CBS technology columnist Larry Magid says he was pleasantly surprised by Apple’s new Mac mini. “Hearing the hype about Apple’s new US$499 Macintosh gave me pause. Could Apple, which is known as the BMW of computer companies, really come out with a machine cheap enough to tempt Windows users yet still ‘Mac’ enough to satisfy Macintosh aficionados? After unpacking and setting up the new machine, the answer is a qualified yes,” writes Magid. “While the Mac mini won’t suddenly make Macs a more popular platform than Windows, I think it may tempt many Windows users who are curious about the Mac and/or frustrated with Windows which is far more prone to spyware, viruses and security problems. Some Windows users might wind up liking the mini so much that they wind up becoming life-long Mac users while others may use it as their second computer–perhaps to surf the web, check email and edit digital photos.”