of course it can connect to wireless internet,the AirPort Extreme work perfectly
My suggestion:use that $200 you have on something better
So no APP?
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College Student
- Thread starter dcail07
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So no APP?
Ya, and one of them looks nearly identical to the macbook. It's sad.
And don't sweat the switch. It was a wonderful improvement for me.
Whatever you decide to buy, definitely wait until July or August to buy so you can get the newest; unless you absolutely need a laptop now.
I work at the IT help desk for a university, and we get parents calling us in January and February saying "My child's going to be a freshman in August and we want to buy them a laptop now for college." And I start off by saying basically that's a big mistake. If you're buying this specifically for college, and don't need it now, wait until the summer. Because anything you buy now will be obsolete in August.
Plus, university bookstores tend to have some pretty good sales in the summer. The Apple products themselves aren't neccesarily discounted, but the bundles are amazing. I know a couple years ago, my cousin got an iBook G4 bundle from his bookstore, and for something like $200 more than the edu price of the iBook alone, he got AppleCare, MS Office 2004, a bag, and a bunch of other accessories. AppleCare alone is $200ish. Of course, with your bookstore, YMMV, but it's definitely something to check out.
I work at the IT help desk for a university, and we get parents calling us in January and February saying "My child's going to be a freshman in August and we want to buy them a laptop now for college." And I start off by saying basically that's a big mistake. If you're buying this specifically for college, and don't need it now, wait until the summer. Because anything you buy now will be obsolete in August.
Plus, university bookstores tend to have some pretty good sales in the summer. The Apple products themselves aren't neccesarily discounted, but the bundles are amazing. I know a couple years ago, my cousin got an iBook G4 bundle from his bookstore, and for something like $200 more than the edu price of the iBook alone, he got AppleCare, MS Office 2004, a bag, and a bunch of other accessories. AppleCare alone is $200ish. Of course, with your bookstore, YMMV, but it's definitely something to check out.
I didn't know all this happens. Is this at your university or does it happen at all universities? If it happens everywhere and it starts in July/August, how long does it run for - the entire semester until Christmas?
Now I know that you are most likely to post a thread on how dissastified you are with your computer than how pleased you are with them but this forum is unran with bad stuff about these computers. I don't want to go without a computer for 3 months if mine goes crap. So basically, has anyone had positive experiences with these? And my blackbook 2 GB RAM and 160 GB Hdd is going to be worth the investment?
The schools I've heard about tend to start their sale the last couple of weeks in Spring semester/quarter and they tend to stop them before all the students come back for the Fall. They run theses sale to clear out there stock so they can have current offerings when the students return in the Fall.
Not true.
Try making a document with a custom page size using Office for Windows and open it on a Mac.
You will be very surprised... There are a lot of other little unpredictable quirks as well.
When you said current offering, do you mean revised Macs? It would suck if you showed up right after the sale only to get the same thing without all the big discounts and extra goodies.
The stores usually hold the sales because they have some form of advance notification of what is to come. If you show up after the sales and they are still selling the same thing what's so sucky about it? Just keep waiting. Apple typically releases new hardware after selling the old stock to suckers taking advantage of the "back to school" promos.
It sucks only because I want the discounts and extra goodies, but I want to get it with the latest hardware/software.
I'm lucky that I don't NEED a MBP right now, but I love techs and gadgets so much that I WANT one.
Here's hoping that led screens and flash drives are out by the time I decide to get one (in about 2-3 years).
ok, my bad, but the compatibility has to got to be greater than with Pages or NeoOffice...I've never come across any quirks like that, for what it's worth
I bought a macbook pro for college and I don't regret it at all. I think the macbook would work, but I bought the macbook pro to replace my desktop too. I rarely use the thing. I'm always on my macbook pro. It's so portable for it's size and always works great.
I switched from windows and I took me a whole day to get use Mac OS X (not even). It's so easy to use.
Just remember APPLE + TAB to switch apps, and APPLE + ~ to switch between app windows!
I switched from windows and I took me a whole day to get use Mac OS X (not even). It's so easy to use.
