Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 02:20 PM

Getting the 12inch (or 15) with the 20 gb iPod and HP all-in-one

let me ask you guys some questions

should i get the apple care and .mac

i was orignally told macs can't get viruses, however it is good to have the virus protecter that comes with .mac as for hte applecare all my stuff is in great condition, this laptop will be a desktop alternative/vacation computer so is it worth for me to get?

phantomac · Sep 12, 2004, 02:25 PM

.mac is a nifty feature. Get it. Part of .mac is a free Anti-Virus software.

Personally, I don't think AppleCare ist necessary (given consumer laws here in Germany), but YMMV.

By the way: Get the 12" PowerBook! :-)

icruise · Sep 12, 2004, 02:34 PM

I really don't think virus protection is necessary on the mac, especially if you take some basic precautions. .Mac is useful for other things, though, so give it a look. You can wait to get Applecare until just before your warranty expires, so wait and see if you think you're going to want to keep the computer for several years, and if you think you might have trouble with it during that time.

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 02:35 PM

yea im really liking the 12inch

i don't think i'll need the applecare

they only thing i don't like is having to upgrade or continue my subscribtion to .mac every year

Komisar · Sep 12, 2004, 02:46 PM

i have a 12 inch with apple care besides the un expected hard drive death in less then 5 days of purchase its great!

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 03:11 PM

i want the computer to last me for at least 4 years but like i said it's going to be a desktop alternative

as for the .mac it looks interesting but i don't know how signing up for anohter year at $99 will fly with me hwne i have to renew it....

phantomac · Sep 12, 2004, 03:50 PM

Nobody forces you to renew. You'll loose nothing but the .mac features when you let your subscription expire.

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 08:06 PM

that's very true however what about the virex software, can i jsut get that from McAffe?

Link · Sep 12, 2004, 08:30 PM

The virus scanner is practically useless, so I wouldn't consider that a big deal man

t4r1q · Sep 12, 2004, 09:01 PM

consider getting applecare, if not now, then sometime before the first year is up

.mac on the other hand is too costly and isn't really necessary

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 09:50 PM

what are the most common problems that can occur that apple care is woth me having

like i said this computer is a desktop alternative do it will sit on one part of my desk for 99% of the time

fisherKing · Sep 12, 2004, 10:08 PM

i didn't have applecare on my last powerbook; in the third year, the logic board burned out. $450.

applecare IS worth it...

V12 · Sep 12, 2004, 11:17 PM

not for nothing but for the price shouldnt these things be somewhat fullproof?

i see how my first 90 days goes with the PB then decide if i want to get he applecare

ChillieMac · Sep 12, 2004, 11:26 PM

Chances that something will go wrong is greatly increased by virtue of it being portable. I would never get it with a desktop or tower that never goes anywhere, but my newly purchased PB 15" 1.5 Gig, DEFINITELY!

My 2 cents.

V12 · Sep 13, 2004, 12:56 AM

like i said in a earlier post it will be a desktop alternative....will sit on my desk 99% of the time

MrForgetable · Sep 13, 2004, 01:00 AM

i would get neither and save for RAM and better HD in your position

V12 · Sep 13, 2004, 01:29 AM

waiting to see on that 1gb ram from fry's and how that goes with everyone...will probably get a firewire HD down the road, i also want to get another lcd screen to add some real estate (my current lcd screen is on my pc)

huxbnw · Sep 13, 2004, 02:54 AM

In my opinion, all Apple users should get Apple Care. The fact that the computer will usually sit on your desk does not mean it will be free from all problems for 4 years. If an AC adapter blows, or the hard drive burns out, or the screen dies, or a hinge snaps, you will be happy to have the insurance. Look at it this way, the worst that can happen if you buy it is that you spent 250 to have peace of mind. The worst if you don't buy is the need to buy a new computer in 1-3 years after a hardware problem. And after using an Apple, You will definitely want a new one for 1200+. Unless money is a big issue, I would definitely advise getting it, from personal experience.

