laptop help!!

Hey, my old laptop has just died, Im shopping around for a new one and was wondering if anyone can recommend a good one?

Im kind of tempted by an apple macbook - anyone have one? Are they good?! 

I have one, and I love it!  I would say get one if you aren't too frustrated by the way Macs work (some people can't stand it)!

What do you mean 'the way they work'?

Sorry, Im just very easily confused by all this!

Im a student, so as long as it can pick up wireless internet, let me write essays etc, Im happy! -Have to admit I was also interested by the apple/itunes/ipod associations; would be good to have everything from one company if it went wrong!

Oh it's okay!

I mean, have you used a Mac computer before?  They're a little bit different than Windows, and they can take some getting used to.  I'm guessing you use Microsoft Word to write your essays and stuff, right?  Well, you can get Microsoft Word for the Mac.  And it can pick up wireless internet quite simply, the same as any other computer.  If you haven't used a Mac before, I would recommend heading over to the Apple store and just playing around with some.  

The only reason I say this is because I know some people that can't stand the layout and things like that—but I think that once you get used to it, it's easy. :)  There's nothing drastically different, it just takes a little getting used to.

The Mac operating system is different than Windows. Some people are frustrated by it. I enjoy now that I've adjusted to how it files things differently. I've had my MacBook for two months and I love it. Almost all of my friends have them now and they all love it. I know one girl who has a Mac from 8 years ago that's still running stellar. 

Thankyou! Im definitely going to go and have a playaround in the apple store tomorrow, just wanted some real opinions before I meet any salesmen - Im very easily persuaded!

Think Im probably going to go for the macbook; from what Ive heard it seems like the best option; particuarly as a student, and the reliability would be a really big factor. Im not too bothered about a different system, too much of a technophobe to have any specific likes/loyalties!

Haha that sounds like a good plan!  Glad I could be of assistance. ^^

MAC is little more than a very, very expensive fashion statement. It has the same learning curve and as many problems as any other computer.  And software and hardware upgrades are very, very expensive for the MAC.  You can get a great PC laptop for $500 (you need at least 2 GB of memory) and most of the software you might want can be found for free on the internet if you search around. I know from personal experience of both MAC and PC. Stick with a Windows PC for the lowest cost by far and the greatest compatibility with everything else in the real world.

MAC users tend to be an angry anti-Microsoft cult. I am no fan of Microsoft, but I would rather be in touch with 90% of the world than fashionable.  Like any fashion statement it is a matter of taste and sensibility.

Not everyone buys Macs for a "fashion statement". I've always had PCs and after two years, had to replace them because they were crap. You will not get a PC with 2G for $500. 

I'm not anti-Microsoft. I just know that I always had problems with it, have problems with the BRAND NEW PCs at work and that my MacBook has had zero problems. The cost of a MacBook is in line with a PC of "equal" caliber. And way to generalize that Mac users are "angry". ha

The 'cult of mac' is successful not as a fashion statement, but because 'they just work'. 

I am a more than capable technophile but I am so fed up with Microsoft and PC's crashing constantly and needing new patches and taking up way too much memory with the promise of being obsolete in a year not to mention the beyond bad customer service that is enough to make me rip out my hair.

I got a mac reluctantly last year and I am NEVER and I mean NEVER going PC again.

Yes, it was a bit more expensive, but not by much. It hasn't crashed once, I have NO virus problems, it's still fast, it's easy, no crypic error messages, in fact not a single error message so far in an entire year.

It is easy to use, the organization once you pull your head out of the user heavy microsoft idiocy is incredibly fluid and integrated across the whole system.

I've got the unfortunate window office so I can send documents to my remaining PC user clients, and it works seemlessly. I work in PR and it's absolutely necessary that I can communicate with "the whole world" and with the microsoft office for macs no one who is on a PC knows that I'm on a mac, they have no trouble opening my attachments. And, as compared to my friends who recently upgraded to Vista I am spending no time crying in frustration at my keyboard because mac has had NONE of the bugs that vista has. 

Did I mention that customer service actually responded to all of my calls in the fist day when I was setting it up and had to ask stupid things like 'where is the browser' because I didn't know it was 'safari'?.... oh, and I haven't had to call them since. 

I can hook up the mac to any standard projector with a small adaptor, it works with my bluetooth technology, synchs with my blackberry and we recently got the Airport Extreme router which handles my mac, macbook, my partners PC (yes he's still on the old PC) and will handle our mac TV when we switch to that in November when the analogue signal goes down.

The graphic programs are unbelievable, especially if you are into animation, although full programs do cost extra just as they would with a PC. Even the basic photo programs that come with the mac are more comprehensive that what is packaged up with PC. 

The Mail program is so much smarter than anything windows has figure out, it is unbelievably easy to add rule and direct mail into automatic folders. Not that you can't do that on a PC but it's much more complicated and you really need to know your way around the system. 

Basically the only people I find who are still using PC are:

1. Scared that the mac won't be compatible. It is. 

2. Are die-hard technophiles that want to be able to put together their own supercomputer for supercheap from sources parts. 

