Mac newbie seeking some advice
Hello all,
I will be graduating from college in the very near future and have decided to replace my dying Gateway PC with a brand new Mac. While I fell in love with the overall Mac design years ago and have been casually using school macs here and there, I really don't know much about them. So hopefully I can get some feedback here.
-Where is the best place to buy a Mac online? I'm assuming the store on Apple's website, but I don't want to assume anything. I could try driving to a store, but I don't live extremely close to any of them ( also the only one I've ever seen before was in Osaka [which has an amazing apple store btw]). Also, I don't know the prices of the other stores, but I do know I get about $150 dollars off if I buy it before I graduate, so I'm taking that into consideration as well.
-I'm a little bit unsure of what exactly the difference between a iMac and a Mac Pro is. Looking through the Mac Pro page, it seems tailored more to people in certain industries who would be using it for hardcore photoshopping and 3d drawing/modeling. Looking through an iMac... i'm not really sure what it is. Is it just a normal PC with a regular tower? I'm sure it's a very stupid question, but I never saw any of the pictures on Apple's site with a tower/case. I'm just curious for space concerns. A laptop is also a possibility, but I can't see myself going with any less than a MacBook Pro and as far as I know, I won't need it for my job when I graduate.
-Are there any third party mice that have two buttons on them? I know there is the apple button+click for a double click, but it's just what I'm used to.
-My one good friend, who's an IT grad, pretty much always tries to talk me out of buying any apple product as soon as it comes up in any conversation. He mentioned reading an article about Leopard's security and how the security isn't that good. At first I thought he was just BS'ing me, but later a google search did show the article in question. How serious of an issue is this really? As far as windows goes, you can always just download a new software firewall. Are Macs the same way and if not, does apple have a good time record in fixing serious issues like this?
-After customizing my mac and looking through the different options, I saw iLife/iWork. Is it worth the extra money? I read the reviews and it seemed to get rave reviews... as long as you don't need to write any scientific equations and such, which I do not. Is it worth getting? I have Open Office on my Windows PC and it seems to run alright. I'm pretty sure that works on Macs too, but I could be wrong.
-I would like to get a nice model of a Mac so I wouldn't mind keeping it in good care, however I'm guessing if anything was really wrong with it, it would appear before the original warranty expires. Is the extended warranty worth it?
-Any other suggestions/things I need to consider?
Thanks for reading this wall of text.
I will be graduating from college in the very near future and have decided to replace my dying Gateway PC with a brand new Mac. While I fell in love with the overall Mac design years ago and have been casually using school macs here and there, I really don't know much about them. So hopefully I can get some feedback here.
-Where is the best place to buy a Mac online? I'm assuming the store on Apple's website, but I don't want to assume anything. I could try driving to a store, but I don't live extremely close to any of them ( also the only one I've ever seen before was in Osaka [which has an amazing apple store btw]). Also, I don't know the prices of the other stores, but I do know I get about $150 dollars off if I buy it before I graduate, so I'm taking that into consideration as well.
-I'm a little bit unsure of what exactly the difference between a iMac and a Mac Pro is. Looking through the Mac Pro page, it seems tailored more to people in certain industries who would be using it for hardcore photoshopping and 3d drawing/modeling. Looking through an iMac... i'm not really sure what it is. Is it just a normal PC with a regular tower? I'm sure it's a very stupid question, but I never saw any of the pictures on Apple's site with a tower/case. I'm just curious for space concerns. A laptop is also a possibility, but I can't see myself going with any less than a MacBook Pro and as far as I know, I won't need it for my job when I graduate.
-Are there any third party mice that have two buttons on them? I know there is the apple button+click for a double click, but it's just what I'm used to.
-My one good friend, who's an IT grad, pretty much always tries to talk me out of buying any apple product as soon as it comes up in any conversation. He mentioned reading an article about Leopard's security and how the security isn't that good. At first I thought he was just BS'ing me, but later a google search did show the article in question. How serious of an issue is this really? As far as windows goes, you can always just download a new software firewall. Are Macs the same way and if not, does apple have a good time record in fixing serious issues like this?
