Mac computer advice requested.
Dec 29, 2006 | 8:47 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A Sight For Roll Eyes
Programs: :enrolleyes:+, :drleyes:
Posts: 5,461
Dec 29, 2006 | 9:09 am
#32
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,700
Do not purchase your Mac until Macworld and Steve Jobs does his Keynote. Apple will make some announcements there. It starts January 9th so just be patient. There is nothing wrong with a PC but once you are a Mac you never go back. I use mine for writing as well and I have laptops and desktops.
Appleinsider.com and macrumors.com will have plenty of speculation leading up to that date. That speculation is worth exactly what you pay for it, but occasionally they'll have a scoop of sorts.
Dec 29, 2006 | 2:33 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 1999
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton GLD
Posts: 978
I worked for Apple for 7 years and just changed jobs 3 weeks ago.
I'm going kinda basic here... apologies if any of this is goofy simple.
Mac is short for Macintosh. Get it? Macintosh is a type of Apple. The first Macintosh was released in 1984. All of Apple's computers since then (if we don't split hairs) have been called Macs. As Randy mentioned, they're not MACs, since this would imply that MAC is some sort of acronym, which is isn't. The operating system that runs on them is called Mac OS. For the past five years, The operating system has been called Mac OS X (roman numeral ten). There have been several versions of Mac OS X over the years. They all have cat codenames: puma, jaguar, tiger, panther and soon Leopard (version 5).
The Mac is great for document writing, and it's the best thing available for work with photos or video.
Before I dig in, I should explain some terms you might want to know...
Microsoft Office- This is virtually the same as the Windows counterpart, except instead of Outlook there is a semi-equivalent product called "Entourage" for mail. Also, there's no Visio or MS Project equivalents produced by Microsoft for the Mac. btw... I don't recommend using Entourage for mail. Use Apple's mail application. It's much more stable.
iWork- This is a software suite produced by Apple that includes a presentation app called Keynote that is similar to Powerpoint as well as a document writing app called Pages which is similar to Word. Both are a little thinner on capability and features in some areas (Pages in particular), but they produce prettier results. trivia... Keynote was developed for Apple CEO Steve Jobs. He was sick of using Powerpoint for his presentations, so his developers made Keynote for him. That's why it looks good. Eventually he decided to release it as a product. To get an idea what is possible with it, watch one of the MacWorld keynotes.
iLife- iLife is where the core value of a Mac lies, imo. It's comprised of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand. iTunes manages your music library pretty much exactly like Apples Windows version does. In addition, you can use songs from your music library in iPhoto, iMovie or iDVD. iPhoto manages your photo library pulled from your digital camera or other sources. iPhoto also enables you to load pictures onto your iPod, order picture books, greeting cards, posters, etc, enhance your pictures and do some basic effects, create slide shows, etc. It also can work with iMovie and iDVD to integrate your pictures into your movies or DVD menus. iMovie enables you to capture and edit digital video. You can also incorporate pictures or music from either iTunes or Garageband. iDVD enables to you burn DVDs of your movies or photo slide shows. Garageband enables you to compose your own music using multiple tracks. You can either play your own instruments or work with hundreds of digital instruments and samples built into the application. iWeb is a fabulous application where you can create your own web sites to display all of the pictures, video and audio from the other iApps. All these applications are simple enough that you can start using them effectively without reading a manual. I don't know how they do that, but it's really true.
iChat- Apple's own AIM client. Enables the user to communicate over AIM through text, audio or video with an iSight.
iSight- Apple's webcam. There are standalone units as well as units built-in to all recent computer models. Works with iChat.
Mail- Apple's mail application
iCal- Apple's calendar application
AddressBook- where you can store your friends' contact information
iPod- where your content from iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iCal and AddressBook go.
Document Writing
There are two main options. The first is Word in Microsoft Office. This is probably your best bet for documents that need to be pure text or sent/shared with others. If you need documents that look good with lots of captivating graphics, flyers, pamphlets, etc, Pages, which is part of iWork, is really snazzy. It's wuite a bit different than Word and takes some getting used to, and it's not as powerful for lots of text, but for a combination of text and graphics, it produces some beautiful results. I have used both virtually equally. I use Word for my documents I produce for my job, and I use Pages for documents I produce for personal things, like letters and, in particular, stuff relating to my upcoming wedding.
