Leaving out the keyboard and mouse was just plain stupid, there's no way around that. If the target market consists of switchars, then factor in that many of them are going to have a cheap POS PS2 keyboard littered with windows keys, and they're going to get completely confused the second they look for a mac specific key.
Also, none of them will have access to a proper one button mouse. STOP LAUGHING! Serious. They're going to bring the assisine right click habit over to the mac (where it might be even less consistent than it is in PC-land ere long.) IF you don't make sure EVERY single mac starts off with one-button mousing goodness, it won't be long before developers start futzing about with a good thing.
This is bad bad bad, even apart from the generally poor impression made by excluding a $3 part without which you just can't use the machine. Dumb.
The RAM issue is the only sticking point in my opinion. It made me think twice before ordering mine with 512MB. I'm sure in a few months, I'll have to haul it to the shop to get them to install a Gigabyte stick. I'm guessing this Mac has "thermal paste" like the iMac 2, preventing consumer access.
Thats the biggest problem I have with it also. One RAM slot? Thats ridiculous. If it came with only 256 Mb RAM and had another slot that wouldnt be so terrible, but even 512 Mb RAM can be eaten up after a few hours online or doing other things. 256 + 512 is good.
So we have to toss the 256Mb stick if we want to upgrade? Thats just unacceptable, IMHO
The market is for those wanting to try OS X..to switch. For mom and dad that are sick of the new dell seeming slow after 2 months with adware spyware viruses. The ones that are tired of having to do the extra work just to keep her running.
It's a perfect way to just unplug the box and plug in the new one to the monitor and keyboard. Oh and please with the keyboards not being usb....sell them that adapter for $20 or whatever, or are you that bad at selling pc's?
I think they are the perfect way to get those outsiders looking in. Wanting to take a chance but not a costly chance like that new PC, because bottomline is even PC users like cheap, but most spend about a grand. Why, because
I just don't know where you get off bashing the least expensive mac EVER. You got that..EVER
Read this slowly so you'll understand it. You dont add an adapter to a keyboard or mouse and it works. If a P/S 2 peripheral doesnt come with a USB adapter it wont work with one.
Also, most customers have no idea how their keyboard and mouse are hooked up. "is it a round port or does it look like this"? I don't know. Thats what dealers are going to go through.
You are off. Apple is sitting around the low 20's (%) for profit margin, but spending a buttload of money for R&D and application development, so their margins are null...
now Dell Has some of the highest profit margins and the lowest cost in the industry according to the Forbes link from may 04' most recent I could find in a quick search. Apple is not Dell, and they could never be because they actually produce something. I guess you couldn't understand that. I asked you for numbers and all you can do is say go and look. I already know, you do not, you are just spouting off whatever comes into that tiny closed brain of yours and not looking at the real facts of industry.
end of line...
I am in the industry and I guarantee I know more than you do.
If you read my posts all the way through without getting your panties in a bunch you would see that I said that Apple would be better off saving on the R and D and just build a simple tower that for the same price would have not only a keyboard and mouse, but 512Mb RAM-at the same profit margin or better.
I really wonder what their cost is on the Mac mini. I mean, the thing has no hinges, latches, complex molds or anything. On top of all that, shipping costs must be a complete joke - 12 of those things must take up the same space as a regular P.C. same goes for the iPod shuffle.
It probably cost them the most to figure out how to cool it properly. I have a feeling all they really did was use laptop components to make it that small.
Most folks who have been around here, will remember how many times on those boards have request such a computer.
A screenless cheap computer. Appe did it. If you want really cheap memory upgrade : forgot Apple. Same for the keyboard and the mouse.
Personally I am very happy that they do not include a mouse and a keyboard. The keyboard and mouse market for the mac is very small , thus third party companies where not interested in it. With the Mac mini, more companies will be interested in it. At the end we will have much more choice, when it comes to keyboard and mouses.
That would be nice. I can't stand Apples mouse and Im not crazy about their keyboard either. I still use the Apple Extended Keyboard and old Apple mouse, which were and are far superior to anything out there.
