Well...

[xsx-]

Instead of uselessly rambling on with an introductory statement, which is slightly what I am doing now, I'll be terse.

I want to buy a mac book. But as you most likely already realize, I have questions.

• Is 13.3 Inches as small a screen as I think it is?
• Right now I am running windows XP 3 ghz processor, 1gb RAM. I want a fast mac book. What do I need?
• We have cable internet here, so I assume I need a router. Yes?
• I also want something along the lines as internet anywhere...via mobile broadband card maybe??
• Why don't macs get viruses exactly?
• Why is the black mac book more expensive? More popular? ( I do like that one )
• How long will it take to get it? Do I have to buy it online?

I'm sure I have a few more questions..but I'm excited about getting a mac book. I don't know how well I'll get adjusted to it, but some people know me as the computer know it all. We'll see, huh?

I have about $6-700 saved up, should have enough for the white mac book before the month is up.

Basically I want to have a laptop which is fast(er) than this computer...and have freedom !

Thanks !

I guess I'll see you around.

 

[eric]

Is 13.3 Inches as small a screen as I think it is?
it is small, but very clear and has good resolution. i went from a 17" hp paviallion to this and i don't entirely miss the extra real estate, plus it is very light and portable.

Right now I am running windows XP 3 ghz processor, 1gb RAM. I want a fast mac book. What do I need?
either processor, but you want at least 1Gb ram, 2 is preferable, but will cost you from apple. your best bet may be to go with 512 and add the 2Gb yourself.

We have cable internet here, so I assume I need a router. Yes?
for wireless, yes. you could conceivably run an ethernet cable from your router to the macbook if you wanted, but you'd lose the extra firewall and portability factor.

I also want something along the lines as internet anywhere...via mobile broadband card maybe??
you'd have to wait until they put it in a usb dongle since the macbook does not have an expresscard as the pro has.

Why don't macs get viruses exactly?
part the design of OS X, as it's unix based. part because there's not as much of an "audience" as windows has.


Why is the black mac book more expensive? More popular? ( I do like that one )
for a while, you simply paid a premium for the black. you could option a white one the same for less. not sure how it is now -if the stats are actually better on the black or not.

How long will it take to get it? Do I have to buy it online?
there are apple stores, you can probably find if there is one near you at apple.com. otherwise you'd have to ship which could take at least a few days depending on your shipping option.



welcome to the forums, and feel free to stick around, even if you are currently "macless"

 

[xsx-]

I have read around the forums and many suggest what you have: buy 512mb-1gb RAM and add the rest. I could probably do this with a windows PC but with a mac, nonetheless a laptop, I'm not sure. Isn't that difficult?

So I would need an external mobile broadband card?

I also saw a few negative factors for black macs (smudges fingerprints scratches, etc). They are more expensive anyways.

 

[eric]

memory is not that difficult. there are lots of posts on this forum about it (search "install memory macbook").

i'm not sure how mobile broadband would work without an express card or pcmcia card - or if it's even possible yet. i'd imagine someone will have a usb alternative at some point.

yeah, i've heard the black ones get smudgier.
plus, you might as well have any number of other black laptops from hp, dell, alienware, toshiba, etc.

 

[jonnyd]

I have read around the forums and many suggest what you have: buy 512mb-1gb RAM and add the rest. I could probably do this with a windows PC but with a mac, nonetheless a laptop, I'm not sure. Isn't that difficult?

So I would need an external mobile broadband card?

I also saw a few negative factors for black macs (smudges fingerprints scratches, etc). They are more expensive anyways.

They're just not quite as obvious . . .

I have an HP laptop, which has one of the white Apple stickers I got with my Mac stuck over the HP logo on the lid. Once or twice when I'm out and about I have seen someone do a double take

 

[walkerj]

They're just not quite as obvious . . .

I have an HP laptop, which has one of the white Apple stickers I got with my Mac stuck over the HP logo on the lid. Once or twice when I'm out and about I have seen someone do a double take

Hah! That's funny, because I have a white Apple sticker that I got with one of my Macs or iPods stuck over the Dell logo on the lid of my employer-supplied laptop. When my wife was at the hospital for a seven day stay I had her use that since this was before we got our Macbooks and her neurologist (who is a die-hard Mac guy) saw that and thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.

Next visit she had her own Macbook, with no need to put an Apple sticker on the lid because, well, it already had the logo all nice and illuminated. Made the hospital visit much more bearable since she could watch movies, surf the net, and of course iChat AV with me. Sure, she was able to sort of do the same (without the video chat) with the Dell, but she did not like the Dell trackpad and Apple sticker notwithstanding, the Dell was clunkier and she had to deal with Windows again. I couldn't really bring her old Mac Mini with external monitor for this stay.

Oh, and hers is the black one. Yes, it gets a bit more smudgier but she's a clean-freak and makes sure that any smudgyness gets attended to right quick. My white one only has scratchiness and a little discoloration on the palm pads on either side of the trackpad to deal with which is handled by optical wipes quite nicely.

