[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Just ordered a Macbook (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/17/2007 9:15:10 AM EDT
I bought a new 2.16ghz intel core 2 duo, 120GB HDD, 1gb ram, 13.3 inch wide screen display etc etc. Should be here tomorrow, I'm pretty excited, up to this point I've been using a Dell Desktop, Pentium 4, 768mb of ram, Windows XP Pro, and it was getting to be too old and slow to do a lot of the applications I need at school, plus with 4 out of 6 of my classes this semester being mostly group work( ) I really needed a laptop. Does anyone else own a Macbook? Any tips or tricks? This will be my first Mac, and I'm comfortable converting, but I can also install windows as another OS so that's a plus. Anyone have a backpack with a laptop pocket that they use with their Macbook that keeps it safe and secure? I've been looking around trying to find a good one but I don't want one that fits HUGE laptops when this one is so small. |
The only reason I'm concerned with windows is that I have a couple applications like Adobe PS, Premiere and other editing programs on my PC that I need to use and I know Apple some programs that come with the Mac, but I can't buy all new versions of these for Macs right away. |
It's very stable, and allows you to choose your boot partition by holding "Option" when you start up. It'll be the easiest Windows install you ever do. Parallels will create a virtual disk image from which you boot. It's not really it's own partition and you can't run the Windows side alone. The newest version of Parallels will allow you to run Windows from within X from a Bootcamp partition (no disk image), but doing it that way has been pretty buggy from what I've seen. The one machine we tried that on has killed it's Windows partition 3 times in as many weeks mostly by destroying the kernel. The new version also has a feature called Transparency which allows you to run Windows programs from within OS X without obviously running windows. I've got a machine set up with the X dock on the bottom of the screen and a Windows start bar at the top. Parallels takes a lot more system resources though. We're doing a lot with Macbooks too. We've had two with case separations at the lower left hand corner, and 3 or so dead batteries. Two also had screen flickering issues, but all those were from first gen machines. Mac's first gens are historically pretty buggy. No failures from the later gens yet. |
I always thought the 12" Powerbooks were the best size. When I'm on the go it's far easier to lug and much eaiser to use in a crowded location. My 15" Macbook Pro feels like a monster in comparison, and I don't even want to think of how much of a PITA the 17" would be. |
If you want to run them side-by-side with Mac apps, definitely look into Parallels, it's quite nice. The Mac version of PS is just like the Windows version, so there shouldn't be much learning curve when you get it. If you ever get the chance to use Final Cut Pro, or even just Final Cut, you'll never want to touch Premiere again 
|
I LOVE the MacBook screen. It's a perfect portable size, and has a very high PPI. |
Oh I know, I've looked into it, amazing software, Adobe isn't the standard for video editing by far. I don't have the money for Mac PS, I might be able to swing CS elements, do you think that would be just as capable as something like PS 7? I don't think I need the full version I mostly use PS for little things, but the video editing is a different story. |
| I looked at someone else's Macbook with the same size screen and I'm amazed by how big it appears to be. It's a small screen physically, but it's wide and so sharp, plus the glossy screen makes everything stick out, it makes looking at a CRT like watching black and white TV. |
|
He won't be poor for long Places that utilize macs for their business make money Most of the web production, video, photography, & graphic design shops have macs on the front end. Targus & Eagle Creek make some nice book haulers www.targus.com/us/cases_notebook_backpacks.asp www.eaglecreek.com/product/?x=0&y=0&search=laptop |
Photoshop Elements is pretty capable for the typical home-user needs, but if you need some more advanced features, and do a lot of photography/graphic work, PS is the only way to go. Here's a basic comparison: linky By the way, you talk about PS 7, that's a pretty old version, so I bet elements would stack up even more against it. IM sent with an offer. |
all i can say is buy the apple extended warranty(if you plan on keeping it for a long period of time), don't get it from compusa or something like that. if there is a problem apple will do their hippy best to take care of you congrats on your purchase
|
Did they give you guys a second mouse button yet?  I have to admit. I bought a new Ipod Nano the other day and it is sweet. The thing is paper thing yet it plays video with amazing resolution. With an aluminum face plate and stainless steel case its tuff as nails. |
Something even better. On the modern Mac laptops, having two fingers on the touchpad and thumbing the button = right click. One or no fingers and thumbing the button = left click. Dragging with two fingers = scroll. With this system, you can left click, right click, mouse, and scroll, all without moving the position of your fingers/hand. Once you are used to it, it's much, much faster than having a second button. |
 You can easily plug a mouse with as many buttons as you "need" into a Macintosh. They'll all work too. I'm a 4-button mouse guy, but with OS X, I never really needed all of them. 1 sufficed, 2 was fine too. |
You can also buy the Apple Mighty mouse that has left and right click, plus scroll wheel and two other programmable buttons on the side, you can plug any USB two button mouse into a mac and use the second button function. Without loading a driver supposedly... |
Not only that but they last a LONG time. I'm still using my Firewire powerbook 2000 ("Pismo" model) for web surfing and light spreadsheet (ammo and mags) tracking. I did upgrade it to OSX and it's got a G4 processor in it now, but it hums along like it's supposed to. 
