MacMad Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Looking for a new laptop? After five years of waiting, the poor PC community (of which I used to be one) has finally got Vista. Ludicrous price, and thats just for starters! Go ahead and be mugged ...... To see why you should buy a mac (superb hardware...fantastic fully integrated software - and no viruses) have a look at this vista/osx article....and then browse the Apple website and see what you are missing..... http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/16555680.htm The "macbook" would make an ideal travelling companion in your motorhome. Compact with a 13" screen but never-the-less powerful and suitable for anything you are likely to need... See it here. http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore Errrrrr, no connection to Apple, just an extremely happy customer and user! macmad (says it all I suppose)
messerschmitt owner Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 you can get refurbished (normally brand new ex display) macs on the mac store for about 25% -35% off. Look at the special deals and refurbished section. OSX is better than any pc os, especially wirelessly - I just open my mac and it finds the nearest network in about 3 seconds, unlike my pc laptop which can take a minute or so at times to find a network. And, of course, limited risk of viruses. And you can run Windows too if you so desire (and simultaneously, too). battery life of about five hours too from the macbook. I'm another satisifed mac owner (with two mac laptops and three desktops at home.
mansell Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Where would one go to find a refurbished one.
Mel E Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 And the new Macs are just proper PCs in disguise, using the same Core-2 Duo Intel processors and motherboards. Which is one reason why they'll run Windows. Sorry, gave up Macs years ago when I found they just didn't have the software I needed. Won't go back now, nice tho' the new models look.
messerschmitt owner Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 my G3 and G4 macs (proper macs) run windows too - albeit slowly, using virtual pc. The new mac may use the same chips but if you used a Mac you would find that using the intel core duo chips, they are blisteringly fast and everything works seamlessly. In fact, the mac is as happy to run Windows as it is to run Linux or any other OS you care to mention - and simultaneously. Now there's no excuse not to have a mac - they run the windows stuff you can't get for macs. Mind you, the version of Word I have on my mac is better than any pc version and at least OSX is not full of 'big brother' snooper software like Vista.
messerschmitt owner Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 mansell - 2007-02-02 8:37 AM Where would one go to find a refurbished one. http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=E677EA3F&nclm=Certified
mansell Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Hi, Been everywhere looking at laptops, but I just cant justify over £550 to simply do emails, and connect to the internet now and again. still I did learn something, computers no longer come losded with WORD ETC and that alone costs £100.
Mel B Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Don't suppose anyone knows where to get a laptop fixed in the Hull area do they? We can't find anyone who can sort ours out for us, as soon as we tell them that we've checked the memory, hard drive etc they just say, "can't do anything then mate" and offer to send it away to another repairer at an extortionate cost! Even PC World doesn't fix them!!!!! AAAARGHHH!!! :'(
Guest starspirit Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Don't let anyone in Hull know you have a laptop Mel or they will be queuing up to nick it from you!
messerschmitt owner Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Mel because of their design, most laptops with serious motherboard damage aren't worth fixing. A new motherboard for my mac is £280 plus perhaps two-three hours labour to diagnose and fix ( a new mac can be had for £700). Unless it is something minor, it is often best to buy a new one - pc laptops really do start at £350, although I'd always spend more on a reputable make like Apple or Sony. You get what you pay for in terms of quality of case and spec. Mansell You won't buy a new laptop for less than £350 - but what you get for that kind of money does do so much more than previously. Unfortunately, you gets what you pays for with laptops and I'd always recommend spending more. A good one (well specced) will last a long time. Equate its cost on a £ per use basis and you will find it pays dividends. Even the advantage of wireless access at home is a great boon. If you have the original Word disc, you can remove it from old laptop and install it on the new one quite legally. Campbell
Brian Kirby Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Mel B - 2007-02-02 8:00 PM Don't suppose anyone knows where to get a laptop fixed in the Hull area do they? We can't find anyone who can sort ours out for us, as soon as we tell them that we've checked the memory, hard drive etc they just say, "can't do anything then mate" and offer to send it away to another repairer at an extortionate cost! Even PC World doesn't fix them!!!!! AAAARGHHH!!! :'( Have you tried the maker's website? Some have a repair service, or even a technical advice centre where they can run remote diagnostics.
