New To PCs, Considering a Laptop.

hmmmm

its not different - laptops and desktops because you use the same operating interface. The difference is in the hardware but as a minimalist user (no games and digital multimedia) you will notice any difference at all.

the portability will amaze you though...


I would suggest a simple laptop to start with. In a few years time you can get a better one when you have more experience with this form of computing.

I would rule out the 5660 and 8887 as these are top of the line and fairly expensive. Some options for you to get a good experience for a decent price :-

1] Apple :http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...3.1.1.0?100,86

2] IBM : http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...goryId=2035724

3] Sager 6160 : http://pctorque.com/6120.php

4] Sager 2720 : http://pctorque.com/2720.php

these are fairly inexpensive and very nice to work with - i've used apple and I have a sager 5660.

Your choice will depend on what apps you want to run and what OS will support these apps. Most apps are common to windows and MacOS but there are some that are incompatible with one of the two...

Please feel free to ask for suggestions and I am sure the peeps on this forums will be happy to help you out. Your needs are important - sometimes you might underestimate your needs and get something cheap but which turns out to be the wrong thing in the long run...

Make the decision slowly with data and facts.

I want you to have a nice mobile experience...

Re: New To PCs, Considering a Laptop.

I would suggest the Apple iBook if you have not really used computers before. If you do not have a vast library of software already purchased, and need something that has a lot of great features out of the box, then you cannot go wrong with the iBook.

Get the second-to-cheapest one (c. $1300) as it has the CD-Burner, and slightly better specs.

It also has some really great and EXTREMELY friendly software (iTunes, iMovie, etc). You will be very happy with this.

I personally am not a Mac user, but if someone is really "starting fresh" in the computer world, I tend to advise Macs. The only down-side is, if you do have troubles (software, hardware, etc.) it is usually hard to find (physically) a computer guru who knows macs. Most do PC's (windows, linux, etc).

Ask the technical people you know (if any) and see if they know macs. Usually the problems are not too severe (usually there are no problems), so do not let this effect your decision much.

-myrkat

tee hee

I put apple far up on top of that list for that very reason. Very easy to use and very nice to handle - they are light, have long battery life, small and if you get it with wireless etc. nothing like it!!

I would recommend the i-book because their service is great and the software is very nice. The MacOS operating system is easy to use (not that windows is hard but it is a lot more complicated).

Make the switch to wintel after your mac experience (though I doubt you will - unless you are into hardcore games and programming)

I would strongly reccomend against mac, if you just want to get online, and post photos, why do you want to overpay for something. I'd reccomend the 2070, or even the 4020 if you want to take digital pictures. They're light, powerful, and affordable. You might even want to consider a used laptop, since your not heavy into computing.

I would strongly suggest against mac also

1.)many design flaws (keyboard presses into the LCD) and so on

2.)compatibility of software (not much out there for mac)

3.)That STUPID one button mouse.....(mumbling) i hate that

I just think it's sweet that a lady finally posted on these forums (not hitting on you; happily married w/ 2 kids).

First girl I've seen on these forums. Unless you're a guy using a fem name.

Good advice; all of the above. Get the Mac ibook. BY FAR the easiest to get used to, all the power/components you'll ever need, and they look *really cute*. Seriously. My sister has one and she loves it.

Point to note

Weigh satisfaction against cost and every time, for a beginner, the mac just cant be beat. It is easy to use and their service is outstanding.

The i-book for under a 1000 $$ is the nicest one out there. Of course you couldnt go wrong with a cheaper Windows based system but I would imagine you'd find that horridly difficult to use.

Always go mac first time - its an experience you will not regret putting yourself through...

I have a Sager (Windows based laptop) but I have used a variety of Macs and will probably get a Mac too in the future to supplement this powerhouse.

they look darn cute too...light, long battery life...

And get the apple - i-pod 5/10/20 GB mp3 player and you'll have plenty of music on the move. Its designed to function perfectly in sync with your mac.

Thats the best combo I can suggest...

Just to straighten things out, it seems a lot of you guys are considering macs as a child's toy. Quite honestly, Mac covers both extremes. The beginner can use it, but the expert can take advantage of it in ways windows users cannot.

If you are new to computers, there are really 2 strong operating systems. Windows-based and UNIX-based. UNIX will give you less trouble with crashing, and Mac OS X is unix-based, and rock-solid.