|
:) I'm just ribbing you guys. I've been in IT for 12+ years and have only fooled around with MACS a few times. I've been highly tempted to buy a MAC Book or one of those MAC Minis ever since they went with Intel Processors. |
There is also Seashore, which ports the Gimp's basic functions to OS X's native libraries. |
|
Nice to see another one coming over from the dark side. Been using Macs since 1985. I had a MacBook (BlackBook) for a few months and sent it to my youngest on the East Coast. I'm currently using a MacBook Pro 15 running Parallels for work (e-mail mostly, to work with my server-stored files on our Outlook network) and the good side for everything else. I also run a G4 PowerBook 15 and a G4 PowerBook 12. . . . and an iBook and a Titanium PowerBook and two Pismos, and an iMac. Advice: |
Yes the tech support people are good, I talked to some of them today trying to get ahold of customer service because I had canceled my first order and re-ordered it, but it still had a charge on my account and every time someone tried to transfer me, it would go back out to the welcome prompt again. I finally called enough times to get to someone that wouldn't just try transferring me again and actually dialed out for me. |
1) Mac batteries aren't really any different from any other laptop battery. The Dell battery recall of a year or so ago (with the exploding laptops) also affected Apples because they both used the same Sony internal cells. There's a great little freeware app called Battery Health Monitor. It's name is apt. 2) Applecare is a good thing. Stuff can break. The hard drives on Macbooks are easily replaced by anyone with a small phillips screwdriver though.. Big design change from the iBook which needed a fairly intense disassembly to change the HD. The MB is three screws near the battery which release a metal panel. Under that panel is the drive and the two RAM bays. If you ever need to upgrade the RAM, go aftermarket. Apple will rape you for the stuff. I use and recommend Edge Memory for good prices and customer service. |
Right...I'm sure that's what Rush and Bush were thinking when they bought their Macs too 
|
Best laptop I've ever used. I'm forced to used Windows PCs at work, and they're O.K., but I'm really at home on my Mac.
Well I do things like run programs like SPSS (statistical analysis program), SAP (an Enterprise Resource solution), and other business oriented programs. Plus I do some graphic work, t-shirts, posters, stickers, stuff like that. I also intend to do some music recording probably with garage band and small video editing stuff for bands. Is there a website that just has a list of open source mac stuff? I don't need a word processor or anything I have Office 2004 for Mac coming. Basically everything a Mac was built for... |
Here are a few links to Mac software sites: www.apple.com/downloads/ www.pure-mac.com/ www.opensourcemac.org/ www.macupdate.com/ osx.iusethis.com/ www.softpedia.com/reviews/mac/ You can also do some great stuff if you get to know the included iLife suite very well. Here's a link to a blog post I made awhile back about Mac software that I use: linky. |
 He's probably just glad he's using a UNIX-based operating system and not having to worry about viri, malware, and Indian support techs
|
Speaking of Indian Support Techs FINALLY, SOMEONE HAS CLEARED THIS UP FOR ME.... For centuries, Hindu women have worn a spot on their foreheads. We have always naively thought that it had something to do with their religion. The Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has recently revealed the true story: When a Hindu woman gets married, she brings a dowry into the union. On her wedding night, the husband scratches off the spot to see whether he has won a convenience store, a gas station, a donut shop, or a motel in the United States. If not, he must take a job in India answering telephones and giving technical advice. |
Stereotype much? |
|
I ordered a macbook proa few weeks ago and after doing extensive research on a backbacks I chose to go with a bag made by Booq. The bag i got from then is amazing, better then anything else i have seen. You can find there reviews online. They are kinda pricy, but IMO well worth the extra money. http://booqbags.com/ O yeah they are made specifically for mac laptops... |
|
I have Adobe CS fireworks 2007 you can have if your interested, you will have to check to see if the pc version and mac version are they same, as i haver this on my PC. Let me know if you want it. I also have the 2004 apple word processor you can have for free. I got it from a friend since i didnt want to buy the 2004 version for $160 bucks when the 2008 comes out in jan08. -Derek |
HEY now! I've been using Macs solidly since 1995 to create rabid right-wing propoganda! They simply work. Kind of like Glocks. |
| I've had a MACBook Pro Duo2 17" since March. It's been flawless. I travel 4-5 days a week, about a third of the time out of country and it goes with me everywhere. The company I work for requires me to use a Dell laptop for business. The MAC runs rings around the Dell. My previous laptop was a G3 graphite. It ran like a clock for years and never needed repairs of any kind. Virus? What's a virus? Crash? I can't make My MAC crash. Can't be said for the Dell, it's been repaired several times and crashes often. I'm far more productive with the MAC. My wife had one of the first IMAC flat screen models. It never broke down once. She used it for website mgt. and photography but it got so old she needed to upgrade. Friends convinced her to go to the PC. She bought a HP laptop for three months and it was sent back to the factory twice. She got so fed up with it, got rid of it and bought an IMAC 20". It has run flawless from day 1 and she is happy as a lark. |