5 comments about Apple Mac mini MB139LL/A (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive).

1. So far I am very pleased with my new MiniMac. I switched over from a PC because I was sick and tired of my PC and its continuous problems/viruses. I had little to no experience with MAC's but making the transition was easier than I thought. A quick tutorial and I was up and running. I primarily use it for internet, email, etc. and so far so good. It runs like a top, comes with cool software, and no viruses make this a good buy.



2. The Mac Mini works great as a simple desktop solution. It was very easy to setup and worked with all of my existing PC components without issue. I was also surprised by it finding and installing my older printer (Epson Stylus Photo 825) and camera, although that speaks more for the MAC OS than the Mac Mini itself.
   
   My only minor gripes is that the system is sometimes slow with only 1 GB RAM and a slow hard drive. I also get annoyed b/c it takes a while to find my wireless network everytime it "wakes up" from going into hybernation mode.



3. Never had a Mac before, this is great! Way better than my custom-built Vista Ultimate computer! Though I have found glitches in Mac OSX, the glitches are far more minor than those found in Vista. If it weren't for the ease of use and the tiny design, I would have given this computer a four star rating because it is overpriced for what you get. Not a gaming machine, but certainly a reliable computer for all sorts of activities that have minimal hardware requirements. (Such as web browsing, basic photo editing and music production, word processing, and so on and so on.) I am very pleased with this computer. I am now a Mac convert.



4. Using monitors, keyboards, and mice I already had, my wife was pleased that she could go Mac at the price of an entry PC. I did upgrade to 2 GBytes of memory by spending $50 at Crucial.
   
   Adding memory is difficult. It may not have been worth the hours spent. You'll feel like a surgeon afterwards. This is why the 4 stars, not 5, were given.
   
   This Mac runs far faster than the Core 2 Duo PC's running at 2.2 GHz.



5. Complaint #1: First thing I discovered when I went to hook up my new Mac Mini: I could not connect my "older" (c. 2004) 23" Cinema Display. Apple doesn't tell you that part. If you have an older Cinema Display with an ADC connection (it looks like it'll fit this DVI connection, but count the pins - it's wider), you'll have to purchase Apple's DVI-to-ADC adapter (P/N M8661LL/B). Unfortunately, it's expensive ($99 from apple or $89 on amazon plus shipping), it's bulky (almost as big as the mac mini), requires use of one of my precious USB ports and yet another electric outlet. Also, when my Mac goes to sleep, both USB ports on the rear of my 23" Cinema Display shut down. AND, because I have a "white-light Cinema Display" (i.e. the power button has a white glowing light behind it rather than a green glowing light), the button will no longer work as a power-on button. It just sort of pulses white light when you touch it. So there's that. Still, I'm able to use my "old" display with the new Mac Mini, which means a lot to these old eyes. btw, you might think you can get one of the other "DVI to ADC" cables that come up with a search here - but take close look at the male and female ends - as far as I can tell they're really ADC to DVI, i.e., for a newer DVI display to an older ADC Mac. Just a warning if you've got an older Cinema Display you want to work with a newer mac.
   
   Complaint #2: Leopard. Sidebar in the Finder is now far less customizable than in Tiger; Sherlock is gone w/inferior Spotlight in its place (it doesn't separate search items in categories--boo); etc.
   
   Complaint #3: My only other complaint on the Mini so far is that because it's basically a notebook without the screen, the ports are very close together. I'd rather see it be an inch or two wider just to accommodate the cords better.
   
   The Mac Mini performance seems, at two days now, almost on par with my old G5 and is SO much quieter. That alone gets 3 stars!

5 comments about HP Pavilion Elite M9250F Desktop PC (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 1 TB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

1. I am a first-time HP computer customer. I have used many Dell and PowerSpec (from MicroCenter) computers in the past but was wary of HP, since I expected a ton of crapware, low quality parts, and shaky support.
   
   I was pleasantly surprised. The computer performs as advertised! The machine is well built. It is very, very quiet, and very fast. I bought a DoubleSight 26" monitor and hooked it up to the DVI port and the combination is perfect for my digital photography needs. HP only adds a small amount of crapware (starter-type programs and previews) which can be easily removed.
   
   Pros: Love the Media Center (can watch over-the-air HD TV), powerful CPU, very quiet fan, the Blu-Ray player is superb.
   
   Cons: Documentation is somewhat skimpy. What they do provide is generic info for many computer models. When you call their 24X7 telephone supportline, you speak to someone in India who just repeats what you ask them, then responds with a scripted answer. It is very frustrating to get concise, accurate, and straight answers to questions which invariably arise. Email support is similar-just canned answers. In fairness, most major computer manufacturers are doing this. Anyway, I gave up with HP telephone support and went to MicroCenter (where I bought the computer) and they answered all my questions. Lastly, I wish HP had dropped the extra external HD drive bays and included a more useful second optical drive.



2. I bought this computer primarily for photo and video editing and so far, my results have been excellent. Processing and DVD creation that used to take 1 - 2 hours on my 1.7 Ghz machine, takes between 4 and 13 MINUTES!
   
   I did have some minor problems changing over to the Vista operating system, mainly configuring my video inputs using the Vista 'Media Center'. I "fooled" the Media Center so that I could record using the 'composite' connections in the end, but I made things a LOT easier by going to the webpage of the TV Tuner card (Haupauge) and downloading the control programs that normally ship with the card - they did NOT come already installed on the computer! Once I did this, it was VERY easy to record TV from ANY of the inputs - including the 'composites'. The program even made it easy to automatically find and configure the TV channels that came "over the air", so that you could easily use the computer as a DVR to automatically record TV OR Radio shows.
   
   This computer was BY FAR the best for the money - and I compared ALL the worthwhile web sites AND local stores (like Best Buy, Circuit City). I have used HP computers for the last 13 years, and they have always been very solid, dependable machines. Also, NO ONE even came close to the deal Amazon had (in early May, 2008)! I also ordered the computer with the 'free shipping' option and it arrived 3 DAYS LATER!! Also, since I bought from Amazon, I did not have to pay taxes, so keep that in mind..!



