you're not what I hoped for

[bluelovesorange]

cheapo poll:

Mac or PC?

Situation: I hate my Toshiba. It has become an enemy with a familiar face - things that used to bring me joy now only bring me frustration and 'when is it going to break DOWN again?' and exasperation when dealing with tech support. The times when it's working problem free and when it's not are becoming shorter.

My main use of the computer is to write, surf the internet and download things, but I do use Photoshop from time to time. I am not a gamer.

I am mac curious - I was thisclose to buying an imac when they first came out, but the price then and the Apple Cult Condescension turned me off. Now I'm just wondering about the mac book versus a regular laptop PC.

Comments

Do I smell a computer question?

[postcardjunkie.livejournal.com]

Okay, I know a bit about this because I keep track of these things.
Some things to consider:
1) Macs are pretty and have that cultish cache, so you do pay a premium for them.

2) Apple recently (as in, a year ago this week) announced that it would be switching all of its processors to Intel. That means that it is now very easy to run Windows on a Mac. So the advantage to buying a Mac is that you can run BOTH operating systems if you need it. Rob Pegoraro just reviewed the new MacBook (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/10/AR2006061000137.html?referrer=email) in today's Wash. Post, so DEFINITELY check out that article before making a decision. One thing that does occur to me is that you might be able to find a slightly-used PowerBook for much cheaper from some sheep who just HAD to have the latest MacBook like, RIGHT NOW. But that's pure speculation. Because the MacBook is not cheap.

3) PCs are very cheap. Law school gives me exposure to a wide variety of laptops (since they're pretty much required), and some are pretty slick. Don't get an HP/Compaq. I did, and while I love my computer, I (and everyone I know with one) have had to send it away to get fixed at some point in the last six months. ThinkPads from Lenovo are gold standard, but they can be pricey since they're geared toward business users. Avaratec is surprisingly appealing lately; they're just SO cheap and pretty. You could cheapy from Averatec, get a service plan, and then with saved $100, snag a good-sized external hard drive so if everything dies, you've got your shit backed up.

4) The VISTA issue: this is pretty huge. Actually, this should be #3. Windows Vista will be coming out in early 2007. I know, back when it was known as Longhorn it was supposed to come out in 2004, then they pushed it back to 2006, then they renamed it Vista and pushed it back to Fall 2006, and now they've pushed it to 2007. The beta test version (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/preview.mspx) is now open for public download, so things are almost ready for showtime. So what does this mean for you?

It means that no matter what computer you get, you're looking at Windows XP (or Mac OSX) for now. But it also means that there WILL be a wrench thrown into your works within the year -- meaning within your warranty period -- no matter what. Vista is pretty, and it's different. If you go Windows, you'll want one that supports Vista. The specs are here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx). I've followed it for a while, so mine passes the test (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx). But many of the cheap ones you'll find might not be Vista-ready. Also, their minimum specs are conservative -- you want at least 1GB of RAM, a 64-bit processor, and a ton of HD space (Vista alone takes 40 GB). But a PC capable of Vista will still be cheaper than than a Mac. I got mine a year ago for $1200, but it's under $1K now.

On the other hand, if you don't care if your computer doesn't last and doesn't have tech support past 1 year, then you can get away with buying something that's only good for XP. But one advantage to Vista is that (apparently) it's a helluva lot more secure and stable. Here's hoping. . .

Then, of course, there are the standard considerations, like weight/portability, screen/keyboard size, feel, etc.

At this point, I'm not sure if I covered everything or if there are huge gaping holes, so if you have any other questions, etc.etc.

Ha I knew you'd be the one to offer up lists

[calledinvain.livejournal.com]

:D

And you and Jasmine have the same hive mind. No surprise there. It's not an immediate purchase, as I (fortunately now) purchased a two year warranty/protection plan with Marvin (the bastard PC laptop) on top of Toshiba's one year warranty, so the second warranty just came into effect. But I've already sent away for a brand new battery and now a new ac adaptor as I seem to be having some sort of jack problem/possible just weak connection and Marvin has had its motherboard replaced and battery reset in the time I've owned it (all of these problems happened within months of each other). I'm basically testing the waters for What Happens Next.

I'm already looking out for an external hard drive, I just purchased this seven dollar gadget that is supposed to prevent me from further laptop jack woes, and just biding my time - I completely forgot about the new incarnation of Windows (and yeah, I know apple has something called Bootcamp that will be able to run windows xp) so this definitely factors into what comes after Marvin. I will either wait until Vista is officially unveiled or Apple unveils a new generation of their macbook as some of the problems stated in the article concerned me. Price is becoming less of an issue as I could always get the mac at a school and get reduced rates (and currently the apple store online is offering a free mp3 player/or printer) with a purchase of a computer and at the lowest end, I still paid more for Marvin than I would for a mac book, plus they have installment plans.

I'm seriously considering going into a teaching english abroad program soon, so that's also a potential wrench in the works. But hey, this will be a good thing to keep in the back of my mind for when I really do need to buy a new laptop.

Re: Ha I knew you'd be the one to offer up lists

[postcardjunkie.livejournal.com]

Ha! I didn't even see Jasmine's comment. Well, she is the one who got me reading the Post, so that makes sense.

So it sounds like you're actually in a pretty good position. Now is definitely NOT a good time to buy a new laptop. Apple hasn't worked out the kinks in its new MacBooks (I agree about some of the issues mentioned in the article; that's not cool), and obviously, Vista is on the way. Hold out until Vista is mainstream, if you can.

Teaching English abroad? That sounds cool! Where might you do it? I have a bunch of friends who've done JET, but of course, there are zillions. Depending on where you're going, it might be cheaper (much cheaper) to wait and buy a laptop when you get to wherever you're going. But I'm sure you know that.

Also, you confused the hell out of me by posting under this name. I was like, "who the hell is this person?" And then I figured it out.

Re: Ha I knew you'd be the one to offer up lists

[crushw-eyeliner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, calledinvain is my fandom lj and I had just switched into it when i got your comment. JET seems to be the popular program in my circle too, but I'm looking at either Taiwan/China or Korea (I've been feeling a lot more Asian lately. It's odd.) first.

I have a whole flotilla of money traps to worry about before I even contemplate buying a new electronic plaything (I'm looking into getting a bose soundsystem as I haven't had a stereo in years), and I'm going to comicon in July, so...yeah.

Plus, this entire aggravating job hunt/supplement thing.

I'm glad you're posting more - does this mean things are a bit more stable at the homebase?

Re: Ha I knew you'd be the one to offer up lists

[postcardjunkie.livejournal.com]

That's cool. (The teaching-English-in-Asia thing.)

I shouldn't be posting more, because I'm about to head into finals. Stable. . . what do you mean by that? The city could wash away at any minute, and we're totally contaminated with toxic garbage, and there's still construction going on everywhere, and the political system is still corrupt, and the oil and gas companies are still destroying what little hurricane protection we still have, and the only sea wall our mayor seems to be interested in creating is the overfilled landfills on the east of town (within a dozen or so feet from the levees!), so stable. . . not really the word I'd use. *G*

Re: Ha I knew you'd be the one to offer up lists

[jasminelily.livejournal.com]

Heh, that's so funny that Nora and I linked to the same article. FYI, Apple gives 10% discounts to all students, so after that, you might end up with a negligible price difference.