My idea for an iPad Dock

The docking station iPad accessories on Apple’s website are a little to tame for my taste. I want it all. If I can’t run the full version of Mac OS X right on my iPad, then I want a way to run it with as little additional hardware as necessary.

Ok my first thoughts were, an iPad and a Mac Mini are made for each other. Then I went the extra mile and decided that the Mac Mini could morph into something a little more exciting.

The Concept

First, let’s strip down the Mac Mini a little more than it is currently. Now stay with me for a minute here, this could be strange at first. Lets start by removing the video connection on the back. Next, let’s pair down the USB ports to just two but we’ll leave the FireWire 800 port. We’ll leave the power button, power brick port, and maybe keep the lock slot on the back.

Now, let’s integrate the current iPad doc onto the top of the Mac Mini and use the dock connector as video out. What I’m saying here is to use the iPad screen for the Mac Mini when it’s in the dock. Let’s keep all the charging and stuff the same, but usually you’ll be connecting the iPad so you can sync with iTunes. I’m ok with allowing the device to still be able to sync, even though while it’s docked, you will not be able to see the iPad display.

Ok, maybe that sounds strange, but I might really work, and we’re not sacrificing precious desk space.

OK, we’ll round out the specs for the Mac MiniPad (Ok now we’re really talking more jokes here).

• 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
• 1066MHz frontside bus
• 2GB (two 1GB SO-DIMMs)
• Some kind of appropriate NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor
• 160GB Hard Drive
• Built-in WiFi
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet

The only item that should be upgradable is the Hard Drive. (You’ve got to limit the choices some where). The whole unit should be aggressively priced at $499 ($100 cheaper than the low end mini).

Conversion Unit

Ok, since that will probably never happen, how about an attachable dock made exclusively to fit the Mac Mini. It should have a built-in cable attached to a USB port and the Video port, molded to fit securely and snugly around the Mac Mini and offer all the capabilities of using the iPad display for Mac OS X.

NOTE: This article originally posted on wordpress.simplyabcd.com and moved here after the site was opened.

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Category: Accessories