3. The computer arrived in good condition. The box was partially open, but nothing was missing. I think HP could have done a better job with the box. The computer is very fast. I think the fact that it has 4 GB of ram helps. It has room for a second dvd player and the media drive works great. I bought 500GB drive and now I have 1.5 TB of storage space. Sweet! I was replacing a 4 year-old laptop and I wanted a much faster computer and I also wanted to be able to play blu-ray disks. Windows vista on the other hand is very disappointing. I am unable to play most blu-ray and old dvd disks. I looked in the internet for an answer and I found that many users have the same complaint. Apparently the controversial Digital Rights Management is to blame. Vista will stop playing DRM content if an unverified component is detected or suspected. It also decreases the quality of video under certain circumstances. I do not understand much about this, I only want to play high definition videos in my 24" monitor. No luck. I tried to install Linux, but I do not have enough experience. So, I find myself using the windows XP old laptop again more often than I would like to.



4. Provisions for peripherals is great. Blu-ray works like a champ. However, somethings that one would take for granted were not easy or even possible. First, I never could establish a network with my old XP computer, nor did the Windows Easy Transfer work. I had to do all file transfer from the old computer by DVD-RW. Also, I am still unable to get my HP Photosmart C5180 All-in-One Printer.Scanner. Copier to work with the Vista on this machine. Finally, I am disappointed with the speed of multi-tasking processing. I didn't expect any delay. Overall, however, I would still buy this machine again!



5. This computer is extremely fast, has a huge 1 terrabyte harddrive and gigs of ram. The BIGGEST problem I have had is with the new Vista 64 bit operating system...finding other hardware that will work with it. At first the modem for my DSL didn't work, spent a coule hours on the phone with tech support. My expensive ZYXEL prestige 300 router would not work with the 64bit operating system...I spent hours on the phone with tech support for the modem and router and my ISP. I finally checked the microsoft website they recommended 4 routers for use with the 64 bit Vista, so I bought oneof them, a brand new D-LINK EBRR-2310 from amazon, with cable, it got here and I installed it, and zippo! Spent another four hours on the phone with the D-LINK guy in India and he advised me to take the router back where I got it cause it wasn't gonna work! In exasperation I talked to a techie guy at work who suggested I should try the combo modem/router by AT&T which is my ISP (ATT-Yahoo dsl) and I ordered one of these combo modem/routers, 2WIRE gateway 2701HG-B gateway....it is supposed to configure itself once it is plugged in, and it didn't!! I went to the "backup" method of using their CDROM installation which worked like a charm to get wired ethernet connection to my second computer! So after spending an extra $200 on new routers and modems,I finally got the router to work, and the modem to work. On top of all this the CPU is a little noisey, more than I would like..but it is a white noise and seems to get quieter after it runs a while. Great machine, the operating system is fine if you can get hardware that works with it. I suggest the combo modem/router from AT&T.

5 comments about HP Pavilion S3400F Slimline Desktop PC (AMD Athlon 64 X 2 Dual Core 5200+ Processor, 3 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

1. Fast and takes up a minimum of space. The Vista OS in this one seems to be improved vs. the almost identical model I purchased for my wife at Christmas.



2. I have owned the Slimline S3430f for about 3 weeks now and have been impressed with the performance of this computer. It has a small form factor and can be mounted horizontially so it fits well in my home theater credenza. It is connected via HDMI to my Onkyo TX-SR805 receiver and then to a 50" LG plasma TV.
   
   I have played Blu-Ray, HD DVD and standard DVD's on this system. So far I've only had one disk that was difficult to play but I was able to get it to work. I have a 5.1 sound system and it relays both Digital Dolby and DTS signals. Have not yet used high definition audio but that requires a 7.1 speaker set up on my receiver.
   
   I have ordered WIN DVD 9 Plus Blu-Ray software. I am using the trial version of WIN DVD 9 now - its All2HD upconverting for standard DVD is incredible, better than my Oppo DVD player. The included HP DVD software is a stripped down version of Power DVD but the latest verion of PDVD will not play HD DVD disks unless you hack it.
   
   I have also loaded over 150 music CD's on the sytem in WMA lossless format - good quality sound playback on the HP S3430F via Windows Media Player. First time I have had most of my music on computer and it really makes it a lot easier to access. Big benefit that was not considered when I bought the computer.
   
   Its also fun to use the system to surf the net on the big screen. The S3430F does NOT include a wireless keyboard and mouse so I had to buy them separately - IOMEGA offers a 2.4 gigahertz model that works from up to 33 feet away. HP should have included something like this given that the system is designed for home theater and remote access is critical.
   
   All in all I have enjoyed using the system. Lots of RAM, good sized hard drive, Windows Vista 64 Bit plus quad core AMD chip make it plenty fast and able to multi-task easily.



3. Great so far. I've been running this PC for about 4 weeks. I like that it's small. It runs well. No complaints so far. Great value for money.



4. Great computer!
   Wow this is so much nicer than my previous computer which was state of the art a few years ago but had become impossibly slow. This machine works fast and its so small.
   I haven't figured out how to use everything, but what I have investigated is pretty cool. Plus, the ad lists that it comes with 3GB of RAM but actually comes with 4GB. The graphics card is something that might need upgrading; if that's important to you you may want to look at another version of HP.
   
   Shipping was nice too. [...]
   
   Perfect!



5. Processor, RAM, hard drive capacity, video & sound cards certain to meet most requirements, even those of modest gamers or video hobbyists. Compact case fits nicely right on your desktop.
   
   Transition from Win98SE to Vista was an exercise in surprise. Bottom line is Vista works fine, and the Premium Home Edition is worth it if only to get the cool 3D Chess game.
   
   Included software bundle & HP system utilities are what you'd expect- nothing special to worry about- and all removable/ replaceable as you see fit.
   
   Everything worked right out of the box. What's not in the box though are things like adapter cables for your sound system or DVD's to make system disks. Visit HP's site for info on this stuff.

5 comments about Apple Mac Pro MA970LL/A Desktop (Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, 16x SuperDrive).

1. This machine is ridiculously powerful. My wife works as and Art Director and she uses her Mac every day with Adobe CS3.
   
   She had a dual G5 that was limited in the amount of memory it could support (4Gb max) and to make a long story short, she needed to replace it with a Mac that could open huge files in Photoshop.
   
   This Mac is unbelievable. First of all the design inside the box is brilliant. The way it is designed, it allows the air to go through the entire case (since it has fans in the front and in the back). Adding memory or hard drives has been simplified to the maximum and it is now error proof.
   
