Apple Mac mini

There are some lovely touches that Microsoft, with all its resources, can't match. Apple can bundle applications and features that Microsoft is prohibited from supplying because of its monopoly position in the PC market. Pop a DVD movie into the mini and up pops the DVD player application. Do the same thing with a standard installation of Windows XP, and Media Player will inform you that you need third-party decoding software for it to work. The mini also comes with iLife (consisting of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand), plus the AppleWorks suite of office applications (word processor, spreadsheet, database, presentations and both vector and bitmap drawing).

But what really swings it is the noise factor. There's a fan in the mini's case that kicks in if it's working hard, but during testing that never happened. The only moving part in everyday use is the hard disk, which, being a 2.5in notebook drive, is very, very quiet indeed. It's audible, but only in a silent living room.

So it's a tiny, powerful, gorgeous-looking, fuss-free computer that, while not dirt cheap unless you're prepared to put up with a limited spec, is reasonably priced for what you get. If you want a machine for surfing, writing, ripping or burning, there isn't a reason not to buy one of these. And that certainly provides some serious food for thought.

Author: David Fearon