Only the worst sort of apologist would defend the lack of basic input devices -- keyboard and mouse should be included no matter what, especially since 97.3328946571038% of keyboards and mice are PS2 and not USB.
Needs two user serviceable RAM slots, and better HDD options as well. I hope they weren't so daft as to use 2.5" drives!
They could have made it a little bigger to address these concerns. At 8x8x2 instead of 6.5x6.5x2, it would have more room to add features at the same cost.
Kill the eMac in the consumer space and offer an non-neutered mini.
Well said, although the hard drives dont bother me, one slot for RAM is just unbelievable.
the 9200 isnt great, but damn, have you used it side by side with intel 810? that is the sort of thing that the would be switchers will have. In my case, a geforce 2, A 9200 is the perfect match for this thing, most displays that will be put on this thing cannot do more than 1600x1200, most people will use 1280x1024 and some even 1024x768, the 9200 will eat right through that without breaking a sweat, and will have room left over for core*.
The thing is great if there is one thing that was left out was a ps/2 to usb adapter for keyboards, I know they are cheap but they add to the "it all works out of the box" thing that apple is known for. Sadly, most PCs still use PS/2 keyboards, but mice are universaly usb now
A PS2 to USB adapter wont necessarily work with a keyboard or mouse that didnt come with one.
Having only 2 USB ports is just idiotic. One for the keyboard, one for the mouse and waht do you have left? No ports for memory sticks, webcams, scanners etc...
Having only 2 USB ports is just idiotic. One for the keyboard, one for the mouse and waht do you have left? No ports for memory sticks, webcams, scanners etc...
Baaaaaad mistake Apple.
You could use bluetooth, and the keyboard has a usb port on it, so you can connect the mouse to that, but it still leaves 1 port. And depending on the monitor, you could use that as a hub, or you can buy a hub. Though by the end it seems like a bit too much has to be bought afterwards. The 256 I don't think is that bad, considering the mini is aimed towards the people who want it as a sub computer, or just go on the internet. If they want the power, they should get an e or i mac.
You could use bluetooth, and the keyboard has a usb port on it, so you can connect the mouse to that, but it still leaves 1 port. And depending on the monitor, you could use that as a hub, or you can buy a hub. Though by the end it seems like a bit too much has to be bought afterwards. The 256 I don't think is that bad, considering the mini is aimed towards the people who want it as a sub computer, or just go on the internet. If they want the power, they should get an e or i mac.
256 isnt even good enough for the internet. I upgraded my iMac G3 to 576Mb and it really needed it.
Secondly, why are you so pissed about this Mac? It's cheap and most people care about price over specs.
Agreed.
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
steve666's points are well taken, and there are several others. The simple fact is that once you plunge into the wild world of Windows peripherals, you're suddenly dealing with a lot more legacy and complexity than you'd like.
A PS/2-to-USB converter actually doing translation. It's not DVI->VGA (trivial, because DVI carries a VGA signal). It's a translation, and those will fail on some peripherals. Consumers will not necessarily know whether it's a PS/2 peripheral, either. The green plug went into the green outlet in the back, or their son assembled it for them, etc.
Two USB ports will be used up by the USB keyboard and the USB mouse. Apple even shows this on their site for the Mac mini, but they don't seem to think that it's significant that there's no accomodation for a printer, or scanner, or camera with a USB connection, or... ?!
I don't consider the size or the expandability to be issues. The size is actually a bonus from the point of view of just picking the machine up, and it's likely to inspire major geek lust (geeks are specifically targeted by this machine- look at the pitch about developers hooking it up to a KVM switch). This actually exacerbates the problem with needing adapters, though, because the purchase loses some of its appeal when you have to look up and pick up a whole bunch of niggling little adapters and hubs that you might or might not need, and bury your cute little Mac in a mass of cables and plugs.
I actually hope this machine doesn't appear in Target or elsewhere, as some people here are saying, because it will require some handholding. There will definitely be a step three in a significant number of cases, and possibly steps four and five, too.