   This Mac uses 800MHz RAM and it can support 8 sticks Max. Each stick can be up to 4Gb each for a maximum RAM of 32Gb. Due to the bus they put in this machine, if you can put 8 sticks in it, it is even better as it can now access them in parallel for a bus width of 256 bits.
   
   Don't buy the RAM with Apple as they are obviously gouging. I bought the RAM at Other World Computing and their pricing is much more reasonable.
   
   On top of it, I bought VMWare Fusion to run Windows on this Mac and it simply flies. With its 8 cores, you have more power than most applications will ever need. However, if you need to crunch data for a living, this machine saves a lot of time. Just an example: on her former Mac (the dual G5 with 4GB of RAM) Photoshop 7 took 30 minutes to open a 1.6Gb file and the scrolling through the hi-res image was sluggish. On this machine (8-core with 16Gb of RAM), Photoshop CS3 takes about 1.5 minutes to open the same file and the scrolling is smooth.
   
   I had a look at a comparable Dell PC before buying this one, but as of today, there is still no configuration that directly compares to this Mac. The Precision T5400 or T7400 are probably the closest machines. However, as soon as you add 2 quad core CPU's to the configuration of the Dell, the price explodes and the Mac is much cheaper.
   
   There are other configurations of this Mac (8-core @3.0 GHz and 8-core @3.2 GHz.) I think these other configurations cannot justify the extra cost. So far, with the 8-core @2.8 GHz, I have never been able to max out the CPU's and this looks like there is a bottleneck in the system that is limiting the amount of data the CPU's can crunch. Considering the amount of RAM I have in this box (16Gb) I don't think it was swapping. My hunch is that the bus, even though it is faster than the previous generations, is still limiting what the processors can do. I think this version is the best deal as the faster CPU's in the other versions will be marginally faster than this one.
   
   Bottom line: This is an amazing machine for the price. Most users won't need this kind of power but if you make a living with your machine, having a monster like this is definitely worth it, especially if you add a ton of RAM.



2. I'm writing this review from the perspective of a power Windows user, switching to OS X after 20 years of Windows. If you have been using Windows, I'm hoping this review will help you with your transition to the Mac.
   
   PROS:
   -To start off, as everyone else in their reviews has stated, the Mac Pro is whisper quiet. I can barely hear the system, even when running many applications. You do hear the hard drive, especially after adding a second drive, but the sound is minimal. I thought most of the other reviewers were exaggerating about the quietness, but they were not at all.
   
   -Setting up the Mac Pro was very easy. I did not have to change any network settings to connect to the internet, my PCs, my NAS drive, or my printer. Since my printer was networked, all it took was a username/password to connect. My printer's picture even shows up when printing and viewing the details. Everything connected seamlessly out of the box. I just had to do a quick configuration for my multi-monitors, which took about 30 seconds. I should point out that setting up multi monitors on Vista took about 4 minutes, even though I have been using Windows all of my life.
   
   -Simply, the Mac Pro is very fast. Before ever using the Mac Pro, I did think the system would feel slightly faster than it is, but checking the "Activity Monitor," the processors are barely used, so it could be the lack of dual quad support for most of the programs I'm using. When programs start to take advantage of dual quads and quad cores in general, I do think the system will feel even faster.
   
   -Installing programs is a breeze. Every single program that needs to be installed, installs the exact same way. The same # of steps, the same process, and the same results. Most programs don't include an uninstaller (of course, Office Mac does). Just drag and drop the single file from the Applications folder to the trash, and it's deleted.
   
   -I installed Vista using Boot Camp, for programs not yet available for the Mac. I then installed Parallels to run a virtual machine of the Boot Camp partition. Installation was a breeze and Parallels is a great program, as long as you're using build 5604+, since a flickering issue was present with .3 and parallels prior to that version. Using Parallels to run Vista and OS X simultaneously since there is a seamless integration of both operating systems when moving from one to the other. For example, the mouse moves from one OS to the other without any button presses. You can also open Vista programs on OS X programs and vice versa. There is also a Coherence mode, where you can have both Vista and OS X running seamlessly together in one window. I'm using dual monitors, but you can use Spaces for a virtual multi monitor setup and still have the seamless integration between OS X and Vista. One recommendation for using Vista on Parallels is to upgrade to 4 gigs of RAM. 2 gigs for Vista and 2 for OS X. I would not recommend running Vista with just 1 gig. If you use Windows XP, 1 gig should be fine, but Vista uses a lot of RAM. I do feel like I made a mistake going with Vista instead of XP.
   
   -You can still watch your WMV files on OS X. Download Flip4Mac straight from microsoft.com and those files will open with Quicktime.
   
   -Adium is a great and free instant messaging client that will work with almost any service out there. The integration of a program called Growl takes instant messaging to a new level. You can change the icon in the Dock, where I have Yoda Duck as my icon.
   
   -As stated above, I did upgrade to 4 gigs of RAM. The installation of the RAM was extremely easy. Opening the system and taking a look inside, the design of the Mac Pro is a work of art. You cannot see a cable, and the air flow of the system is unbeatable. (will Apple have a water-cooled Mac Pro?) I paid $125 for Kingston RAM (instead of $500 from Apple). The installation was very easy, though it did require one more step than standard RAM installations. The RAM was displayed in the OS X system info right after booting. I highly recommend 4 gigs of RAM if you are using a VM, especially if that VM is Vista.
   
   -I also added a second hard drive to the system to use as my Time Machine backup. Again, installation was a breeze. Hit a button and pull out the tray. Use the built in screws and push the tray back in. That's it. Once I booted, OS X stated a drive was not formatted and that I needed to format the drive. A quick click and 5 minutes later, I had an extra 320 gigs of space.
   
   -Time Machine is simply the easiest backup solution. Click a button to turn it on, choose a hard drive, and that's it. If you want to sell someone on the the Mac Pro or any Mac, show the recovery of a file using Time Machine.
   
   -Working with the Finder is quick and easy. Find the files you want and click the spacebar to get a preview. Additionally, you can quickly and easily find a program, files, etc., using Spotlight. Spotlight indexes your entire computer without reading and writing to the hard drive as much as Vista. If you use Vista, you'll hear the hard drive indexing every so often, whereas on OS X, you will not hear a blip.
   
