Apple plans to introduce HDMI connectivity on some of its personal computers this year, including the Mac mini, according to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).

The article says that prototypes of a new Mac mini show an HDMI port that sits besides mini DisplayPort connector and marks the first instance of full-featured HDMI connectivity on a Mac. It also represents only the second Apple product to feature an HDMI port, the other being Apple's "hobby," the Apple TV.

HDMI is an interface for audiovisual equipment such as high-definition television and home theater systems. It’s able to carry a bandwidth of 5Gbps (gigabits per second), which is purportedly more than twice the bandwidth needed to transmit multi-channel audio and video. HDMI provides an uncompressed, all-digital signal.

As adoption of HDMI ports approaches 100% in digital televisions, the interface is now moving into set top boxes, DVD equipment and mobile computers, according to the In-Stat research group. Overall, HDMI-enabled product shipments will increase at an annual rate of 23% between 2007 and 2012, according to the research group.