switching!!! need guidance

I currently have a home made PC at home, and use a iMac at work. the more I use it the more I like it. (except for the fact that I have trouble finding programs for it)

But Instead of spending money on a pc, I want to look at a notebook mac.
this is what I'll use it for.

1. Photos: i am a photographer and I would like to be able to scan photos and archve them as well as manipulate them

2. Music: I am a songwriter but don't play any instruments I'd like to be able to have an extensive database of music, and be able to create song sheets of my music

3. Movies, I'd like the capabilities of creating movies from pics and video (effortlessly)

4. and I'll need to be able to have word, powerpoint and excell at home for work stuff.

don't know what i'll need or what it'll cost, but the way i see it why not go with the computers that were made for this stuff. right?

1. For organizing photos, iPhoto is included. To manipulate them, either Photoshop Elements or the full Photoshop CS. And a good digital camera and/or scanner, of course.

2. GarageBand might be what you need, but I'm not much of a musician, so I'll leave this to those that are.

3. iMovie is as simple as it gets. Drag-and-drop your photos in, record from a FireWire camcorder, and drag-and-drop to arrange everything.

4. Office it is, then.

I've got the latest version of Office 2004 for Mac and it's better than the Windows one!

2)

Well garageband comes with an extensive loop selection than can be expanded with various 3rd party loops and apple's own expansion pack.

Other music apps would be digital performer, logic 6 (express & pro), protools (obviously ) and reason.

Check out macmusic.org for info on making music on the mac..

But the bundled garageband is probably enough to mess around with at first.

Btw, how are you a songwriter if you don't play an instrument? (not being mean, just inquisitive )

officehelper said:

I currently have a home made PC at home, and use a iMac at work. the more I use it the more I like it. (except for the fact that I have trouble finding programs for it)

But Instead of spending money on a pc, I want to look at a notebook mac.
this is what I'll use it for.

1. Photos: i am a photographer and I would like to be able to scan photos and archve them as well as manipulate them

2. Music: I am a songwriter but don't play any instruments I'd like to be able to have an extensive database of music, and be able to create song sheets of my music

3. Movies, I'd like the capabilities of creating movies from pics and video (effortlessly)

4. and I'll need to be able to have word, powerpoint and excell at home for work stuff.

don't know what i'll need or what it'll cost, but the way i see it why not go with the computers that were made for this stuff. right?

Click to expand...

Well, Mac is perfect for pretty much all you need to do.

1) iPhoto is perfect for what you have to do. It organizes photos brilliantly. You can even do a bit of editing with them, like taking out red-eye, making them black-and-white, etc. iPhoto comes with every new Mac, so you won't have to buy anything extra.

2) iTunes is really good for organizing songs in MP3 or whatever, but if you want to get into designing songs, use GarageBand. I play the Alto Sax and GarageBand is absolutely brilliant. It's really simple to use and it has quite a few preinstalled loops for you to mess around with . Unfortunately you can't create sheet music with GarageBand, for that get Band-In-A-Box or CuBase. iTunes and GarageBand come free with every new Mac, but BIAB and CB don't.

3) iMovie is where it's at. It's easy, fun, and it just works. And it comes free with every new Mac. iMovie rocks, and so does Mac

4) Office for Mac is available, and the Mac version comes out before the PC version (Example: Office 2004 for Mac is available, whereas the best version PC users have at this point is 2003).

What's your profession? I'd say go for the iBook if you're going to be doing routine stuff most of the time, but if you're going to get really involved in music go for the PowerBook by all means, as it's much more powerful and it's **** smexy . Also iMovie runs better on a PowerBook.

Good luck!

music

Aptmunich said:

2)
Btw, how are you a songwriter if you don't play an instrument? (not being mean, just inquisitive )

Click to expand...

Good question. I write the lyrics, and the tune is in my head. I sit down with a pianist and sing it, and they write the notes. then i meet with the instruments and tell them what i hear. I then have a fella who knows how to write sheet music,a nd he figures out the timing and things like that.

Good question. I write the lyrics, and the tune is in my head. I sit down with a pianist and sing it, and they write the notes. then i meet with the instruments and tell them what i hear. I then have a fella who knows how to write sheet music,a nd he figures out the timing and things like that.

Click to expand...

