Jackie, Thanks for this additional information which is most helpful.Like you, I'm becoming very drawn. This desktop is getting pretty old now so, perhaps when it dies, I'll be treating myself to a Mac and just have that plus my laptop.
The keyboard sounds most interesting. It's a pity there isn't an Apple store that near to me as I'd be spending time there for sure!
Tell me if you get into surfing yourself and or to the email side of things.I was interested to see the other day that you no longer have to have Itunes as a default player when using it in Windows. This means that I may well give it a go and just use when it suits me.
-- Carol P ---- Original Message ---- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 9:39 AM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Mac Mini
Hi Carol Firstly, in relation to the keyboard, you could probably get away with a Windows effort, but I wouldn't personally do that. If I might explain, the bottom row of the Apple keyboard has the control key on the left, followed by what is termed as the Options key as opposed to the Windows key. You use the control and Options keys to navigate with VoiceOver, and they are often referred to as the VO keys. Next to the Options key is where you would normally find your Alt key in Windows, but this is known on the Mac as the Command key. Then you have your space-bar, and the same keys I've described going from right to left. I'm not overly familiar with everything on the keyboard yet, but it does have two USB ports on it, one at each end, where you can plug in a pen or attach your iPod or whatever. It's a lovely keyboard to type on though, and connects to the Mini via standard USB. Safari is interesting to browse and is, in my opinion, faster to load than Internet Explorer and that's doing so wirelessly. Martin has used the Email side of it and finds it works fine. I'm still very much in the early stages of playing with it Carol as I don't get as much time as I would like with so much other stuff to do, and being dictated to by my wretched back problems. But it's a world I'm becoming very drawn to. I couldn't ever see me trading off what I use already to go Mac full-time, but I like the alternatives, and the fact you aren't being ripped off with upgrades, SMA nonsense ... (enough said). Also, Braille display support on the Mac is very good. I can just plug in my Alva BC680 and it goes, no faffing around with drivers and digital signing when Apple brings out an update to the operating system. Kind Regards, Jackie Cairns J&M Work-Ability jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.work-ability.co.uk -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carol Pearson Sent: 11 January 2011 15:09 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: Mac Mini Think I'm beginning to want one quite badly too, Jackie. Does the keyboard have to be Mac, or does any chosen USB keyboard do the job, or is there a dedicated keyboard socket? How have you found the reading of web pages using Saphari and what's it like (I mean how slick, say, in comparison with Jaws) when reading emails? -- Carol P ---- Original Message ---- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 10:15 AM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Mac MiniHi Rex We have our wireless key in the Mac Mini which is downstairs, and the modem is upstairs. So we get a really good signal and it works pretty fast on Safari. I love the keyboard Martin chose as it isn't only full-size, but has a USB port on it to use for a pen or something. The Mini itself is just a small square box, and he has attached a pair of small Bose speakers to it. Kind Regards, Jackie Cairns J&M Work-Ability jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.work-ability.co.uk -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rex holmes Sent: 10 January 2011 18:31 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: Mac Mini Hi Jackie Is everything with the macmini wireless? Rex ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 5:47 PM Subject: [access-uk] Mac MiniHi John My partner, Martin, has a Mac Mini. It is quite small, and the keyboard he uses is full size. He chose the spec, which is a 500GB hard drive, 4GB of RAM, dual core processor and CD/DVD drive. Of course he has the Alex voice running on VoiceOver. He has bought a full copy of Windows 7 to eventually put on there using Fusion or something so he can swap, but just hasn't got round to setting it up. I'm beginning to learn a few keystrokes, and attach both my Nano and iPod Touch to it for transferring music to and from iTunes. I'd like a Mac of my own so I can play about with it and set it up with my own preferences, but I wouldn't know what to choose to be honest. The Mac Mini doesn't have a monitor as this is no good to me, and Martin doesn't have enough sight to see the screen any more. So he has bought an adaptor to fool the Mini into believing a monitor is attached, and it works brilliantly. But as for what Mac to go for, I can't help. I need to do a bit of homework myself if I were deadly serious about buying my own machine. For now, I just borrow Martin's to play about with. Kind Regards, Jackie Cairns J&M Work-Ability jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.work-ability.co.uk -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John G Sent: 10 January 2011 11:55 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Mac mini Hi guys What's the general verdict on the Mac Mini? I've been thinking about buying a Mac with a view to running both mac OS and MS Windows on the same machine. Moreover, as a programmer, I understand programming GUI applications on the Mac is a less cumbersome experience, compared to MS Windows. Many thanks in advance for your input. 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