Just remember APPLE + TAB to switch apps, and APPLE + ~ to switch between app windows!
i'm also going off to college in the fall , to Arizona State University, and I will most likely be purchasing a 15" macbook pro. but i am definitely waiting till july or august to buy it. hopefully they come out with a new version before I buy it. i also hope they come out with the 2007 version of office for mac before then. i cant wait
Are you going to get it during the back-to-school sale?i'm also going off to college in the fall , to Arizona State University, and I will most likely be purchasing a 15" macbook pro. but i am definitely waiting till july or august to buy it. hopefully they come out with a new version before I buy it. i also hope they come out with the 2007 version of office for mac before then. i cant wait
not exactly true, if your windows partition is set up to share files with your mac partition, then the virus could pass on your mac partition
You should definitely get the Applecare coverage, even more so when you're talking about a portable that costs in excess of $1000. Laptops are much more tempermental then desktops and that extra $200 will more then pay for itself should anything go wrong. I've had to send my Powerbook G4 in to have the screen replaced and I'm glad I had plunked down for AppleCare. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.
two points to consider...
First, Office - Mac Office is 99% compatable with everything up to Office 2003 - there are a few minor quirks but it mostly works fine. As it stands Office 2007 is *not* compatable but as I understand it the Mac Software division of MS are currently working on a plugins pack to enable Office to read the documents.
Second, Wireless - Check with your college how wireless networking is handled, specifically what encryption is used. The wireless admin in OSX is extremely limited and certain configurations are not possible within the software. Example: Cannot input a WEP key on any index other than 1. I should point out that you're *extremely* unlikely to run afoul of this (I've been using OSX off and on for five years now and run into trouble only once), but I'm a believer in sod's law so would consider it worth checking.
First, Office - Mac Office is 99% compatable with everything up to Office 2003 - there are a few minor quirks but it mostly works fine. As it stands Office 2007 is *not* compatable but as I understand it the Mac Software division of MS are currently working on a plugins pack to enable Office to read the documents.
Second, Wireless - Check with your college how wireless networking is handled, specifically what encryption is used. The wireless admin in OSX is extremely limited and certain configurations are not possible within the software. Example: Cannot input a WEP key on any index other than 1. I should point out that you're *extremely* unlikely to run afoul of this (I've been using OSX off and on for five years now and run into trouble only once), but I'm a believer in sod's law so would consider it worth checking
.Regarding the backlit keyboard of the MBP and how much you'd "need" it:
One thing people in this thread have failed to mention regarding the backlit keyboard on the MBP is that it absolutely rocks when you are in a completely dark environment. Why is it necessary if you can just use the light from the screen though? Because, in a completely dark environment, the MBP's ambient light sensors will detect the lack of light and take the screen's brightness down accordingly. Many times to within 1 bar. This low level of light is necessary so as to not aggravate your eyes. You don't need a 100% bright screen in a completely dark environment. So, in this case, light hitting your keyboard is minimal, as only enough light is provided for you to see the screen well enough. And this is where the backlit keyboard comes in. Anytime I've been in that situation with my MBP, it rocks at providing me enough light from the keys in those times that I need to see a specific key (I can type w/o looking at the keyboard, like most). Hope that helps.
One thing people in this thread have failed to mention regarding the backlit keyboard on the MBP is that it absolutely rocks when you are in a completely dark environment. Why is it necessary if you can just use the light from the screen though? Because, in a completely dark environment, the MBP's ambient light sensors will detect the lack of light and take the screen's brightness down accordingly. Many times to within 1 bar. This low level of light is necessary so as to not aggravate your eyes. You don't need a 100% bright screen in a completely dark environment. So, in this case, light hitting your keyboard is minimal, as only enough light is provided for you to see the screen well enough. And this is where the backlit keyboard comes in. Anytime I've been in that situation with my MBP, it rocks at providing me enough light from the keys in those times that I need to see a specific key (I can type w/o looking at the keyboard, like most). Hope that helps.
I think I'm just gonna go with an ugly Dell laptop(hopefully they get a new look before July). I don't want to have to deal with all the problems with the macs like u guys are saying and having to send it in all the time. I can't afford to not have a computer at college. I really like the blackbooks though. Maybe someone will change my mind?
What problems are you worried about? And I havent had to send my C2D Whitebook in at all for anything.
I've purchased 2 white CD Macbooks, both are running flawlessly. I highly doubt you will have a problem involving you having to send it in. Although it may seem like a bunch, very few people on this board actually have problems with their MacBooks. My brother's Dell laptop's Hard Drive failed one time due to a virus. (according to Dell) He lost every single file. Imagine having that happen at college.
(Yes, Mac's HD can fail too, but I'm just giving you an example because it was due to a virus)Kevin