Oh, and one answer for the original poster's concerns. I've posted this before, but I'm one of those people who like to have the biggest monitor one can have jacked up to the highest resolution it can handle. When I got my Macbook I also got the external mini-dvi->VGA adapter thing to connect it to my 21" CRT. I rarely use it. For some reason the 13.3" widescreen LCD at 1280x800 is perfect. I'll occasionally connect the external monitor and span it, but right now as I post this edit, the external huge screen is dark and I'm just using the internal LCD like I do 95% of the time.

 

[MattGiaco]

I've actually been testing a Verizon Wireless USB mobile broadband card. I believe it was manufactured by Merlin. On the box, it advertised Mac support. In fact, OS X recognized the card with no software installation and it works like a champ.

I believe Sprint PCS has the same USB product. Both Sprint and Verizon run EVDO with Revision A in some areas. It's very fast.

 

[xsx-]

Any other tips ? All are welcome

 

[iRye]

I did the apple sticker thing with iPod stickers and a Compaq r4000

 

[Sachsr1]

Watch out for the low end macbook it doesn't have a DVD burner.

 

[MinaMACMan]

hey xsx-

Welcome to the forums

I am a recent switcher, I've been a Windows Power User for as long as I can remember (I was in the dark, but now I see the light )

I've had my Black MacBook for 3.5 weeks now and I LOVE IT.

About the screen, I was worried it would be too small at 13.3", but let me tell u, this is a High Res Screen and its just BEAUTIFUL, and has Vibrant colors and don't forget that it is a Wide Screen LCD so it actually makes u feel like its a lot bigger, like eric mentioned above, u won't miss the Bigger monitors.

About Black Color of the MacBook. Well it was true that u pay a premium for the color, but that isn't true anymore. About Smudges and all that. Well, its kinda true, but nothing so serious that a good TLC session every now and then won't clean up. Plus, the Black MacBooks don't scratch as easily as the White ones and they look Amazing with the Apple Logo illuminated on the back, u'll love it.

For Internet, u can always connect directly to the Modem or if u wanna go wireless u can buy a Wireless G Router that will work flawlessly, I'd recommend NetGear.

Also the MacBook design is Mind Blowing, very innovative. Track Pad is simply amazing, I can't even begin to explain how cool the Track Pad on my MacBook is compared to all the Windows laptops I suffered through. Its just a beautiful Machine through and through

Final Verdict, from a fellow Switcher, YOU WILL LOVE IT.

Cheers

 

[eric]

Track Pad is simply amazing, I can't even begin to explain how cool the Track Pad on my MacBook is compared to all the Windows laptops I suffered through. Its just a beautiful Machine through and through

i have to 110% agree with what Mina said. best, trackpad, ever. and the two finger tap and scroll is genius and very fluid and natural.

 

[MinaMACMan]

i have to 110% agree with what Mina said. best, trackpad, ever. and the two finger tap and scroll is genius and very fluid and natural.

Absolutely,

They simply work, they give the MacBook an even Sleeker look with less buttons, PLUS THEY WORK FLAWLESSLY.

I LOVE IT

 

[xsx-]

I also did a bit of a search for discounts. Find a cheaper way

 

[OSURico112]

About the whole shipping thing. If you're looking to go to an apple store and purchase it all you will be able to get is whatever they have on display. They don't upgrade harddrives or Ram or anything like that but as others have said it is loads cheaper to upgrade the ram urself. If you select any upgrades during the build process online it will ship from Shanghai, China but don't worry it ships fast. Took mine only 3 days to get from China to Columbus, Ohio.

And here is a video of how to install ram into the macbook so you can see just how simple it really is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zjzv-mJxFY And as a side note upgrading the ram on your own does not void your warranty.

 

[xsx-]

So, there are only two spots for the macbook RAM? Say I get 1Gb, I can only install one more GB. Correct?

 

[MattGiaco]

So, there are only two spots for the macbook RAM? Say I get 1Gb, I can only install one more GB. Correct?

You are correct. Has anyone tried putting a 2GB and a 1GB stick for 3? The Apple specs say it supports upto 2GB, but I would think the chipset is close to the MBP and iMac which both support up to 3GB using a 2 and a 1.

 

[OSURico112]

I am fairly sure you can do 3gb in a macbook because the Core2Duos support 3gigs of ram and it's all the same as the macbook pro which apple lets you get a 3gb upgrade for. I think it's just a way for apple to try to promote the macbook pro by not announcing that the macbook is also capable of 3gb and I'm pretty sure it has been tested.

 

[xsx-]

I just bought my macbook. Word editors come with it, correct?

Also..I just realized there are two 512MB chips instead of just one 1GB chip. How am I supposed to add more memory now =/

 

[xsx-]

And...how can I get programs like excel, powerpoint, and word?

I know word you can get something like it for around $40. Any freeware?