   -No need for defragmenting. There isn't a native defragmenter in OS X. Apple recommends that if you feel you need to defrag, a system restart will do it. Though there are defrag utilities in the Apple support docs, it states that defragging could even decrease performance!
   
   -The system just does not crash. The Force Quit application, much like CTR-ALT-DEL, is something I have not used in the over a month of using my Mac Pro. On the other hand, Vista has crashed on me since installing it, but this could be due to it being setup as a VM, so I cannot completely fault Vista.
   
   -If you want a program, chances are it exists in OS X. There are certain specialized programs that will not work, but with time, these should be added as well, as the OS X market share grows. Programs like Yummy FTP and Coda, to edit HTML, are all out there. Interestingly, I found that many products have multiple competitors, where you'd think OS X wouldn't have that many programs written for it.
   
   -I do like the keyboard that the system comes with. It types very well and is very quiet. The mighty mouse is not useable for me, because I'm left-handed. I do not invert my keys, so I still use the right part of the mouse as my right-click. Try clicking on the right side and 90% of the time, nothing will happen. Now try with your right hand, it will always work.
   
   -Great support by Mac. I called once, and the support was quick and easy. It's obvious that the initial person answering the call has limited knowledge, but she asked many times that I could be transferred to another, more experienced technician. (I called to confirm if Time Machine was not available with my NAS drive.) The phone support should be longer, but you can purchase more time if you feel the need.
   
   -The Mac Pro, though pretty large, looks fantastic and also has nice handles on the top, so you can lift the system pretty easily. Even the power plug is designed to fit seamlessly in the port.
   
   CONS
   -First and foremost, do not expect to play games like Cyris on this system. Though the RAM and processor speeds well exceed the recommended specs, the video card of the Mac Pro is not up to it. The ATi VC is pretty weak in this respect. If you expect to game, I'll suggest the Nvidia 8800GT which can now be bought outside of Apple. Also, the VC options in general are limited. You must use a VC flashed with the Mac Bios.
   
   -The #1 reason I am running Vista is because of Outlook. There is no good way (one program, called Little Machines, was able to transfer the files, but without any attachments, though it did work pretty well) of bringing my PST file from Outlook to either Mail or even Microsoft's own program, Entourage. I have 2 gigs worth of email and losing everything to move to Entourage was too much. I hope there will be a native way of transferring those files over, with their attachments, seamlessly. Much like Boot Camp, I hope Apple comes up with a solution, even if Microsoft does not. Without Boot Camp, I would have never purchased the Mac Pro.
   
   -The same transfer issue applies to Quicken. There is no native way of bringing the QDF file to Mac. There are instructions of how to convert the file, but you will have to make large concessions. For example, all category names must be 15 characters or less. Additionally, not everything is moved over. You lose too much information for a program in which every bit of information is important.
   
   -Though hard drives are cheap, there isn't an option to use Time Machine with my previously purchased NAS drive, even if I were to format in the native OS X file system. Time Capsule, Apple's own NAS, is supported. I was hoping this would be added in 10.5.3, but it was not. I'd like to have an external backup as well, just in case of a power spike causing both hard drives to fail internally.
   
   -A shortage of USB ports on the back. The system comes with 3 USB ports on the back. Pretty low by today's standards. I never use Firewire, even though there are two of them. There are similar ports on the front though.
   
   -A system as expensive as this should not only have a fast hard drive, it should have a fast top-of-the-line hard drive. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The Mac Pro uses a 7200 RPM hard drive with 8mb of cache. I'd expect at least 16mb of cache and possibly even a 10,000 RPM drive. How can a $2,700 system not have a faster hard drive?
   
   -Though Safari is a nice browser overall (the web clip feature, for example) I'd like to see a more complete browser, with constant updates, like Firefox. Though Firefox does have a memory issue, those should be solved in version 3. Overall Firefox is a better browser. I feel Safari has some catching up to do. I hope to see an updated version shortly, even if Safari is at version 3 itself, the updates seem slow and Apple is pretty quiet regarding its Safari plans.
   
   -An extremely small issue, but using Command to copy and paste is frustrating being left-handed, since the keys are so close to each other. I wish there was a way to alter the keyboard shortcuts.
   
   I highly recommend the book Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual. This book contains a lot of information not found elsewhere while containing shortcuts and info in one convenient book.
   
   The bottom line is that I've switched and I'm looking forward to the time when I can delete my Windows partition and move to OS X full time. Once the email and Quicken issues are hopefully solved, I will be using the Mac Pro and OS X full time. (Unfortunately, a PC will be a must as a second computer for some time.) You'll learn the equivalents of Task Manager, keyboard shortcuts, etc., specific to OS X in no time and be a switcher from Windows to Mac. Every user will have their own experiences. I have mentioned many cons, but none of them are a deal breaker. On the other hand, the pros make the switch a must.



3. It is fast for general works, not so much when running APPL's motion. For that, you need a lot of RAM, a lot!



4. This is a well-built, fast, quiet machine. I know of nothing better in a desktop computer, if the price is not an issue. It runs applications quickly. Adding or changing hard drives is a moment's work. The fit and finish of the computer is unparalleled.
   
   The machine has 8 cores but today's software does not really make use of all this power. Perhaps tomorrow's will.
   
   I recommend this computer without hesitation.



5. I purchased the item from Amazon b/c i'm a Prime member, quick shipping. I upgraded the standard build to have an additional TB of hd space (www.macsales.com) and added 8gb of ram. the thing is wicked fast. The sound of the machine is also very low, which is great. I have parallels running my windows vm's (xp and vista) and am now testing out fusion. I added a 2nd video card (same as the one it came with) and now have 3 monitors (fusion beta 2.0 support multi monitor) but i'm not super happy with the speed of the machine which i exported (using the fusion VM Ware export tool). I think it could also be a beta thing. All in all, i used to be a Dell guy and now for the money i'm definately happy with the Mac Pro b/c for about 1k less i have an 8 core power house. I expect this will by my workhorse computer for some time.
   
   Chris Boyd
   www.windwardnetworks.com

No comments about HP iQ506 TouchSmart PC (2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5850 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

5 comments about Apple iMac Desktop with 20" Display MB324LL/A (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive).