In which case more power to them, but I don't have the time or energy to put into that. It's just great to buy a computer that when I went home I had set up and 100% working in under 2 hours (including 3 calls to support that took no more than 10 min each including waiting time!!!). 

Go Mac. 

I couldn't agree more with the mac supporters in this thread.  I've had pcs all my life, and i never disliked them, but i just dealt with all the crap..they froze constantly, every six months their hard drives crashed (which i've cried on separate occasions at best buy when being told all my information was lost).  The security systems i had to buy for them were yearly and expensive, they were just plain never reliable for me.  I love computers, by the way, technology of any type, but computers are something i couldn't live without (sad).  I always liked the look of the macs and the fact that they had a good reputation.  Then my sister, someone who hardly cares at all about computers, got an ibook.  It was tiny and the battery lasted forever.  I loved it.  Finally, i was old enough and financially secure enough to get a new computer.  I got the white macbook and I've had it since april and i literally randomly say 'i love my macbook' just to the air, almost weekly.  It has great programs (that come with it).  You don't have to pay extra to get the back up cds (i'm pretty sure you have to for all pcs now).  they are very compatible with everything.  If you do decide to get one, and you have any trouble figuring anything out, you can message me.  Their operating system is quite a bit different from windows, but it's almost fun to figure it out, there are a lot of really good differences.

I really can't say enough how much i love my macbook...let us know which computer you choose!  (i still have a desktop pc, which i like, but i LOVE my macbook).

Supersized, my boyfriend and I just got Airport Extreme too! We also bought the Western Digital external hd that the Apple store sells. It comes with a 5-year warranty! Now we can back up everything on our computers, and share iTunes libraries, and access each other's files if we need to. It's great.

I agree with all the Mac users/supporters here. Definitely look into getting a Mac. You can go to the Apple webiste and make a "personal shopping" appointment with one of the Specialists there. And if you ever have problems, there's always tech support at the Genius Bar when they're open and I've always been very happy with their help.

Also, don't worry about being swayed by salesman-type talk. All the Specialists (people in blue shirts on the floor who ring you out) are only paid hourly; so it's not as if they are going to try to sell you more than what you actually need because they make no personal profit off of it. (My boyfriend works for Apple, which is how I know.)

I LOVE my Macbook <3333 I'm on it right now and it's SO user-friendly and simple and almost glamorous hehe ;D I deff recommend one.

Macs are great (and no, they're not just a fashion statement; depending on what you need to do, often a Mac machine is the best way to go). If you really just need to get online and write essays though, it might not be worth spending the extra cash on one.

However, if you do, and you go with an Intel one (I believe all new ones are), you could also run Windows (I have XP on mine because I hate Vista) by using VMware Fusion. It's pretty cool, and then you can have both Windows and Mac OS in one machine, and without having to restart like you would if you used Boot Camp. You could also run Ubuntu, which is Linux based and is also great (and is free) - if you decide to go with a PC but don't like Windows, this would be a good way to go, since Ubuntu looks and operates very much like Mac OS.

VMware Fusion: http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/

Also, if you'd rather not spend a ton to get the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excell, etc.) you could just download Open Office, which is basically exactly the same, totally compatable with Office, and free.

Open Office Download: http://download.openoffice.org/

As for wanting a Mac because of the iPod/iTunes thing, you can use iTunes and and iPod with any machine (given that it has the right system requirements), so if you don't need what a Mac has to offer, or you're not keen on the OS, there are a lot of cheaper alternatives that probably suit you better. Personally, I adore my MacBook though, and I'd totally recommend getting one.

I have a MacBook and I love it. In case you didn't know, as a student you are eligible for an automatic 10% discount off on any Mac computer; you can do this online or in the store. Just remember to bring your student ID!

I have a MacBook as well and I love it.  It didn't take long to learn how to figure everything out.  It's also very fast and it doesn't crash and get bugs/viruses like my other window's pc.  It's a little expensive, but totally worth it :)  

As a long time PC/Windows user, I have no hesitation to recommending getting a macbook. They just *work*.  I know that when I need to replace this laptop that I'll be replacing it with a macbook of sme description.

Don't buy the Macbook... yet... they are due to make an announcement this Tuesday about the updated version. Rumors are that it will be more agressive (read: lower) pricing, but regardless, you'll either want to get the latest generation, or get a refurb of the old generation for much cheaper,  not a new old generation.

Ooh yeah—if you're interested in top-of-the-line stuff, Apple is apparently coming out with a new MacBook:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jht ml?xml=/connected/2008/10/10/dlmacbook110.xml

I love my Toshiba Satellite and Vista operating system.  I got the larger one because I don't have to carry it around.  The screen is a big as a regular monitor and the keyboard is nearly as big. 

as far as prices go, if you want something good for a decent price NOOO TO MACS!

plus if you ever want to upgrade, no to macs as well..

macbooks are good, but nothing fantastic to be honest, over priced for what they actually are, plus i hate the operating system they run on

its harder to find games/programs for macs, not as bad now as before but yeah

look for at least 2 gigs of ram.

happy shopping.

i have an HP laptop, i like it. no problems yet, had it for almost a year.

not my favourite brand, but oh well, none the least its not too bad.