Sharon,

No tower.  The entire computer is about the size of a cigar box, that is, 
about 11 inches by 11 inches and 2 inches thick.  The keyboard, and screen 
plug into USB ports and the trackpad, that operates as a touch screen, is 
wireless and the mouse is wireless.  You can run a wireless keyboard, of 
course, if you wish.  I only have the screen and the mouse for sighted 
users.

Phil.





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sharon Hooley" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2015 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: Mac Attack


So, the keyboard and pad is smaller than a laptop, but it's tethered to a 
tower that keeps it from being portable?


Sharon H.

> On May 15, 2015, at 8:45 PM, Phil Scovell <[log in to unmask]> 
> wrote:
>
> Sharon,
>
> I thought so, too.  I don't know why they call it that other than it is 
> smaller, much smaller, than a lap top.
>
> Phil.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Hooley" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, May 15, 2015 5:25 PM
> Subject: Re: Mac Attack
>
>
> What?  I thought mini means smallest!
>
> Sharon H.
>
>> On May 15, 2015, at 1:43 PM, Phil Scovell <[log in to unmask]> 
>> wrote:
>>
>> Vicki,
>>
>> The MacMini is a desktop computer.  I run it on wifi but it can connect 
>> direct to the comcast cable, too.  The MacMini has larger hard drive 
>> storage capabilities that a mac air, and the MacMini has a number of 
>> additional ports.  In short, the Macmini is for fixed usage at a desk and 
>> the mac air is a netbook style portable laptop sort of thing.  The screen 
>> and keyboard ar built in and it runs on wifi.  Mac hard drives are not 
>> the old hard drives with which we are familiar.  They are fusion drives 
>> and there are no moving parts.  All data is stored electronically.  That 
>> makes them many times faster because a physical disk is not turning and 
>> magnetically recording.  Mac also tracks your usage of everything so 
>> after awhile, it will move some files and programs into a separate area 
>> because you access fewer times.  A long movie, for example, may get moved 
>> into a holding area so it isn't taking up so much space in the main work 
>> area. Some macs are both conventional hard drives and fusion drives and 
>> the less accessed files are stored on the conventional hard drive while 
>> all the other stuff that is accessed frequently, is stored in the fusion 
>> drive network.  The trackpad does allow you to tap and delete and move 
>> and open and close programs, turn pages by flicking your finger across 
>> the screen as it does on the iPhone, so the trackpad just makes it a 
>> literal hands on access screen.  Lots of various gestures available, too. 
>> The MacMini can also use a full sized 104 or 105 keyboard.  I could have 
>> purchased a smaller keyboard that has no number pad but I wanted the full 
>> sized mac keyboard made by Das which are the click style keyboards Sandy 
>> and I have been using for years.  The MacMini just allows for more 
>> versatility, plugging in two screen, for multiple users with separate 
>> passwords, several ports, and with the 1 terabyte storage, can be used by 
>> other family members for backups and the like.  I ended up buying the 
>> least expensive mac video screen, 79 dollars, when the others are over 
>> 400 on up, so anyone using my computer could see what they were doing. 
>> Everett picked it out and was amazed how clear the Apple 13 inch screen 
>> really is for that price.  I paid a freaking 70 dollars for a wireless 
>> mouse for the same purpose but a blind person can, to some degree use the 
>> mouse to get to places quickly.  The trackpad basically is a hands on 
>> mouse like the iPhone features of tapping and flicking and drawing 
>> alphabetic letters, the letter S, for example, to bring up files with the 
>> letter S as a prefix.  iPhones can do that sort of gesturing, too.  The 
>> trackpad is about 7 by 7 inches and I sit in the other room in my 
>> recliner, with the volume turned up in the office area, and use the 
>> computer that way occasionally, haha.  Both the macmini and the mac air 
>> allow the user to answer and initiate phone calls and you can send and 
>> receive text messages with them both as well in case you phone is hiding 
>> in the night stand drawer where you left it, haha.
>>
>> Phil.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vicki" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, May 15, 2015 9:05 AM
>> Subject: Re: Mac Attack
>>
>>
>>> Wonder what the difference is between the Mac Air and the Macmini. Also 
>>> will that track pad allow you to double tap and delete just like on the 
>>> phone?
>>>
>>> Curious me.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Phil Scovell <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2015 8:39 pm
>>> Subject: Mac Attack
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Donna,
>>>>
>>>> Sandy and I have the I6 iPhones and really enjoy them.  Sandy got a Mac 
>>>> Air
>>>> about a year ago.  I kept thinking I was going to have to renew my 
>>>> license
>>>> for jaws again and was dreading it.  Also, my computer for windows is 
>>>> about
>>>> 12 or 13 years old and having lots of problems from time to time.  I 
>>>> learned
>>>> a mac can be formatted to be windows and mac and can be changed from 
>>>> one to
>>>> the other on the fly through hot keys.  I have a couple of ham radio
>>>> programs that won't work on a mac so I am going to format the macmini 
>>>> into
>>>> both.  I also got the trackpad which turns the computer almost into the
>>>> iPhone but it allows you to use it like it were a touch screen or the 
>>>> touch
>>>> screen on your iPhone.  Do I like the mac?  No, I hate it because this 
>>>> old
>>>> man is having to learn everything all over again.  I love the Alex 
>>>> voice in
>>>> the mac, the same one in the i6 iPhones, because of my loss of hearing 
>>>> over
>>>> this passed year.  Anyhow, the more I learn, the more I like the 
>>>> macmini.
>>>> My i6 and macmini automatically sync and whatever I can do on the 
>>>> phone, I
>>>> can do on the macmini.  I got the 1 terabyte machine since I'm 
>>>> basically
>>>> going to end up with two computers in one, but even 500 gigs is more 
>>>> than
>>>> I'll ever use.  Sandy experience with her mac air has been so positive,
>>>> paying all our bills and buying Wal-Mart groceries and having them 
>>>> delivered
>>>> and ordering other things online with the mac, pushed me to make the
>>>> decision to go ahead and by the macmini.  It's about the size of a 
>>>> cigar
>>>> box.  The trackpad also allows a blind user to work as well as a 
>>>> sighted
>>>> person using a mouse.  I haven't gotten to it yet but the macs have a 
>>>> voice
>>>> recognition program I'm trusting will work as well as dragon dictate to 
>>>> help
>>>> me with writing through dictation.  National Braille Press has a great
>>>> reference book a lady wrote so between that and the mac voice over 
>>>> mailing
>>>> list and Sandy's knowledge, it was now or never, at my age, haha.
>>>>
>>>> Phil.
>>>
>>> As Always, Vicki