[volcano]

I switched this past June from the world of Windows to a Mac: an iMac G5 20". I love it.

Now that school is right around the corner - and with tax free weekend coming up this Friday, along with the free iPod mini deal - I think the time is right for me to buy an iBook. Or do I need to buy a brand new iBook?

I do all my graphic editing and web design work on my iMac and I love it. But with school, I feel I will be tied up at home constantly writing reports, labs, essays, stories.. and all the like. I don't want to be stuck in my room all day.

I basically want the iBook for most of my school-related work. I'll still keep copies of everything on my iMac (with a 400GB hard-drive, why not?) and hopefully I can buy a firewire or USB cable to transfer data from Mac to Mac. I don't plan on loading this baby up with anything other than Microsoft Office 2004, Photoshop CS, and Flash MX 2004. Even then, I doubt I'll do anything remotely ram-intensive with Photoshop and Flash. I'd just install it just in case. I might edit a few photos on it, but I'll still do my intense graphic editing at home with my iMac.

Here's the question: Should I buy a new iBook for $949 or would an older G3/G4 model suit my needs? I just want the ability to use WiFi in Barnes and Noble and places like that, so the internet will be readily available and at my disposal. All I would need to do with an older model is install Tiger & I would be fine.. I think.

What do you recommend?

[Spidey79]

Hey man i bought my ibook a while ago like two months ago. I wanted a a pb but i ended up with the ibook. You should get a new one, they are really nice. i think you would appreciate the speed and the extra additions.

Sure you might say that you don;t need bluetooth but you know how you get addicted to mac products. I say just spend the money now and you will be happy with your purchase. You might want a portable mactel within the few months which would make you want to spend even more money on buying one.

Just buy the top of the line now and it will last you for a couple of years, it comes with 512 ram as standard. It has a 40 gig hs which is nice and bluetooth along with other stuff. It is always better to get new stuff because you have warranty.

Then again this is my opinion, but then you asre going yo want tiger and this update supports thre ripples and all of the eye candy that tiger innovated. My two cents.

[mitchell_pgh]

My rule is... always buy new. Used computers can be a tricky game. You never know what you are getting... like a used car. We are lucky because we use Macs, but I would just buy the low end iBook.

Just my 2¢

[volcano]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll buy a new 12" iBook this weekend. On top of the free iPod mini, $100 off coupon towards the purchase of a printer, and my student discount - this upcoming weekend is tax-free for the states of Texas.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally Posted by volcano

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll buy a new 12" iBook this weekend. On top of the free iPod mini, $100 off coupon towards the purchase of a printer, and my student discount - this upcoming weekend is tax-free for the states of Texas.

If you do all that stuff, it's a crazy good deal. Basically you get the iBook for $800 (when purchasing an iPod at regular price) and with the printer, it's basically the same reduction.

Let us know how it goes...

[belafonte]

why buy a wire... you can connect your computers through a wireless network...