Complete newbie lookin for a Mac
- Thread starter gnubie
- Start date
KrinkleCut
crispy subgenius
I can't be the only one who thinks the 17" PBs are just kinda dumb, (and the 12" PB - see above) can I? I mean, sure the screen is big, but isn't it kinda large. And I'm not talking about weight or mass, but area. A panel of sheet rock isn't thick, but it's still a pain in the ass to carry. I have a 15" TiBook, so I'm used to carrying that, but I couldn't imagine wanting it to be larger.
As far as the 17" lasting longer, I have to disagree. IF airport and on-board bluetooth are mission critical, then maybe the 17" is the way to go - go ahead and sell a kidney for it. But, honestly, how many really NEED these features? I don't. I can't afford to implement new standards as quickly as they implement them. Even old 802.11b airport seems kind of indulgent to me.
Hmmmm....interesting.....
I belong to another forum 4 M$ Windblows and I don't get responses back like this! I don't want to bash people, but the people over in that forum don't seem to know squat. You people seem to be well versed in the Mac world which is cool =).
I havta agree that the 17" is a little too big 4 my tastes. I think Ill go 4 the 15" PB but it seems Ill havta wait several weeks when they come out =(. The 17" screen is nice when watching DVDs, but if I want the full effect of movie watching I might as well stay home and watch it on my home theater with my Sony Trinitron 36".
I belong to another forum 4 M$ Windblows and I don't get responses back like this! I don't want to bash people, but the people over in that forum don't seem to know squat. You people seem to be well versed in the Mac world which is cool =).
I havta agree that the 17" is a little too big 4 my tastes. I think Ill go 4 the 15" PB but it seems Ill havta wait several weeks when they come out =(. The 17" screen is nice when watching DVDs, but if I want the full effect of movie watching I might as well stay home and watch it on my home theater with my Sony Trinitron 36".
KrinkleCut
crispy subgenius
OK, I'm not up on the rumours and such for upgraded 15" PBs, but here's my take on the situation. The 15" was updated in November or so. New 12" and 17" came out in January. Apple has traditionally waited 6-9 months between revs. What are the 15" PBs missing? Aluminum (or Aluminium for you british folks) enclosure, built in bluetooth and airport extreme. How important are these?
Enclosure: Titanium sounds cooler. Aluminum sounds like a pop can.
Bluetooth: I dunno, you have any other bluetooth enabled devices?
Airport Extreme: sounds great, but you'll still move stuff quicker with a cable. And the money for a base station and card doesn't sound worth it to me if I only have one portable.
I don't see Apple updating the 15" PBs until the next rev. If they were going to, why didn't they do it in January? The PBs they announced in January were functionally no 'better' than the 15" PBs other than the above features. So, basically, I'm saying "why wait?" If you think you'll see a speed bump in the next 5 months, I seriously doubt it. The only possible update is to start punching the cases out of pop cans, adding 802.11g and bluetooth. That's how I see it anyway.
Enclosure: Titanium sounds cooler. Aluminum sounds like a pop can.
Bluetooth: I dunno, you have any other bluetooth enabled devices?
Airport Extreme: sounds great, but you'll still move stuff quicker with a cable. And the money for a base station and card doesn't sound worth it to me if I only have one portable.
I don't see Apple updating the 15" PBs until the next rev. If they were going to, why didn't they do it in January? The PBs they announced in January were functionally no 'better' than the 15" PBs other than the above features. So, basically, I'm saying "why wait?" If you think you'll see a speed bump in the next 5 months, I seriously doubt it. The only possible update is to start punching the cases out of pop cans, adding 802.11g and bluetooth. That's how I see it anyway.
jeb1138
Carioca
Hmmm... I think KrinkleCut is right. Seems like too big of a cost with too little benefit for Apple. Inventory & redesign headaches just for bluetooth & Airport Extreme after only a couple months on the market? All the other important guts are already up to date. Doesn't seem likely they'd update for a few months at least. Well, at least I hope not -- as soon as the 17" is shipping I'm gonna sell my 15" on eBay! 
Come on Apple -- I'll give you more money if you just give me time to sell my current book at a higher price!
Come on Apple -- I'll give you more money if you just give me time to sell my current book at a higher price! 
symphonix
Scratch & Sniff Committee
The 17" inch is a stunner, but lets be honest, it is overkill for 99% of us. And though the 15" lacks built-in bluetooth and Airport Extreme, its still my pick: you've still got Airport and Gigabit ethernet, and a plug-in bluetooth adapter is only $50US retail anyway. And don't write off the 12" either, that little machine is sweet.
