Apple Mac mini M9687LL/B (1.42 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB DDR SDRAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Mac Mini was released in January 2005 at Mac World, and was then updated, for the first time, in July 2005. This Mac Mini is the result of that update.
Improvements - The $599 Mac Mini now sports 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, which is twice the memory the original Mac Mini included. This is a significant upgrade. The majority of users can now buy, out of the box, a machine that performs beautifully and allows a fair amount of multi-tasking. The Mac operating system, Mac OS X Tiger, thrives on memory, and 512 MB helps to create a speedy experience, for users.
Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a great wireless technology that Apple heavily backs, and it is included with this Mac Mini, an addition, from the original Mac Minis, when bluetooth was an optional add-on, at Apple.com, for $50 more. Purchase a bluetooth keyboard or bluetooth mouse, and they will work wirelessly, with your Mac Mini. It makes for a very clean and uncluttered desktop. There are also many mobile phones and PDAs, which utilize bluetooth technology, which you can sync to your mac using isync, included with Mac Mini.
Airport Extreme - This is the wireless networking card now included with the $599 Mac Mini, after being a $70+ upgrade at Apple.com, on the previous model. Do you have a wireless-b or wireless-g network in your home? If so, the Mac Mini will be able to connect to it, without problem. Again, making the computing experience simpler and less tangled.
The Good Things that Continue to Shine with Mac Mini - A buyer of the Mac Mini will continue to enjoy Mac OS X Tiger, which is the best consumer operating system in the world. It works with the hardware beautifully to provide a simple, fast, elegant, and reliable experience. One of the favorite descriptions of Mac fans, to describe Macs, is simply, "it just works."
The Mac Mini continues to include iLife '05, with great applications such as iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, iTunes, and Garageband. These are all included, with every Mac Mini. You will be challenged to find any PC that includes applications that come anywhere close to the iLife suite. Manage thousands of your digital images in iPhoto, create home movies in iMovie, and create professional music in Garageband.
Appleworks is included for simply word processing, spreadsheets, etc., but you might want to pick up Microsoft Office for Mac. A student/teacher edition is available, for just over $100.
Speed - The 1.42 GHZ PowerPC G4 processor makes the Mac Mini a very capable machine. This will satisfy the horsepower needed to complete tasks in the iLife suite, included with your Mac Mini.
Hard Drive - 80 GB is a significant-sized hard drive, so you will be able to store thousands of photos and songs.
ComboDrive - The Apple Combo Drive allows you to burn music and data CDs, plus you can watch DVDs!
Drawbacks? The $599 version of the Mac Mini no longer includes a modem, if you want this version of the Mac Mini with a modem, you will have to custom-order it at Apple.com. However, the ethernet port is included on the back, to plug into a DSL or cable modem, plus you have the Airport Extreme, for wireless connections. However, if you don't have broadband, you'll need a modem for dial-up, so you will either need to order a custom-built Mac Mini at Apple.com, or buy the stock $499 model, which includes a modem, but lacks the wireless components.
Overall, Apple has created another fantastic product, with the Mac Mini, and the July 2005 update only made it better. You get more memory, plus wireless connectivity via bluetooth and airport extreme. This Mac Mini really includes everything the average user needs to enjoy the internet, manage his or her digital life, and have fun doing it all.

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Includes: VGA/DVI adapter, Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, iLife '05 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD & GarageBand), AppleWorks, Quicken2005 for Mac, & more. Apple Mac Mini - Incredibly inexpensive, but definitely not cheap, this miniature Apple Macintosh Computer is perfectfor handling your day to day computing, and then some! The main feature is it's petite exterior. The Mac Mini is only 6.5" square, 2" high, andweighs only 2.9 pounds. Its attractive platinum and white, rounded square design gives it a sophisticated modern look that can't be matched. Italso has the convenience of having all of its buttons and ports placed in the back, so cables are kept tidy and neat, giving you a clean overallappearance. But what's even more amazing than its good looks, is the shear amount of technology Apple has packed inside! Slot-Loading CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive - up to 24x CD-R, 16x CD-RW, 24x CD-ROM, & 8x DVD-ROM Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, 1 FireWire 400, 2 USB 2.0, DVI Out, VGA Out, & Headphone/Audio Line Out Built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11b/g Wi-Fi Wireless Network Adapter) Bluetooth Support

