The Mac Mini is the personal computer with the lowest price ever in Apple's offer, and it represents a real change in Apple's business model. The first iMac, which was successful and modestly priced, saved the company in their worst moments. The new decade of personal computing is opened by this Mini Mac, and this product is to revive the company and boost them on the market, just like iMac did in the '90s. This method of changing the product can change the market too, and sometimes the switch is radical. Apple, with iTunes changed music distribution sector, and with this Mini Mac, they are moving computing devices' market towards a new direction of development.
Mini Mac is, without discussion, the most accessible Mac on the market. $500 is a critical price tag, but this one and the other advantages make this product a hit on the market. It has a friendly design, it isn't big, noisy, and whether you are at home or at office, the compact size, low power usage and the quiet operation are some good points for a portable device. This product excels in this sector, and it also offers users an amazingly free of worms, viruses, malware and spyware product, which can successfully reach its main purpose: portable computing.
The good combination between the 1.25 GHz processor, 40 GB hard drive, CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive and the 32 Mbytes of dedicated video memory by ATI Radeon 9200 chipset is enough for such a computing device. Mini Mac is very comfortable, because if the monitor breaks you don't have to give up the whole computer, you can just replace it with another one, and if you want to save money, you can even get a 17'' or 19'' CRT monitor. There is a $600 upgrade version, which has a doubled hard drive space of 80 GB, and a processor speed raised to 1.42 GHz.
Neither model has an adequate RAM for heavy work, but you can upgrade it for an extra amount of money ($75) and even Apple suggests more RAM, like 512 MB for iWork and iLife applications and also for iMovie features). The Apple 1 GB memory card is $325 though third party vendors offer it for $250 or less. Internal bus' speed is 167 MHz and it has the standard Level 2 cache (512 Kb) on the G4 processor chip. You can upgrade the CD-RW/DVD-ROM to a DVD-writing drive (DVD+/- R/RW) for $100, and the hard drive capacity can be doubled for $50 (the extra capacity can be allocated to a faster FireWire drive). You can also add Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme cards for $50 and $79, or you can pay $99 for both Bluetooth can be also externally added via USB, and this can be done at a lower price, and AirPort capability is great if you really need it.
The packaging is not really eco friendly, because it has a lot of plastic wrapping included and the usual Styrofoam. The Mini Mac comes into a small clamshell box, with handle on the top and a quick start guide on the box. The computer is heavier than a Seagate FireWire drive, but it has the same size, though it is substantial. It was designed for horizontal placement, and for this it has a rubber pad on the bottom.
Even if Apple says it can also be safely placed on the side, I think it's better to use it in the position it was designed for. It is very important not to place anything on the computer, because any object can keep the disc from ejecting and it also may interfere with the wireless connection. As all laptops require, you shouldn't place it on a carpet or any other surfaces than a hard one, which will keep the ventilation system clear.
The white supply cord is 5 feet long and it links the Mac Mini to a plug which is similar to a FireWire plug, and unfortunately it doesn't latch very securely so you might have problems if it pops out by accident. A round button for power switch is on the back, next to the ports.
The performance is good, and you don't have to worry and think that this product resulted after cutting some features out of the well known common Macs. It is is a self standing product, and it offers a good quality for its specifications.You should, before buying a Mac Mini, check if it fits with your needs and resources. Keep in mind that it is an elegant and useful option, which has, very important, a low price tag. This product is a great choice for a wide range of features and it is friendly, useful and attractive. The most significant issues in this first Mini product are the low level of analog video output and the lack for FireWire 800 support. All in all, it is a good start for the Mini series in Apple's offer.