I'm building a new kitchen computer. I got the Dell W1700 LCD TV from the pre-Christmas deal, and I'm going to buy a Mac Mini as the computer. So i want a wireless keyboard/mouse to go with it. They need to be bluetooth, not infrared or RF. I considered the Apple bluetooth keyboard/mouse, but they will match the Mac Mini and not the LCD TV. Since the Mac Mini might be hidden from view (under the countertop, etc, it's more important that the keyboard/mouse match the LCD TV than the computer. I know there's a logitech set, which is rather expensive, called the dinovo:



I may go with that if I can find a good deal. But I'm trying to consider others too. Anyone know of other options?

Logitech Cordless Desktop MX for Bluetooth ( 967301-0403 )

it's very similar to the old elite duo. Just a bit cleaner and I like the color better.

It uses the mx900 mouse, which is basically the bluetooth version of the mx700. Very easy to use.

Link

About $20 cheaper than the dinovo.

Thanks, good suggestion - is that the same color as the RF version? I have that one, and I like it. I think the color would go well with the Dell LCD TV. The dinovo seems to be a blue-ish silver, which I don't think matches all that well.

unfortunately i think logitech branded all the bluetooth products with that bluish-green-silver.

I was kind of skeptical about the look as my old elite duo was jet black, but it looks pretty professional...imo.

Just curious, but why are you buying a Mac Mini as the computer? Are you a Mac person at heart?

Diggler

P.S. This post is not intended to be negative in any way. I'm genuinely curious.

I presume this will also (only?) be used by non-geeks...which is why the Mac Mini I suppose. Seriously, for non-techie family/friends, etc. , the best way to get out of yoru support/spyware nightmares is to advise them to buy a mini. Plenty fast for everything a normal user would do. I want to get one for my mom too in the summer, once the upgrading situation (memory) is clear.

I am just wondering how many people have their kitchen computers?

Well, I've used PCs extensively, and I've been building my own PCs for 10+ years now, so I have plenty of experience with them. I wanted a small form factor computer, and I had planned on building a mini-ITX box. Perhaps something like this, for instance:



So I got the W1700 in the Dellf deal, and my plan proceeded on schedule. We are remodeling this spring, so I'll run an ethernet line into the room along with coax cable TV. I'll mount the W1700 on the wall and the computer will be hidden in a cabinet (probably). Wireless keyboard/mouse and I've got my kitchen computer.

However, then I saw the mac mini released just recently, and now I've changed my mind. You see, that case I picture above is $200 already. Buying a hard drive, optical drive, motherboard, etc for that would bring the total to $500 easily, probably more than that. I can get the mac mini for $499, and then just throw in a 512 or 1 GB memory module myself (< $100) and I'm set.

Other advantages of the mac mini:
(1) Can get an Epson C86 FAR with it (sell on ebay for $50 profit, lowers overall cost)
(2) built-in DVI output, for better connection to the LCD TV
(3) comes with a nice OS and software, the mini ITX box comes with nothing

It's not ease of use at all, I move between macs and PCs all the time. I have mostly Windows PCs at home, but I recently bought a powerbook laptop. For the work I do - C programming, using X Windows applications, Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, the new Mac OS X actually is perfect. It allows me to do what I once needed both a Windows PC and a Linux PC to do. So on my laptop I can do my programming as well as other apps. The Windows and Mac GUIs each are easy to use (IMO), but the UNIX core of the Mac OS is what eventually convinced me to get one.

So now that I have one Mac, I'm pleased enough with the OS and everything that I'm open to getting another. And for this use, I think the $499 price point beats out anything I could get in a comparably sized mini ITX PC. I think the comparisons of the Mac Mini to a cheap Dell Desktop are unfair, the real comparison is to a mini-ITX box.

But the answer is no, I'm not a Mac person at heart, I'm a UNIX person at heart.

If only Apple sold their OS (which is basically a GUI on top of FreeBSD) for Linux computers.... <rudely awakens>

You can

Take a look:
Specific page for Memory upgrade



Link to whole review

Nice pics - I hadn't seen that detail before. Basically there's a video out there showing you how to open the mac mini - it involves using a couple of thing putty knives to pry it open from the bottom. Not that hard, and worth it to avoid paying their prices for the 1 GB module.