1. In terms of getting this iMac going it was as easy as everyone makes it out to be. I was switching over from a PC and even the iTunes transfer went better than I thought (thanks to some help from the iLounge forums. It boots up and operates VERY fast (30 seconds from pressing the power button to being on the web). The integration of the multiple included applications is phenomenal. I find I can have quite a few hefty programs (from anywhere) open and the machine manages to keep itself running very fast and almost completely silent. The new keyboard is slick and is surprisingly pleasant to type on.
   
   I got the iMac to simplify and improve the experience of the main things I use a home computer for. The 2 biggest of those are playing with my music collection and practicing photography. One has been a huge success (the iTunes and Airtunes) the other a major letdown (photos). The things I can't get over in terms of disappointment are the monitor quality and lack of USB ports.
   
   As I've started to work more on my photos on this machine it's honestly been crushing to have to see them look so poor. The colors are washed out and images can be compressed looking. As CAN be the case with LCDs, the screen appearance changes dramatically with your viewing position. I find I have re-tilt the monitor if I shift in my seat at all. My PC is/was on a Sony Trinitron CRT; a good monitor but not something that broke the bank. It's still hooked up waiting for me to pull off the final programs and there is no question I've downgraded in overall image quality. My Dell LCD at work also does not seem to have the color and view direction issues that the iMac has. I wish I'd read Amazon user Fiction Pilot's review of this machine before I ordered mine. I feel pretty burned by this but can't say I'm willing to stomach the restocking fee and the extra $300 for the 24".
   
   The computer comes with 3 USB ports, a firewire 400 port, firewire 800 port. People will point out that there are USB ports on the keyboard as well, but they are fairly impractical. I was concerned about going from 7 USB ports to 2 (the keyboard takes up 1) but hoped I could juggle and prioritize. Turns out the process is as painful as I feared. I've had to suck it up and get a speed-choking hub. Also, there are no memory card slots on any Mac (which is absurd). This just compounds the problem for the USB ports.
   
   (By the way, I'd have gone 2 1/2 stars but that's not an option in the Amazon reviews.)



2. I got this iMac at Best Buy about a week ago. I had Geek Squad install a Windows XP partition (boot camp). From the time that I bought it to now, all I can say is WOW!!!!!! I can tell you, Windows XP runs better than most PC's on a mac. Also the Mac side of my iMac is very fun to use. I found Panther to be easy to use and it looks clean. I will tell you though, like everyone said, there is a glare issue and a viewing angle issue. This does not bother me that much. To me the gloss actually helps the picture a little bit.(I suggest you go to an Apple Store or a store with imacs on display to see what you think). It also came with a suite of software called iLife. (Look at product description above) Garbageband is very fun to use, iMovie is also good but I dont really use it, and Iphoto is great. Of course, we all know how iTunes is. The Keyboard is also amazing. Its thin and is ACTUALLY HEAVIER THAN IT LOOKS. The mouse is just as good. In my opinion, its ugly but it depends on the person. The bluetooth included is very good also. Playing around with my imac and my b-tooth phone, i found out you can call people using your imac. (caller id, dialing, recieving, SMS) This is possible using 3rd party software and found very handy. The Built in Speakers are also good. I highly recommend you use it before you buy an external one. It has very good sound but little bass. If you want to get an external speaker, i suggest the Bose Companion speakers (any subwoofer or without)because of its multimedia capabilities. Finally, the webcam.It is like the iMac itself,...AWESOME!!!! Very good quality picture and capture. I havent tried iChat yet but im sure its awesome as well.



3. My circa-2004 iMac just took a powder(a defect in the computer,which may or may not be fixable)so I got this.And I am loving.it.
   
   Supposedly, you can take classes at the Mac store to get better acquainted with Leopard(it's a new one on me!)but I don't think that is going to be necessary :) I've already learned the ropes,and I've had it one day.One.Day. y'all.
   
   That's how easy it was for me.But then again,I've had Macs before(not that that matters)even if you're pretty Mac- clueless, it should be pretty easy to learn.But if you don't feel that way, then feel free to take the classes.
   
   The only gripe I have(and it's a minor one)is that it doesn't come loaded with a word processing program.That would have been nice.Other than that,I can't complain.



4. The iMac is an excellent computer. It truly is a gorgeous machine. Reviews in the different Mac magazines can give you much more detail. Buying through Amazon saves money as they offer a rebate. You can have Apple customize it (with greater memory and larger hard drive), but only through their website. However, that option is costly. Memory and larger hard drives are becoming cheaper, so buying the base model as is seemed more financially reasonable. Upgrading the memory from 2GB to 4GB was very easy once you purchase the memory cards. Instructions come with the iMac in the very small setup manual.
   
   I would make sure that someone is home on the day of delivery as UPS will not just drop it off - which is understandable given its value. I could have asked them to come back on another day, but I ended up going to UPS to pick it up later that night, which was a bit inconvenient.



5. Was going to get a refurb but bought this before june 1st to miss out on NY taxes. Runs greats, solid machine. A lot faster than my Powermac G5. Runs window xp perfect if you need that. Very quiet.

5 comments about Apple iMac Desktop with 20" Display MB323LL/A (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive).

1. New Mac user here. In fact, I bought the product online, got cold feet (fear that I wouldn't be able to figure it out), and canceled before it was set for delivery.... Thought about it some more over the weekend and ended up purchasing it on Monday.
   
   Received the product quickly and when I took it out of the box, I thought, "Where are all of the cords and hard drive?".... There aren't any! Amazing... I'm totally 100% satisfied and am definitely a Mac lover now. I still have a lot to learn, but it's a lot of fun! Bought Microsoft Word & Excel and I am good to go. If you're contemplating on whether to convert to Mac, DO IT! It's much, much different than the one I used in the early 90's!



2. I recently purchased the 20 iMac with the 2.4 GHz Intel Dual Core processor and 1 GB RAM. This is the aluminum version over the previous plastic one.
   
   First of all, I was shocked at the size of this monster. I have a 17 monitor at work and pretty much measured out how large this one should have been. Boy, was I off the mark. I swear this thing comes in at close to 30 diagonally. Not that Im complaining, mind you, Im just glad I didnt get the 24 unit. That would have been larger than my TV.
   
   
   I had eye strain problems with my 13 MacBook so this definitely is a welcome change. If you cant read this screen you really need to get a guide dog.
   