Well, GarageBand does pretty much everything your pianist does. There are like a gazillion different loops, play around with them and you'll probably hear sections that were in your brain. Put them all together and make a song. Or, get SoundTrack for a few hundred if you really want to get professional. But GarageBand works really well.

And have you decided if you're getting an iBook or PowerBook yet?

Good luck,
m1k

choice

m1k said:

And have you decided if you're getting an iBook or PowerBook yet?
m1k

Click to expand...

Well, not sure. I tend to fill up computers quickly with programs, music and photos, so prob the one that has the most memory and speed. do you happen to know if there is a discount to be had if I order it through the company I work for?

im sure there is a company discount, but you would need to talk to them about that. another option that is really great is student discount. do you have any kids in grade school, high school, oir college? or maybe your still in school yourself? its a GREAT deal that can save you hundreds of dollars

it only works for college students though - high school and grade school's don't count for it.

Yes they do, at least in germany...

Well, not sure. I tend to fill up computers quickly with programs, music and photos, so prob the one that has the most memory and speed. do you happen to know if there is a discount to be had if I order it through the company I work for?

Click to expand...

I don't think there's a discount unless you're a student or a teacher, sorry

Anyways, it sounds like you need a PowerBook. With a 60GB hard drive, up to 2GB RAM and processor speeds up to 1.5GHz, PowerBooks are what you need! Sorry, I'm starting to sound like an Apple salesman. But PowerBooks are the way to go for what you want. If you want portability, get the 12", if you want power, get the 17", if you want the best of both, get the 15".

Good luck!

it only works for college students though - high school and grade school's don't count for it.

Click to expand...

most defintaly NOT true. any student grade school thru college may recieve a student discount........ask me how i know

[emblym] said:

most defintaly NOT true. any student grade school thru college may recieve a student discount........ask me how i know

Click to expand...

I'd LOVE to bet you a dollar - but since I know there's no way I'd mail you a dollar in the event that I lost, instead I'll bet you...a gmail account. (hehe) Care to take the wager?

I'd LOVE to bet you a dollar - but since I know there's no way I'd mail you a dollar in the event that I lost, instead I'll bet you...a gmail account. (hehe) Care to take the wager?

Click to expand...

sure ill take [email protected]

heres a link and, by the way i purchased one under student discount.......and i am in highschool.

http://www.apple.com/education/

browse around and find the student discount section and click K-12. enter your zip or city and find your school. i live in a VERY VERY small town in ohio... and my towns elementary school, middle school, and of course high school was all listed.

btw im just kidding about the gmail account i dont really want one.

[emblym] said:

sure ill take [email protected]

heres a link and, by the way i purchased one under student discount.......and i am in highschool.

http://www.apple.com/education/

browse around and find the student discount section and click K-12. enter your zip or city and find your school. i live in a VERY VERY small town in ohio... and my towns elementary school, middle school, and of course high school was all listed.

btw im just kidding about the gmail account i dont really want one.

Click to expand...

Read the disclaimer, only faculty and teachers. No students

most defintaly NOT true. any student grade school thru college may recieve a student discount........ask me how i know

Click to expand...

*curses* I'm in highschool and I got my 12" PB for full price because I didn't know

Why would they exclude highschoolers from the educational store?

Anyway, prehaps they define highschoolers as 'students' as well, using the term vaguely to draw a line between anyone 'at school / college / university' and those who aren't.

m1k said:

I don't think there's a discount unless you're a student or a teacher, sorry

Anyways, it sounds like you need a PowerBook. With a 60GB hard drive, up to 2GB RAM and processor speeds up to 1.5GHz, PowerBooks are what you need! Sorry, I'm starting to sound like an Apple salesman. But PowerBooks are the way to go for what you want. If you want portability, get the 12", if you want power, get the 17", if you want the best of both, get the 15".

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Just for clarification, both the 17" and 15" have EXACTLY the same capabilities when it comes to power...So, its really:

12=most portability but least power
15=less portability but most power
17-least portability but most power

Just for clarification, both the 17" and 15" have EXACTLY the same capabilities when it comes to power...So, its really:

12=most portability but least power
15=less portability but most power
17-least portability but most power

Click to expand...

Good point, sorry, I'm not thinking today. Also the 17" has a larger screen, that's its only advantage over the 15". Sorry, I forgot, thanks for pointing it out.