Apple will have to solve the monitor problem, too, one way or another. I've seen a number of people leave to buy a computer, firmly decided that they will keep their monitor, and come home with a new monitor, and a new printer besides. And a new keyboard and mouse, too. Apple's adopted the trick of luring people in with a stripped down solution and selling them up, so they'd better be ready to follow through (might be a great way to promote the iMac, actually: "Or, you can just pick up that box, take it home, and you're all set."). The odds of people walking out with Cinema Displays are... low.
This is definitely a significant paradigm shift for Apple on several fronts. It will be interesting to see how well prepared they are for this new paradigm. If they think it's enough to just offer this little box, they're in for a surprise.
The most natural market for this machine is the geek/prosumer, actually, given that the lack of any peripherals means that you do have to have some sense of what's required, and what works, and how to integrate the Mac mini into their existing setups. If the mini's sales reflect that, it won't be the "marketshare Mac" after all; or, I should say, it will only be to the extent that geeks buy these things for their families and friends, buy the needed adapters and hubs, and set them all up.
Overall, the iMac remains uncontested as the best consumer solution that Apple offers. The Mac mini might work as a way to convince people of that, who knows?
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
dunno... i do know that's it's more than 3 times more powerfull than the machine i typing right now... and that was my main computer till halfway november 2004.
maybe it will help apple sales in japan. they love cute things.
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
absolutely nothing. Note, I didnt say it didnt target me I said it didnt adequately target PC users.
The only problem I have with it personally, for me, is the RAM issue and possibly the 2 USB ports.
>steve666's points are well taken, and there are several others. The simple fact is that once you plunge into the wild world of Windows peripherals, you're suddenly dealing with a lot more legacy and complexity than you'd like.
A PS/2-to-USB converter actually doing translation. It's not DVI->VGA (trivial, because DVI carries a VGA signal). It's a translation, and those will fail on some peripherals. Consumers will not necessarily know whether it's a PS/2 peripheral, either. The green plug went into the green outlet in the back, or their son assembled it for them, etc.
Two USB ports will be used up by the USB keyboard and the USB mouse. Apple even shows this on their site for the Mac mini, but they don't seem to think that it's significant that there's no accomodation for a printer, or scanner, or camera with a USB connection, or... ?!<
Exactly. That, and the fact that if they just purchase one and bring it home they arent going to have a very good experience. 256 Mb RAM is not enough-period. Even dirt cheap PCs have 512Mb RAM standard.
Saying 256 Ram is not enough for internet is ridiculous. What do you think people are doing online these days that's any different from what they were doing 2-3 years ago when 128 was more than enough for a computer? Sending email and browsing eBay DOES NOT require more than 256 RAM and I'm sure a bunch of people can vouch for that.
If you're buying the Mac mini to use Pro Apps like PS and Illustrator etc, then chances are you know what you're doing, you know that there's only two USB ports and you know that you might need to spend $5 on a hub.
Also, chances are if you're buying a Mac mini to surf and email, you'll be fine with what it comes with.
THE ONLY problem I see with it is that some PC keyboard might not have spare USB ports on them, but if they don't, a $5 USB hub will solve that.
I can't imagine anyone buying a $499 Mac, coming home, seeing that they can't plug in their digital camera and saying "Screw this Mac shit, this was a huge mistake." They'll go buy a hub and that's that.
What do you think people are doing online these days that's any different from what they were doing 2-3 years ago when 128 was more than enough for a computer? Sending email and browsing eBay DOES NOT require more than 256 RAM and I'm sure a bunch of people can vouch for that.
Sorry for the intervention, but it is not what different users are doing but what software are using to do it. Open many Safari windows with heavy content and tabs and OS X will take 256 MB just to brush its teeth.
Certainly, under a more conservative use, 256 MB may be enough for that.
Comments
Also, none of them will have access to a proper one button mouse. STOP LAUGHING! Serious. They're going to bring the assisine right click habit over to the mac (where it might be even less consistent than it is in PC-land ere long.) IF you don't make sure EVERY single mac starts off with one-button mousing goodness, it won't be long before developers start futzing about with a good thing.