   Now for the good points:
   
   Bright screen, great graphics. Some complain that the glass screen reflects glare. If it does, I havent noticed it.
   Thunderous sound coming from two discreet bottom firing speakers. Good enough that I stopped using my external Bose speakers. Not great in the bass department, mind you, but enough for most users.
   Takes all of 30 seconds to boot and 10 seconds (or less) to shut down. Keep in mind that the boot up time is NOT when you see the screen (like Windows) but the time from when you push the power button until the computer is ready to use. Its even quicker now that Ive added another 3 GB RAM.
   Unlike Vista which requires at least 1 GB RAM to run and prefers 2 GB, you can have Leopard zipping along with just 1 GB. The more the merrier.
   Ever try to download a file over 2 GB with Internet Explorer? If you said no, there is a reason. You cant download a file over 2 GB with Explorer. Safari, Apples browser, doesnt care what you download.
   Using wireless? Apples wireless N will suck in signals you didnt know existed. While at work one day it inadvertently locked on to an unsecured signal from the neighbor next door which happened to be stronger than my work signal. Making matters even more bizarre is the fact that my neighbor is a private college that apparently assigns various wireless signals to students. Before I realized it, my iMac was sucking in signals such as Student 1, etc and even went as far as to lock onto faculty signals. Good thing Im not into grade changing.
   Solid aluminum structure with enough heft (around 30 pounds) that a casual bump will not send it flying. Ive knocked my flat screen monitor around at work with a slight bump. Youll probably break a collar bone long before you budge this one.
   Wonderful keyboard that has minimal bulk. Its so thin youd think it would skip around a desk, but it doesnt. Crisp keystrokes and solid, sure footing.
   The CD/DVD super drive seems to burn disks much quicker and easier than my Windows unit. Some of that may be due to the Toast software I added, but not even Nero on Windows could burn disks as quickly.
   Much better graphics capability than the MacBooks (expect Pro). I was watching TV on it and the quality was just as good as the set I normally use.
   Loading a new program on Windows can be a trick. You have to insert the disk, wait for Windows to find it (sometimes go fishing when it doesnt), and then wait until Windows decides whether or not to accept it. If you have Vista, you have to wait for a security check. With OS X on Apple, you get an on screen icon that advises you to drag it to the applications folder on the HD icon. Drag and drop and thats it.
   Want to delete a file in Windows? You can do it the right way or the wrong way and it seems no matter which you chose, its wrong. Invariably you end up with scraps that will interfere with something. If you want to delete a program in Apple, merely go the Applications folder, find the offending program, and drag it to the Trash can. In less than 5 seconds its gone. Just how easy is this?
   You can run Windows faster on this Mac than you can on a similarly equipped Windows machine. You can use Boot Camp (which comes standard), Parallels for Mac, or WM Ware to create a second Windows partition on your Apple. Pretty neat, actually. Dont even think of trying to run Mac on your Windows machine. Aint happening.
   The button-less mouse is unique. Took some time to get used to a mouse without buttons but I did. Uses finger pressure to determine what you want. Would it be worth $50 or $60 as a separate purchase? No, probably not, but it is unique. Love the 360 degree roller ball, though. You can have on screen windows dancing all day with it.
   Got a printer or camera and lost the drivers? No problem, just plug it in and the computer will search for the appropriate drivers without your intervention. Windows claims to do this but, more often than not, it failed miserably.
   Customer service is tops. I had a problem the first day when an Apple download went awry because of a dropped Internet transmission. The machine went into an endless loop. I called Apples toll free number expecting somebody with limited English from a foreign country I couldnt locate with a map. I also expected to wait a good half hour to get a human. In the end I got an American within 5 minutes who took the time to correct the situation in all of 2 minutes. I had a previous laptop from a company I wont mention that claimed their service was tops. After talking to some guy from a country Id never heard of I finally gave up when our conversation consisted of me asking, What did you say? and I cant understand what youre talking about.
   How much would Mac OS X Leopard cost in all of its variations (comes standard with the computer, but if you have an older machine you might want to upgrade)? $139 for the basic, $139 for the intermediate version and $139 for the advanced version. Fact is, only one version exists and it costs $139 period. If you opt for Vista you have your choice of Basic (so lousy its free with most computers), Home Premium (about $199), Business (about $300) and Ultimate (sky is the limit). Whats the difference? From what I can figure, about $100 per upgrade level.
   
   Bad (needs improvement) points:
   
   The keyboard has 2 included USB ports which is great, but they are hidden under the out edge lip of the keyboard. No way of connecting anything without lifting the board. If you have a fat USB dongle, forget it (itll make the board wobble when connected). By the way, if you opt for the wireless keyboard you do not get the extra USB ports.
   The built in super drive is great until the CD/DVD refuses to eject. I had a CD that was slightly warped (I didnt see it, the drive did) and got jammed in the system. It finally came out but not without some finesse. Sometimes a door is better. Also, its side mounted which means you cant have anything within 4 to 5 inches of the right side of this unit. If you have limited space, this could be a problem (maybe a top loader?).
   Fat chance youre doing any internal work on this puppy anytime soon. Looks to be a seamless piece of aluminum with just one screw and thats the RAM replacement door.
   It weighs 30 pounds and has a stand that flops around when you pick it up. It doesnt fall off or come loose, but it does hit you at the most inopportune times (and the stand must weigh 10 pounds itself and is solid metal).
   For aesthetic reasons, the USB, Firewire, and Ethernet ports are on the back. This keeps the wiring from interfering with the beauty of the aluminum front. Great until you need a port quickly. Minor irritation.
   Earlier iMac versions could be wall mounted, but not this one. It weighs too much. Would be nice since this is such a nicely designed unit.
   Limited programs as compared to Windows. Go into any office supply store and youll find hundreds of Windows programs and maybe 4 or 5 Apple versions. Oddly enough, in most cases the Apple programs work better than their Windows counterparts.
   No card reader? Cmon, even the cheapest desktop has a card reader, but not the Mac. Sort of behind the times there, Apple!
   
   If you havent figured it out yet, Im somewhat partial to the newer Intel based Macs. Mind you, I used Windows from the early 90s to present, but got tired of misfires such as Me and Vista. My last Vista laptop made it all of roughly one month before it dropped to the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) and wiped out years of records. Making matters worse, when I got another Windows system with the same Vista level (Home Premium) it wouldnt allow the transfer of records because the machine I used before had a newer service pack than the one I just purchased. I had to download a GB of useless updates to get transfer records. Any wonder why Windows users are clamoring for XP?
   
