Mashed Articles

Writen by Jeff Heaton

If you have not seen the newest addition to the Macintosh line, it is worth taking a look. It is a very small computer that is only 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches. The Mac Mini is about the size of one of those internal CD-ROM drives you install into a PC. By far one of the smallest computers you can buy. And its relatively in expensive, the base model costs only $499. Additionally, you need not buy a new monitor, mouse or keyboard. It is 100% compatible with PC monitors and PC USB keyboards and mice.

But what exactly can you do with this mini computer? Quite a bit! The base model comes with more than enough features for most computer uses. It is a full fledge Macintosh, nothing small about this machine except its physical size.

In this article I will talk about three main uses for the Mac mini. First, I will discuss what Macs are known for; their audio and video capabilities. Secondly, I will discuss general Internet uses such as browsing, email and chat. Finally I will discuss word processing. These three are some of the most common tasks for most computer users.

Digital Video, Photos and Music

Music has become what Apple is known best for. Who has not seen one of their iPod music players? The Apple Macintosh comes with iTunes, which allows you to play MP3 music, as well as purchase legal copies of songs directly from the iTunes music store. Songs only cost ninety nine cents, and the selection is huge. If you have an iPod you can attach it to the Macintosh and use it directly with iTunes.

The Mac Mini also comes with iMove and iDVD. These two applications allow you to edit and burn your home movies to a DVD. However, if you want to record your own DVD’s you will need a Mac Mini with the optional DVD burner, which adds $100 to the price of the Mac Mini. If you have a digital camcorder you can transfer your movies directly into the Mac Mini.

Digital Video has become very easy with the Macintosh. Just drag clips from your video together and make a complete movie. If you are like me, your home video includes many scenes where the camcorder is not pointed where it should be. The video editing software makes it very easy to remove such footage from your movie.

If you have a video camera you can use iPhoto to download and organize your digital photos. The iPhoto application allows you to quickly move your pictures from your digital camera to the computer. Photos can be organized into catalogs and printed.

Browsing, Email and Chat

The Mac Mini comes with both Internet Explorer and the Safari browsers. Internet Explorer is provided for sites that require it for compatibility. You can also use the built in Macintosh browser Safari. Safari works very much like Internet explorer, only with many additional features and fewer security issues. Safari supports tabbed based browsing, which allows you to open multiple websites and quickly switch between them.

Email can easily be setup on a Mac with iMail. The iMail application will connect to your mail provider and allow you to send and receive mail messages. Chat is provided by iChat which allows you to use your existing instant message accounts to communicate with your friends. Additionally, most of the major chat networks have chat clients that can be downloaded free of charge for the Macintosh.

Word Processing

The Mac Mini comes with Apple Works. Apple works is a full featured office automation product, similar to Microsoft Office. It can open files created with Microsoft office. Apple Works comes with all of the standard “office applications” that you would expect. It includes a word processor similar to Microsoft Word. Additionally, Apple works includes a database application, similar to Microsoft Access. Spreadsheet functions are provided as well, similar to Microsoft Excel. Finally, a presentation application is also included, similar to Microsoft Powerpoint.

The word processor is full featured and includes all of the tolls you have come to expect. Files created with Microsoft word can be opened. Additionally, you can save your files as Microsoft Word documents. Whether you are writing a report for school or a resume for a new job, Apple Works is ready.

Conclusions

The Mac Mini is a very powerful computer, despite its small physical size. The Mac mini also comes with a great deal of software already loaded. The only add-on that I discussed in this article is a $100 DVD burner, if you want to record your movies to DVD.

Using a Macintosh is very similar to Windows. The average Windows user will soon be right at home with a Macintosh. Many things are actually much easier on the Macintosh. The Macintosh operating system is based upon the industrial strength UNIX operating system. This makes for a very stable operating system, without many crashes. If you are thinking of trying something other than Windows, the Mac Mini is a great option.

Jeff Heaton is a college professor and author. To read more articles by Jeff Heaton visit http://www.heatonresearch.com.

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Although there are really no major compatibility issues to consider between PCs and monitors, most PC vendors offer good deals on monitors purchased at the same time as desktop PCs. In this article, we’ll assume you are IT consultants who recommend brand name PC products to your clients.

IT Consultants: What Are You or Your Clients Actually Paying?

For due diligence, IT consultants should always price the PC with and without the monitor, to see what you or your clients are actually paying. Then look to see whether that monitor price is in line with purchasing a comparable monitor separate from the PC. However, besides the purchase price, there are some even greater soft cost considerations.

When purchasing the monitor along with a desktop PC, the monitor warranty generally is incorporated into any on-site warranty coverage with the PC. That means, if a client’s monitor needs replacement during the on-site warranty period, the PC vendor usually will arrange to cross-ship a replacement monitor.

IT Consultants: Know The Benefits of Warranties

This provides a few very compelling benefits.

• No need to store and retain packing materials. Your clients don’t have to worry that they’ve thrown away the box and packing materials for the monitor. There’s no need to purchase return shipping supplies as they’ll be able to return the broken monitor in the same box their replacement comes in.

• Save time with freight logistics. Your clients doesn’t have to locate a shipping outlet. In most cases, the PC vendor in-cludes return shipping labels (call tags) for a specific freight carrier – generally the same freight carrier used for shipping the replacement to them.

• Save money on freight costs — If the PC vendor supplies return shipping labels, your client won’t have to pay for return freight. Depending on the monitor size, origination and destination shipping points, this easily can save your client $25 or more.

While the third bullet point affects your clients’ direct out-of-pocket costs, the first two items can be labor-intensive chores for you or your clients’ internal computer administrators (“internal gurus”).

So, buying a monitor along with a PC, and getting both purchases folded into on-site warranty coverage, easily can save a half-hour to an hour (or more) every time a monitor needs replacement.

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Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting businesses get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to these field-tested, proven business strategies on the Computer Consulting 101 Blog.

Writen by Michael Quarles

Of all the concerns you may have about your computer, there is one that overrides all of them. Can it do the jobs you need it to do?

If your main needs are a machine for balancing your checkbook, doing a little word processing, and surfing the web, then almost any computer of recent vintage will do. Actually, these tasks won’t be much of a challenge for it.

But let’s say you’ve got a mini-DV camera, and want to try your hand at editing some of the video you’ve shot. When you turn to your trusty PC, doubt begins to cloud your mind. The only line out from the camera is a firewire, but there’s no firewire port on your computer. And it seems kind of slow compared to your friend’s new machines. Will that cause problems? What about those giant size video files? Is there enough space on the hard drive?

Whoa! All those questions might have you ready to look for a new computer. But I’d say you can probably address each problem with the PC you have.

Start with the firewire port. If you have a PCI slot open, adding a firewire card is as simple as plugging one in. There’s not much more to it than that. Speed can be improved in most computers by adding extra RAM. This also is a simple matter of plugging memory into the appropriate slot. If you need more hard drive space, you can get a bigger drive, or just add an extra one. Installation isn’t that hard.

Now, look again at your PC. Can it do the jobs you need it to do? The odds are it can. Perhaps with the help of an upgrade or two you can take yourself to a whole new level of computing.