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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Just became a macbook owner!

Just became a macbook owner!
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eyedrop
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Jan 17, 2007, 09:40 PM
 
I just received my white Core Duo 1.83GHz Macbook via UPS today. I purchased it from UBMicro in New York for $799. I was kind of afraid of the 1st gen macbook with all the issues I have been reading about. But for $799, it's just too good of a deal to pass up.

I lookup the serial number on my new macbook, and it's a week 33 one. Is this one have all the problems worked out (i.e. sudden shutdown)? Please let me know.

Having been a PC user for over 20 years, it's definitely a change to stay away from Microsoft products. I recalled back in the days of MS-DOS 3.3 and Windows 3.1.

My first experience was actually an Apple II that my uncle built when I was a kid. I thought that was so cool to be playing all the computer games on a green monochrome monitor. Double sided 5.25" floppy disk rules.

Can other members give me an introduction on what apps I should have on the macbook? I already purchased Office 2004 for Mac from work.

I have been reading the GUI customization forum and am kind of lost on what needs to be done to customize the user interface of OS X. Any pointers?

Please welcome me to the family. I have some learning to do. I'm excited. I think the switch is worth it.
     
LagunaSol
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Jan 18, 2007, 12:45 AM
 
I just opened my new (clearance-priced) first-gen MacBook today (week 39 build) today too. I am a long-time Mac user however (Windows at work, Mac at home). So welcome to the happy side of computing!

What apps do I recommend? Well, what do you like to do? Definitely check out Quicksilver - it's a real slick productivity booster. If you like keeping up on Internet news, you should check out NewsFire (RSS reader).

And you should definitely play with the trial versions of Pages and Keynote that are on your machine.
     
shifuimam
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Jan 18, 2007, 09:46 AM
 
Welcome to OS X!

As far as apps, I tend to mostly stick with freeware.

Seashore is a great open-source graphics editor based on The GIMP. It's pretty simplified, but I've found it useful for basic tasks, like resizing photos or editing my digital pictures for uploading to Flickr.

If you need to do any kind of text editing, check out TextWrangler. It's like Notepad on steroids.

For games, I'm a fan of Quinn, which is a Tetris clone that is VERY slick looking - very OS X-like. Klondike Forever is another excellent, beautiful game that lets you play the Klondike flavor of solitaire.

A lot of the apps I use I've found on FreeMacWare.com. The site presents a new freeware app every day, and there's some pretty cool stuff on there.

Hope that starts you out!
Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
     
eyedrop  (op)
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Jan 18, 2007, 05:22 PM
 
Thanks for pointing out those apps for me, LagunaSol and shifuimam. I'll definitely check them out.

The MacBook will probably be used when I go on business trips, and I will be doing photo editing on it as I like the interface of iPhoto.

I don't really have much time for games anymore, so the integrated graphics doesn't bother me as much.

Does anyone recommend upgrading the stock 512MB to something higher? 1GB? 2GB?

Anyone have an answer in terms of the manufacturing week of the MacBook to the problems that's been fixed?

Thanks a lot. Please keep the suggestions coming.
     
LagunaSol
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Jan 18, 2007, 05:50 PM
 
OS X can (and almost certainly will) get sluggish with only 512 MB of RAM (just like Windows), so I'd definitely recommend an upgrade. I ordered a 1G stick of Mushkin memory from NewEgg. Oh, and it really bugs me that Apple fills both RAM slots with 256MB modules. What a waste.

I'll just run a mismatched pair (total 1.2G RAM) for awhile to see how it goes. I may end up throwing in another 1G stick eventually.
     
gametime10
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Jan 18, 2007, 05:52 PM
 
Adium and MacJournal (the freeware version) are two apps I use regularly. I definitely recommend upgrading to at least 1GB. Congrats!
     
shifuimam
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Jan 18, 2007, 10:43 PM
 
Originally Posted by gametime10 View Post
Adium and MacJournal (the freeware version) are two apps I use regularly. I definitely recommend upgrading to at least 1GB. Congrats!
That reminds me - Journler is an excellent freeware diary app, if you're into that kind of thing.
Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
     
lookmark
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Jan 19, 2007, 12:10 AM
 
My advice: spend some time learning the OS, trying things out, and using out the apps Apple included. Many great features and neat little touches await. Then come back and tell us what you'd like, or what you're missing.