This is bad bad bad, even apart from the generally poor impression made by excluding a $3 part without which you just can't use the machine. Dumb.
Originally posted by iDave
The RAM issue is the only sticking point in my opinion. It made me think twice before ordering mine with 512MB. I'm sure in a few months, I'll have to haul it to the shop to get them to install a Gigabyte stick. I'm guessing this Mac has "thermal paste" like the iMac 2, preventing consumer access.
Thats the biggest problem I have with it also. One RAM slot? Thats ridiculous. If it came with only 256 Mb RAM and had another slot that wouldnt be so terrible, but even 512 Mb RAM can be eaten up after a few hours online or doing other things. 256 + 512 is good.
So we have to toss the 256Mb stick if we want to upgrade? Thats just unacceptable, IMHO
Originally posted by SQUÅSH
The market is for those wanting to try OS X..to switch. For mom and dad that are sick of the new dell seeming slow after 2 months with adware spyware viruses. The ones that are tired of having to do the extra work just to keep her running.
It's a perfect way to just unplug the box and plug in the new one to the monitor and keyboard. Oh and please with the keyboards not being usb....sell them that adapter for $20 or whatever, or are you that bad at selling pc's?
I think they are the perfect way to get those outsiders looking in. Wanting to take a chance but not a costly chance like that new PC, because bottomline is even PC users like cheap, but most spend about a grand. Why, because
I just don't know where you get off bashing the least expensive mac EVER. You got that..EVER
Read this slowly so you'll understand it. You dont add an adapter to a keyboard or mouse and it works. If a P/S 2 peripheral doesnt come with a USB adapter it wont work with one.
Also, most customers have no idea how their keyboard and mouse are hooked up. "is it a round port or does it look like this"? I don't know. Thats what dealers are going to go through.
Cheap is fine-it isn't complete
Originally posted by ijerry
You are off. Apple is sitting around the low 20's (%) for profit margin, but spending a buttload of money for R&D and application development, so their margins are null...
now Dell Has some of the highest profit margins and the lowest cost in the industry according to the Forbes link from may 04' most recent I could find in a quick search. Apple is not Dell, and they could never be because they actually produce something. I guess you couldn't understand that. I asked you for numbers and all you can do is say go and look. I already know, you do not, you are just spouting off whatever comes into that tiny closed brain of yours and not looking at the real facts of industry.
end of line...
I am in the industry and I guarantee I know more than you do.
If you read my posts all the way through without getting your panties in a bunch you would see that I said that Apple would be better off saving on the R and D and just build a simple tower that for the same price would have not only a keyboard and mouse, but 512Mb RAM-at the same profit margin or better.
Originally posted by the cool gut
I really wonder what their cost is on the Mac mini. I mean, the thing has no hinges, latches, complex molds or anything. On top of all that, shipping costs must be a complete joke - 12 of those things must take up the same space as a regular P.C. same goes for the iPod shuffle.
It probably cost them the most to figure out how to cool it properly. I have a feeling all they really did was use laptop components to make it that small.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Most folks who have been around here, will remember how many times on those boards have request such a computer.
A screenless cheap computer. Appe did it. If you want really cheap memory upgrade : forgot Apple. Same for the keyboard and the mouse.
Personally I am very happy that they do not include a mouse and a keyboard. The keyboard and mouse market for the mac is very small , thus third party companies where not interested in it. With the Mac mini, more companies will be interested in it. At the end we will have much more choice, when it comes to keyboard and mouses.
That would be nice. I can't stand Apples mouse and Im not crazy about their keyboard either. I still use the Apple Extended Keyboard and old Apple mouse, which were and are far superior to anything out there.
Originally posted by Matsu
Only the worst sort of apologist would defend the lack of basic input devices -- keyboard and mouse should be included no matter what, especially since 97.3328946571038% of keyboards and mice are PS2 and not USB.
Needs two user serviceable RAM slots, and better HDD options as well. I hope they weren't so daft as to use 2.5" drives!