If you are a beginner, as you have stated, I would definately reccomend a mac. I've been using computers my whole life, and I got very sick of windows. It's easy to get sick of, as it gives a lot of problems. Some people swear by XP, but from experience trying to run 2k, XP, 9x, on a plethora of different machines, you have a pretty good chance of windows acting up, due to IRQs (though that's not as much of a problem now days), drivers, and other problems.

If you want to dive in, and understand how computers work, I'd reccomend Mac OS X, again, because of the UNIX-base. You can click to the Applications menu, the Utilities Menu, and the Terminal to play with unix. There are a lot of good mac utilities which make running unix applications on the mac a breeze with the fink project (http://fink.sourceforge.net)

PCs are really good for gaming, but if you are looking for a less expensive computer, you won't be looking at very much high-end gaming. The macs can keep up with gaming also, though. It's kind of like having a Gamecube, where more games come out on PS2 or XBOX, but Gamecube has a lot of unique gems. Mac does too. For example, there's a fun little game called pop-pop.

Anyways, the call is yours. I know that the iBook is a VERY HIGH QUALITY laptop. It's not the fastest. I just bought a 17" Powerbook for over 3400 dollars, and I feel like I got my money's worth. I'm actually going out to buy an iBook for my sister (she's in Thailand) for her birthday which is coming up really soon, and from what I've seen of them, they are VERY good for beginners, and will give you more than enough to learn on. I have a friend who's a high-end unix user and programmer, and he uses a 500MHz iBook, the slowest of the new ones, and loves it. He's not much of a gamer, though... just the fun little stuff.

Anyways, you can get an iBook for cheap, and I think it would be a good experience. The mac takes care of all of the problems for you. I've never had to do any troubleshooting. The only trouble I have on the mac is jealousy when a good PC-only game comes out... but as I said, I can play enough on here... If I was somehow shut out from the world of PC games I'd be completely content :P.

Until next time.

-Gumpan
The Über Mac Advocate

Oh, also, Myrkat mentioned macs hard to support. I've found quite the opposite. You will likely have a local Apple store. Go there, and there is a "Genius Bar." There are people ready and willing to help you there, free-of-charge. These people are some of the nicest people in the world, and they know macs like the backs of their hands. Check http://www.apple.com/retail for a local one. Every store has the genius bar.

-Gumpan

After re-reading your posts, the mac will be PERFECT for you. The photo uploading is all handles through iPhoto. Check out www.apple.com/iphoto to see how amazingly easy to use it is. I would reccomend a .mac account to post the photos to. It's a breeze.

Macs are also the choice of most creative people. That's why all of the software like Photoshop (this is for editing photos, or just drawing with a really complicated interface :P), SketchUp (a software GEM for CAD-type work.), Vue D'Esprit, Dreamweaver, and many other creative tools are out there. I think as far as music, cd burning, etc goes, you will really like how easy it is to rip your whole cd collection into the compressed mp3 format with itunes. Here'show to do it.

1) Insert ANY cd into the mac.
2) iTunes launches automatically, click the IMPORT button on the upper right.

You're done. You can hear the music as it rips.

That's the simplicity there folks. :P

Man, I sound like a salesman. I wonder if Apple needs translators or asian correspondants :P

-Gumpan

I don't know if this is an issue, but...

Yvonne, almost every industry there is uses Windows-based PCs as the standard. If you want to learn how to use a computer as a job skill, I would definitely recommend staying away from Apple and Mac OS.

If you are (or want to be) a teacher, then definitely take the iBook/Powerbook route; otherwise, an Apple is pretty much a waste of time, occupation-wise.


Brad

Too true

this is true - give it a thought..

Yvonne, almost every industry there is uses Windows-based PCs as the standard. If you want to use your computer as nothing but a tool to get your work done, I would still recommend a mac (I am not a mac user, either).

Put it this way: The MAC is what I would recommend to my mothers (in her late 60's) and feel confident about it.

-myrkat

Most industries just use one program, and most people don't need to know much about windows to use that one program. I think she wants a computer, not a training tool for a future job. I could be wrong though.

Okay Bazoo, I know you know what you're talking about w/ regards to Macs, but it's hard to take you seriously w/ that picture under your name.... What IS that thing?

Hehehe... that's true!
-myrkat

Hee hee

It reminds me of that clown in simpsons

I am just thinking...the person who started this thread hasnt replied even once

Re: Hee hee

I was thinking that same thing! - the one about Yvonne not replying... hehe, we're so bad, we'll continue a thread for anything!

-myrkat

hee hee

I honestly believe Investorguy scared her off with that "First lady on the forums thingy" LOL