Macbook & XP & buying in the US
Discussion
My old Dell has just died on me and I am in the market place for a new laptop and am considering going down the Macbook route. What I like about this is the benefits of the Apple software and its ability to run Windows along side, so are there any pitfalls? Any Macbook users out there with horror stories?
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
cjs said:
My old Dell has just died on me and I am in the market place for a new laptop and am considering going down the Macbook route. What I like about this is the benefits of the Apple software and its ability to run Windows along side, so are there any pitfalls? Any Macbook users out there with horror stories?
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
Ok. Running Windows on a Mac, you have two options. 1. BootCamp, it's a free download. 2. Windows Vista. The third option involves a update to what amounts to a BIOS update and then simply installing XP pro, never seen much about it personally.
Mac software is generally speaking, designed to take advantage of the OS so everything tends to integrate pretty well. Installation of programs is usually drag n' drop or with very easy to follow installers.
Personally I like Apple's screens and font handling, but that's me.
As for getting a Mac... well, look at www.apple.com for where the nearest Apple store is to where you will be staying, they should have the basic models in stock, but if you want upgrades to the basic chassis they'll order it and that can take a while (so ask them when it'll be in). I would, suggest flying OUT with a laptop bag with your Dell in it as that way when you drop the MBP in to it and throw the Dell and MBP's box away you've got something to cart it around in.
ThePassenger said:
cjs said:
My old Dell has just died on me and I am in the market place for a new laptop and am considering going down the Macbook route. What I like about this is the benefits of the Apple software and its ability to run Windows along side, so are there any pitfalls? Any Macbook users out there with horror stories?
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
I will be in the USA soon and will buy there as its quite a bit cheaper than in the UK, anyone know any good online retailers in the US or a good store in Fort Lauderdale? I know about Best Buy and circuit city.
Cheers
Ok. Running Windows on a Mac, you have two options. 1. BootCamp, it's a free download. 2. Windows Vista. The third option involves a update to what amounts to a BIOS update and then simply installing XP pro, never seen much about it personally.
Mac software is generally speaking, designed to take advantage of the OS so everything tends to integrate pretty well. Installation of programs is usually drag n' drop or with very easy to follow installers.
Personally I like Apple's screens and font handling, but that's me.
As for getting a Mac... well, look at www.apple.com for where the nearest Apple store is to where you will be staying, they should have the basic models in stock, but if you want upgrades to the basic chassis they'll order it and that can take a while (so ask them when it'll be in). I would, suggest flying OUT with a laptop bag with your Dell in it as that way when you drop the MBP in to it and throw the Dell and MBP's box away you've got something to cart it around in.
The other option is to run Parallels. It's virtualisation software which lets you run Windows in a window. It's useless for any 3D graphical stuff i.e. games (It does run Football Manager well though!) but everything else is fine. I use it for running Newsleecher and looking at websites that aren't Mac friendly.
Hi there. Bought my MBPro in this way earlier this way. Yes it was cheaper but... here are the cons, some I did know about some I didn't.
Keyboard hasn't got a pound sign. Spose I could map around this but I haven't bothered yet.
Power adaptor doesn't have an english plug lead on it. This is not a big problem as any plug lead with the right fuse it will do but the one that comes with the computer is nice and long.
My MacBookPro had a logic board issue once I got it back home. I wanted to reject it but Apple won't accept rejections back in this country so you have to have any faults repaired which means the machine has to go back to Apple UK for fixing.
Applecare is cheaper if bought in the States and is international.
Thats about it. So if you buy a good one whch 9 out of 10 are then its fine and small issues can be worked around. If it a duff one you loose it. Will you have enough time to test thouroughly before you come home? Make sure you punish the wirelss if you do because that is where my problem was.
Keyboard hasn't got a pound sign. Spose I could map around this but I haven't bothered yet.
Power adaptor doesn't have an english plug lead on it. This is not a big problem as any plug lead with the right fuse it will do but the one that comes with the computer is nice and long.
My MacBookPro had a logic board issue once I got it back home. I wanted to reject it but Apple won't accept rejections back in this country so you have to have any faults repaired which means the machine has to go back to Apple UK for fixing.
Applecare is cheaper if bought in the States and is international.
Thats about it. So if you buy a good one whch 9 out of 10 are then its fine and small issues can be worked around. If it a duff one you loose it. Will you have enough time to test thouroughly before you come home? Make sure you punish the wirelss if you do because that is where my problem was.
Edited by olf on Monday 18th December 21:27
Bear in mind almost all states have a sales tax, which (unlike the UK) isn't quoted in the prices. Warranty isn't an issue on any portable Apple stuff, and Apple use multi-voltage power adaptors. Even the keyboard isn't a big deal, as UK/US quirks like @ and " being the wrong way round are true of the UK ones too - you're just missing £ and euro symbols, but if you touch type, just change the keyboard setting.
Bringing it back will mean dumping the packaging, with that missing and it being non-UK it won't fetch as much when you come to sell. And you do always run the risk of being pulled up by customs and paying import duty and sales tax.
fwiw, I find Apple prices very similar between UK and US - the price discrepancy is down to US prices being ex sales tax, and ours being included at 17.5%.
Bringing it back will mean dumping the packaging, with that missing and it being non-UK it won't fetch as much when you come to sell. And you do always run the risk of being pulled up by customs and paying import duty and sales tax.
fwiw, I find Apple prices very similar between UK and US - the price discrepancy is down to US prices being ex sales tax, and ours being included at 17.5%.
sjg said:
Bringing it back will mean dumping the packaging, with that missing and it being non-UK it won't fetch as much when you come to sell. And you do always run the risk of being pulled up by customs and paying import duty and sales tax.
Friend of a friend tale; copy personal data on to the laptop before you head back when it fires up it's obviously being used but well looked after. Not sure if that would actually work but it was what an old work college said he had done, he could have just been full of it though.
Keyboard, well on the move it's a pain but at a desk you could just plug in a full size USB keyboard and away you go, to be honest that's what I usually do as for long haul typing a full keyboard + mouse is better IMHO.
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