But don't open your wallet until you've seen each of them in situ and had a chance to heft the weight, fire up your favourite apps and browse a bit. You won't know what they're really like until you've tried them out a bit.
But don't open your wallet until you've seen each of them in situ and had a chance to heft the weight, fire up your favourite apps and browse a bit. You won't know what they're really like until you've tried them out a bit.
everyone is talking about how the older 15 isn't really missing that much....
HOW ABOUT ITS PROBLEMS....?
The keys touch the screen causing finger oils to get on the screen and eventually ruin it over time...
Push on the back of the screen and watch the LCD flicker... its flimsy and no longer does this on the aluminum models...
the hinge on the 15 is prone to breaking... thats why the 12 and 17 models have a new hinge type... if you are going to spend around $3000 don't you want something thats not going to break? this old 15 has KNOWN problems with its design!
HOW ABOUT ITS PROBLEMS....?
The keys touch the screen causing finger oils to get on the screen and eventually ruin it over time...
Push on the back of the screen and watch the LCD flicker... its flimsy and no longer does this on the aluminum models...
the hinge on the 15 is prone to breaking... thats why the 12 and 17 models have a new hinge type... if you are going to spend around $3000 don't you want something thats not going to break? this old 15 has KNOWN problems with its design!
I have seen both the 12" and the 17" Powerbook today at CompUSA and I havta tell you what I think.
12": small and cute. not as fast as the 17" PB, but good speed. Graphics were good but not as good as the 17". Much hotter than the 17".
17": large and expensive. fast and has very good graphics and display. cooler than the 12"
I wish they came out with a 12" PB with a 1GHz processor with L3 cache, more RAM, superdrive, bigger hardrive, and at least Bluetooth and Airport Extreme ready if not built in.
It's tough to decide what I want since I like the size of the 12" but the 17" exceeds in performance. I think I'm gonna flip a coin to see which one Im gonna get
Oh yeah does the 12" PB come with recovery software? I know the 17" does on DVD.
12": small and cute. not as fast as the 17" PB, but good speed. Graphics were good but not as good as the 17". Much hotter than the 17".
17": large and expensive. fast and has very good graphics and display. cooler than the 12"
I wish they came out with a 12" PB with a 1GHz processor with L3 cache, more RAM, superdrive, bigger hardrive, and at least Bluetooth and Airport Extreme ready if not built in.
It's tough to decide what I want since I like the size of the 12" but the 17" exceeds in performance. I think I'm gonna flip a coin to see which one Im gonna get
Oh yeah does the 12" PB come with recovery software? I know the 17" does on DVD.
The next version of the 12" PB has to be less hot. But who knows when that newer version will be out - The Murphy law applied to Mac is when you get any hardware, the updates (better, faster, cheaper versions) are out within two weeks (= you never know).
Do you have an external monitor? 12" is sure more mobile, but would sometimes be really nice with a big screen as well.. the other issues (hot, only to 640 MB of RAM etc, price differences etc) are already mentioned.
I believe 12" PB has recovery software - if even iBooks have some kind of recovery cds, why wouldn't the PBs have?
Do you have an external monitor? 12" is sure more mobile, but would sometimes be really nice with a big screen as well.. the other issues (hot, only to 640 MB of RAM etc, price differences etc) are already mentioned.
I believe 12" PB has recovery software - if even iBooks have some kind of recovery cds, why wouldn't the PBs have?
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
Ok, several things.
1) What can Macs do for me that Windoze can't do?
I think this was covered pretty extensively already...
2) Why are Apple computers generally more expensive that PC based computers?
Macs aren't actually much more expensive than PC's. Think about it: you can get a PC for, what, $800? But what do you get for that? A boatload of crap, that's what. For all the high-end goodies, you have to pay more. And for Mac-like quality and devotion, you have to pay more than most Macs for a computer like Falcon. Also, factor in the cost of troubleshooting: for most Macs, it is very low, but for most PC's troubleshooting costs can soar. The initial price of a computer is not all that you pay for; in the long run, Macs are much cheaper than their wannabes.
3) Is MAC OS X similar to UNIX? I believe so but tell me if I'm wrong. Does it have less functionality/features?