Photos
iPhoto is hands down the best consumer-level product out there for storing photos on any platform. It does exactly what you need it to. It also has some basic photo manipulation tools, including enhance, airbrush, redeye remover, effects, crop, etc.
Movies
iMovie. Same thing here. Lots of effects, transitions, the ability to add two audio tracks, etc.
Other stuff to mention
Other tidbits useful to know...
Since Apple came out with the Mac OS X operating system there have been less than 30 viruses developed that attack Mac computers. Somewhere between 5% and 10% of computer users use Mac OS X. In contrast, Windows XP has thousands of viruses. About 85%-90% of computer users use Windows. Thousands of viruses have also been developed for Linux. In other words, Mac OS X is far less likely to get messed up from viruses than Windows.
All current models of Macintoshes can run either Mac OS X or Windows. They can even run both at the same time. You can have a Mac OS X application running in one window and a Windows application running in another window. Macs also can run Linux. So, in theory, you could have applications running on three different operating systems all running at the same time in different windows. A non-Mac computer can't do this. So in this sense, Apple is the most compatible computer out there right now.
Apple produces the following Mac computers:
Mac Mini- Apple's most basic model. The "entry" desktop model. All it is is the box itself. (and it's tiny) It doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse or display (most people have these already).
iMac- Apple's "consumer" desktop model. The computer components are built into the display, so there is no box... just a display, mouse and keyboard.
Mac Pro- Apple's fancy "pro" desktop model. It comes with a big box made of aluminum, a keyboard and a mouse. These are very high end with a price to match.
MacBook- Apple's "consumer" laptop. Comes in Black or white.
MacBook Pro- Apple's "pro" laptop.
What's the difference between "entry", "consumer" and "pro"? Entry is the most basic, Pro is the fanciest. Consumer is in between. This refers to features, capability, capacity, and price.
So I hope this is a good primer to get you started, so that you can make an educated buying decision. I would suggest making your next stop at the closest Apple retail store. Apple's retail stores have become known in the retail industry as having the most knowledgable sales staff and best display of electronics pretty much anywhere. There you'll be able to see all of the models mentioned above in action with other devices connected to them in various ways, with all kinds of software, music, movies and photos installed, etc. You'll have a good chance then to ask any additional questions to the staff there, and, believe it or not, they will not only be available and ready to help you but are likely to have a good answer for you. One word of caution... the stores get crazy busy on weekends. It's much more peaceful during the week.
Bonus... you can find an example web site I made for my mom using iWeb here. I did it in about 45 minutes. ^
I'm going kinda basic here... apologies if any of this is goofy simple.
Mac is short for Macintosh. Get it? Macintosh is a type of Apple. The first Macintosh was released in 1984. All of Apple's computers since then (if we don't split hairs) have been called Macs. As Randy mentioned, they're not MACs, since this would imply that MAC is some sort of acronym, which is isn't. The operating system that runs on them is called Mac OS. For the past five years, The operating system has been called Mac OS X (roman numeral ten). There have been several versions of Mac OS X over the years. They all have cat codenames: puma, jaguar, tiger, panther and soon Leopard (version 5).
The Mac is great for document writing, and it's the best thing available for work with photos or video.
Before I dig in, I should explain some terms you might want to know...
Microsoft Office- This is virtually the same as the Windows counterpart, except instead of Outlook there is a semi-equivalent product called "Entourage" for mail. Also, there's no Visio or MS Project equivalents produced by Microsoft for the Mac. btw... I don't recommend using Entourage for mail. Use Apple's mail application. It's much more stable.
iWork- This is a software suite produced by Apple that includes a presentation app called Keynote that is similar to Powerpoint as well as a document writing app called Pages which is similar to Word. Both are a little thinner on capability and features in some areas (Pages in particular), but they produce prettier results. trivia... Keynote was developed for Apple CEO Steve Jobs. He was sick of using Powerpoint for his presentations, so his developers made Keynote for him. That's why it looks good. Eventually he decided to release it as a product. To get an idea what is possible with it, watch one of the MacWorld keynotes.