The Microsoft Optical Desktop Elite for Bluetooth is $105 AR on Amazon and seems to be OK also:



But upon further inspection it also appears blue-ish.

WTH?!?!?

Just because I have bluetooth doesn't mean my monitor and computer are actually BLUE!!!!! Who made that color decision for the product, anyway?!?!

Thanks. I saw the video earlier, but I want to see some sort of official confirmation that Apple will not mind installing this. Of course, I know it's illegal for them to (Magnusson-Moss) unless I break something else that needs to be repaired, but...

Thanks for the AT link though, makes things much clearer...

Apple just dropped the price on their 1 GB upgrade and on the Bluetooth/Wireless combo option for the mini, partly as a result of the outrage over pricing for the 1 GB option ($425). In the article there was a quote from an Apple spokesperson saying they knew users would be installing upgrades themselves, which is OK unless they damaged something.

From what I read the diNovo does not work with Mac OS - it does a little, but most features are crippled. What a pain, it's the nicest keyboard for bluetooth out there. Lots of bluetooth mice, but not many keyboards unfortunately. It seems this is actually going to be a real problem.

I'd go with the MX Bluetooth, but don't know its color. Just that I guess I'm old fashioned and like the insert/delete/home/end/PgUp/PgDn as two rows.

I assume Macs can only use BT wirelessly? For a kitchen computer, I'd probably go as cheap as possible, so mebbe the M$ will have to do. Keep the parts in a drawer until use so it doesn't clash

Yes, bluetooth is the only wireless keyboard/mouse option for macs, not IR or RF. I'm surprised there are so few bluetooth keyboards out there - only really 5 or 6 that I've seen. I've been searching though, and found a few more. Mac support is sparse. I guess everyone just gets the Mac wireless keyboard.

First, thanks dewolfxy for the very detailed reply. I didn't get back to this thread until today.

In reference to the quote above, I've done my fair share of C++ programming under Unix platforms. There are plenty of quality X-Term packages for Windows (Exceed, NetManage, XVision, etc.); however, they're by no means free. Personally, I'm a fan of MKS Toolkit (the version that comes w/ XVision), primarily for its Korn Shell interpreter and complete set of Unix programs/commands under Windows.

There's a freeware project (Cygwin I belive) that gives you the majority of the Unix commands under Windows; however, I've found MKS Toolkit to be far more stable/superior.

Anyway, I think you'll pay less for your Mac Mini than a copy of MKS Toolkit!
It sounds like you're making a good decision. Hopefully you'll overcome the Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard situation.

Diggler

Yep, I've used both MKS Toolkit and Cygwin. They aren't bad, and that's what I lived with until now. And I've used Exceed, X-Win32, and Cygwin for X-emulation in Windows. But to be honest, there are two problems. First, they are mostly designed like an afterthought. The free ones, like Cygwin, sometimes give you problems with copy/paste support, scrolling, etc. It is a Unix implementation, but it's a bit hacky. And all the X stuff except Cygwin is expensive. I still use Windows systems plenty, and at work I use X-Win32 quite a lot. It's good enough for there, but it's IP-limited so I can't use it on a laptop at home.

When OS X 10.0-10.2 were out, you had to do a lot of extra installation and configuration to get the X stuff working, and it felt hacky just like the Windows solutions. But ever since 10.3 they really did a good job of integrating it into the OS. I really like it, and I'm very happy with the change to Mac for that purpose. I still use Windows more than my Mac, and have only just the one Mac laptop (but also a Windows laptop and desktop in my house). But I think the Mac Mini is definitely the best for this application in my kitchen, and for my particular programming needs.

Unfortunately, this bluetooth keyboard thing is a real problem. The dinovo would be perfect, but they just released they won't provide mac support. And there really are only a few bluetooth keyboard out there, maybe 5 or 6. Lots of bluetooth mice, not many keyboards. I may have to live with the Mac bluetooth keyboard.