Randman · Sep 13, 2004, 03:59 AM

I'd get Applecare but you don't need to get it right away. I'd get more ram at first since that is as important as ghz. You can add applecare later on for peace of mind (and greater resale value).
.Mac is good. I'd recommend it. It's going to be a bigger part of Tiger with .Mac Sync. You can always try it out then decide if you need it, but I'd buy it if I were you.

iREZ · Sep 13, 2004, 10:45 AM

Don't buy either to start (you already have a one year warranty on your book). Instead spend the money on upgrades and amenities (wireless mice, LCD, etc..). Once your year is drawing to a close, you could decide if you wanna sell your machine or go for Applecare then. If anything you'd find a lot lower price here in the Marketplace then buying from Apple so one year should give you ample time to find one for cheap. .Mac on the other hand is useful but I don't think the cost justifies what it does. Don't worry bout virus', there are none for Mac users so far (not to say there will never be one in the future but for now you should be fine without the crap that comes with .mac).

All the above is dumbed down here

Applecare + 1 year of waiting to get it since you already have a one year warranty = Savings of alot since Apple charges alot for it.

.mac + not using all its functions most of the time = waste of money

V12 · Sep 13, 2004, 02:30 PM

ok i guess i will get applecare down the line, im getting this laptop as a early xmas present from my uncle and my dad is getting me all the acessories as a zmas present also

i will probably get applecare after the first year

as for now im getting:

a 12 (or possibly 15) inch powerbook
20 gb ipod
Hp all in one printer

extras:
apple wireless BT mouse & keyboard
icurve
jbl creature II speakers
lcd screen down the road if i see a nice one for a good price

software:
office for mac - student edition

and probably in a year applecare

i hope i like my mac it will be my first one however i have wanted one ever since seeing that superbowl commercial a few years back abotu the new mac OS

Randman · Sep 13, 2004, 02:45 PM

You get a discount on .Mac within so many weeks of purchasing a new Mac, so you may want to take the trial and see if you like it. If you do, you'll be saving money for the first year.
There's plenty of threads on .Mac, pro and con, but there's nothing like first-hand experience.
And while there aren't any Mac viruses, having an anti-virus program does pay off if you work with people who own peecees. And many schools and unis actually require some type of virus protection, even if you do use a Mac.

Lancer409 · Sep 14, 2004, 05:30 PM

i'd get applecare ... you cant fix a laptop as easily as u can fix a huge desktop pc with it's huge tower ...

and a fixing session could cost as much as applecare anyways .. so .. hey .. why not buy the insurance

patman600 · Sep 14, 2004, 06:41 PM

Originally posted by Randman:
you may want to take the trial and see if you like it.

This is the best advice here. I bought a Powermac about 1.5 months ago, and was debating .mac. When I set up my computer, it offered me a 60 day trial. I got to try all the features, the email, the homepage, backup, idisk, etc., and realized that it wasn't for me, I just didn't use the features enough to justify the cost. I read all the opinions I could on .mac, and they didn't help me at all. The trial made the decision a lot easier.

icruise · Sep 14, 2004, 10:59 PM

Sure, use the trial and see if its something you're interested in. By the way, you can use the boxed .Mac packages to renew an account as well as start a new one, so you can probably renew for less than $99. I just ordered one from buy.com with a coupon for a total of $69. Not too shabby (I think the coupon may have just expired, check www.dealmac.com )

MilkmanDan · Sep 15, 2004, 07:09 AM

BlueTooth all the way. I have a logitech BT Mouse and love it. As much as I love Apple's mice, I do like 2 buttons and a wheel.

A BT headset is cool, if you do audio or video chats.

An iSight? Maybe? Airport express?

Zatt · Sep 16, 2004, 01:14 AM

I'd get the 15" PB and wait on the Applecare. I bought a 15" PB at the end of last year and asside from some shipping problems, I love the thing. I couldn't go with a smaller screen.

kw14 · Sep 16, 2004, 10:21 AM

I second the 15" if you can swing it. While the 12" is great for portability, I find that if I do any work, the extra screen real estate is much welcomed. Programming--can fit two files side by side; video editing--just barely enough, still have to juggle screen arrangements; creating contents in Photoshop/Illustrator--the more screen the more productive I get. Also the 15 incher get you a bit more performance.

