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So far, not a single regret.I will eventually add a tuner card, probably and Elgato product, and a separate mass storage device. I still have my Gateway in the other room and have set up wireless networking for connecting to the outside world.
What a nice change from win computers. This is my first Apple product since the original Apple computer that was my introduction to computers in the early eighties.
Though pricier than other options for small footprint computers from HP (and a new one from Dell), the change from a windows computer has been a breeze, and the error free performance has been refreshing. No installation crashes--no glitches at all.I purchased the Mac Mini to connect to a Samsung 46 inch LCD TV for the living room.
Connected to an Apple wireless keyboard/mouse combo (more kudos on the Apple design here as well), I can connect to the internet with a BIG monitor and switch back to viewing normal TV without leaving the comfort of my recliner.The Mac Mini is sleek, quiet and unobtrusive. I am still adding programs and exploring the Mac.
Looks like I have finally found the best alternative for me for both normal computing and home entertainment.
I am not a Microsoft hater. computer only a few hours later (it took 1.5 hours for them to install the extra GB). I wanted a Mac Mini and wanted them to add 1 GB of RAM. Fine. I like their products and appreciate their contribution to personal computing.I built PCs and considered myself a decent techie. I picked up the Missing Sync application for my Pocket PC PDA and found drivers for my printer and scanner. Ok, I said to myself. I've had many computers and started with MS-DOS and made the trip all the way through Windows 95, 98, 2000, and XP.
When something impresses me with quality, I stick with it.I made the switch. Again, I could build one as a project but I needed one for work and remembered the last nightmare I had mounting a RAID array for a gaming computer and have been on the wagon since then. I wasn't happy that they discouraged you from doing this on your own and apparently you void your warranty for even trying to open the box. Does a Kleenex come out of it. I still hate the commercials, but I love my new, fast, ready-to-get-to-work computer and if you'll allow me, take you on the journey I took to get here.My last Windows computer died of natural causes last week.
Let me start first-off that product loyalty is important to me. For months I knew it was barely chugging to the next day, but I kept crossing my fingers every time I hit the "ON" button. Maybe it will lie there forever like Chairman Mao or Lenin or like Countrywide Financial Corporation's Living Mummy/CEO Angelo Mozilo.I can also imagine that someday it will find itself atop a pile collected by WALL-E. kept coming buy trying to sell me a computer, but I wanted to keep on test driving it, opening up the applications and doing my best to fend off other people looking over my shoulder.When I left, I could hear the collective sigh of the "Geniuses," and came back later. The bloat, the driver situation, and the lack of compelling reasons to upgrade to an OS told me that this was not an improvement over XP. Until Vista.
That project was like a DoD contract that went overbudget and overboard very, very quickly.Finally I stopped by the local Apple store and found this odd looking napkin boxed shaped "computer" called the Mac Mini and laughed. I hate Vista. It's not the first Windows PC that did that to me, but this time it was *different*. The Mac staff (I think they were called "Geniuses"). I'd need a Mac Bluetooth keyboard and got one (see my other review).A week later I am happily integrating my Apple mail program with web mail and installing Firefox. I had a spare monitor and compatible pointing device at home. I searched for an XP loaded machine (computers are so cheap now, building one from scratch was out of the question) and came up with some choices that sucked less than others, but nothing to my satisfaction. I won't be there, I'll be dead and happy that I walked into a pretentious looking Mac store one sweltering summer afternoon with a low expecations and left with a little white plastic bag holding a 3 lb.
I downloaded OpenOffice.org to replace MS Office, which I had already been phasing out of my life. Marketers love me. I like Firefox more. Safari is a nice Apple Internet browser, but not my cup of coffee.
I opened the applications and had no idea what I was fooling with, but soon got into the groove and found myself spending serious time with the applications. Google Documents is also part of my toolbox, so "cloud computing" is already something I am comfortable with doing. So, I took a test drive, fully expecting to walk away with a snarky comment on the Mac Mini. It was old, obsolete and completely not worth upgrading, but I stuck with it because I loved Windows XP and the familiar wheeze of an old machine coming back to life. My dead HP laptop lies in state in a box awaiting scavenging.
Was that a toy. I'll be thorough. For desktop publishing, I armed myself with a new copy of Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro and was ready to go to work.Within a few days I was back in business. Yes, it is worth installing that 1 GB.
Microsoft is the devil. Not much to say here, other than I am replacing all of my PC's with Macs. Get out while you can.btw.you can upgrade the RAM in the Mac Mini very easily with a couple of putty knives and an order from Newegg. This is long overdue, and I hope to never lay hands on a Windows based machine again. Horrible, horrible, horrible. There are guides all over the internet showing you step by step how to do it. Saves you hundreds.
I am very much happy with this product. just need to extend the RAM to 2 GB ;-)
Wireless keyboard and mouse allow us to sit on couch and use with ease and comfort. I have been a Mac user on and off over the years. I decided to try the Mac Mini with my 40 inch LCD and Voila. Not a powerhouse, but if you want to use for surfing and other non-heavy duty purposes, this is the way to get back to Mac. If Apple ever lowers their notebook prices to more competitive prices, I will buy then. I now have a Mac with a 40 inch screen with WiFi and linking to ITunes and Internet with Safari and Leopard.
I am writing this on my Compaq notebook and have an old E Machine too. Like Mac better, but overpriced. Very glad I purchased. Easy as pie. My daughter uses this in the living room and it adds another computer to the household for little money. Like the Mac Mini the best.
Hope this helps.
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