flicka Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Am I right to assume that with all the latest Laptop offerings (PC not Macs) on the shelves having the new Microsoft Vista OS, there should be some cracking deals on "old" stock with Windows XP loaded ? Or will the dealers just delete Windows XP and reload Vista.? Flicka
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 flicka - 2007-02-02 11:45 PM Am I right to assume that with all the latest Laptop offerings (PC not Macs) on the shelves having the new Microsoft Vista OS, there should be some cracking deals on "old" stock with Windows XP loaded ? Or will the dealers just delete Windows XP and reload Vista.? Flicka Not much chance of that as they'll have paid already for each licenced copy of XP. Just to be on the safe side many people will not buy Vista until Service Pack 1 comes out.I must admit to being amused by all these Mac fanatics. They're a bit like ex-smokers who feel that they have to spread the word to all us sinners who haven't seen the light yet. Reminds me of my old dad. Every car that he ever owned was always the best in the world. Something about trying to justify one's own choice the psychiatrists will tell you.
Guest peter Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Mel B - 2007-02-02 8:00 PM Don't suppose anyone knows where to get a laptop fixed in the Hull area do they? We can't find anyone who can sort ours out for us, as soon as we tell them that we've checked the memory, hard drive etc they just say, "can't do anything then mate" and offer to send it away to another repairer at an extortionate cost! Even PC World doesn't fix them!!!!! AAAARGHHH!!! :'(What's the problem with it Mel? maybe I can help, as I've repaired a fair few laptops in my time. What is doing or not as the case may be?.
mansell Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Hi, Messerschmitt that sounds good advice, I am thinking of buying a Toshiba sat. pro. A 100 for £550, 1.6 ghz, 512 ram, 80 gb. this seems a good buy to me but the numbers mean nothing to me. Do you think it will do what I want properly. e. mails wireless internet conn. and little else. Regards. B Middleton.
messerschmitt owner Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Mansell sounds OK - and Toshibas are decent laptops. You want to ask if it has a wireless card (either internal or pcmcia). For what you want 512mb ram will be OK. Few laptops don't have wireless capability now. Whatever you do, don't get Vista. The more I read about it, the more I think it's a bad idea - a lot of it boils down to its drm software (which prevents you watching the new range of dvds coming out unless you have all sorts of hardware that will accept the copyright protection on these dvds.. Basicaslly you could end up buying dvds etc and finding you can't watch them on your computer because the video card or screen are not set up to view them.) At that price you want a dvd writer rather than a combo drive (Cd writer and dvd player). Things to look out for are average battery life - don't accept less than 3 hrs when new, as well as how scratch and dent resistant the case is. Campbell
messerschmitt owner Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Frank Wilkinson - 2007-02-02 11:52 PMI must admit to being amused by all these Mac fanatics. They're a bit like ex-smokers who feel that they have to spread the word to all us sinners who haven't seen the light yet. Reminds me of my old dad. Every car that he ever owned was always the best in the world. Something about trying to justify one's own choice the psychiatrists will tell you.ha hayou haven't seen the light then Frank. On my Mac I can do anything I can do on a pc but I get no viruses, no spyware, no trojan horses. That alone is worth a small fortune. My Mac is better suited to my employment in publishing - as the software is much better for macs than PCs. Ask any decent magazine what they use to make up the mag and they'll say Macs (MMM included - and I know cos I've been in the office a couple of times). The Mac is better built than many PC laptops, and is a triumph of form and function. It doesn't crash, it is easily upgradeable, the OS is better, simpler and intuitive. When loading new software it does not leave a trace all over the mac - it loads in one place and you can drag and drop software to the recycle bin without worrying about how it will affect the thirty other programs (in c the OS) that it will corupt when you delete it. 114,000pc viruses last year, 0 mac viruses. The computer may be more expensive, but you don't need anti-virus software (saving £50 a year over the lifetime of the computer). The mac has a better resale value than a pc - mine is still worth £300 and its three years old. A three year old pc laptop is normally destined for the bin! Economically, it makes sense - I get to write it off against tax in a year and it is still worth 2/3 of what I paid for it then. That's good tax planning.Wirelessly - mine finds a network in seconds and is up and running on the net instantly - try opening a pc laptop and wait for a minute or two while it finds the wireless network. My mac has twice the range on my home wireless network too.Oh, and its simple to use, sensibly designed by engineers and designers and not by accountants to a price using the cheapest components possible!Apart from that, I do own two pcs too in my house - but I'd always , always use the mac by preference.Oh - I'm a realist too - financially for me the mac makes sense, workwise, it makes sense, for play it makes sense.
