Where to buy my computer?

I´d save my money and get the standard 250 GB drive, you can always get an 250 GB+ external drive for backup and archive later. 500 Gb is a lot of disk space, and with an external drive you can carry it around and easily connect it to other computers. The LaCie Brick (http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10695) is one of the funkier ones.

The RAM is not that diffucult to install, you'll find instructions on apple.com. With the money saved on not getting the bigger drive and installing the RAM yourself, I'd invest in a decent pair of speakers for the Mac.

Im actually thinking about buying one of the Mac PowerBooks for school this Fall but I know nothing about Macs. At our school there are rows and rows of these Imac computers but it seems nobody likes using them. Everyones on the Dell PCs instead. I asked my buddy why nobodies ever on them. I thought they were reserved for Media students or Computer Science students but no theyre actually open to everyone. I had the opportunity to use one. Theyre a little different and probably take time to get used to, but overall they seem to run slower, at least internet wise compared to the PCs.

I heard theyre excellent for media and audio editing, so I guess thats the only way to go if youre into that stuff.

Hopefully some devoted Mac lovers can put some input in; Im interested to see what you guys think.

Yes Macs are easy-- I've been using MACS forever. Take advantage of your student/campus discount and do the switch. You won't regret it. :-) If you have any mac questions pm me and Ill be happy to answer them. Good luck!

A few points:

-There is nothing inherent in a Mac's architecture that makes it better for graphics, audio, and 'creative stuff". Rather, most of the software publishers first created their software for the early macs, and still provide excellent support for their products on Apple hardware. The association with Apples and creative arts also stems from Apple's reputation for reliable, efficient hardware/operating systems. No, nothing's perfect, but if my money is on the line, I only trust a computer that virtually never crashes or needs to be restarted. So-called 'big business' tended to start using PC clones because DOS and then Windows could run on a wide variety of cheap hardware. This was before the internet became commonplace, and security was less of a priority. The businesses needed to save money, so they bought Windows despite Apple's superior user interface. Fast-forward to the present day, and most businesses who depend on certain software are bound by the operating system that runs that program. Businesses have invested billions of dollars creating specialized software that happens to run on Windows, and it will take an act of god/dess to cross over onto Apple/unix/linux (compare this to the american auto industry's hesitation to retool their plants into metric systems).

-Apple charges far too much for upgrades. RAM costs almost half as much if you buy it from a reliable third party. I recommend www.smalldog.com; tell them your situation, and they'll point out the exact RAM that you need. Also, RAM is very easy to install. Step-by-step illustrated guides can be found on Apple's support website.

-Most third-party retailers will charge almost as much as Apple for new hardware, but you lose the reliability of ordering from the company with the computer industry's highest ratings in customer service and satisfaction (apple). If you are a student, or if you know someone who is a student who will order for you, you can get a good discount from Apple (the same goes for government employees).

-Another option is to buy a refurbished Mac from the Apple online store. They are indistinguishable from brand new computers, and you get a good discount; in addition, you still get the one-year warranty. Be sure to check their terms, though.

-You can take any Apple hardware to any Apple store to have it worked on. Whether or not you get charged for it depends on the nature of the problem, your warranty status, and your Applecare status. You can also elect to send your computer to Apple for repairs; they will send you a postage-paid box, you send the computer to them, and then you usually get it back in around 36-48 hours.

-The video upgrade is up to you. Ask someone at an Apple store how big the difference will be; they're usually pretty good about respecting your needs.

-Go with the external drives. The hard drives themselves all come from the same group of manufacturers, so it's not worth paying the Apple premium. It will also make transfering data between computers easier. If you have a network (or if you know someone who can set up a patch-cable connection), you can have the process run overnight through the network (either way you do it, it will probably be a lengthy procedure).

-Get a hold of me when you undertake the above task or anything else that seems like a PITA; I can also give you some advice on setting things up.

