Does anyone have a Mac Mini?

[WDWorld2003]

My desktop just got a major virus and I'm so tired of trying to get it back up and running. It is 5 years old and has very limited memory. We have another PC and very old laptop I can use in the meantime while I searh for a replacement.

My daughter has a Apple notebook (the least expensive one). Loves it and no problems. I saw the Mac Mini when I was in the store today and loved the size. Basically I do some work on the desktop but it would mostly be used to store pictures/music and surf the net. I know I could get another laptop but I do like the set up better of a desktop.

Does anyone out there have one? Would love to hear what you think of it.

 

[Melmac]

One of the labs where I work has a Mac Mini. We use it mostly for data processing in Excel, graphing data in Aabel (a Mac-exclusive program) and for email/web surfing, etc. Works great and have not had any problems with it. The size can't be beat and I think it is a nice deal for those that want a desktop Mac but don't want to pay for the screen of an iMac. We have it hooked up to a random monitor that came with an older Dell computer but we did buy the Mac keyboard and mouse. When my computer at home dies, I will most likely replace it with a Mac. Good luck with your choice!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I could go on for pages about the joys and glory of owning a Mac.

Instead, I'll just say this. Buy it!!! It's the smartest move you'll ever make.

 

[ADAMS4]

I could go on for pages about the joys and glory of owning a Mac.

Instead, I'll just say this. Buy it!!! It's the smartest move you'll ever make.

Agreed!! I tell everyone once you go Mac you never go back!!

 

[WDWorld2003]

Thanks everyone! I'm pretty sure that is the route I will take.... just concerned because many programs do not run on MAC. Also, you can get a lot more memory, etc. for your money with a PC.

One other question, did you buy the customer care package? $149 seems like a lot for a $600 Mac Mini. I did buy it for my daughter's computer but her computer was more $ and she's away at college so I wanted her to have access to support.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks everyone! I'm pretty sure that is the route I will take.... just concerned because many programs do not run on MAC. Also, you can get a lot more memory, etc. for your money with a PC.

One other question, did you buy the customer care package? $149 seems like a lot for a $600 Mac Mini. I did buy it for my daughter's computer but her computer was more $ and she's away at college so I wanted her to have access to support.

As far as windows programs...if you really need the use of a windows program, you can buy an external hard drive and partition part of it to install windows on and then use Macs Boot Camp to run windows when you need to. The rest of the space on the external hard drive can be used for back up.

Yes I would def go for the applecare if you can afford it. Especially seeing that I went through 4 Imacs before I got one that worked properly.
Thing is with apple care you dont have to buy it right away. So if you want to wait a month to get it you can.

 

[WDWorld2003]

Wow - 4 Imacs before one worked right! Ouch! Isn't there a one year warranty? I guess I have a hard time paying 25% of the purchase price for Apple Care.

 

[glitterkittyy]

I got my first MacBook last March. I fell in love so I bought an iMac in November. Best purchase ever! I have had no problems with software with the exception of one. I liked PaintShopPro, and they do not make a Mac version of that. Otherwise, I can use all of programs I usually do (MS office, excel, word, etc). I've gone Mac and won't go back!

 

[WDWorld2003]

Did all of you purchase the Apple Care package?

 

[glitterkittyy]

Did all of you purchase the Apple Care package?

I did for my MacBook, and I just got the email asking if I wanted to purchase it for my iMac. Guess my 90 days are nearly up!

I will purchase it. It's $170 for my iMac for three years of coverage. I think that's very reasonable.

 

[Shutterbug]

Did all of you purchase the Apple Care package?

Apple sent it to me free cause of all the problems I had but I would have bought it anyway. I hear you can also find it on Ebay.

 

[Best Aunt]

Check the number of USB ports. Then count the number of things you will need to plug in, such as:
- printer
- scanner
- keyboard
- mouse
- digital camera (on occasion)

If you'll need more ports than the computer provides, you can buy something at Staples - it plugs into one port, and you can plug 5 things into it.