They could have made it a little bigger to address these concerns. At 8x8x2 instead of 6.5x6.5x2, it would have more room to add features at the same cost.
Kill the eMac in the consumer space and offer an non-neutered mini.
Well said, although the hard drives dont bother me, one slot for RAM is just unbelievable.
Originally posted by a_greer
OK! LAY OFF THE VIDEO CARD
the 9200 isnt great, but damn, have you used it side by side with intel 810? that is the sort of thing that the would be switchers will have. In my case, a geforce 2, A 9200 is the perfect match for this thing, most displays that will be put on this thing cannot do more than 1600x1200, most people will use 1280x1024 and some even 1024x768, the 9200 will eat right through that without breaking a sweat, and will have room left over for core*.
The thing is great if there is one thing that was left out was a ps/2 to usb adapter for keyboards, I know they are cheap but they add to the "it all works out of the box" thing that apple is known for. Sadly, most PCs still use PS/2 keyboards, but mice are universaly usb now
A PS2 to USB adapter wont necessarily work with a keyboard or mouse that didnt come with one.
Secondly, why are you so pissed about this Mac? It's cheap and most people care about price over specs.
Baaaaaad mistake Apple.
Originally posted by PBG3
You know you don't need to make 10 posts in a row?
Secondly, why are you so pissed about this Mac? It's cheap and most people care about price over specs.
Why do you think I'm pissed? I'm not, just dissapointed.
Apple always puts in as little as possible. 1 RAM slot is ridiculous.
Start building this puppy up like it should be and its not really a $500 computer.
And I made 10 posts in a row because I was responding to 10 posts all at the same time.
Originally posted by Kink
Having only 2 USB ports is just idiotic. One for the keyboard, one for the mouse and waht do you have left? No ports for memory sticks, webcams, scanners etc...
Baaaaaad mistake Apple.
You could use bluetooth, and the keyboard has a usb port on it, so you can connect the mouse to that, but it still leaves 1 port. And depending on the monitor, you could use that as a hub, or you can buy a hub. Though by the end it seems like a bit too much has to be bought afterwards. The 256 I don't think is that bad, considering the mini is aimed towards the people who want it as a sub computer, or just go on the internet. If they want the power, they should get an e or i mac.
Originally posted by john.outwater
You could use bluetooth, and the keyboard has a usb port on it, so you can connect the mouse to that, but it still leaves 1 port. And depending on the monitor, you could use that as a hub, or you can buy a hub. Though by the end it seems like a bit too much has to be bought afterwards. The 256 I don't think is that bad, considering the mini is aimed towards the people who want it as a sub computer, or just go on the internet. If they want the power, they should get an e or i mac.
256 isnt even good enough for the internet. I upgraded my iMac G3 to 576Mb and it really needed it.
It would be nice not to have to use a usb hub
Originally posted by PBG3
...
Secondly, why are you so pissed about this Mac? It's cheap and most people care about price over specs.
Agreed.
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
A PS/2-to-USB converter actually doing translation. It's not DVI->VGA (trivial, because DVI carries a VGA signal). It's a translation, and those will fail on some peripherals. Consumers will not necessarily know whether it's a PS/2 peripheral, either. The green plug went into the green outlet in the back, or their son assembled it for them, etc.
Two USB ports will be used up by the USB keyboard and the USB mouse. Apple even shows this on their site for the Mac mini, but they don't seem to think that it's significant that there's no accomodation for a printer, or scanner, or camera with a USB connection, or... ?!
I don't consider the size or the expandability to be issues. The size is actually a bonus from the point of view of just picking the machine up, and it's likely to inspire major geek lust (geeks are specifically targeted by this machine- look at the pitch about developers hooking it up to a KVM switch). This actually exacerbates the problem with needing adapters, though, because the purchase loses some of its appeal when you have to look up and pick up a whole bunch of niggling little adapters and hubs that you might or might not need, and bury your cute little Mac in a mass of cables and plugs.
I actually hope this machine doesn't appear in Target or elsewhere, as some people here are saying, because it will require some handholding. There will definitely be a step three in a significant number of cases, and possibly steps four and five, too.