But for web-surfing, writing papers, running my accounting program, touching up my digital pictures, etc., 12" is good enough and you can't beat the portability for the size.

kw14 · Sep 16, 2004, 10:27 AM

Oh, I forgot to mention, be careful with the RAM that you put into your new PB. My PB got flaky on me after installing new RAM. It kept freezing up. I had to reload my OS a couple of time. Finally, I just yanked it. I have the replacement RAM still sitting on my shelf...a bit gun shy about installing it. That's since January. I just can't afford any down time.

mbryda · Sep 16, 2004, 12:27 PM

GET APPLECARE!!!!!

With a laptop, something WILL go wrong in 3 years. This has been my experience with numerous PC laptops, including IBM (best of the crop) and all the others.

Heck, this week Applecare paid for itself on my iMac G4. Hard drive and/or RAM went. They sent a tech, replaced both, and even upgraded me from a 60GB HD to an 80GB HD. Can't beat that. That alone was worth the cost of Applecare.

Filburt · Sep 16, 2004, 03:18 PM

Originally posted by V12:
as for now im getting:

a 12 (or possibly 15) inch powerbook
20 gb ipod
Hp all in one printer

Unless you are really short on space, do not get the all-in-one printer, particularly from HP. Many all-in-one printers don't work well with Mac OS X, particularly if you are planning on hooking it up to AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station in the future.

I recommend getting a dedicated printer (and a scanner from Microtek if you need it). I recommend Canon for inkjet-based printing. Inks are cheaper (and colors are individually replaceable) than just about anyone else out there and photo print quality is top-notch. Laser is trickier. HP LaserJet 1300 has the most capability among the low-end (native PCL, PostScript emulation), but it's expensive and graphics printout quality is not so great. Brother generally writes crappy drivers and Samsung is proprietary (but dirt cheap and works okay in Tiger).

V12 · Sep 16, 2004, 04:26 PM

theres a rebate on the HP printers from apple so im gunna go with that, otherwise ill just get a 2x1 switch and use my epson.

wuzup101 · Sep 16, 2004, 04:31 PM

I would advise going with something other than the creature 2 speakers. While the creature 2's sound okay and look nice they aren't the best that you could get for your money. If you care more about looks than sound... then go for the creatures... if you want more for your money you might consider a set of logitech x-530s for about $60 from newegg. They sound better than the creatures and are a 5.1 setup.

V12 · Sep 16, 2004, 04:34 PM

like the stlye of them and they are enough sound for what i need , if anything ill get that aplierfier/output thing from griffin and run it to my rooms bose 5.1 speakers

Filburt · Sep 16, 2004, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by V12:
like the stlye of them and they are enough sound for what i need , if anything ill get that aplierfier/output thing from griffin and run it to my rooms bose 5.1 speakers

Unless you own Bose speakers already, don't bother. Bose speakers are among the worst speakers for the money.

Among not so expensive 2.1-ch speakers, I favor Altec Lansing MX5021. Not perfect and not the best looking speakers out there, but they sound very good for the money.

P.S. Apple needs to add optical digital audio output to PowerBook.

patman600 · Sep 17, 2004, 01:06 PM

Originally posted by Filburt:
Unless you are really short on space, do not get the all-in-one printer, particularly from HP. Many all-in-one printers don't work well with Mac OS X, particularly if you are planning on hooking it up to AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station in the future.

I just bought an HP all in one, it seems to be working pretty well so far with OS X.

V12 · Sep 17, 2004, 08:27 PM

pat, did u just plug them in or did you install the software?

patman600 · Sep 17, 2004, 08:59 PM

I installed the software.

hart · Sep 18, 2004, 07:23 PM

another vote for applecare. I had the cd/dvd drive on my old ibook replaced three times under applecare. Now that applecare has expired I'm worried it's going to bust again.

I got both a renewal for .mac and applecare for my powerbook from Small Dog Electronics at reduced prices. They have specials on and off during the year.