iLife- iLife is where the core value of a Mac lies, imo. It's comprised of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand. iTunes manages your music library pretty much exactly like Apples Windows version does. In addition, you can use songs from your music library in iPhoto, iMovie or iDVD. iPhoto manages your photo library pulled from your digital camera or other sources. iPhoto also enables you to load pictures onto your iPod, order picture books, greeting cards, posters, etc, enhance your pictures and do some basic effects, create slide shows, etc. It also can work with iMovie and iDVD to integrate your pictures into your movies or DVD menus. iMovie enables you to capture and edit digital video. You can also incorporate pictures or music from either iTunes or Garageband. iDVD enables to you burn DVDs of your movies or photo slide shows. Garageband enables you to compose your own music using multiple tracks. You can either play your own instruments or work with hundreds of digital instruments and samples built into the application. iWeb is a fabulous application where you can create your own web sites to display all of the pictures, video and audio from the other iApps. All these applications are simple enough that you can start using them effectively without reading a manual. I don't know how they do that, but it's really true.
iChat- Apple's own AIM client. Enables the user to communicate over AIM through text, audio or video with an iSight.
iSight- Apple's webcam. There are standalone units as well as units built-in to all recent computer models. Works with iChat.
Mail- Apple's mail application
iCal- Apple's calendar application
AddressBook- where you can store your friends' contact information
iPod- where your content from iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iCal and AddressBook go.
Document Writing
There are two main options. The first is Word in Microsoft Office. This is probably your best bet for documents that need to be pure text or sent/shared with others. If you need documents that look good with lots of captivating graphics, flyers, pamphlets, etc, Pages, which is part of iWork, is really snazzy. It's wuite a bit different than Word and takes some getting used to, and it's not as powerful for lots of text, but for a combination of text and graphics, it produces some beautiful results. I have used both virtually equally. I use Word for my documents I produce for my job, and I use Pages for documents I produce for personal things, like letters and, in particular, stuff relating to my upcoming wedding.
Photos
iPhoto is hands down the best consumer-level product out there for storing photos on any platform. It does exactly what you need it to. It also has some basic photo manipulation tools, including enhance, airbrush, redeye remover, effects, crop, etc.
Movies
iMovie. Same thing here. Lots of effects, transitions, the ability to add two audio tracks, etc.
Other stuff to mention
Other tidbits useful to know...
Since Apple came out with the Mac OS X operating system there have been less than 30 viruses developed that attack Mac computers. Somewhere between 5% and 10% of computer users use Mac OS X. In contrast, Windows XP has thousands of viruses. About 85%-90% of computer users use Windows. Thousands of viruses have also been developed for Linux. In other words, Mac OS X is far less likely to get messed up from viruses than Windows.
All current models of Macintoshes can run either Mac OS X or Windows. They can even run both at the same time. You can have a Mac OS X application running in one window and a Windows application running in another window. Macs also can run Linux. So, in theory, you could have applications running on three different operating systems all running at the same time in different windows. A non-Mac computer can't do this. So in this sense, Apple is the most compatible computer out there right now.
Apple produces the following Mac computers:
Mac Mini- Apple's most basic model. The "entry" desktop model. All it is is the box itself. (and it's tiny) It doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse or display (most people have these already).
iMac- Apple's "consumer" desktop model. The computer components are built into the display, so there is no box... just a display, mouse and keyboard.
Mac Pro- Apple's fancy "pro" desktop model. It comes with a big box made of aluminum, a keyboard and a mouse. These are very high end with a price to match.
MacBook- Apple's "consumer" laptop. Comes in Black or white.
MacBook Pro- Apple's "pro" laptop.
What's the difference between "entry", "consumer" and "pro"? Entry is the most basic, Pro is the fanciest. Consumer is in between. This refers to features, capability, capacity, and price.
