Mac mini for Children

[Tripps]

I'm looking to get a computer for my children (both less than 3) so they can start playing and looking at educational stuff etc.

So far I'm quite enamoured by the Mac mini as its very small and appears to be well build like most Mac kit. Has anyone got one and are they any good?

I've been told by a supposedly Mac savvy friend that you can get an emulator to run PC programs on the Mac - is this true?

[Plotloss]

Why not get a small form factor PC?

There is a Mac - Windows bridge but its not completely robust.

Unless of course you are a 'Mac-man' then go for the Mac...

[Tripps]

Plotloss said:

Why not get a small form factor PC? There is a Mac - Windows bridge but its not completely robust. Unless of course you are a 'Mac-man' then go for the Mac...

Have looked at them but not seen anything small enough, and more important strong enough to survive the rigours that children could throw at them!

Besides which I could do with having a Mac around for web testing at times

But I'm open to suggestions...

[Plotloss]

MicroITX is about the smallest I think.

This will fit in a car DIN dashboard slot for use in the car.

Personally I'd get a big hulking old PC case for kids, then if they spill something on it or kick it over there is some safety margin.

[neil.b]

Tripps said:

I've been told by a supposedly Mac savvy friend that you can get an emulator to run PC programs on the Mac - is this true?

You can - Virtual PC

www.apple.com/macosx/applications/virtualpc/

Works really, really well but don't expect blistering performance, obviously.

Probably a little too involved for kids set up though.

As Plotloss says, might be best to go for a small-form PC.

Try these lot for a start;

www.mini-itx.com

I've got a Mini-ITX version of the Hush PC. Quiet as a mouse and built like a brick shit-house. Not cheap though (and not as small as a mini Mac). Plenty of other stuff to look at, can save a ton of cash if you're handy with a screwdriver (buy it all in bits).

[Bodo]

Tripps said:

I'm looking to get a computer for my children (both less than 3) so they can start playing and looking at educational stuff etc.

I don't know if kids <3 will have enough interest in playing with computers to justify the investment in a dedicated machine; but if you're looking for a reason to buy a mini-Mac, this is a good one

The mini-Mac will be out of date when they start using computers more seriously, I guess; but then, if a computer makes sense for them, then the mini-Mac does

[Tripps]

Bodo said:

I don't know if kids <3 will have enough interest in playing with computers to justify the investment in a dedicated machine; but if you're looking for a reason to buy a mini-Mac, this is a good one

You'd be amazed they really do, our three-year old is a whizz at her pre-school and wants to get in the office and use ours.

My office computers are off limits to them, and my wife's sits in the office and I can't really have the kids and nanny in here during the day while I'm trying to work!

We can therefore justify the expense, but as their rooms are small it needs to be a compact box that is well built (I lost a laptop keyboard when my eldest did some "typing" on it once!)

Bodo said:

The mini-Mac will be out of date when they start using computers more seriously, I guess; but then, if a computer makes sense for them, then the mini-Mac does

I figire anything will be out of date within less than 2 years (probably more so with PCs), but they'll be able to keep using it for educational stuff and web browsing without issue I should think.

I don't know quite what to do at the moment, as I can't be bothered to go down the self-build route and I've yet to find a PC manufactuer making anything small and innovative...

And Macs are cool

[ErnestM]

Plotloss said:

MicroITX is about the smallest I think. This will fit in a car DIN dashboard slot for use in the car. Personally I'd get a big hulking old PC case for kids, then if they spill something on it or kick it over there is some safety margin.

Been there, done that...

ErnestM

[luca brazzi]

For the size, note the top bit is for a CD/DVD. Pretty much silent (all you hear is the HDD from time to time. Mine lives in a cupboard with a hole in the back for ventilation.

Using a wireless keyboard and mouse, I never need to open the cupboard on a day to day basis, as power on is done via the space bar, and I use the sleep button or power off to switch off.

Great size, great (lack of) noise, and great price too.

LB

[HiRich]

Tripps said:

I'm looking to get a computer for my children (both less than 3) so they can start playing and looking at educational stuff etc. So far I'm quite enamoured by the Mac mini as its very small and appears to be well build like most Mac kit. Has anyone got one and are they any good? I've been told by a supposedly Mac savvy friend that you can get an emulator to run PC programs on the Mac - is this true?

If you've already got the screen, keyboard, etc., then look at the Mini. But have you looked at the latest iMac? The computer box is built into the flat screen, so it will take up even less space and is less likely to be damaged.
Virtual PC (from Microsoft) is a doddle. It opens like any other application to create a complete Windows environment for your PC programs, whilst OSX runs in the background. It integrates with (rather than duplicates) the Mac OS, so if you've set up printer, modem, etc. it works straight through. It includes an appropriate Windows licence, so what you see really is Windows XP on a Mac.

[Tripps]

HiRich said:

If you've already got the screen, keyboard, etc., then look at the Mini. But have you looked at the latest iMac? The computer box is built into the flat screen, so it will take up even less space and is less likely to be damaged.

Did look into this, but by the time you spec up the base 1.6GHz G5 model with wireless mouse and keyboard, its over a £1k not including DVD writer, where-as a fully specced Mac mini is just £600 + monitor.

As it is I've decided to wall mount the monitor to avoid any pushing over and breaking issues, so the seperate screens suits us better (and allows me to nick the Mac mini for work purposes or playing on the telly!)

HiRich said:

Virtual PC (from Microsoft) is a doddle. It opens like any other application to create a complete Windows environment for your PC programs, whilst OSX runs in the background. It integrates with (rather than duplicates) the Mac OS, so if you've set up printer, modem, etc. it works straight through. It includes an appropriate Windows licence, so what you see really is Windows XP on a Mac.

Excellent I'd heard it was pretty good, so I'll have to get a copy.

Will feel a little dirty running XP on a Mac though

[page3]

Went to my Parents the other day who have an (oldish) Angle-poise iMac - a 1Ghz G4. Here at work I have a Dual 2.5Ghz G5. I was surprised that for 'normal' stuff the speed difference doesn't really seem much - ie: for web browsing, watching movies, email etc etc the mini will be just fine.

Virtual PC is S - L - O - W though so be warned. It also wants lots of memory.

[Tripps]

page3 said:

Went to my Parents the other day who have an (oldish) Angle-poise iMac - a 1Ghz G4. Here at work I have a Dual 2.5Ghz G5. I was surprised that for 'normal' stuff the speed difference doesn't really seem much - ie: for web browsing, watching movies, email etc etc the mini will be just fine.

Excellent news