So the Dell Mini came in today. It is small, under 4 pounds, and I love it. Not the fastest machine I've used, and will take some getting used to, but a wonderful experience so far.

So here are the negatives:

The keyboard is small. Yes, it is easy to type letters and numbers, but some keys are awkwardly placed in order to keep the machines size down. And I have yet to find the damned F11 key! But I'm getting used to it. I was never your standard typist anyway. I am faster with one hand then I am with two.

Although I knew the screen size was 8.9 inches, it is so strange that the it is surrounded by such a large frame. Even the 19 inch LCD screen for my desktop has a smaller framing. So that is a downer.

It came with XP. I would much rather have Vista, but I know it would absolutely kill the performance of this machine. At least I'm not stuck with OSX anymore. And since it did come stock with windows, there was some tweaking that needed to be done befor I could get started. I did the update thing, but it already had service pack 3. So not much there. I had to remove Google Desktop. Although a nice addition, I can't afford to use the resources. I also removed McAfee, as it came with it. Why they would load such a bloated AV software is beyond me. Why not license AVG Free? Would it kill you guys to think smart? Probably getting some kickbacks somewhere in that equation.

I had to disable the webcam software to improve performance, as it was running in the background, and harshing my vibe. I need to find something more lightweight to record video. Perhaps a webcam on a netbook is not such a great idea?

The Good:

The size is just right. Less than 4 pounds. I can hold it in one hand while typing with the other. Makes it a perfect solution for a portable blogging device. On the bed, the sofa, the, ahem, toilet. You name it, I can do it. Can't wait to take it around with me.

It has everything I need. A webcam, a TWO button mousepad, card slot for memory, three usb ports, and a standard VGA connection for a monitor. It even has 3G built in, but Dell has yet to announce what good this feature will do for me.

It runs everything I want it to. Now granted, I was careful to only use software that was cross platform, but I only did that so I could go back and forth between computers in a mixed platform world. Now I don't have to worry about that. I have access to a large variety of paid and free software the world has to offer. One of the benefits of using Windows, is the large community it fosters, and all the developers that create for this platform. A big plus in my book.

I can now properly communicate with all the equipment in my house. I had big issues with the network in my house when I used the Mac. Now I can link this machine with the press of a few buttons. If I decide to install Live One Care, it will do it for me.

Now let me make this clear again. I am not putting down Apple in anyway. I am stating my requirements, and how Apple, as a company, does not suit me, nor my families computing needs. To me, it is a walled garden. Too closed and constricted. I felt powerless as a user. On a PC, I have full control over what my computers does, and I can go beyond. Not so much on a laptop, but on a desktop, there is no comparison.

I wanted to do a head to head comparison against the machine I was leaving, but that would be unfair, as it is over 4 years old. The problem is, there is no Mac to compare this machine to. Which again brings me to a big reason I chose a PC. Choice. I have a wealth of choices in the PC world. On the Mac side, well, I really have zero. I have yet to find a brand new Apple laptop for a little over $500. If you find one, that would be great. But since I am not made of money, I cannot afford to dish out $1100 for a new laptop. And although I feel that the machine is probably correctly priced based on the content and quality, I cannot afford one.

Windows, not walls.