So I hope this is a good primer to get you started, so that you can make an educated buying decision. I would suggest making your next stop at the closest Apple retail store. Apple's retail stores have become known in the retail industry as having the most knowledgable sales staff and best display of electronics pretty much anywhere. There you'll be able to see all of the models mentioned above in action with other devices connected to them in various ways, with all kinds of software, music, movies and photos installed, etc. You'll have a good chance then to ask any additional questions to the staff there, and, believe it or not, they will not only be available and ready to help you but are likely to have a good answer for you. One word of caution... the stores get crazy busy on weekends. It's much more peaceful during the week.
Bonus... you can find an example web site I made for my mom using iWeb here. I did it in about 45 minutes. ^
Dec 29, 2006 | 4:41 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Home
Posts: 2,707
I worked for Apple for 7 years and just changed jobs 3 weeks ago.
I'm going kinda basic here... apologies if any of this is goofy simple.
Mac is short for Macintosh. Get it? Macintosh is a type of Apple. The first Macintosh was released in 1984. All of Apple's computers since then (if we don't split hairs) have been called Macs. As Randy mentioned, they're not MACs, since this would imply that MAC is some sort of acronym, which is isn't. The operating system that runs on them is called Mac OS. For the past five years, The operating system has been called Mac OS X (roman numeral ten). There have been several versions of Mac OS X over the years. They all have cat codenames: puma, jaguar, tiger, panther and soon Leopard (version 5).
The Mac is great for document writing, and it's the best thing available for work with photos or video.
Before I dig in, I should explain some terms you might want to know...
Microsoft Office- This is virtually the same as the Windows counterpart, except instead of Outlook there is a semi-equivalent product called "Entourage" for mail. Also, there's no Visio or MS Project equivalents produced by Microsoft for the Mac. btw... I don't recommend using Entourage for mail. Use Apple's mail application. It's much more stable.
iWork- This is a software suite produced by Apple that includes a presentation app called Keynote that is similar to Powerpoint as well as a document writing app called Pages which is similar to Word. Both are a little thinner on capability and features in some areas (Pages in particular), but they produce prettier results. trivia... Keynote was developed for Apple CEO Steve Jobs. He was sick of using Powerpoint for his presentations, so his developers made Keynote for him. That's why it looks good. Eventually he decided to release it as a product. To get an idea what is possible with it, watch one of the MacWorld keynotes.
iLife- iLife is where the core value of a Mac lies, imo. It's comprised of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand. iTunes manages your music library pretty much exactly like Apples Windows version does. In addition, you can use songs from your music library in iPhoto, iMovie or iDVD. iPhoto manages your photo library pulled from your digital camera or other sources. iPhoto also enables you to load pictures onto your iPod, order picture books, greeting cards, posters, etc, enhance your pictures and do some basic effects, create slide shows, etc. It also can work with iMovie and iDVD to integrate your pictures into your movies or DVD menus. iMovie enables you to capture and edit digital video. You can also incorporate pictures or music from either iTunes or Garageband. iDVD enables to you burn DVDs of your movies or photo slide shows. Garageband enables you to compose your own music using multiple tracks. You can either play your own instruments or work with hundreds of digital instruments and samples built into the application. iWeb is a fabulous application where you can create your own web sites to display all of the pictures, video and audio from the other iApps. All these applications are simple enough that you can start using them effectively without reading a manual. I don't know how they do that, but it's really true.
iChat- Apple's own AIM client. Enables the user to communicate over AIM through text, audio or video with an iSight.
iSight- Apple's webcam. There are standalone units as well as units built-in to all recent computer models. Works with iChat.
Mail- Apple's mail application
iCal- Apple's calendar application
AddressBook- where you can store your friends' contact information
iPod- where your content from iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iCal and AddressBook go.
Document Writing
There are two main options. The first is Word in Microsoft Office. This is probably your best bet for documents that need to be pure text or sent/shared with others. If you need documents that look good with lots of captivating graphics, flyers, pamphlets, etc, Pages, which is part of iWork, is really snazzy. It's wuite a bit different than Word and takes some getting used to, and it's not as powerful for lots of text, but for a combination of text and graphics, it produces some beautiful results. I have used both virtually equally. I use Word for my documents I produce for my job, and I use Pages for documents I produce for personal things, like letters and, in particular, stuff relating to my upcoming wedding.
