Just got a brand new iMac today

[mhiero]

I picked up the 17" 1GB iMac w/ a free printer and also bought a 20 in. Dell ultrasharp widescreen monitor for it.

Im going to be using this for LOTS of photoshop work, and I already have a pentab.

what else should I pick up? this is my first time buying a mac. any good books on macs? any periferals?

also, was this a bad time to buy a mac?

 

[nagromme]

Not a bad time--there are new things expected in the next 3 months... but that's always the case The biggest thing that's expected is the new OS X Leopard OS by June or so--but you'll be able to grab that for under US$100 at Amazon most likely, and you don't have to have it.

At some point you may want more RAM--it speeds some things up. And a backup HD sometime when Leopard is out: it will automatically keep you backed up ("Time Machine") if you have a drive connected, and you can go back to older versions of any file you accidentally change or delete.

Welcome, and visit the Help forum with questions--you'll have fun geting to know your Mac!

There are lots of great (even free) apps I could recommend, but it depends what you want to do.

One tip: assign Expose-Show All to the middle (ball) mouse button. Use that to switch apps and windows and you'll never know how you lived without it. To get an app out of the way temporarily, hit Command-H for Hide. OR Option-click some other app/desktop (hides the app you just left).

 

[psycoswimmer]

I got nearly the same setup (with 20" monitor and sans the Dell monitor). Congrats on the new Mac!

 

[mhiero]

Not a bad time--there are new things expected in the next 3 months... but that's always the case The biggest thing that's expected is the new OS X Leopard OS by June or so--but you'll be able to grab that for under US$100 at Amazon most likely, and you don't have to have it.

At some point you may want more RAM--it speeds some things up. And a backup HD sometime when Leopard is out: it will automatically keep you backed up ("Time Machine") if you have a drive connected, and you can go back to older versions of any file you accidentally change or delete.

Welcome, and visit the Help forum with questions--you'll have fun geting to know your Mac!

There are lots of great (even free) apps I could recommend, but it depends what you want to do.

One tip: assign Expose-Show All to the middle (ball) mouse button. Use that to switch apps and windows and you'll never know how you lived without it. To get an app out of the way temporarily, hit Command-H for Hide. OR Option-click some other app/desktop (hides the app you just left).

thanks . I was looking at a 160GB WD MyBook, my uncle has one and it seems really easy to use and user friendly

 

[mhiero]

I got nearly the same setup (with 20" monitor and sans the Dell monitor). Congrats on the new Mac!

thanks! These things are amazing! just setting it up blew me away.

 

[Konradx]

Congrats! Maybe get a tv tuner for your 20"?

 

[mhiero]

Congrats! Maybe get a tv tuner for your 20"?

I was looking at those, which one is the best. is the eyeTV any good? can u record TV w/ it?

 

[kildraik]

Get another gig of RAM. It will help you so much in the long run, trust me, especially if you are doing the kind of wor that you say you will be doing.

 

[nagromme]

I use EyeTV Hybrid (North American)--it can't record digital cable but it's great for free over-the-air TV: both analog and high-def digital. It's really nice, and uses the Apple Remote too (plus has its own if you prefer).