New To PCs, Considering a Laptop. - Page 2

Actually, those two smiles don't go too well together.

Lol

Nah they dont....

Now after seeing that I dont expect her to ever return

So at what point does this thread get moved to off topic?


-myrkat

hee hee

Yes - The off topic sections is beginning to OWN!!!

It's simply a generic Thai Boy thing. You can see them all over the internet. Bah!

yvonne is gone :)

I think she was done in by our overwhelming responst lol

BazooDJG : The thai thing is very common. A lot of people use anime faces but even these cherubic clowns are fairly common...

Well, the simplest method (and also the slowest) is via a standard phone line connected to a modem (built-in to the laptop). This is the familiar, "pick-up, dial-tone/connect noises" then voila, you are connected to your ISP (such as AOL, MSN, Earthlink, etc).

Connecting Wirelessly is a bit more complicated and involves setting up a network at your house. You can still set one up to dial a modem, but instead of using the modem inside the laptop, it would be on the Router/Hub (there are not very many that do this, usually they are special-ordered online). Then, when you want to connect, the router/hub will make the call and connect to your ISP.

Connecting via a modem is limited to 56Kbps - basically means a decent photo will take a minute or two to transfer (upload/download). VERY time consuming if you have several photos.

Alternately, and more popular, is to connect a "Broadband" service such as DSL or Cablemodem to a router/hub, and since this connection is "always on" you are typically connected once you boot up your computer.

I am not sure how technical you want me to be, but suffice it to say, if you are not comfortable with computers (in general) then setting up a wireless (or "WiFi") home network is not something I'd recommend you do. If you know a computer geek (like a family member or neighbor) they can probably set you up.

Oh, speeds for DSL/Cable can vary, but they are usually MUCH faster than modems... for instance I have a 1.5Mbps connection that allows me to transfer LOTS of pictures within a minute or so. Plus surfing the web is much more enjoyable on a high-speed connection (if it is available in your area - again, ask that family/neighbor geek).

-myrkat

Easiest thing to do...

in steps :-

1] Buy the computer you choose
2] Call the local broadband service provider and fix an appointment - they charge around $30.00 per month for this service - it is very fast and you are never disconnected - no more phone lines chat with your friends while you surf the web...

3] They will come and do the full installation for you - connect the cable, enable the service and connect the cable modem to the cable and then plug in the computer to the modem (sheesh!!)

4] Have fun

Have a look at the macs - they are by far easier to live with. You can get a very nice i-pod for taking your mp3's with you.

Keep us posted on your decisions.

Hey Bazoo,

You have the new 17" PowerBook?!

How do you find the 1400x900 resolution on a 17" screen?

heh, back to the mac vs pc debate.

Good to see you back Bazoo.

I think if you're going to be doing simple stuff, either a mac or pc would be fine. A mac is much more a beginner's tool than a PC is, and the only thing that PCs have over macs is that they have loads of software for it.

Since yvonne obviously doesn't NEED all those loads of software, the Mac MAY just be the way to go.

Macs are VERY user-friendly, just that windows people are not accustomed to it when they have to first use it, so they get a bit frustrated. Perhaps that is there the rage comes from =P

The macs also have a lot of mac-only software. For example, there's a program I love called MAX which allows for a unique programming environment for quick programming. I think if pictures are yvonne's primary concern, macs are best equipped for the job. Also, if she chooses to get wireless internet, apple did a very good job with their Airport and Airport extreme products (see www.apple.com/airport) as they were the first to build-in 802.11g access.

the 17" feels very nice and roomy. I like the resolution a lot. It provides more than enough room (it feels like more room than 1600x1200) yet also a nice wide view. It's an excellent machine.

I'm just getting into video editing, myself, and am using Final Cut Pro, or iMovie, depending on what it calls for. I really think macs are the way to go for digital media, which is appearantly what Yvonne is after.

Until Next time.
-Gumpan

I have to agree with Bazoo. I know a lot of people are die-hard PC lovers, but in all fairness, a Mac is hard to beat. For me, I'm planning on a media-based career (hopefully something involving sound). And for the past couple months I've been ripping my hair out trying to decide what I should do and where I should go as far as a computer is concerned. By now, I'm pretty much set on a Mac for many reasons.

1) It's stable. MacOSX is extremely stable, the university I attend uses all Macs in their New Media program, and ones with the new OSX never crash.

2) Programs for PC are going Mac quickly. For me, this is something I was concerned about as a PC user. But now great programs (especially media based ones) are coming out for Mac. And some are coming out for Mac-Only now. Logic is one example. ProTools is also coming out for OSX (which I really hope on playing with). Also, there are some kick-ass games out for Mac - such as Warcraft III, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Quake III (which mac.com reports you can use the pc version you buy and use it on their systems), etc.

3) They're great for experts. I know people disagree, but I see a lot of professionals use Mac's for media-based projects as well as business ones and trust them with their life.

4) Where else am I going to find a keyboard that glows in the dark?

Btw - I know I don't post much on here, but I've been reading these forums for a while, and figured I ought to include my two cents on the whole mac issue.

Nice to have someone else on my side. Something about OSX people will understand, on the high-level use, is that it's unix-based, and how much it REALLY CAN DO.

If you know enough about how UNIX works, you can take pretty much any X-based C++-written sourcecode, and compile it to run on OSX with XFree (which apple actually provides native support for with OSX. Apple actually has XF86 which runs on top of OSX seemlessly.)

