Mac Mini
 

I'm considering one of these for a basic web browser/music machine for home.

Question for those (two) Mac proponents: Does this take standard mouses (mice?) and monitors? Or do I need special Apple peripherals? Spares I got, but I don't wanna shell out for new ones because this will take the price tag into the realm of another WinBlows machine.

An iPod will be in the offing as well.

Brian

USB mice and keyboards, DVI (standard for higher-end LCD) or VGA (standard for CRT or cheap-ass LCD) monitors.

So what you're saying to me is that I have to buy a new kb and mouse, but my CRT will work fine...right?

Yup.
Apple just dropped the price of their keyboards too (now $30), they're damn nice, I'd grab one with it and save yourself some hassle. Mouse-wise the best price/peformance point is the bottom-end Microsoft Optical Wheel mouse, probably about 20 bucks, very well built, well designed and durable as well, I swear by them.

If you've got the cash buy a stick of ram after you get it and push it up to 512Mb or so, OSX *loves* ram, it'll make a real difference. It's a fast little machine as it is however.

Unfortunately the mini has only one RAM slot, so if you do buy extra RAM, it replaces what's there.

Mac Mini
 

Brian,

It'll take a standard USB mouse and keyboard that you can find for $10 anywhere (and that's what I paid on eBay for my Gateway IIRC).

You will want at least 512MB, as Mac OS X loves RAM.

Most USB printers will work, and your other USB peripherals will mostly work.

OS X is darn nice. I'd wait until Tiger comes out to pick one up though, and save yourself $129.

Mitch

Note made, Mitch.

My only other USB peripherals are a webcam which rarely sees use and a .mp3 player which will be replaced by my much-anticipated iPod.

The buy date will be this spring, earliest. I'm transitioning jobs in March.

Brian

USB mp3 player
 

Brian,

One of my customers got me a 256MB TechnoTunes mp3 watch for Xmas. It has 256MB RAM. If it shows up as a drive under Windows, it will under OS X. It's very nice.

Mitch

wouldn't plugging headphones into a watch get *really* annyoing? The only way I can tollerate the iPod ones is threaded down my back.

Down the collar, out through the cuff of a long sleeve shirt. A stealth MP3 player.

I intend to use the MP3 player in the truck with the cassette player to 1/8" Phono plug adapter for music, no headphones allowed.

This player allows me to record voice as well as download music. I use it to help me with my spiel in class next week, and I'm considering using it to pass the test too...you can't see the earphone under my hat ;)

Brian

I don't use the watch for mp3s
 

Jag,

I don't use the watch to listen to mp3s. It makes a fine stealth 256MB flash drive :). Seriously, it doesn't interface with iTunes, so I couldn't use it for that.

If I need to listen to mp3s, I have an iPod Photo 40GB for that purpose. At least there I can carry more than a couple hours of music.

I am considering an iPod Shuffle for the gym though.

Mitch