Photos
iPhoto is hands down the best consumer-level product out there for storing photos on any platform. It does exactly what you need it to. It also has some basic photo manipulation tools, including enhance, airbrush, redeye remover, effects, crop, etc.
Movies
iMovie. Same thing here. Lots of effects, transitions, the ability to add two audio tracks, etc.
Other stuff to mention
Other tidbits useful to know...
Since Apple came out with the Mac OS X operating system there have been less than 30 viruses developed that attack Mac computers. Somewhere between 5% and 10% of computer users use Mac OS X. In contrast, Windows XP has thousands of viruses. About 85%-90% of computer users use Windows. Thousands of viruses have also been developed for Linux. In other words, Mac OS X is far less likely to get messed up from viruses than Windows.
All current models of Macintoshes can run either Mac OS X or Windows. They can even run both at the same time. You can have a Mac OS X application running in one window and a Windows application running in another window. Macs also can run Linux. So, in theory, you could have applications running on three different operating systems all running at the same time in different windows. A non-Mac computer can't do this. So in this sense, Apple is the most compatible computer out there right now.
Apple produces the following Mac computers:
Mac Mini- Apple's most basic model. The "entry" desktop model. All it is is the box itself. (and it's tiny) It doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse or display (most people have these already).
iMac- Apple's "consumer" desktop model. The computer components are built into the display, so there is no box... just a display, mouse and keyboard.
Mac Pro- Apple's fancy "pro" desktop model. It comes with a big box made of aluminum, a keyboard and a mouse. These are very high end with a price to match.
MacBook- Apple's "consumer" laptop. Comes in Black or white.
MacBook Pro- Apple's "pro" laptop.
What's the difference between "entry", "consumer" and "pro"? Entry is the most basic, Pro is the fanciest. Consumer is in between. This refers to features, capability, capacity, and price.
So I hope this is a good primer to get you started, so that you can make an educated buying decision. I would suggest making your next stop at the closest Apple retail store. Apple's retail stores have become known in the retail industry as having the most knowledgable sales staff and best display of electronics pretty much anywhere. There you'll be able to see all of the models mentioned above in action with other devices connected to them in various ways, with all kinds of software, music, movies and photos installed, etc. You'll have a good chance then to ask any additional questions to the staff there, and, believe it or not, they will not only be available and ready to help you but are likely to have a good answer for you. One word of caution... the stores get crazy busy on weekends. It's much more peaceful during the week.
Bonus... you can find an example web site I made for my mom using iWeb here. I did it in about 45 minutes. ^
I'm going kinda basic here... apologies if any of this is goofy simple.
Mac is short for Macintosh. Get it? Macintosh is a type of Apple. The first Macintosh was released in 1984. All of Apple's computers since then (if we don't split hairs) have been called Macs. As Randy mentioned, they're not MACs, since this would imply that MAC is some sort of acronym, which is isn't. The operating system that runs on them is called Mac OS. For the past five years, The operating system has been called Mac OS X (roman numeral ten). There have been several versions of Mac OS X over the years. They all have cat codenames: puma, jaguar, tiger, panther and soon Leopard (version 5).
The Mac is great for document writing, and it's the best thing available for work with photos or video.
Before I dig in, I should explain some terms you might want to know...
Microsoft Office- This is virtually the same as the Windows counterpart, except instead of Outlook there is a semi-equivalent product called "Entourage" for mail. Also, there's no Visio or MS Project equivalents produced by Microsoft for the Mac. btw... I don't recommend using Entourage for mail. Use Apple's mail application. It's much more stable.
iWork- This is a software suite produced by Apple that includes a presentation app called Keynote that is similar to Powerpoint as well as a document writing app called Pages which is similar to Word. Both are a little thinner on capability and features in some areas (Pages in particular), but they produce prettier results. trivia... Keynote was developed for Apple CEO Steve Jobs. He was sick of using Powerpoint for his presentations, so his developers made Keynote for him. That's why it looks good. Eventually he decided to release it as a product. To get an idea what is possible with it, watch one of the MacWorld keynotes.
