So today I bought a Mac Mini

[scotth_uk]

I went along to the awesome Apple store in Regent Street today and wandered around looking for the Mac Minis expecting a huge queue of people buying them. Two floors of the most impressive computer emporium you're ever likely to walk into.

Took a look around the shop and was amazed at the concept, no wonder people are Apple fans. Every accessory and piece of software you can think of, loads of helpful people, seminars running all day and a "genius bar" where you can ask the most difficult of questions.

If you like iPods, you will be in this shop forever!

Only two were on display, and I didn't see anyone walking out the door with one. Still, my curiosity got the better of me and I picked up the high spec model with a keyboard and mouse. They couldn't provide wireless/bluetooth for me today, but not to worry - I'll buy generic USB items at half their price!

Brought it home, plugged it into the 19" PC TFT and fired it up. Installed in under 5 minutes, all core software updates applied. Feels like it needs more RAM, which I will order tomorrow fom crucial at half the price. Apart from that it is amazing.

It's only 6.5"x6.5"x2.0" which is incredibly small, and as it has a laptop style external power supply there are no noisy fans that I can hear. Totally silent, although the DVD mechanism is a little noisy.

Included software is great and the internet functionality cannot be faulted.

Recommended! If you want a small, quiet browsing and media box - this could be it.

Ups:
Size, Looks, Noise

Downs:
No audio in, limited USB ports, needs more RAM

 

[sym]

Sounds good ... how much ?

S.

 

[scotth_uk]

Oops forgot that bit ....

£399 for the higher speed unit with the bigger drive.
1.4GHz PowerPC G4
256MB DDR333 SDRAM
80GB Ultra ATA hard drive
Combo drive
DVI or VGA video output
AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth optional



£339 for the basic unit
1.25GHz PowerPC G4
256MB DDR333 SDRAM
40GB Ultra ATA hard drive
Combo drive
DVI or VGA video output
AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth optional



Further pricing available at http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore

 

[Maff]

Blimey, might be tempted to one of those myself.

Not being a Mac expert but willing to learn, can you run a VNC viewer on it? as it would be ideal to replace my old home PC which I only use for web browsing, VNC (into my office PC) and media files.

 

[Flyer]

They do look good, and as someone has mentioned somewhere (nothing like being vague ), would make a great car PC.

Matt, you might appreciate this: Mac Mini Servers.

 

[scotth_uk]

I think VNC is available for OSX (nice unix based o/s), checking that over the next few days. You can get Java TightVNC, which ought to work ok.

Scott

 

[scotth_uk]

http://www.redstonesoftware.com/vnc.html

Yep!

 

[scotth_uk]

Matt,

This message is being typed from a TightVNC session on the Windows XP Pro box, client to OSXVNC freeware server on the Apple. Works really well (as expected) over the LAN. As this particular Mac provides PC resolutions, the full screen is working a treat.

I will try the other way around later on, i.e. controlling the PC from the Apple.

Scott

 

[Maff]

Matt,

I will try the other way around later on, i.e. controlling the PC from the Apple.

Scott

Thanks Scott, that’s the one I’m really interested in and I suspect it will work fine, then I’ll put my order in for one!

(Three week delivery from their website with free shipping)

Flyer: I can see a new product/co-location range coming in soon!!

 

[Maff]

Looks like there is one good viewer available, 'Chicken VNC Viewer'

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/

 

[fuzzer]

damm you guys ... im looking at Ibooks as we speak

 

[GrahamC230K]

I'm sure you can get a Remote Desktop Client for Mac.

 

[WLeg]

you mean this ?

 

[Shude]

I think VNC is available for OSX (nice unix based o/s), checking that over the next few days. You can get Java TightVNC, which ought to work ok.

OS X is based on BSD. Anything written for BSD should technically compile ok under OS X, that includes versions of VNC and any other software that's provided with source code

 

[Maff]

Well, just bought one from their website. Looking forward to having a play!

 

[Mambo]

Was thinking of gettin a imac g5, anyone got one?

 

[fuzzer]

i dunno about you guys , but this mac thing is superb . i hadnt really looked into them before but wow ..

why oh why have i been a slave to ms for so long

 

[Bugblatter]

Having bought an iBook a few weeks back and not having any experience of Apple operating systems before, I remain impressed.

The Mac Mini looks great, takes up hardly any space and is cheap to buy.

Similar thing with the iBook. I wanted a small laptop, but all the Windows laptops which are small are also expensive. However, 12" iBook G4 is quality, style, only £699 and comes with a good raft of pre-installed software.

 

[scotth_uk]

Just got home from a few days away. More playing time!!!!

 

[fuzzer]

im currently on my Ibook 12" , browsing using safari and airport 10 min after turning the mac on

How cool is this