Apple offers some good basic guides here and here. If you'd prefer a big fat book, David Pogue's " The Missing Manual" is fun and excellent.

The only thing I'd recommend pretty much hands-down is Quicksilver. Even so, though, I'd recommend spending a week or so just getting comfortable with the OS first.

Congrats, and welcome!
     
gametime10
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Jan 19, 2007, 09:27 AM
 
Does Quicksilver offer any additional functionality to Spotlight?
     
C.A.T.S. CEO
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Jan 19, 2007, 04:32 PM
 
Originally Posted by eyedrop View Post
I have been reading the GUI customization forum and am kind of lost on what needs to be done to customize the user interface of OS X. Any pointers?
Welcome to Mac! You will need Shapeshifter $20 (google it) and then you can custimize all you want!

Originally Posted by LagunaSol View Post
OS X can (and almost certainly will) get sluggish with only 512 MB of RAM (just like Windows), so I'd definitely recommend an upgrade. I ordered a 1G stick of Mushkin memory from NewEgg. Oh, and it really bugs me that Apple fills both RAM slots with 256MB modules. What a waste.

I'll just run a mismatched pair (total 1.2G RAM) for awhile to see how it goes. I may end up throwing in another 1G stick eventually.
because unmatched pairs or 1 stick would make the MacBook feel like i had 256 MB of RAM. and running unmatched pairs with 1.2 GB will feel like .75 GB of RAM
Signature depreciated.
     
jokell82
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Jan 19, 2007, 04:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO View Post
because unmatched pairs or 1 stick would make the MacBook feel like i had 256 MB of RAM. and running unmatched pairs with 1.2 GB will feel like .75 GB of RAM
That's not even remotely true. There is a small performance boost from running matched pairs, but under normal conditions it's not even noticeable.
     
lookmark
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Jan 19, 2007, 05:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by gametime10 View Post
Does Quicksilver offer any additional functionality to Spotlight?
No, it's not nearly as comprehensive as Spotlight (though you can add a Spotlight plug-in if you wish).

It is faster, though, an amazing launcher, is very deep, and has a much, much better UI. (Be sure to check out the new Cube interface.) It's one of the things that are so good it feels little like magic.

Honestly, if the Spotlight UI in Leopard doesn't steal things left and right from Quicksilver, I'll be very surprised.
     
legacyb4
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Jan 19, 2007, 05:16 PM
 
Some standard apps that I throw in the toolbox:

- Adium (chat client)
- Handbrake (DVD converter)
- ImageWell (image converter)
- iSquint (movie converter)
- Transmission (BT client)
- VLC (movie player)

Cheers.
Macbook (Black) C2D/250GB/3GB | G5/1.6 250GBx2/2.0GB
Free Mobile Ringtone & Games Uploader | Flickr | Twitter
     
Hi I'm Ben
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Jan 19, 2007, 06:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by lookmark View Post
No, it's not nearly as comprehensive as Spotlight (though you can add a Spotlight plug-in if you wish).

It is faster, though, an amazing launcher, is very deep, and has a much, much better UI. (Be sure to check out the new Cube interface.) It's one of the things that are so good it feels little like magic.

Honestly, if the Spotlight UI in Leopard doesn't steal things left and right from Quicksilver, I'll be very surprised.
Sounds like you're not using Quicksilver right at all.


The real answer to your question is YES Quicksilver offers much more functionality than Spotlight. Infact they should not be compared because they are not the same thing.


While Spotlight can be used to launch an application it's primary function is Searching.

