mouse--10 bucks for an optical
keyboard--10 bucks
screen--80 bucks for a quality 17" CRT
speakers--80 bucks for good ones
wireless card--50 bucks

Yeah, that's...500 bucks...minus 270....

And really, the person trying to buy this probably wouldn't want to spend so much on speakers and could probably find a wireless card for cheaper. I'm being generous.

Stop trying to debunk it--it's a good deal. Get over it. Apple's wising up and lowering their prices. This is a GOOD thing, not a BAD thing. Someone that uses Linux should know that competition for MS is ALWAYS good.

A. Newegg's cheapest 17" CRT isn't near $80.
B. Competition for Microsoft is good, as long as the competition is better than Microsoft. Aka, Apple is just as bad. This thing is as bad of an idea as the stupid rip-off I-Pod shuffle.

Care to explain why?

Seriously, you can get a decent PC for this price, but this is the first affordable Mac. I don't see any reason in bashing it, especially since the machine is still respectable for the price.

1) There's one for 95, close enough, especially if you shave off for speakers. Still ends up being the same. You can usually find better deals outside of newegg for monitors anyways.

2) Apple is fine. Stop arguing for the sake of arguing.

I think something that's been quite overlooked is that the Mac Mini is partially aimed at users who wish to switch over to OS X for cheap. IE: PC users who ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THAT CRAP and just need the basic Apple hardware (the box).

It comes with an adapter so it'll run most monitors. PCs typically come with a USB mouse now and a PS2 Keyboard. I'm right at positive that a PS2 to USB adapter for that is dirt cheap, I can't fathom why they'd be expensive. Depending upon the PC you have, you might already have Speakers that'll work with it. Some need a built in Amp and thus won't work. Still, basic speakers are pretty cheap. And wireless? Bah. It has an ethernet port. Why bother? If you REALLY need wireless you can cash in a bit more and have Apple throw in an AirPort card.

It's aimed at people who already have the extra hardware and want to play with a Mac. Not people who don't.

Aye, I've got all the kit needed to run it, and I'll save up for a TFT, as I'll have my job in Engineering (fingers crossed) byt the time I've bought the box. I've even got a SPARE usb keyboard I can use without even compromising my aging desktop.

I would be paying the £320 or whatever it is, then nothing until I saved up for a TFT (spare monitor's at home), and maybe more RAM (You've finally convinced me Yosh).

For the size and spec, and for what I want out of it (I minimal fuss) it'll be ideal.