-For pete's sake, don't use the 'mighty mouse' that Apple packages with new Macs. You can use any 2- or 3-button mouse with Macs (USB mice, of course). I personally can't stand the mighty mouse; I need 3 buttons and a scrollwheel that is functional. But the mouse comes with the package, and maybe you'll like it.


I'm glad to hear someone who is eager to try something new, rather than stodgily remaining faithful to whatever they grew up with. I know that you'll be happy with your new friend (er, computer).

-Ben

PS- The second-best investment you can make (after the iMac) is a book on OS X. I bought one from Quo Books; it was the best thing I could have done. Get the biggest, fattest one with the most pictures. The book will walk you through things quickly and easily; without learning those things up front, you'll be missing out on a rich user experience. Trust me- it's money well-spent.

I just got back from visiting the very tiny Mac computer store here on my University Campus. The guy there who was helping me out was really cool and a load of help. I was looking around at the other Mac store back late May and the guy there didnt know about this program called Abelton Live. He seemed helpful in all the other areas but he wasnt able to help me with the program.

The guy here was actually a musician and used AL himself. Im thinking about going for Macbook instead of the Macbook Pro. The guy said the only real difference was that the Pro had a better Video Card. It was more for people who wanted to do video editing and stuff like that. I only really need the laptop for school stuff, word documents, surfing the net, music stuff and using Abelton Live. Im going for the high end Macbook and most likely have to upgrade the RAM if I want to use AL in a live setting. Basically just some minor upgrade stuff if I want to play out live stuff. I can basically work with the program at home with headphones. I thought I had to go with the Pro but the guy said theres no need.

I already get a discount because Im a student on the macbook plus the guy said till mid September if you buy one, they through in a free 2GB Ipod Nano which should be cool. Also Ill have to buy the Word Document Program that goes with the Macbook but I already get half off for that as well. The AL program cost 250 to 300, so no more smellies for me for a really long time.

Anyways, I was screwing around with the Macbooks in the store and they seem really cool to use. Im still going to do some research and see how it goes and by late August I should make up my mind if I want to become an Apple user.

BTW, back late May the guy at the store said Apple releasing some new Macbooks pretty soon. Any hardcore Mac lovers know anything?

nsamadi-

Have you played with GarageBand? It comes with new Macs, and it's a fairly powerful audio application (multiple tracks, effects, real and software instruments, etc, etc, you'll have to read about it http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ ). I understand that it might not have some specialized function that you need, but it would save you $$$. There are also several open-source audio programs out there that are free.



I think that the regular Macbook would be a good option for you. RAM is a must-have; I recommend putting in as much as you can afford (I actually recommend using the maximum capacity of 2 GB). Like I told indie, you would be better off buying the RAM from a reliable third-party retailer and installing it yourself. If you're going to be doing a LOT of audio stuff, you'll probably need a bigger hard drive than what the Macbook comes with- you'll probably want an external hard drive for reasons of cost, inter-operability, and ease of file transfer between computers (also, you can store files on it from more than one computer, so you aren't wasting HD space).

I am almost positive that your student status will get you a very significant discount on Microsoft Word for Mac, which is a fantastic program (it's better than the windows version).

btw- apple releases new revisions of their products all the time, so be sure to buy the most recent iteration of the Macbook. Apple tends to boost processor speed without telling anyone.


-Ben

That is simply not true. MacOS has had one of the worst user interfaces on the planet before OSX was released. Ask any Mac user about multitasking in the pre-OSX days, and they will tell you exactly how awful it really was. It was the poorly designed user interface, overpriced hardware, and Apples poor respect to backwards compatibility that made Windows the standard business platform. OSX is a wonderful operating system; in fact, it is Apples first good operating system. Microsoft already had the market share when Apple finally got it right.