Quicksilver is used to launch applications, that's its primary function.

But quicksilver does more... with plugins it can be used to control iTunes, start up an email, browse your applications folder, lookup words in the dictionary, quickly enter a URL to navigate to, access web bookmarks, find a contact...

Those are just the things I use quicksilver for, there's quite a bit more. As far as an interface for it... I prefer Menu interface because it's very unobtrusive.
     
frdmfghtr
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Jan 20, 2007, 03:10 AM
 
I too am a new Macbook user...started with a PPC Mac Mini a couple years ago after inadvertantly killing my WIndows PC, late 2005 saw a 12" iBook G4, and now...a 1.83 GHz C2D 13.3" MacBook I got today.

I've noticed right off the bat, that, even with 512 MB of memory, it REALLY makes the iBook feel slow. I'm going for a 1 GB upgrade tomorrow.

Out of curiousity...would the hardware scream bloody murder if I put in a pair of 512MB PC2700 modules instead of PC5300 modules? I ask only because that's what I have lying around from the iBook and an HP notebook floating around here. I think I'll wait for the good upgrade.
     
uicandrew
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Jan 20, 2007, 03:52 AM
 
Originally Posted by frdmfghtr View Post
I too am a new Macbook user...started with a PPC Mac Mini a couple years ago

Out of curiousity...would the hardware scream bloody murder if I put in a pair of 512MB PC2700 modules instead of PC5300 modules? I ask only because that's what I have lying around from the iBook and an HP notebook floating around here. I think I'll wait for the good upgrade.
i also started off with a ppc mac mini then went to a imac (core duo) then i added a macbook for giving presentations and computing on the go.

i've used pc4200 (they were used in the last generation powerbooks) in my macbook without any problem. i don't know about pc2700. is it still ddr2?
Mac User since Summer 2005 (started with G4 mini bought from macnn forums!)
     
mduell
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Jan 20, 2007, 01:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by frdmfghtr View Post
Out of curiousity...would the hardware scream bloody murder if I put in a pair of 512MB PC2700 modules instead of PC5300 modules? I ask only because that's what I have lying around from the iBook and an HP notebook floating around here. I think I'll wait for the good upgrade.
Yes, they're not even the same standard. The PC-2700 you have is DDR, the PC2-5300 the MacBook needs is DDR2.
     
frankthetank966
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Jan 20, 2007, 01:13 PM
 
Enjoy!!!
 16 GB 2nd Generation Black iPod Touch w/Contour Showcase
 White Core 2 Duo Macbook with: 2.0 GHz/1 GB Ram/80 GB Hard Drive
     
frdmfghtr
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Jan 20, 2007, 01:39 PM
 
OK I didn't go for the 1 GB memory upgrade...


I went 2 GB

Macs are like crack...once you start, it's hard to stop. Maybe teh should be called "CrackBooks."
     
monkeybrain
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Jan 22, 2007, 03:08 AM
 
Originally Posted by eyedrop View Post

The MacBook will probably be used when I go on business trips, and I will be doing photo editing on it as I like the interface of iPhoto.

Does anyone recommend upgrading the stock 512MB to something higher? 1GB? 2GB?

Thanks a lot. Please keep the suggestions coming.
iPhoto runs like crap on 512 MB, I hated it. Now I have 1.25 GB RAM and it runs very nicely, much nicer to use.
     
webb3201
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Jan 22, 2007, 01:37 PM
 
I second the Quicksilver notes. Head over to Macbreak and watch the videos on Quicksilver. You will be hooked The TWiT Netcast Network with Leo Laporte.

I love the built in Apps, and normally add only the following software to a new install:
Neooffice- Open Office blend for Mac
Quicksilver - see above
Stickybrain - Information organizer
Textwrangler great text tool
Read my MacWebb column and other great Mac articles at Lowendmac.com

Owner of a MacBook Pro and various other Macs.
     
   
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