minipartner : Mac mini's best friend

As an external FireWire Hard disk drive, a FireWire and USB 2.0 Hub and a backup solution, the minipartner is the best extension to the Mac mini.

Build with the same materials, designed as a twin to the Mac mini, the minipartner boost its storage capacity up to 500GB, expands its connectivity thanks to its included 3 FireWire ports and 4 USB 2.0 port Hubs, and backups it at will, just by a push on its backup button powered by Dantz's Retrospect Express software.

• Very Fast
The minipartner includes a 7200rpm 3.5" hard disk drive. This full size hard drive is much faster than the built-in 2.5" HD that powers the Mac mini (see hardMac.com's review). Its cutting-edge Initio 1530 chipset pushes data as fast as 33MB/s, pushing the Mac mini's FireWire bus to its peek performance. Of course the minipartner is fully bootable, so user can benefit from its stellar performance to run their Mac OS operating system.

• Huge storage capacity
Boosting Mac mini storage capacity up to a whooping 500GB, the minipartner completely transforms the Mac mini capabilities allowing it to store and access tons of multimedia files like photos, videos and MP3 songs. The minipartner offers the Mac mini first class storage.

• Backup button
No more excuses to avoid the mandatory backups, now it's easy thanks to the minipartner's backup button that launches, with a simple touch, the backup of the Mac mini through the world acclaimed, Dantz Retrospect Express software (Mac & PC).

• Very convenient FireWire and USB 2.0 Hubs
No more fiddling with connectors to plug your favorite peripherals like scanners, camcorders, printers and cameras. Connect them all ! The powered 3 FireWire ports and 4 USB 2.0 ports expand the Mac mini's connectivity to a total of 2 FireWire and 5 USB 2.0 available ports.

• Very quiet
NO FAN = NO FAN NOISE. The minipartner design was thought to maximize heat dissipation and avoid the use of a fan. That goal has been achieved thanks to the heat dissipation capabilities of its first grade aluminum material combined to multiple venting holes. Furthermore, the hard disk drive is directly connected to the FireWire bridge, without any IDE ribbon cable that blocks the heat flow.

• Very small
Besides it's minimal height, the minipartner has exactly the same size as the Mac mini to ensure a perfect stacking underneath the Mac mini. Its white FireWire and USB 2.0 cables that connect it to the Mac mini are very short (7 inches) to avoid any cable mess.

• First grade materials
To match Mac mini's excellent design, we had to use the same materials. The aluminum shell itself was a tough industrial challenge because it had to be made of one piece to keep the round "corners" perfectly smooth and match the Mac mini's corner curvature. As the Mac mini itself, the minipartner's bottom is made of soft anti-slippery rubber. Thanks to its design and materials the minipartner is a perfect match to the Mac mini.

FAQ :

Could-I use the minipartner with other computer than Apple's Mac mini ?
The minipartner works with all computers equipped with at least one FireWire and one USB/USB 2.0 port (only needed for the USB/USB 2.0 Hub function). But, since the included FireWire and USB 2.0 cables are very small (7 inches) to perfectly fit the Mac mini, you may have troubles to connect it to a different computer. If that's the case, you'll need some our long FireWire and USB 2.0 cable kit (sold separately).

Are the FireWire and the USB 2.0 ports powered ?
Yes they are.

Spec Sheet :

- FireWire 400 (1394a) External Hard Disk Drive
- Rotating speed : 7200 rpm
- Throughput : up to 33MB/s
- Storage Capacity : 80 to 500GB
- Fanless design
- Backup button on the front bezel with blue Led
- Security slot - Power on/off switch (on the back)
- 3 FireWire 400 ports Hub (6 pin / 1394a), with 2 available ports
- 4 USB 2.0 ports hub, with 4 available ports.

Size (WxLxH) : 165 x 165 x 40 mm Weight : 1,12 Kg

Hardware Requirements :

An Apple Mac Mini or any computer with at least one free FireWire port and one free USB/USB 2.0 port (only needed for the USB/USB 2.0 Hub function). Other computer than the Mac mini owners should buy one long FireWire 400 6-PIN

128MB of memory for the backup functionality.

Operating system required :

Mac OS : 9.x, X.1, X.2, X.3, X.4

PC : Windows 98SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP

Package contents :

- 1 minipartner
- 1 Dantz Restrospect Express CD (Mac & PC)
- 1 short white USB 2.0 A/B cable (7 inches)
- 1 short white FireWire 6-PIN
- 1 white external power supply (110V/220V 50/60Hz with european power cord)