-After customizing my mac and looking through the different options, I saw iLife/iWork. Is it worth the extra money? I read the reviews and it seemed to get rave reviews... as long as you don't need to write any scientific equations and such, which I do not. Is it worth getting? I have Open Office on my Windows PC and it seems to run alright. I'm pretty sure that works on Macs too, but I could be wrong.
-I would like to get a nice model of a Mac so I wouldn't mind keeping it in good care, however I'm guessing if anything was really wrong with it, it would appear before the original warranty expires. Is the extended warranty worth it?
-Any other suggestions/things I need to consider?
Thanks for reading this wall of text.
Comments
Mac Pro is a tower ... it's the most powerful thing they sell.
iMac... the computer is behind/inside the screen... not upgradeable, but a fantastic computer. (there is no tower... it's ALL in the display.)
The Apple mouse IS a multi-button mouse... it just doesn't LOOK like it. But any USB mouse/trackball/tablet/etc will work.
OSX is arguably WAY more secure than Windows. ANY OS can be left wide open, just as any OS can be locked down... the settings are easily seen/adjusted to make OSX as secure as your little heart desires. (Apple tends to be pretty quick about fixing security bugs... other bugs, maybe not so quick.)
iLife and iWork... i think they are great... they are just very intuitive and integrated with the Mac. You can also get MS Office on the Mac, I think Open Office as well.
The standard warranty is one year. The extended warranty... well that's a matter of opinion and can be a hot topic with regard to ANY system.
other suggestions?... Thinking back to my life immediately following college, I'd think that a laptop would be the way to go for you. But if you already know you want a desktop, the iMac ought to suit you just fine.
-Where is the best place to buy a Mac online? I'm assuming the store on Apple's website, but I don't want to assume anything. I could try driving to a store, but I don't live extremely close to any of them ( also the only one I've ever seen before was in Osaka [which has an amazing apple store btw]). Also, I don't know the prices of the other stores, but I do know I get about $150 dollars off if I buy it before I graduate, so I'm taking that into consideration as well.
-I'm a little bit unsure of what exactly the difference between a iMac and a Mac Pro is. Looking through the Mac Pro page, it seems tailored more to people in certain industries who would be using it for hardcore photoshopping and 3d drawing/modeling. Looking through an iMac... i'm not really sure what it is. Is it just a normal PC with a regular tower? I'm sure it's a very stupid question, but I never saw any of the pictures on Apple's site with a tower/case. I'm just curious for space concerns. A laptop is also a possibility, but I can't see myself going with any less than a MacBook Pro and as far as I know, I won't need it for my job when I graduate.
-Are there any third party mice that have two buttons on them? I know there is the apple button+click for a double click, but it's just what I'm used to.
-My one good friend, who's an IT grad, pretty much always tries to talk me out of buying any apple product as soon as it comes up in any conversation. He mentioned reading an article about Leopard's security and how the security isn't that good. At first I thought he was just BS'ing me, but later a google search did show the article in question. How serious of an issue is this really? As far as windows goes, you can always just download a new software firewall. Are Macs the same way and if not, does apple have a good time record in fixing serious issues like this?
-After customizing my mac and looking through the different options, I saw iLife/iWork. Is it worth the extra money? I read the reviews and it seemed to get rave reviews... as long as you don't need to write any scientific equations and such, which I do not. Is it worth getting? I have Open Office on my Windows PC and it seems to run alright. I'm pretty sure that works on Macs too, but I could be wrong.
-I would like to get a nice model of a Mac so I wouldn't mind keeping it in good care, however I'm guessing if anything was really wrong with it, it would appear before the original warranty expires. Is the extended warranty worth it?
-Any other suggestions/things I need to consider?
Thanks for reading this wall of text.
Anata wa Nihon jin desu ka? Your English is very good.
1. $150 discount is good. I doubt that you could find a better one. Is there an Apple store on campus? Is that where you found the $150 discount? Is there a sales tax in Japan?