iLife- iLife is where the core value of a Mac lies, imo. It's comprised of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand. iTunes manages your music library pretty much exactly like Apples Windows version does. In addition, you can use songs from your music library in iPhoto, iMovie or iDVD. iPhoto manages your photo library pulled from your digital camera or other sources. iPhoto also enables you to load pictures onto your iPod, order picture books, greeting cards, posters, etc, enhance your pictures and do some basic effects, create slide shows, etc. It also can work with iMovie and iDVD to integrate your pictures into your movies or DVD menus. iMovie enables you to capture and edit digital video. You can also incorporate pictures or music from either iTunes or Garageband. iDVD enables to you burn DVDs of your movies or photo slide shows. Garageband enables you to compose your own music using multiple tracks. You can either play your own instruments or work with hundreds of digital instruments and samples built into the application. iWeb is a fabulous application where you can create your own web sites to display all of the pictures, video and audio from the other iApps. All these applications are simple enough that you can start using them effectively without reading a manual. I don't know how they do that, but it's really true.
iChat- Apple's own AIM client. Enables the user to communicate over AIM through text, audio or video with an iSight.
iSight- Apple's webcam. There are standalone units as well as units built-in to all recent computer models. Works with iChat.
Mail- Apple's mail application
iCal- Apple's calendar application
AddressBook- where you can store your friends' contact information
iPod- where your content from iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iCal and AddressBook go.
Document Writing
There are two main options. The first is Word in Microsoft Office. This is probably your best bet for documents that need to be pure text or sent/shared with others. If you need documents that look good with lots of captivating graphics, flyers, pamphlets, etc, Pages, which is part of iWork, is really snazzy. It's wuite a bit different than Word and takes some getting used to, and it's not as powerful for lots of text, but for a combination of text and graphics, it produces some beautiful results. I have used both virtually equally. I use Word for my documents I produce for my job, and I use Pages for documents I produce for personal things, like letters and, in particular, stuff relating to my upcoming wedding.
Photos
iPhoto is hands down the best consumer-level product out there for storing photos on any platform. It does exactly what you need it to. It also has some basic photo manipulation tools, including enhance, airbrush, redeye remover, effects, crop, etc.
Movies
iMovie. Same thing here. Lots of effects, transitions, the ability to add two audio tracks, etc.
Other stuff to mention
Other tidbits useful to know...
Since Apple came out with the Mac OS X operating system there have been less than 30 viruses developed that attack Mac computers. Somewhere between 5% and 10% of computer users use Mac OS X. In contrast, Windows XP has thousands of viruses. About 85%-90% of computer users use Windows. Thousands of viruses have also been developed for Linux. In other words, Mac OS X is far less likely to get messed up from viruses than Windows.
All current models of Macintoshes can run either Mac OS X or Windows. They can even run both at the same time. You can have a Mac OS X application running in one window and a Windows application running in another window. Macs also can run Linux. So, in theory, you could have applications running on three different operating systems all running at the same time in different windows. A non-Mac computer can't do this. So in this sense, Apple is the most compatible computer out there right now.
Apple produces the following Mac computers:
Mac Mini- Apple's most basic model. The "entry" desktop model. All it is is the box itself. (and it's tiny) It doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse or display (most people have these already).
iMac- Apple's "consumer" desktop model. The computer components are built into the display, so there is no box... just a display, mouse and keyboard.
Mac Pro- Apple's fancy "pro" desktop model. It comes with a big box made of aluminum, a keyboard and a mouse. These are very high end with a price to match.
MacBook- Apple's "consumer" laptop. Comes in Black or white.
MacBook Pro- Apple's "pro" laptop.
What's the difference between "entry", "consumer" and "pro"? Entry is the most basic, Pro is the fanciest. Consumer is in between. This refers to features, capability, capacity, and price.
