Chris Hamady

Last night, while sleeping, I had a crazy dream. I dreamed that the Apple of old was back: taking risks, creating new markets, solving everyday problems. My dream went like this...

We had just purchased a Mac mini. Apple actually sells these computers as servers, we had a need and they are inexpensive, so I thought, "ok...we'll buy a Mac mini server for our district data office." Soon after purchasing it, we began to expand its storage capabilities. We started connecting all manner of external hard drive devices to it. In no time at all we had an amalgamation of jumbled pieces of equipment connected via a hoard of spaghetti-like cabling. Surely there has to be a better way that would serve customers and make Apple oodles of money.

This issue is not new. For years geeks have been asking Apple for an expandable computer somewhere between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. The difference between these two is $2400.00. The need was so great, it actually DID create a new market, abeit a market that was eventually deemed illegal:

http://www.cultofmac.com/1897/miami-company-offers-low-cost-mac-knock-off-apple-lawsuit-sure-to-follow/

It seems to me that a market exists for folks that just need substantial storage connected to a modest, but competent Mac mini.

Why not create a Mac mini storage and expansion dock? Apple could create an all aluminum enclosure specifically designed for the Mac mini. Better yet, they could release it with the new Mac mini. The new Mac mini could have guide rails cut out of the bottom of it. To dock it, you would simply slide the Mac mini into the enclosure, open the back of the expansion dock, connect up all of the necessary cabling, and voila! You now have a Mac mini that can accomodate 4-6 SATA drives (connected via Thunderbolt) and maintains all of the external expansion capabilities if designed with that functionality in mind.

This idea oozes profits. How much would it cost to create such an enclosure? If you look at this RAID device as a benchmark, they retail for just over $100.00.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/PerformanceRAID

Assuming that a profit margin of 40% is built into the device, it isn't too much of a stretch to believe that Apple can build this new expansion dock for around $125-$150.00. Knowing that people for years have been asking for a Macintosh solution in the price range of $1500.00, they could reap huge profits for those folks that do not want or need a Mac Pro by selling this for $499.00.

The home theatre market alone would eat this thing up. In order to accomodate all of my movies and DVR content, I myself just purchased a three terabyte external drive for the Mac mini under my television. I would have preferred to purchase an Apple solution like the one I have just described, but none existed. Many of our friends now are using Mac minis as home theatre devices. Who wouldn't love to purchase such an enclosure designed by Apple rather than the designs of everyone else?

Here are some other profit creating ideas. I'm sure Apple could create "sleds" to mount the SATA drives to. Populate the expansion dock with two sleds initially and sell 2 others for $39.99 a piece. How about selling pre-formatted SATA drives mounted to sleds? How about pre-formatted SSD drives mounted to sleds? Maybe an enclosure for folks in small business/education environments that has a built-in UPS. Mounts for IT data center racks that hold three or four Mac minis tipped forward with the top facing the technician? Perhaps a second RAID enclosure that can be connected via Thunderbolt or over the network to automatically back up the first? Geeks would freak out. A cry would erupt from the basements of parent's homes everywhere, "Apple is back to supporting tech nerds!"

*calming down*

And then I woke up. Apple, where is your innovation? Where is your risk taking? Where is your support of geeks? Please do something, for the love of Steve.