If you buy on line there will be shipping charges. You have to take these factors in to account to know the best buy.
2. The iMac is good for the average user up to the semi-pro. The Mac Pro is for heavy hitters. It would be difficult to advise you unless we knew what you were going to use it for. Don't feel any question is stupid. The only question that is stupid is the one you DON"T ask. Everyone has to start somewhere.
3. A mouse is a personal preference. I have used Apple mice and liked them, but my favorite is Logitech Revolution laptop mouse. It fits my hand and I like the bunch of functions it has. If you have large hands, you might find the larger mouse to your liking.
Try to find a computer store near you and check out the mice there.
4. I was a PC user for twenty-some years before moving to a Mac. I would never go back.
I still have a couple of PC's and I use one at work. I prefer the Mac.
5. As for security, the Mac is far better than the PC. Sometimes, a new OS iteration has some bugs in it, but that's usually corrected by updates. The new iMac had a couple of problems, but I assume that Apple is on top of them. Apple has a built-in firewall that you can initiate, but I don't use it and I know of other Mac users that don't use it. Macs are not impervious to hackers, but are many times safer than PC's.
6. iLife comes free with a new Mac. iWork costs around $80 and therefore cheaper than MS Office. In addition to MS, I use Neo-Office which, like Open Office, is okay.
7. If you do not use applications that require 'heavy hauling', you probably will find the iMac your best bet.
8. An extended warranty will give you piece of mind for 3 years. Anything that goes wrong or if you need to ask questions of Apple, you'll be protected. Since the iMac is new and therefore may not have the 'wrinkles' ironed out - personally - I would buy the extended warranty.
Don't rely solely on my answers. You'll probably be getting answers from other AppleInsider members - they are knowledgeable and experienced. Some are a little argumentative, but don't let that bother you. You've come to the right place for answers to your questions.
Anata wa Nihon jin desu ka?
2. The iMac is good for the average user up to the semi-pro. The Mac Pro is for heavy hitters. It would be difficult to advise you unless we knew what you were going to use it for. Don't feel any question is stupid. The only question that is stupid is the one you DON"T ask. Everyone has to start somewhere.
5. As for security, the Mac is far better than the PC. Sometimes, a new OS iteration has some bugs in it, but that's usually corrected by updates. The new iMac had a couple of problems, but I assume that Apple is on top of them. Apple has a built-in firewall that you can initiate, but I don't use it and I know of other Mac users that don't use it. Macs are not impervious to hackers, but are many times safer than PC's.
6. iLife comes free with a new Mac. iWork costs around $80 and therefore cheaper than MS Office. In addition to MS, I use Neo-Office which, like Open Office, is okay.
7. If you do not use applications that require 'heavy hauling', you probably will find the iMac your best bet.
8. An extended warranty will give you piece of mind for 3 years. Anything that goes wrong or if you need to ask questions of Apple, you'll be protected. Since the iMac is new and therefore may not have the 'wrinkles' ironed out - personally - I would buy the extended warranty.
Don't rely solely on my answers. You'll probably be getting answers from other AppleInsider members - they are knowledgeable and experienced. Some are a little argumentative, but don't let that bother you. You've come to the right place for answers to your questions.
日本人じゃないんです。 大阪の会社の時に友達と休みをしていました。
Thank you for the replies. I'll be mainly using the iMac to surf the internet, do some photoshopping (limited), and maybe playing a computer game or two (not often).
is iWork worth the extra cash over Open Office, or is it a preference thing?
The extended warranty seems worth it to me, I don't know. I enjoy the peace of mind of being covered personally.
other suggestions?... Thinking back to my life immediately following college, I'd think that a laptop would be the way to go for you. But if you already know you want a desktop, the iMac ought to suit you just fine.
I'm still considering a laptop perhaps (or maybe in addition too
Thanks.
Wait until your warranty is about up before extending it. You might destroy the pc, have it stolen, etc, where the extra warranty won't help you. It'd just be money wasted. Buy it about a month before the year is up.