So I hope this is a good primer to get you started, so that you can make an educated buying decision. I would suggest making your next stop at the closest Apple retail store. Apple's retail stores have become known in the retail industry as having the most knowledgable sales staff and best display of electronics pretty much anywhere. There you'll be able to see all of the models mentioned above in action with other devices connected to them in various ways, with all kinds of software, music, movies and photos installed, etc. You'll have a good chance then to ask any additional questions to the staff there, and, believe it or not, they will not only be available and ready to help you but are likely to have a good answer for you. One word of caution... the stores get crazy busy on weekends. It's much more peaceful during the week.
Bonus... you can find an example web site I made for my mom using iWeb here. I did it in about 45 minutes. ^
As a former Apple employee myself, I think you definitely nailed it!
-RKG
Dec 30, 2006 | 1:53 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2000
Programs: I am an AS employee, but my comments do not represent the company in any official capacity.
Posts: 4,343
On Topic: MacBook Off topic: A message for swise
Part I:
I treated myself to a new laptop for Christmas 2006. I ordered direct from Apple at the website and got the MacBook Core Duo 2 upgraded to a 120GB HD and 2GB RAM. I love it. I am using bootcamp (free from Apple) and am running Win XP Pro with no problems. I took the plunge and selected the "glossy" over the traditional "matte" screen...and I am pleased as punch. Only disappointment is the battery life. I get about 3.5 hours on a full battery when I am using it normally and making no effort to save power. No big deal though, I just ordered a second battery.
Part II:
I have no idea why, but I always thought swise was a guy. My apologies. Wish I'd have known sooner! A woman who works for Apple would be my dream girl! <winks> I hope that your leaving them was on good terms and something that you wanted...
Your FT friend,
-eastwest
I treated myself to a new laptop for Christmas 2006. I ordered direct from Apple at the website and got the MacBook Core Duo 2 upgraded to a 120GB HD and 2GB RAM. I love it. I am using bootcamp (free from Apple) and am running Win XP Pro with no problems. I took the plunge and selected the "glossy" over the traditional "matte" screen...and I am pleased as punch. Only disappointment is the battery life. I get about 3.5 hours on a full battery when I am using it normally and making no effort to save power. No big deal though, I just ordered a second battery.
Part II:
I have no idea why, but I always thought swise was a guy. My apologies. Wish I'd have known sooner! A woman who works for Apple would be my dream girl! <winks> I hope that your leaving them was on good terms and something that you wanted...
Your FT friend,
-eastwest
Dec 30, 2006 | 9:48 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: HOU
Programs: UA 1P, SPG Gold
Posts: 605
Sometimes Macworld is the platform for really big announcements, and sometimes it's not.
Appleinsider.com and macrumors.com will have plenty of speculation leading up to that date. That speculation is worth exactly what you pay for it, but occasionally they'll have a scoop of sorts.
Appleinsider.com and macrumors.com will have plenty of speculation leading up to that date. That speculation is worth exactly what you pay for it, but occasionally they'll have a scoop of sorts.
Dec 30, 2006 | 1:35 pm
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: YVR
Posts: 9,998
Hmmm... given that there are fewer "Apple retail stores" in Canada than there are in some US neighbourhoods (and also that the closest one is over 2000 miles away) I might have to fall back on a ThinkPad, of which I'm much more familiar and comfortable. 'Course, the final decision will rest with my friend who will be using it.
Dec 30, 2006 | 3:02 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 2,094
Hmmm... given that there are fewer "Apple retail stores" in Canada than there are in some US neighbourhoods (and also that the closest one is over 2000 miles away) I might have to fall back on a ThinkPad, of which I'm much more familiar and comfortable. 'Course, the final decision will rest with my friend who will be using it.
Dec 30, 2006 | 4:51 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YYZ most of the time
Programs: AC SE100K MM, Princess Elite
Posts: 3,921
Hmmm... given that there are fewer "Apple retail stores" in Canada than there are in some US neighbourhoods (and also that the closest one is over 2000 miles away) I might have to fall back on a ThinkPad, of which I'm much more familiar and comfortable. 'Course, the final decision will rest with my friend who will be using it.
They're opening a new Apple store in Calgary early in the new year. Chinook Mall is the location. I don't have the exact date but they've been advertising for jobs a while now.
