I bought a
Mac mini last night. Actually, I ordered one (it ships on Jan 19th), so I don't have it in my hands right now. Pun intended, because it could actually
fit in my hands.
This is a big deal for me. Let me explain...
- I'm a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. I've got two certifications (NT & 2000), which is NOT an easy thing to accomplish.
- A few years back I changed career paths and moved into web development, but have only worked with Microsoft technologies (ASP Classic, ASP.NET, SQL).
- I've always built my own computers.
- I have never used a Mac in my life. Ever.
- I am stubborn.
But...if enough people vouch for something (not just talking, but personally recommending), it must be worth checking out.
What I've "switched" to this year:
Google/GMail: Google's a no-brainer. But
Google Mail? A lot of web-heads over at
YayHooray kept recommending it. Once I had my first
real conversation thread, I was hooked. Now I use it as my primary mail.
Mozilla FireFox: I can't recommend this browser enough. I've been using it since version .6, and now it's mature enough for my mom to use it. And she does, which says how far it's come.
Go FireFox!
RSS News: I kept reading about this technology called "RSS", which was usually tied to something called "a blog". I bought
FeedDemon for $29, and now I use it more than Outlook.
iPod Mini: I don't even have to explain this one. You know what it is, and if you don't have one, you want one. There is no "hype" about this product; it's all true.
Airport Express: I wanted to play music from my
TabletPC on my home stereo. I didn't want to have ANOTHER computer to hassle with.
Airport Express streams music wirelessly. Now my TabletPC is a wireless jukebox that I can use anywhere in the house.
Why bother?
I've already got a powerful gaming computer and flatpanel monitor, so why would I
need another machine? Good question. But for $500, it's not a huge investment. I spent that much on
dinner last New Year's in South Beach.
I don't think I'll be making a
full switch. Right now it's just a curiosity. Who knows? I could end up loving it, and then
I would be making the recommendation to switch.