Buy the warranty from someone on eBay. It's cheaper.
Do NOT upgrade the ram at Apple. Get it at macsales.com. I just put 4GB in my new iMac for about $160 compared to $850 from Apple. Then, you'd still have the original ram that was shipped with it to sell on eBay.
Buying the Mac online, from a third party, could save you sales tax, but you might not be able use your college discount.
Enjoy your new Mac!!!
I think all the posts above covered everything else. Don't forget what KingOfSomewhereHot said about the default mouse (mighty mouse) - it's a mutlibutton even though it doesn't look like it.
日本人じゃないんです。 大阪の会社の時に友達と休みをしていました。
Sorry, I can't read Japanese glyphs. Please repeat using Western letters. Watashi Gaijin desu.
Check out OtherWorldComputing for memory. I've found they are about the least expensive so far.
http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgr...=Show+Upgrades
4.0GB (2GB + 2GB Module Set) Upgrade kit with Micron devices for all Apple 'Core 2 Duo' 2.2GHz, 2.4GHz, Core ... more
Brand: Other World Computing
OWC Item # OWC53IM2DDR4GBK
\t\t$125.00
Also, when buying an iMac, factor in shipping charges, if any, along with sales tax, if any.
Sometimes, buying direct from Apple, even with student discount, can cost more because of sales tax and shipping charges. Some Apple vendors don't charge sales tax because they don't don't have stores in your area. And some vendors at times do not charge for shipping. Check out some of the vendors like MacMall, MacConnection, OtherWorldComputing, Amazon, and NewEgg. Use Mac Prices - www.pcprices.net to get current prices.
When you decide exactly what you want, compare Apple (w/student discount) prices including tax & shipping with the other vendors.
Wait until your warranty is about up before extending it. You might destroy the pc, have it stolen, etc, where the extra warranty won't help you. It'd just be money wasted. Buy it about a month before the year is up.
Buy the warranty from someone on eBay. It's cheaper.
I had no idea that you could do that. I thought you had to buy it the day you purchased it. I will definitely be taking your advice into consideration.
Do NOT upgrade the ram at Apple. Get it at macsales.com. I just put 4GB in my new iMac for about $160 compared to $850 from Apple. Then, you'd still have the original ram that was shipped with it to sell on eBay.
Buying the Mac online, from a third party, could save you sales tax, but you might not be able use your college discount.
My college discount will nullify sales tax and then some, but if I can find a deal $100 dollars more on another site, it's probably more worth it to go through that site.
I thought you couldn't upgrade iMacs, well that's good to know then. I'll probably be looking to put 2 gigs in it. I'm looking through that site as we speak, Thanks!
Enjoy your new Mac!!!
Honestly... tonight.. I wanted to take my windows pc outside and smash it, Office Space style. I am beginning to remember why I kept all my gaming on consoles for so many years...
I would highly recommend iWork '08. The $80 is worth it just for Pages '08 alone. It's an amazing Word Processing program. However if you don't need a Word Processing program, a Powerpoint-like program (much better) or an Excel-like program there is no need for iWork '08.
I think all the posts above covered everything else. Don't forget what KingOfSomewhereHot said about the default mouse (mighty mouse) - it's a mutlibutton even though it doesn't look like it.
iWork definitely is sounding more worth it looking at the reviews of it. I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of work with excel spreadsheets and word documents, so it's looking worth it to me.
Also thanks for pointing out the mighty mouse tidbit. I actually missed it when I first read his post. I read apples take on the mighty mouse on their site and it sounds nice, but I'm not really sure how it's multi button other than the button underneath and on the side. I could be missing something though (afterall, I don't own one yet).
Sorry, I can't read Japanese glyphs. Please repeat using Western letters. Watashi Gaijin desu.
It said, I'm not Japanese. I saw it (apple building in osaka) when I was traveling in Japan with my friend back in the summer of 2004" (man that's so long ago, doesn't feel it though...)
I found out that there is an Apple store in my state, so there will definitely be sales tax from the site. Someday I might make a trip there, but I hate driving in the city.