Again, that is just wrong. Linux is, in many respects, is becoming the de facto server OS (if it is not already). Linux is gaining power and momentum at a rate that is unprecedented. The future of the software lies heavily in Open Source. Also, throughout the history of the technology industry, Unix and its variants have been incredibly influential. It won't take an act of god; it will take a couple years, and the OSS movement will come out ahead.

As a Mac user (who uses a 20" Intel Core Duo iMac, no less), I'll be happy to answer your questions:

First off, Apple's warranty (with or without AppleCare) is honored at Apple retail stores no matter where you buy it. As long as the etailer is an Apple authorized reseller, you'll be fine in regards to service.

Secondly, installing RAM on the Core Duo iMacs is very easy... just take off two screws from the bottom, pop open the levers, pop in the stick of RAM, and close it up. It doesn't void your warranty, either.

Lastly, I don't think that the graphics card upgrade is worth it if you plan on doing audio stuff. Plus, the 128 MB graphics card is already more than adequate.

Whatever you do, enjoy your new iMac!

First of all I want to thank Gray and MFfan for their info, Thanks again but I got some more questions, Sorry to bother, I know I should be asking the Sales Guy at the store but I like you guys better .

1) Should I buy the AppleCare Protection Plan, is it really worth it? I doubt anything wrong is going to happen, but in your experience is paying the extra cash worth it?

2) I do need to upgrade my RAM, especially if I want to use Abelton Live in a live setting, but I'll also need to upgrade my hard drive space. I'm going to be having a ton of audio files + a large sample library. I thought about this for a while and thought, should I pay for the upgrades which will cost me around 600 to 800 bucks or put that cash into buying the higher up model which already comes with a little more space + RAM. I know they really don't compare but I hate mods, I'd rather have a better stock Macbook instead.

3) The DVD Burner, this question sounds a little stupid and I really didn't want to ask the Tech Guy at the store but can you say for example: Rent a movie at the store, come home and burn it. I'm guessing you'd need to rip it or crack it or whatever the tech term they use now. Sorry, I'm not a hardcore computer guy .

4) I'll need to buy the Word Document Program as well, WTF..I guess they don't come with the Macbook, do I need to buy other simple programs . Is there a list of stock programs the Macbook comes with.

Thanks a lot of any help guys.

Indie, I think you will find cheaper RAM than 500-600 bucks. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy two 1GB sticks than one 2 GB. If your iMac comes with 512, you could start of with only getting an additional 1GB RAM. The iMac has only two slots for RAM, and the maximum you can have installed is 2GB (2x1GB or one 2GB).

Nsamadi, can't help you with the first two questions, I've never tested a Macbook or a Macbook Pro. It is possible to rip DVDs and burn them with various applications. I'm not sure if it's completely legal to "time-shift" a rented DVD for example, maybe someone else knows better. Burning CDs & DVDs can be done without using Toast, but I'd still recommend getting it. It is excellent and easy to use.

Every Mac comes with a simple word processor, but you'll eventually need to get a better one. MS Word works perfectly if you're already familiar with it on a PC.

Finally, with the new Intel processors in the recent Macs, you can run Windows XP on it and enjoy the best of both worlds!

1) IMO, AppleCare isn't worth it unless your computer is so critical to your life that you can't stand a computer breakdown.

2) Just buy the higher-end MacBook (Pro) with the upgrades plus the faster processor.

3) It is illegal to copy rental movie DVDs in most countries (including the United States, Canada, and most EU countries). In the US, it's covered under the DMCA, where you could face huge penalties by the MPAA. There are ways to do it, but it's too difficult, plus you can get prosecuted.

4) The MacBook (and iMac) come with:
-iLife (iMovie, iTunes, iDVD, iPhoto, iWeb, and GarageBand)
-Photo Booth
-A 60-day trial of Microsoft Office for the Mac
-Comic Life
-Big Bang Board Games

Also, for an inexpensive and elegant word processor and presentation software package, Apple's own iWork ($79 US) can't be beat... I use it all the time.

Hope that helps.