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Kensington K33902US Bluetooth USB Micro Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)The unit works well with any devices that I personally have paired it with ie. cell phones, headsets, stereo headsets, and another computer.
However, when the radio is on when you turn the computer on, there are 2 processes TOSOBEX.EX and SERVICES.EXE that will take up most if not all your CPU cycle. This slows down the computer very much. This happens even when there are no devices paired with the unit.
I have installed the unit on 2 other machines with the same results. So, somehow the Toshiba Stack that comes with this unit takes up CPU cycles when the bluetooth radio is turned on. This happens on my laptop and 2 desktops.
Once those services are on, there is no way to turn it off except to reboot the machine. However, PRIOR to rebooting the machine, TURN the bluetooth radio off first. That way when the computer is rebooted, those services will not be on.
The one workaround that I did was to RENAME the TOSOBEX.EXE file to something else like BAD_TOSOBEX.EXE_BAD. That way it won't get invoked when you turn the bluetooth radio on. That means that you WILL NOT have OBEX capability.
Kensington Techincal Support so far has been USELESS. But, I'm still trying to get to people there who actually know what they are talking about.
Also, on the cosmetic side, the unit has VERY SHARP corners. Be careful when you are handling your laptop (if you are using it on a laptop); I have been scratched multiple times by its corners.

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Now there´s a Bluetooth adapter so small it can stay in your USB port for instant connectivity anytime, anywhere. It's about the size of a penny! Use it to transfer files, synchronize contact and calendar information with your PDA or smart phone, print or fax, connect a keyboard or mouse and much more - wirelessly. PC Compatibility: (bold) PC or compatible computer running Windows XP or later, available USB 2.0 or 1.1 port. Works with most Bluetooth enabled devices (v1.1, v1.2 , v2.0 and the latest 2.1 devices). Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate - up to 3Mbps), Class 2

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Rii Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad (RT-MWK01) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received the device last week and on day one, I loved it. It exceeded my expectations. Typing on it was a little better than what I do on my Blackberry Storm and the scrolling (while not perfect) was quite good. The back light was a terrific addition as I bought this to use in my theater room where often it is difficult to see much (other than the screen) which is why the back light was great in lighting up the keys.
Right out of the box, I tried using it on my office computer - worked like a champ. When I got home, I tried using it on my laptop which was connected to my home theater projector - again, worked like a champ. Then came the problem... the next day the unit became completely unresponsive. I tried all the trouble shooting that I could think of and read on the manufacturer's website but nothing fixed the issue. I even tried using it in different locations on several different computers and still no fix. What I find odd is that the back light is no longer working either. I know it's not a battery issue as this has been charged fully twice in an effort to troubleshoot and fix the problem. I also tried changing the rf but again, that didn't help.
Something that I found disappointing was the lack of support. If you go to the manufacturer's web site, you will understand precisely what I mean. This is the first thing that I can think of that the support was so lousy - not even a phone number to call!
I am going to try using another - I asked for a replacement because when this unit was working, I loved it (I was even thinking about ordering another one for work/office use). I will report back later as to what I find with the second device.
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Revision: July 30, 2010
I received the replacement and wanted to wait a week before posting a follow-up to my review. The replacement keyboard is working like a charm! It works just like it should. I have tried using it in many different settings and on several computers. No matter where it is used, it picks up the signal very quickly and does what it is advertised. For my use, this is a fantastic keyboard. I use it in my theater room where I don't want a cumbersome full sized keyboard. Instead, I just take this out of the coffee table drawer and use.
I am rating this keyboard 5 stars because it does everything that was advertised and better than I expected (i.e. typing is really good on such a small device). I don't believe I should give it less than 5 stars just because I received a defective unit as that can happen with any product. While the support of the company is still not the best, the place that I bought it from was excellent! They shipped me the replacement immediately and even refunded my return shipping costs.

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This keyboard is a great accessory for your laptop/home pc, ps3 or wiki gaming systems. Its small compact frame allows you to carry it anywhere and maintain full control of your system. Like having a full size keyboard and mouse in the palm of your hand. Backlight function with a handheld keypad2. 4G wireless receiver integrated design. The world's first Touchpad 90-degree flip design. Innovative design of the Navigation keys. Windows Multimedia Control, Perfect control PC entertainment features. Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. With a true notebook Touchpad and QWERTY full-function mini keyboard

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