Apple will have to solve the monitor problem, too, one way or another. I've seen a number of people leave to buy a computer, firmly decided that they will keep their monitor, and come home with a new monitor, and a new printer besides. And a new keyboard and mouse, too. Apple's adopted the trick of luring people in with a stripped down solution and selling them up, so they'd better be ready to follow through (might be a great way to promote the iMac, actually: "Or, you can just pick up that box, take it home, and you're all set."). The odds of people walking out with Cinema Displays are... low.
This is definitely a significant paradigm shift for Apple on several fronts. It will be interesting to see how well prepared they are for this new paradigm. If they think it's enough to just offer this little box, they're in for a surprise.
The most natural market for this machine is the geek/prosumer, actually, given that the lack of any peripherals means that you do have to have some sense of what's required, and what works, and how to integrate the Mac mini into their existing setups. If the mini's sales reflect that, it won't be the "marketshare Mac" after all; or, I should say, it will only be to the extent that geeks buy these things for their families and friends, buy the needed adapters and hubs, and set them all up.
Overall, the iMac remains uncontested as the best consumer solution that Apple offers. The Mac mini might work as a way to convince people of that, who knows?
Originally posted by a_greer
Agreed.
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
dunno... i do know that's it's more than 3 times more powerfull than the machine i typing right now... and that was my main computer till halfway november 2004.
maybe it will help apple sales in japan. they love cute things.
Originally posted by a_greer
Agreed.
Dont get me wrong, I am just as much of a spec whore as anyone else on this forum, but look, for $500, you are getting a 2 year old PM, sure it is smaller, and not expandable, but it is $500 - I see people all the time talk about how they are on like 400 mhz sawtooths, and now for $500, you can get something that blows that clean away, and just plugs right into your existing I/O...what is bad about that?
absolutely nothing. Note, I didnt say it didnt target me I said it didnt adequately target PC users.
The only problem I have with it personally, for me, is the RAM issue and possibly the 2 USB ports.
>steve666's points are well taken, and there are several others. The simple fact is that once you plunge into the wild world of Windows peripherals, you're suddenly dealing with a lot more legacy and complexity than you'd like.
A PS/2-to-USB converter actually doing translation. It's not DVI->VGA (trivial, because DVI carries a VGA signal). It's a translation, and those will fail on some peripherals. Consumers will not necessarily know whether it's a PS/2 peripheral, either. The green plug went into the green outlet in the back, or their son assembled it for them, etc.
Two USB ports will be used up by the USB keyboard and the USB mouse. Apple even shows this on their site for the Mac mini, but they don't seem to think that it's significant that there's no accomodation for a printer, or scanner, or camera with a USB connection, or... ?!<
Exactly. That, and the fact that if they just purchase one and bring it home they arent going to have a very good experience. 256 Mb RAM is not enough-period. Even dirt cheap PCs have 512Mb RAM standard.
If you're buying the Mac mini to use Pro Apps like PS and Illustrator etc, then chances are you know what you're doing, you know that there's only two USB ports and you know that you might need to spend $5 on a hub.
Also, chances are if you're buying a Mac mini to surf and email, you'll be fine with what it comes with.
THE ONLY problem I see with it is that some PC keyboard might not have spare USB ports on them, but if they don't, a $5 USB hub will solve that.
I can't imagine anyone buying a $499 Mac, coming home, seeing that they can't plug in their digital camera and saying "Screw this Mac shit, this was a huge mistake." They'll go buy a hub and that's that.
Originally posted by PBG3
What do you think people are doing online these days that's any different from what they were doing 2-3 years ago when 128 was more than enough for a computer? Sending email and browsing eBay DOES NOT require more than 256 RAM and I'm sure a bunch of people can vouch for that.
Sorry for the intervention, but it is not what different users are doing but what software are using to do it. Open many Safari windows with heavy content and tabs and OS X will take 256 MB just to brush its teeth.
Certainly, under a more conservative use, 256 MB may be enough for that.