   Of course, most potential Apple buyers worry about the initial cost. My unit cost $1,100 and that may seem high, but do some comparisons. If you want a Windows desktop unit you first have to buy the CPU (about $600 with decent quality specs), then a monitor (about $250 for a decent unit) so youre out $850 already. Most Windows buyers will also opt for an upgraded keyboard and wireless mouse so add about another $75 to that and youre not far off the mark in the cost. Also, check on eBay and youll see that used Macs go for substantially more than used Windows computers. An iMac that is several years old may still go for $400 whereas a Windows desktop from the same era is considered a really nice paperweight. In fact, early clamshell Apple laptops running at less than 400 MHz still cost over $300 to buy in decent condition and these are computers over 10 years old!



3. I purchased my iMac a few weeks ago (it's now 6/25/08) and I've configured it to use Boot Camp, as I have Windows XP Pro installed as well. The reason for doing so is that I had a gazillion applications on my old computer (Windows) and I didn't want to go out and purchase new software. I totally lost my faith in Dell to put out a decent system anymore and totally hate the direction that Microsoft is going with their OS, so I converted over to a Mac. I couldn't be happier!! I can jump back and forth between both operating systems with ease, and use the Mac side for my primary system. I also updated the computer with 4GB of RAM, which was the easiest thing to do. And then added a 500GB external USB drive which allows me access from both operating systems when I have a need to share files.
   
   The purchase on Amazon was the best experience. No hassles, no tax, no shipping, and the system was here within a few days.
   
   I couldn't be happier!



4. it's very simple, press a button and what you intended to happen does. amazing how that works. amazon makes it very easy to seal a decision, great price, easily ordered and excellent customer service.



5. I found the iMac easy to set up and I got it in less time than I expected, I believe 3 days. My experience with Apple has been great in the past. I would definitely recommend this.

5 comments about Apple Mac mini MB138LL/A (1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, Combo Drive).

1. So far I am very pleased with my new MiniMac. I switched over from a PC because I was sick and tired of my PC and its continuous problems/viruses. I had little to no experience with MAC's but making the transition was easier than I thought. A quick tutorial and I was up and running. I primarily use it for internet, email, etc. and so far so good. It runs like a top, comes with cool software, and no viruses make this a good buy.



2. The Mac Mini works great as a simple desktop solution. It was very easy to setup and worked with all of my existing PC components without issue. I was also surprised by it finding and installing my older printer (Epson Stylus Photo 825) and camera, although that speaks more for the MAC OS than the Mac Mini itself.
   
   My only minor gripes is that the system is sometimes slow with only 1 GB RAM and a slow hard drive. I also get annoyed b/c it takes a while to find my wireless network everytime it "wakes up" from going into hybernation mode.



3. Never had a Mac before, this is great! Way better than my custom-built Vista Ultimate computer! Though I have found glitches in Mac OSX, the glitches are far more minor than those found in Vista. If it weren't for the ease of use and the tiny design, I would have given this computer a four star rating because it is overpriced for what you get. Not a gaming machine, but certainly a reliable computer for all sorts of activities that have minimal hardware requirements. (Such as web browsing, basic photo editing and music production, word processing, and so on and so on.) I am very pleased with this computer. I am now a Mac convert.



4. Using monitors, keyboards, and mice I already had, my wife was pleased that she could go Mac at the price of an entry PC. I did upgrade to 2 GBytes of memory by spending $50 at Crucial.
   
   Adding memory is difficult. It may not have been worth the hours spent. You'll feel like a surgeon afterwards. This is why the 4 stars, not 5, were given.
   
   This Mac runs far faster than the Core 2 Duo PC's running at 2.2 GHz.



5. Complaint #1: First thing I discovered when I went to hook up my new Mac Mini: I could not connect my "older" (c. 2004) 23" Cinema Display. Apple doesn't tell you that part. If you have an older Cinema Display with an ADC connection (it looks like it'll fit this DVI connection, but count the pins - it's wider), you'll have to purchase Apple's DVI-to-ADC adapter (P/N M8661LL/B). Unfortunately, it's expensive ($99 from apple or $89 on amazon plus shipping), it's bulky (almost as big as the mac mini), requires use of one of my precious USB ports and yet another electric outlet. Also, when my Mac goes to sleep, both USB ports on the rear of my 23" Cinema Display shut down. AND, because I have a "white-light Cinema Display" (i.e. the power button has a white glowing light behind it rather than a green glowing light), the button will no longer work as a power-on button. It just sort of pulses white light when you touch it. So there's that. Still, I'm able to use my "old" display with the new Mac Mini, which means a lot to these old eyes. btw, you might think you can get one of the other "DVI to ADC" cables that come up with a search here - but take close look at the male and female ends - as far as I can tell they're really ADC to DVI, i.e., for a newer DVI display to an older ADC Mac. Just a warning if you've got an older Cinema Display you want to work with a newer mac.
   
   Complaint #2: Leopard. Sidebar in the Finder is now far less customizable than in Tiger; Sherlock is gone w/inferior Spotlight in its place (it doesn't separate search items in categories--boo); etc.
   
   Complaint #3: My only other complaint on the Mini so far is that because it's basically a notebook without the screen, the ports are very close together. I'd rather see it be an inch or two wider just to accommodate the cords better.
   
   The Mac Mini performance seems, at two days now, almost on par with my old G5 and is SO much quieter. That alone gets 3 stars!

5 comments about HP EX470 MediaSmart Home Server (AMD Live, Windows Home Server, 500 GB Hard Drive).

1. Super easy set-up. I've added a WD 500G so I have 1T of storage. They made it extremely easy to add HD's. I've had this running for about a month and it just works flawlessly. It actually does everything as advertised and with little or no set-up hassles. The remote access amazed me and it does auto backup on 4 CPU's every night. The picture sharing has been a big hit with distant family members. It really is a good choice for file sharing, multiple backups and photo share. I haven't tried the itunes backup and sharing so I have no comment on that.



