I own close to 50 Mac minis and they have all been workhorses. Don't buy the cheapest one, but one notch up. Better processor and better video card on that one.

I also have three of the 27" Retina iMacs that are amazing machines as well as iMacs going back to a 24" from 2009. I have never had the monitor section fail in one so I don't consider the all in one aspect a problem.

Thanks, ND.

I was considering the middle or highest end mini.

Do you think there is a substantive difference between the i5 (imac) vs i7(mini) processor?

It's a deceptive comparison. If my memory is correct the i7 in the Mini is a dual core processor and the i5 in the iMac is a quad core. There are also substantive differences in the video processing between the two systems.

This is where my brain cramps.

I'm assuming that means the imac is 'stronger' but I don't know that I necessarily need that.

I run a bunch of applications at once, but I'm not using high end graphics or anything. I stream a LOT, but have only every used about half the memory on my current mini.

I just don't know what I actually need.

have only every used about half the memory on my current mini.

When you say "memory", do you mean hard drive or RAM? It usually means the latter, but people often confuse the two.

Hard drive, Jon.

Just now, I ran Disk Inventory, which tells me I have 4 gigs and I'm using 2.2.

Still, the system runs like molasses and stuff crashes all the time.

I've run all sorts of cleaners but nothing seems to help.

Just now, I ran Disk Inventory, which tells me I have 4 gigs and I'm using 2.2.

That's RAM. Hard Drives these days typically have (at least) hundreds of gigs of space.

I'm not a Mac expert, but it's important to get your terms right so that someone who is can properly help.

Ugh. I'm so bleary.

Of course that is right.

I took the box to the geniuses a few months ago and they ran diagnostics and said that nothing is wrong, but that does not help when switching from one program to another can take 20-30 seconds...not to mention having to force quit out of nearly everything when the system hangs up.

It's super frustrating because I'd rather NOT upgrade if there is a way to get more life from existing tech.

So my Google Nexus 4 appears to be dying, or at least the battery is. The battery will be fully charged at 5 PM, and dead at 7 PM, even if it's not being used.

I'm looking at the Moto G, which would be pretty cheap and seems to be well-reviewed, even if it's not top of the line. It'll be no worse than the dying Nexus 4 is. I also like the size: I really need to have a phone I can use one-handed.

Anyone have any other phones they want to recommend?

I have a Moto G, and I like it. Although it's the first smartphone I've had (I went from a flip phone to the Moto G), so I don't know how it compares if you're switching from a different smartphone.

I will say that the size was a deciding factor for me, because it was the smallest of the smartphones I was considering.