Mac OS X is UNIX, just with a (beautiful, stunning, highly functional) graphic user interface. This has been ground into dev/null...
4) Is there a significant increase in performance between the G3 (high end) and the G4 (low end)?
This has also been pretty well covered... But I do want to say that if you want to compare hardware on the Powerbooks, go to http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html and check out the specs. Each of the PB's has a video out option, and all Macs I believe can output to a VGA monitor (which is all a PC monitor is, after all). As long as you're looking for a PB, look here.
5) Why are Mac computers performance rated lower than PCs yet cost more? Is it because of the software bundles that come with the computer?
The (relatively-see above) high cost of Macs has to do with the (I'll be frank) monopoly Apple has on the Mac market, the quality that goes into each and every computer, the generous software that comes with each computer, and the fact that Apple tends to overcharge stuff a bit. The only places that Macs are rated lower than PC's is in half-assed PC magazines.
1) What can Macs do for me that Windoze can't do?
I think this was covered pretty extensively already...
2) Why are Apple computers generally more expensive that PC based computers?
Macs aren't actually much more expensive than PC's. Think about it: you can get a PC for, what, $800? But what do you get for that? A boatload of crap, that's what. For all the high-end goodies, you have to pay more. And for Mac-like quality and devotion, you have to pay more than most Macs for a computer like Falcon. Also, factor in the cost of troubleshooting: for most Macs, it is very low, but for most PC's troubleshooting costs can soar. The initial price of a computer is not all that you pay for; in the long run, Macs are much cheaper than their wannabes.
3) Is MAC OS X similar to UNIX? I believe so but tell me if I'm wrong. Does it have less functionality/features?
Mac OS X is UNIX, just with a (beautiful, stunning, highly functional) graphic user interface. This has been ground into dev/null...
4) Is there a significant increase in performance between the G3 (high end) and the G4 (low end)?
This has also been pretty well covered... But I do want to say that if you want to compare hardware on the Powerbooks, go to http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html and check out the specs. Each of the PB's has a video out option, and all Macs I believe can output to a VGA monitor (which is all a PC monitor is, after all). As long as you're looking for a PB, look here.
5) Why are Mac computers performance rated lower than PCs yet cost more? Is it because of the software bundles that come with the computer?
The (relatively-see above) high cost of Macs has to do with the (I'll be frank) monopoly Apple has on the Mac market, the quality that goes into each and every computer, the generous software that comes with each computer, and the fact that Apple tends to overcharge stuff a bit. The only places that Macs are rated lower than PC's is in half-assed PC magazines.
KrinkleCut
crispy subgenius
Well, you can always cannibalize the PC and use the monitor as a second display for the PB.
Nothing like monitor spanning.Originally posted by Giaguara
Okay. I have a 12" as well and I don't have an external monitor but maybe one day will get one.
Which one do you think that you like more?
I really like the 12" powerbook. Its small and cute! If it weren't so warm I'd get it right away. Now I'm divided between the 12" and the 15"
This is something I'm not so sure. I haven't used OSX for any longer than 10 mins yet but I've heard that OSX is only licence for single user? Is that true? Can you create user account like other unices and allow user to login remotely to your machine
What is the main differences between OSX and OSX Server?
symphonix
Scratch & Sniff Committee
Ronn,
Mac OS X is a true multi-user Unix with home directories and Unix file system security and permissions. This is effected through the GUI, as well as through shell commands such as chmod, chown, etc.
It allows remote login through SSH, FTP, Web (Apache) server, A Windows (Samba) server, and so on.
The main difference with OS X server is that it is set up with utilities for managing networks of users.
The license is a single-machine license, though site licenses are available. It is a commercial OS, and though it is Open Source at it's core, it is copyrighted. That's something you CAN do with Mandrake that you can't do with Mac OS X: Copy it legally.
Mac OS X is a true multi-user Unix with home directories and Unix file system security and permissions. This is effected through the GUI, as well as through shell commands such as chmod, chown, etc.
It allows remote login through SSH, FTP, Web (Apache) server, A Windows (Samba) server, and so on.
The main difference with OS X server is that it is set up with utilities for managing networks of users.
The license is a single-machine license, though site licenses are available. It is a commercial OS, and though it is Open Source at it's core, it is copyrighted. That's something you CAN do with Mandrake that you can't do with Mac OS X: Copy it legally.