View Full Version : Apple iBook
F4Fan
13th Jun 2005, 12:05
Hi
My Dell Laptop just died......:mad: :(
Am considering buying an Apple ibook...they seem very indestructable....not many viruses for them and very little in the way of Malware.
Just wondering if I should go this route...any one currently got one..? Is it easy to go from PC to MAC?
Any advice appreciated
PC to Mac is pretty simple. For a few days things are a bit wierd, for a couple of weeks you can't find everything, then it becomes second nature. Ease of use, configuration, security etc. are all very easy.
As for the iBook, i'd go for a Powerbook if you can - they're a bit better specified - but they are also a fair bit more money. My preference is a 12" powerbook plus a decent TFT flatscreen to plug it into back home, but i'm not using it on its own that much; if you'll be away from home a lot then the 15" (iBook or Powerbook) makes sense.
Also, Apple have a pretty good - and very flexible - Education discount. It's worth finding someone who qualifies, but (alledgedly) nobody checks what you put... ;)
goates
13th Jun 2005, 21:48
As long as you aren't expecting to run some customized business software or have the same selection of games, an iBook should work great. VirtualPC can help in some cases if you get stuck, but it isn't the fastest thing around. And if you do any online banking you should check to see what web browsers it supports as not all will support Apple's Safari web browser. Most will support Mozilla/FireFox/Netscape though.
Mac OSX is very hungry for memory, so I would recommend upgrading as far as you can afford to. 512MB is the minimum to have it run smoothly, but 1GB may be preferable if you like to run several apps at once.
There are a couple of sites with articles about switching to Macs (can't remember offhand) that might help. I think Apple has something for "Switchers" actually.
My brother loves his iBook and my parents just bought a Mac Mini. Very nice computers to use.
goates
Evening Star
13th Jun 2005, 22:14
Currently reading all this on my IBook, and very good machine it is as well. Also have an iMac and the house has an Airport Express network. It all just works, no hassle, no messing, almost disconcertingly so. Like Evo says, found it took a few days to become second nature ... would not look back now. Only hassle is when I have to use Virtual PC and it reminds me why I am so glad I made the switch.
Apple advice for the switch here (http://www.apple.com/uk/switch/).
Advice from goates spot on. Online banking sites that are not keen on Safari work fine with the others, and the Mac comes with IE. The iMac works fine with 256MB, but the 512MB is no bad idea. Another good idea if one has the iBook or Powerbook is getting a spare Apple optical mouse in the briefcase for when out and about.
goates
13th Jun 2005, 22:38
Another good idea if one has the iBook or Powerbook is getting a spare Apple optical mouse in the briefcase for when out and about.
If you are used to using the right mouse button in Windows, you may want to look into a two button USB mouse (Logitech and Microsoft both have decent and cheap models). And if you have one, you can probably just use it. While you can use the one button mouse/trackpad just fine with Mac OSX, I've found the second button quite handy.
goates
F4Fan
14th Jun 2005, 07:26
Thanks all very much....
Very informative and great info...didnt even know about VirtualPC
Online banking sites that are not keen on Safari work fine with the others, and the Mac comes with IE.
I run Firefox on my Macs, and it's better than Safari for online banking. I've only ever seen one problem, which is a very minor rendering problem with First Direct's banking client (it's still fine, just looks slightly odd). I've never found a reason to use IE on the Mac.
I have VPC, but it's a bit of a dog even on my 1.8GHz G5 with a 1.5gigs of memory and i've been moving away from it. Word, Excel etc. are available in native Mac versions (which are very nice!) but I must admit to keeping a PC for a few other bits and pieces that just don't work well enough on VPC... :* :O
drauk
14th Jun 2005, 10:41
Not a suitable tip for anybody with just one computer, but Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection software is free and allows you to control your PC from your Mac, including receiving sound. It works very well.
However, these days I hardly need it. I use VirtualPC for NavBox and for checking something when a PC friend rings up with a problem, for which it is fine on a dual-processor G5.
Not a suitable tip for anybody with just one computer, but Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection software is free and allows you to control your PC from your Mac, including receiving sound. It works very well.
Good idea - available here (http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=remotedesktopclient)!
However, ISTR that remote desktop connections require XP/Pro or the Server flavours of 2000/2003?
Another lost to the dark side.... :ooh:
goates
14th Jun 2005, 13:46
Evo,
Yep, you do require XP Pro or the server verions for the Remote Desktop. There are free programs like VNC that do pretty much the same thing.
I wouldn't recommend VirtualPC either unless you really need it, but it is an option if there is only one or two programs holding someone back.
goates
PS - I see ORAC is still in the dark ages :ooh: ;)
redsnail
14th Jun 2005, 14:39
I use a 12" iBook. Absolutely love it. I decided that the Powerbook wasn't quite worth the money for the extras you get with it. Also it's tougher than the Powerbook and since I cart mine around on tour I thought that was a good thing.
Get more memory, it never hurts. If you want Blue tooth, order it specifically because you can't add it internally once you've got it home. (other wise you just add a dongle thingy). Get Airport Express WiFi added too. (Very simple fit)
Open Source do great software and it's free. :D
The mac OS is very simple to use. Instead of right clicking, you'll find those functions along the top of the screen. David Pogue (O'Reilly press) has written a couple of very good books that I found invaluable. It doesn't take long to get used to and if you can use Windoze then you'll find the OS X easy to use. It's not hard at all.
I haven't had to run a PC emulator yet.
My next desk top will be a G5 Imac for sure.
Does anyone know if you can get an XP/Home to XP/Pro upgrade, or do you need the generic XP/Pro upgrade edition?
I'd second Reddo's suggestion for bluetooth and Airport express. They're cheap and work very well, the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse are great too. However, don't buy Apple's memory - you can get the same stuff much cheaper from 3rd party suppliers like Crucial.