Handy little computer and superior OS

The size of the Mac mini makes it useful for traveling and camping in an RV or camper. It fits easily on the smaller depth shelves that are necessary in the confined quarters of a camper.

I have found that laptop PCs & Macbooks, because of their integrated screens, are not as easy, as the mini, to use as a media center/workstation in an RV.

The mini plugs into a 21" wall mounted LCD, therefore, a smaller attached LCD, on a laptop is less than useful.

Also, the Mac mini remote makes it nice to control the OSX "Front Row" application. I use Front Row with the free media center plugin, "Sapphire".

The 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor works well for the small footprint that the desktop takes up.

I have found that the integrated Airport wireless is great for getting connected when we are in campgrounds with available WiFi.

Next, the bluetooth keyboard & mouse work well, for most of the same reasons that the mini works.

Finally, when we are not traveling we can simply unplug the little desktop and take it into the house and have a nice desktop for the kids.

So, the Mac mini has been a great solution to a "not so typical" need.

DSM

Excellent low power desktop or server

Apple Mac Mini computers make excellent low-power desktop and server computers.
I use one as a music server for my house, my wife and I each have them as desktop computers attached to really big monitors for doing computer work professionally.

They are small, quiet, and effective. I get to pick my favorite USB keyboard and mouse; and my favorite monitor.

I think using them as an HTPC is a bit of a stretch (you need at least the NVidia graphics cards; this model does not have that); but for web surfing, itunes sharing, ssh sessions, email, DVD playback, and serving MediaWiki they simply rock.

Mac OS X 10.4 - 10.6 supported on this model; full blown UNIX tools with macports, developer tools, and X11 loaded. Simply amazing devices for the money.

Apple Mac mini MB138LLA (1.83 GHz, 1 GB, 80 GB)

My 3rd Mac mini. Was using my original mini PowerPC unit for web browsing, email, facebook, etc. and it was getting a little slow when had 6 or so browser tabs open, so upgraded to this unit and replaced hard drive with an SSD drive. This unit just flies. I literally blinked and a new web page had already loaded and it momentarily confused me. I was used to watching a spinning beach between web pages with my old unit!

Old Mac Mini as NAS

I am using this product, combined with a Promise SmartStor DS4600, as a network attached storage. Everything works great over USB 2.0, but it would be nice if the Mac Mini's supported esata or firewire 800. The unit is very quiet and cool.

Apple Mac Mini Desktop

I bought this to replace a G4 tower that was 8 years old. It has more processing speed and power at a fraction of the size of the G4. Because this was a used item, I found that the remote controller wasn't working, but I'm satisfied with using the power button. At this rate of miniaturization, I expect my next computer to be the size of a pack of cigarettes.