2. Make sure that you realize that you will NOT be able to backup those new 64-bit Windows Vista installations that HP and others have been hocking that finally take advantage of the 64-bit CPUs that have been on the market now for years. If you have 64-bit Vista just wait a while. By the time Microsoft gets around to delivering this capability, more vendors will be selling boxes with 4 drive bays and Windows Home Server pre-installed - at significantly lower cost.



3. I had this product on my list for long time. But I was a afraid of buying it since I read a review where a person lost all of his weeding pictures, and his wife was really angry about it. Now that I have one I understand what could happen, if you connect a external hard drive this server will execute a disk format of this unit inmediatly in order to incorporate this new device as part of his storage capacity. So, never plug a USB external hard drive. If you want to transfer the information to the new server use your computer as the bridge. Other than that I love it. Works fantastic, very quiet, nice feature to set up you personal web site to share picture, able to stream iTunes, pictures and videos with MPEG4 format to your PS3, you can also access your computer remotely from your work. It is a great solution to keep a common folder for picture, videos, installation files, documents, etc. Worth every penny.



4. I set up this server and installed the required software on 3 computers in less than 2 hours, including purchasing a custom domain name for remote web access.
   
   It allows you to run a shared iTunes library from the home server, which is great because it permits easy syncing of new music purchases from multiple users in a single database.
   
   The photo webshare is nice, if a little clunky. Setting up web photo albums is done in a similar fashion to other web applications. It can be tedious adding photos to an album. I would prefer to be able to create albums via a desktop application, like one can do via Google Picassa.
   
   The backup feature is fantastic and idiot-proof. Installation of the web server software on each workstation enables default backups and you can either leave the settings as they are, or specify directories on each computer to exclude from backups (to save space, etc.). It does a full backup initially and incremental backups thereafter.
   
   Regarding the custom domain name, I was actually able to browse to my custom domain almost immediately after purchase/registration, but in my experience that's unusual, normally propagation of a domain name to in IP address takes a bit more time. Please note that in addition to registering your domain name, you'll also have to purchase Dynamic DNS service (so your domain can always point to the dynamic IP address of your home network, since most ISPs assign IP addresses dynamically.
   
   I installed a couple of add-ins very, very easily. I installed the Whiist web server add-in and it's great for running small web sites from your home server. It even supports Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) so you can leverage VBScript.
   
   I haven't installed any additional storage, so I can't speak to that, but my experience so far with this server has been fantastic. It's too bad Microsoft's other operating systems are not as easy to set up and use as this one is, and HP has done a great job of making that experience even better.



5. After following the development of WHS for the last year, I can now say that now is the time to take the plunge. Power Pack 1 is now freely available to the public and along with new features it fixes the glaring bugs that most reviews have noted. Including the following:
   
   1) The data corruption issue. This seems to be the most infamous bug with WHS, but was easily avoidable by not editing files remotely. But it is a mute point now that it is fixed.
   
   2) Did not work with 64bit clients. This was the bigger issue for me as I have been using Vista 64 on a laptop for while.
   
   Some other thoughts:
   I think the 470 is a better deal than the 475. Installing a second 500GB hard drive is easy and cheaper than buying the 475. You really need a second drive to use the folder duplication feature. A feature I consider essential.
   
   You will need atleast one windows pc. This is not a problem for me as I have several along with a linux computer and a Macbook. But for set up and administration you need to use windows.
   
   Third party add ins are a nice bonus.
   
   And it could not be easier to set up.

5 comments about Apple iMac Desktop with 24" Display MB325LL/A (2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive).

1. After five years of thinking about it, I finally purchased an iMac and couldn't be happier. This unit has functioned perfectly out of the box. The graphics are amazing and an iMac is super fast starting up cold and waking up from standby. There are simply less issues with using this machine on a day to day basis...it just works without interruptions and warning screens as their software is superior to vista.
   
   Yes, there has been a learning curve but if I can do it, you can too.
   
   I did purchase a wireless mouse (Logitech Revolution) as I had to get away from the corded on that came with the machine.
   
   I've found that iMac's generate heat that is quite noticeable at the top left of the screen. Checking online, I found that this is quite normal and nothing to worry about.
   
   FYI, there are pictures that you can find online showing the inside construction of this unit. It's quite amazing to see how they put all of the stuff inside of an iMac!
   
   Finally, Amazon's service and shipping were first class, what a great company to do business with.



2. Have had the iMac for a few days and am enjoying the experience. A few things: the initial Time machine backup took >24 hours...VERY slow. This appears 'normal' for many users. I have ordered an extra 2 GB RAM. Has anyone had experience trying to remove the memory modules? I found that I could unseat each module but could not remove either despite exerting considerable force on the tabs. I may try contacting Apple.



3. This is my first Mac. I had looked into getting a mabook, macbook pro, too, but this is also my main media device so i went for the gorgeous 24" screen. Learning the ins and outs of OS X has been a pleasure as the whole thing is very user friendly, and it just makes sense. The speed has been good, i plan to up the ram tho i doesn't seem to need it. The isight produces a fine picture.
   
   The only complaint I have is that the wired mouse wire is distractingly short. I will definitely invest in the wireless keyboard and mouse. The distressing thing about the computer is it is hard to find programs for mac, but i've got simple needs.
   
   Overall, I'm satisfied with it. Prolly been turned to the dark mac side now but at least i'll be smiling over here.



4. If you ever visit an Apple Store, be sure to take a long look at the iMacs on display, but be aware that the mechanics for the 24-inch screen model are far superior to those of the 20-inch model. I think it is worth the extra dollars to get the larger model.
   
   Also be aware that you will want to scan your old slides. It is miraculous how well a good scanner (Canon's 8800) and Adobe Photoshop automatically dust off your old slides and give them life again, so good they look like they were taken yesterday! And the display on the iMac - well, it is a miracle!
   
   The only negative thing I could think to include is the very hot top surface of the computer, which has three fans working inside to keep it cool, but right now, as I type this, the interior components are all running above 100 (Fahrenheit). You should keep the iMac away from where small children could accidentally run their hands over the top edge.
   
   This is a totally silent machine, too - no whirring, ticking, or gurgling. I also doubled the RAM to 4 GB, which is virtually mandatory if you do photos and music. The cost for doing that was less than $100.
   
   I highly recommend this one! You will not be disappointed.



5. Had the iMac over night and everything was as promised.
   
   24" display is stunning and unit has been performing flawlessly for the six weeks I have had it.