mansell Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Hi again, its the intel centrino, and it has intergrated wireless 802.1 1b a g lan, and comes with a dvd writer. We have just found microsoft WORKS SUITE 2004 that we have on this computer will we be able to load on new laptop. And are yopu an ex VINDI BOY.
Mel B Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 peter - 2007-02-02 11:55 PM Mel B - 2007-02-02 8:00 PM Don't suppose anyone knows where to get a laptop fixed in the Hull area do they? We can't find anyone who can sort ours out for us, as soon as we tell them that we've checked the memory, hard drive etc they just say, "can't do anything then mate" and offer to send it away to another repairer at an extortionate cost! Even PC World doesn't fix them!!!!! AAAARGHHH!!! :'(What's the problem with it Mel? maybe I can help, as I've repaired a fair few laptops in my time. What is doing or not as the case may be?. Hi Peter, many thanks for the offer of help - I've sent you a PM with the info. Regards Mel
Basil Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Mansell, Sugest you give here www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/products2.asp?CategoryID=11&SubCategoryID=222 a look first they have a wide range and are competetive with later processors than Centrino including Dual Core for similar or better money. They do mail order and back up is good. You pays your money and takes your choice, one of mines a Tosh from here and it finds WiFi and logs on in well under a minute, it has more to do with the quality of the WiFi than the OS. Vista is quicker and smoother still than XP and the virus morons aren't going to bother their ar@@e on 10% of the market are they? Says something that Mac users want to run Windows and Windows programs as well in my book. B-) B-) B-) Bas
messerschmitt owner Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Basil - 2007-02-03 6:16 PM Vista is quicker and smoother still than XP and the virus morons aren't going to bother their ar@@e on 10% of the market are they? Says something that Mac users want to run Windows and Windows programs as well in my book. B-) B-) B-) Bas I only use windows for two things - 1. My work uses dos based software for its accounts software - and I need access to this on a day to day basis and 2. Ebay's turbolister will not work with macs yet! Everything else I have ever wanted to use (in software terms) is available to mac users too. I'm browsing the web just now without having to worry about trojan horses, malicious adware and viruses. Are you? I'd rather be one of the 10% without the virus problems than the 90% with!
mansell Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 well folks thanks for all your info, at the moment I am bidding on a fujitsu/ siemens. amilo pa 1510 1.8ghz 120 gb 1024 ram dual cor and free vista so we will see
Basil Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Nope I have no worries at all, I believe most virus's are excuses from inadequate computer engineers and companies trying to make a buck like narcotic gas alarm sellers . Never had a virus and I've using PC's back before Windows 3.1 days! Bas
Bazza454 Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Touch Wood - Never had any virus problems. I use AVG anti-virus, www.grisoft.com. It's free and better than Norton. Firewall I use ZoneAlarm, www.zonelabs.com. It's free to home users with Windows 2000 or XP. Also try the following to keep everything clean and working as it should (all freeware). Spyware Blaster - www.javacoolsoftware.com. www.PConPoint.com. Tweaknow.com.
Ralph Posted February 4, 2007 Posted February 4, 2007 messerschmitt owner - 2007-02-03 8:37 AM 114,000pc viruses last year, 0 mac viruses. Also, I believe, 0 viruses on the BBC micro and Sinclair Spectrum. Surely the reason that the mac has no problems is that the idiots target the ones that people actually use. If we all had macs than I would expect the virus count to rise.
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