I just can’t stand the bestiality act of plugging my iPod Nano on a PC anymore
I'll soon be switching from a viruses infected, family shared desktop PC to a high-end white MacBook, which will be my first Mac, as well as my first laptop.
I've been holding from buying one since last summer, essentially waiting for hardware upgrades and Leopard, but I just can’t stand the bestiality act of plugging my iPod Nano on a PC anymore.
Next year, I’m leaving home to do a Bachelor’s degree in French literatures. Accordingly, I’ll use my Mac for school (to take notes, to write papers and to perform researches) and for leisure (to write, as I want to be a writer, to listen to music and DVDs, to make my own music and some graphical art, and maybe to write a blog). I also will use it as an alarm clock, a cookbook, etc.
To complement my MacBook, I might buy a Mighty Mouse, a set of 2.1 speakers, a discreet case, a universal dock for my iPod, iWork ’08, Antidote and Adobe CS3.
So that's basically it!
(Edit : This should definitively be in Current Hardware, not Future Hardware!)
I've been holding from buying one since last summer, essentially waiting for hardware upgrades and Leopard, but I just can’t stand the bestiality act of plugging my iPod Nano on a PC anymore.
Next year, I’m leaving home to do a Bachelor’s degree in French literatures. Accordingly, I’ll use my Mac for school (to take notes, to write papers and to perform researches) and for leisure (to write, as I want to be a writer, to listen to music and DVDs, to make my own music and some graphical art, and maybe to write a blog). I also will use it as an alarm clock, a cookbook, etc.
To complement my MacBook, I might buy a Mighty Mouse, a set of 2.1 speakers, a discreet case, a universal dock for my iPod, iWork ’08, Antidote and Adobe CS3.
So that's basically it!
- Is there anything I should know before I switch?
- Is it utterly stupid to buy my MacBook before Leopard comes out in October?
- I could afford a MacBook Pro, but my money is best invested on accessories and software, right?
(Edit : This should definitively be in Current Hardware, not Future Hardware!)
Comments
All new Macs now come WITH iWork 08 Free so you will save that money, and can spend it on Leopard when it comes out, although I would personally wait a month or so after it comes out, check what users are saying about it and then make the decision whether to buy or not
really? Since when? Apple usually includes the latest iLife but only an iWork trial...
As for iWork '08 being included for free on all new Macs, we're either talking about iLife '08, or wrong :P
I'm back to school in half a month, just not to university yet, so I'll be using my MacBook really soon.
So you're in the same boat I'm in. I'm going back to UVA in a week and a half, and my iBook won't last the year. Unlike you, I'm looking at the low-end Macbook because I already have a Mac Pro.
I would bet on the Macbooks getting some sort of a boost to the Santa Rosa platform before Thanksgiving. They would then get another bump in April or May. Whether you can go a semester to wait is up to you. I'm sorely tempted to try to hold out, but I probably won't.
One advantage to waiting until next year in your case would be the educational discount (assuming you're in the US). It's $100 on MacBooks, I think. I'm getting the low-end Macbook for $999 with it. You can use the educational discount once you've been admitted to and selected a university.
One advantage to waiting until next year in your case would be the educational discount (assuming you're in the US). It's $100 on MacBooks, I think. I'm getting the low-end Macbook for $999 with it. You can use the educational discount once you've been admitted to and selected a university.
Apple gave me the Edu discount, no questions asked (aside from me selecting the college I go to).
My haterism aside... congrats on making the leap! Once you go Mac, you never go back! For 2.1 speakers, i have a set of Bose Companion 3. They are not cheap, but it sounds like money is no object since you're picking up a copy of CS3. I love the sound they produce, and they look great next to my tiPBG4 (my wife has a Macbook pro from her job, so i unfortunately cant justify a new iMac at this time).
Speaking of CS3, you may wish to consider a Macbook Pro for this alone. I only use Illustrator 12 (CS2), but from what I have heard, when you are retouching photos for example, and you get into multiple layers, the system starts to choke a bit if you only have say 1GB of ram. At least consider upgrading to 2GB and getting the 2.16 GHz processor. My mantra is 'Go big or go home', so I would definitely suggest springing for the Macbook Pro, and maybe scale down the apps. Do you really need all of CS3?
Any mac will keep you happy for years to come. my tiPBG is approaching 4 years old and still looks like she's only 2!
I currently use Photoshop on my PC, and I would like to use InDesign, but I probably don’t need Adobe CS3 at all. I certainly won’t buy a MacBook Pro only to get these apps to work faster, and I’m more than open to open source alternatives.
I'm already taking the 2,16 GHz MacBook with one extra GB of RAM, and I know I will definitively not switch from literatures to economics, or anything else, for that mater.
I currently use Photoshop on my PC, and I would like to use InDesign, but I probably don?t need Adobe CS3 at all. I certainly won?t buy a MacBook Pro only to get these apps to work faster, and I?m more than open to open source alternatives.
Just wondering if you have ever used a Mac before? The reason I ask is this: the Mac OS is really good, but it is also really different from Windows. There are so many things that don't work the same you should be prepared to spend some quality time learning the OS. Mac friends are always good for help and even the free classes at an Apple store are helpful. I've learned over the years to be careful about recommending people switch to Mac if they are long time PC users. You seem young and smart and shouldn't have much trouble - it's the old coots like me that have problems. We not me exactly since I have used Macs since 1984, but you know what I mean.
Have fun - Macs are a blast!
I'm already taking the 2,16 GHz MacBook with one extra GB of RAM, and I know I will definitively not switch from literatures to economics, or anything else, for that mater.
I currently use Photoshop on my PC, and I would like to use InDesign, but I probably don?t need Adobe CS3 at all. I certainly won?t buy a MacBook Pro only to get these apps to work faster, and I?m more than open to open source alternatives.
Good idea on the Macbook upgrade. Sounds like you've got it all figured out. Good luck with your schooling!