Another really important thing about macs is the web browser. Safari outperforms IE and Mozilla, and retains compatability with nearly every web site. It's the only browser I trust and love. Please see www.apple.com/safari

Anyone who is interested in OSX, check out this video.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/powerofx03/

-Gumpan

I read something today, which apparently is old news (at least a year old) that mac may be switching to intel processors. Specifically, most likely will be Itanium. Guess they like those 64 bit registers.

No, they're going to be using IBM's powerpc technology. It was rumored that Apple has a version of OSX in the works for the x86 processors, but Apple would never leave PowerPC. There are far too many trusted applications developed for the platform. Apple's next chip will be the IBM 970 chip, which is a desktop variation of the Power4.

Bazoo, I do have one question about Macs however. I'm just starting to catch on to OSX, and I like what I see. But now I've been comparing the Sager 5670 and the 17" Powerbook, and I'm having a tough time deciding what I should go for. I do want to do video and sound editing, but at the same time I'd like to do other things with it besides that. Could you elaborate why you would choose a Powerbook over a 5570 (besides the video/sound and scipt editing features)?

Certainly. That's what I'm here for.

I had an 8887, I don't know if you knew that.

Anyways, here are some reasons I chose the powerbook over the 5670, or the 8887 (I am a seasoned veteran of Windows, and various UNIX flavors, along with OSX)

1) UNIX. Mac OS X is UNIX-based. I cannot state how great this is. Often times, there are software which are available and open-source, which are worth your time. It's not hard to port applications from UNIX to OSX. It usually requires you to type ./configure, make, and then sudo make install. Not hard.

2) Gaming is decent. If you feel like sitting back and playing a game, the Mac has a fair assortment of games. PCs have more games, and play some games better, but the powerbook with the GeForce 440 Go outperformed the Sager with the M9 128MB in Quake3. Take that as you want. The mac has a large quantity of available games. Check out www.macgamer.com and www.apple.com/games

3) The screen is gorgeous. Though the viewing angles aren't as good as the 5670, there's a certain clarity you get with the mac, which is unparallelled by anything. Images just look right. Apple's colorsync also helps with all this.

4) Asthetics. The aesthetics of the 5670 aren't quite on par with the asthetics of the powerbook. You can use the powerbook on your lap. The 5670 requires a hard service for the fans to work properly.

5) iTunes. If you do ANY music on your computer. Not just editing, but listening. iTunes is a MUST. If you set up and use iTunes as your music player, you will most certainly NOT be disappointed. It handles every language I've thrown at it (I speak over 15 languages, and listen to music in about 7 or 8 languages. Thai, Korean, Japanese, English, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi.) It is great for ripping, mixing, burning, listening, and using. It's hard to explain its greatness.

6) Portability. The sager isn't a laptop. It's a condensed, portable desktop. While some people find this a plus, it's always very nice to be able to use the computer on your lap, or in the car, without some sort of special tray.

7) Mac-Only software. Final Cut Pro: Best video editing app. Logic: Best Music App (some think Reason is, others think Reaktor is... they're all around on the Mac. Hey, so is Protools, but most audiofiles aren't into protools.) DVD Studio Pro: Awesome. Shake, again awesome. Then the iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, iSync, and all the iApps are pure brilliance. Not to mention the things you can do with UNIX that windows users cannot.

8) DVD Burner. Though the sager has this as an option, there is not a large quantity of good dvd-burning software for windows. Macs treat DVD burning really well. Check out Toast, DVD Studio Pro, and hey, you can burn DVDs from the Finder with no problem.

9) Tomorrow. A new mac OS comes out every year. Mac OS X 10.3, Panther, will be out in August, most likely. It will feature things we can only dream of. For example, rumors indicate it will have a BeOS-like filesystem, which is superior to Windows's filesystem in Longhorn.

10) Durability. I don't know how durable the 5660 is, but I dropped this powerbook from about 5 feet in the air onto a brick fireplace by accident. Not a scratch. Not a dent. Nothing. I was hideously worried I would have broken something, but the laptop is still fine.

I hope this list has helped you. The sagers are awesome too (as long as yours isn't defective, as mine unfortunately was, so I'm a tidbit biased.) But the mac has the advantage for the creative person. I think David Coursey said "If you have even one creative bone in your body, the mac will appeal to you." I full-heartedly agree. PC's tend to be for mainstream things, but I don't think people are mainstream... Everyone's unique, and macs are unique.

Good luck in making the right choice. Both apple and sager have return policies... so you'll be OK.

-Gumpan

Thanks Bazoo, I think you just sealed the deal for me I put my name down for one on an order of the new 17" Powerbooks at my University where I can get the 3 year warranty for no charge and still pay less than the sticker price I'm a little beyond excited, and it's driving me even more crazy because I'm going to have to wait a couple more weeks to see it. Oh well... Hopefully in the mean time I'll be able to find a decent looking bag that can hold this thing. Thanks again for the great post.

I tried to game on the Powerbook with WAY too many problems to make it worth it for being a serious gamer. I was suprised to find the UXGA LCD on the 5660 had a wider angle view and better look than the Powerbook. Also I was suprised to find the Powerbook seems to run even hotter than the Sager with the 3.06GHZ CPU.

We've been selling a lot of these systems to X-Mac users for their video editing capibilities (DVD burning, much higher processing power). All I've talked to have been extremely satisfied.

I realize Bazoo is here to promote Apple it seems any more, but what is being said isn't even close to popular opinion from the feedback I'm getting. Feedback from Mac users and myself being around Mac. Even our programmer Ratha that just bought a Powerbook is putting it to the side for Sager after having been around both often. Bazoo's 8887 he bought from one of the resellers had problems, not to mention the reseller sent him the wrong brand laptop at first, so it was a bad experience.