well, but like much of my tech over the years I lost track of it. :-(

[@elfedorausado]

I still have mine. The screen is cracked, but a corner of it is still readable, so I can shuffle the songs at least 😂

[@ripp3ifyy]

Cool… my still working iPod classic won’t work on that dock😂

[@apteryx13]

The sticker on the bottom. Says MediMac. I googled this. Very interesting. May make for a good future video? Thanks for sharing!

[@elfedorausado]

1:20 I don't live in the US... How does the case knows how many meters I am about to drop it from ? 😂

[@MegaChriz]

9.8 feet drop protection: drop is only protected if you are in a group of people consisting of exactly 4.9 persons. 😆

[@elfedorausado]

@@MegaChriz "sorry, but that is not inclusive of people who have lost either one or both feet. I feel so disrespected, I want to talk to your manager" - a stereotypical Karen, probably

[@savagepro9060]

Next ad: phone drops owner from said height. This happens --->> owner pops his ass -->> Rear Prototype!

[@JamesnLollify]

i love the iPod Dock Mini

[@filipwasil6868]

Idea for a video: Apple machine with the highest "GPU power/prize" factor

[@brandonspies]

If they had a Max mini with an iPod classic doc at the time I’d bought it. I always thought the mini was not enough storage even back then.

[@andrew_dpw]

Love it!!!

[@fckSashka]

I don‘t have much to say about the Mac, however, you should make a video about the first gen iPod Nano. It‘s my favorite Apple product to date.

[@SynthD]

And to think Jobs probably interacted with that very mac mini.

[@jadamsnz]

I noticed the name mediMac go flying past in the video so a contraction of media and Mac? Perhaps the plan was to ship it with a Nano, if the stars had aligned. Also, it wouldn't have been terribly difficult to change the design of the top to have a different notch shape to accommodate other 30 pin connector devices - the electronics would stay the same irrespective.

[@movdqa]

Has me wanting to glue a MagSafe stand onto the top of my M1 mini.

[@VidTechwRick]

Back in 2005 it would have been easier to sync your iPod by docking it 🧐 It actually would have been cool to charge and update your music on the iPod by docking it to your Mac. Silly, but cool 🤓

[@WZDRIP]

How does this guy find these things?? Must be tedious.

[@albinhaformiga1070]

What songs Tony Fidel had on it? 👀

[@iRichardi]

Dopey! Heard of these prototypes, but this is the first time to see one of them. Thx for sharing!

[@mysteriousghost4852]

If they went USB-C and M1 (or whatever name they pick in the future), they most definitely could go back to this concept! Imagine; you plug your iPhone or iPod into a special dock and it has a Mac OS X desktop (like Samsung DeX, but better). And whenever you need to go, you grab your iPhone or iPod. You are literally taking your full desktop with you, so wherever you go you can finish what you were doing. Maybe a feature could be made (kind of like remote desktop) to interface with the desktop on the go (Apple Screen Magnifier?). And since iOS is pretty much Mac OS for ARM i-devices, I don't believe it would be too difficult for Apple to handle.

[@xMegaVideos]

I'm still waiting for a wireless charging module in my iMac's base, so I can charge my phone, mouse and watch and keyboard.

[@Cameront9]

Seems real easy to snap the doc connector.

[@techtech7803]

If we built the board could this be readied to a production Mac mini? It surely is nothing more than a USB connector?

[@joedimos]

We all know this Mac mini is derived from those Kodak Easyshare docks that preceded.

[@jayd8743]

Why didn't they release that... Talk about getting two sales in one.

[@TheOmegaRiddler]

I think it would have been cool if it was geared towards all iPods

[@alessandromelis2074]

it can be interesting to solder the connector to a pod mac mini and see how it acts with the dock even if i think that its a standard usb bus so it should work with no problem, but we all know apple

[@willphoenix2621]

I think the primary reason would have been form over function. Mac mini can't ft in lot of places with an hanging iPod at the top of it.

[@knortn]

They should've put a universal dock in there instead of one specifically for the 1st gen iPod nano.

[@casperes0912]

Mac mini/Studio with iPhone Mag Safe charging. Just putting that idea here.

[@migueltoledo1884]

Was this like a hobbyist idea, or something that was ever practically considered? I struggle to come up with a use case (no pun intended) for docking your iPod (or an iPhone of the time) to a Mac Mini.

[@katbryce]

It is an interesting idea, but I don't see how it would work with most desk layouts that have a Mac Mini in them.

[@lol-lo4dt]

I wish they would have added iPod dock 😢😢

[@TechVidK]

what happened to the video at 5:03

[@asadava]

I didn't know these were real, I saw an image of it on the internet, but I thought it was fake.

[@psiFellow]

Did you sell the mac mini at cloud 9?

[@VidTechwRick]

Very Cool!!!😎

[@RaghavVijay]

Cool!.

[@NotMuchHere]

steve jobs ... "where is the classy design in that?! ick"