i book.... is it worth the dosh?

[Bryn]

Thinking of changing my crappy Dell laptop... i books seem good.... but expensive... are they worth the extra?

I tend to spend most of the time on ukgser, and need to plug in i tunes, garmin gps and I'd like a wireless printer as well....

Advice appreciated

Cheers Bryn

 

[cookie]

iBook is now the macbook.

i've just had 3 new macbooks in a row and they've all been faulty. currently without, pondering my next move.

even though windows laptops are usually staggering value compared to apple offerings, there is no way i want to go back to windows.

oh yes, garmin's gps will not work fully on a mac unless you install windows on it. very feasible, but somewhat defeats the object IMO.

itunes works better on a mac than windows IME, and apple are superb at wireless stuff.

 

[Bryn]

When you say fully for garmin all I do is download routes and maps... nothing fancy.. will that work?

 

[judge]

Bryn,

Go and have a look at what Garmin say with regard to Mac OSX. I have Bobcat up and running on my Mac and it works. It is not as fully featured as Mapsource but the next version of City Navigator and Mapsource will be.

In the mean time you will need a Windows PC to install and unlock the maps first before you can then install them on a Mac.

In short Bobcat is likely to be able to do all you want of it from what you just described.

http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/

Cookie has had a poor experience in getting himself a Macbook but even that hasn't dissuaded him that Mac is where he wants to be rather than Windows.

 

[Bryn]

Thanks both for the replies

Andy... I'll look out for you at the bikesafe launch

 

[Thunder]

I made the switch from PC to Mac last July and don't regret it at all, Mac just does things so much better in my book as it works and I've not had one experience of the Mac crashing or needing a reboot which was happening more and more often on the old PC.

As far as the wireless capability goes it's amazing, I had it running side by side with a PC connecting to a wireless network and running speed tests and it was faster every time.

Connectivity is far easier for any items, don't need to go searching for drivers just plug in and off you go.

As has already been mentioned when it comes to Garmin units there is a way to go but Bobcat does work although with nothing near the functionality of a PC machine so I have a copy installed on a PC emulator which from memory is now included as part of the latest Apple Operating System.

Compared to PC's they are more expensive no doubt but I would not think of going back.

 

[Bryn]

Off down currys and pc world later to see what offers they have on.... it'll still have to be good

thanks for the input Roger

 

[cookie]

Cookie has had a poor experience in getting himself a Macbook but even that hasn't dissuaded him that Mac is where he wants to be rather than Windows.

true, but what's really holding me up is that apple don't actually make the laptop i want at the moment.

here's my personal, potted review of apple lappys...

macbook: good size, great design, best value. newly upgraded RAM and 250GB HDD...but...poor screen (very narrow view angle), no backlit keys. no new trackpad gestures as air and pro, poor personal experience of build quality.

macbook pro: good screen, backlit keys, better sound...but...a bit big, too much power for what i need, so very pricey. generally unappealing, old fashioned design once you open it. poor wireless reception (ali case). huge dosh.

macbook air: unsurpassed design, the undoubted king of laptop bling, good screen, good keyboard. small, light, near perfect...except...80GB HDD capacity would be filled by iTunes, it's a slow ipod drive too. can't see how they are ever going to physically fit a bigger drive in. better pray for a massive drop in flash memory prices.
would work great with a Time Capsule with a load of data stored remotely, but back to huge dosh again.

i'll soldier on with just my iMac for a while...but not long

 

[PhilM]

I would suggest a lot depends on how much you want to spend.

I've just bought a Dell Inspiron 1525, 15.4" screen, 4GB ram, 160gb HD, wireless, bluetooth for £570.

Nearest to it from Apple, £1200.

Much as I like Macs..............

Oh, and itunes and Mapsource work fine with Vista.

 

[ScottyKM]

The wifes macbook is fine for what she does (pretty much what you said you want to do bryn)
my imac is fine for what I do (her + photoshop)
just got an airport express, it boosts the range of my wireless network and allows me to plug in a printer to share, and plug in our speakers in Living room to wirelessly play itunes (that also works with windoze)

I only changed last year, hate using windows at work now!!