Dec 30, 2006 | 5:33 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,871
macs are great. in your situation id go with $1300 macbook. dvd burner etc is easily worth $200 increase over base model imo. the only accessory you might also want to consider is the external camera (isight is being replaced, hopefully soon) because the built in camera isnt as good. (nor can you move the camera around, say when travelling and you want to show off your surroundings. i had a great time with that in Koeln. )
^^
)
Originally Posted by Randy Petersen
As a footnote: The House of Miles is entirely Mac and have been so since we started with a 512e in 1986. The early days of FlyerTalk and to this day, some or all of the servers used for serving flyerTalk have been Apple servers. Yes, we drink the kool aid.
^^
Dec 30, 2006 | 11:46 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Earth (PIT)
Programs: Airline/TSA Avoidance Platinum, Hotel Disloyalty Silver, Hertz 1.7*
Posts: 5,277
Just a friendly piece of advice: in general, Mac people want Macs. If this is a gift for a Mac user, a Thinkpad will go over like a lead balloon. Go to apple.com, get her a Macbook, and call it a day. Trust me on this one. Order the stock 2Ghz for $1299, and your friend will be very happy.
The MacBook is a great choice, and the simple way is indeed just order direct from Apple.com. The US$1299 model has everything necessary. (The base US$1099 model would need to have additional RAM and wouldn't burn DVDs.) Although I have to say, after seeing one, it looks cooler in the more expensive black color to me. The price premium to get black is now a little lower (vs the previous pricing of the earlier model a couple months ago) if you factor in the hard drive upgrade that is also included. The tradeoff is the matte black finish shows lots of fingerprints.
Dec 31, 2006 | 12:35 am
#42
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 812
If you want a basic macbook with no customizations (eg extra memory, etc.), another option is to order from amazon.com. This way, you don't pay sales tax (well, technically you still should ). Depending on where you live, this can be a substantial savings. Plus Amazon usually has rebates available for the macbook (currently $75). They also have printer discounts with the order of a new laptop (though it isn't that well advertised). Shipping is also free and fairly fast--mine arrived ~3 business days after the order was placed (and this was during mid-December, during the holiday rush).
). Depending on where you live, this can be a substantial savings. Plus Amazon usually has rebates available for the macbook (currently $75). They also have printer discounts with the order of a new laptop (though it isn't that well advertised). Shipping is also free and fairly fast--mine arrived ~3 business days after the order was placed (and this was during mid-December, during the holiday rush).
Dec 31, 2006 | 10:58 am
#43
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
Posts: 4,728
Part I:
I treated myself to a new laptop for Christmas 2006. I ordered direct from Apple at the website and got the MacBook Core Duo 2 upgraded to a 120GB HD and 2GB RAM. I love it. I am using bootcamp (free from Apple) and am running Win XP Pro with no problems. I took the plunge and selected the "glossy" over the traditional "matte" screen...and I am pleased as punch. Only disappointment is the battery life. I get about 3.5 hours on a full battery when I am using it normally and making no effort to save power. No big deal though, I just ordered a second battery.
Your FT friend,
-eastwest
I treated myself to a new laptop for Christmas 2006. I ordered direct from Apple at the website and got the MacBook Core Duo 2 upgraded to a 120GB HD and 2GB RAM. I love it. I am using bootcamp (free from Apple) and am running Win XP Pro with no problems. I took the plunge and selected the "glossy" over the traditional "matte" screen...and I am pleased as punch. Only disappointment is the battery life. I get about 3.5 hours on a full battery when I am using it normally and making no effort to save power. No big deal though, I just ordered a second battery.
Your FT friend,
-eastwest
Just one minor note: macbooks only come in the glossy screen. MacBook Pro gives option of glossy and matte.
Happy Holidays to all
Dec 31, 2006 | 12:24 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,871
Jan 1, 2007 | 7:38 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: HOU
Programs: UA 1P, SPG Gold
Posts: 605
Another good web site for Mac-buying is expercom.com. They're the only web site (besides Apple's) that I've found that sells some of the build-to-order options. Free shipping over $1000. Add tax in Utah.