The Mac mini does not come with a keyboard or mouse. If you want to use your old ones, do they have a USB connection or the round type of connection (can't remember what it's called, maybe PS/2)? If not USB, you will have to buy a converter to stick on the end. Radio Shack sells them.

The old keyboard will work for typing, but the shortcuts won't. For example, to copy on a PC you do a CTRL and C. That won't work on the Mac Mini with your old keyboard.

 

[WDWorld2003]

Thanks for the tip on the keyboard. Still deciding if I'm going Apple or PC.

 

[Mufasa&Simba]

My family and I have a Mac Mini that we just bought last April. We love it! We have always had Apple computers and we did consider getting a PC, because Apple computers are more expensive, but we realized that Macs are better computers than PCs and my uncle recommended a Mac Mini. The only thing is you have to buy a separate monitor, but we found a good inexpensive one. Go for it!

 

[englishteacha]

Hubby, an IT consultant/programmer/geek uses a Mac Mini for his work and to run his business. He loves it! He got it when they first came out, so 4 or 5 years ago. It's on 24/7 and gets a lot of hard use. He had to replace the hard drive around Christmas ($80), but that's the first and only repair he's had to do. I use a MacBook for work (teacher), have an old iBook laptop and a G4 tower (from prior to DH's mini). We're a Mac household. Go for it.

Oh, and shortcuts will work with a PC keyboard. My Mac keyboard on the G4 finally died and we replaced it with an extra PC keyboard. You just have to use the command key which is in a slightly different place than the Mac command key (formerly known as the Apple key).

 

[Best Aunt]

Oh, and shortcuts will work with a PC keyboard. My Mac keyboard on the G4 finally died and we replaced it with an extra PC keyboard. You just have to use the command key which is in a slightly different place than the Mac command key (formerly known as the Apple key).

Okay, I'm looking at my old PC keyboard. It came with a Dell PC.

Which key is the command key?

 

[Princess_Nikki]

I could go on for pages about the joys and glory of owning a Mac.

Instead, I'll just say this. Buy it!!! It's the smartest move you'll ever make.

Yep, I've heard countless friends say this. I already told DH I want my very own Mac Mini too! I'm so over Windows!!

 

[gregokdisney]

We have a mac Mini. We have an iMac, and an old eMac, which the kids use, but we needed another computer for my husband. We wanted another Mac, but didn't want to make a huge investment. We bought the mini and it works perfectly for what he uses it for.

We don't have Apple Care on the mini, but we do have Apple Care on the iMac, and it has had a couple problems that they have fixed immediately with absolutely no cost to us. The Apple Care is very good coverage.

 

[Slippy]

I could go on for hours and hours about all the different reasons why.

Here is one that you may not be aware of:

YOU CAN RUN ALL OF YOUR WINDOWS PROGRAMS ON THE MAC!

Yes, you can boot a Mac in Windows, if you really wanted to. I installed Windows on the Mac I am using at this very moment, but took it off later because I didn't need it, and it was just taking up hard disk space.

Do yourself a HUGE favor, and c'mon over to the Land of the Mac. Remember, these are the folks that gave us:
the mouse
icons
USB
FireWire
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)
the iPod
the iPhone

They are doing it right, and have been for years. The Mac operating system has been around since 1983 on the Lisa, 1984 on the Mac. Windows 3.0 (the first GUI Microsoft had that was remotely near a decent, and I use that loosely) didn't come out until 1990.

Enough for now. Send me a PM, and we can talk on the phone for as long as it takes for you to have all the information you need. =)

 

[Bluestars]

I've got a Mac Book, so does my son, and I just bought my husband. We had to reformat the hard drive on his old PC laptop and I got tired of the viruses.

I have had one virus on my Mac in the year I have owned it. I ran Mac Scan once and it took care of it the first time.

The only thing I liked better about my PC is the copy/paste for a picture. Everything else is better on the Mac.