WTB: A Mac for my Mom!

[mulletman13]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for something that will get my mother introduced into the Mac lifestyle. She's a newb when it comes to computers, and I'd love to get her enrolled in Apple's One-to-One program... and I will, once she gets a machine. Now, all she would need it for is photo management in iPhoto, emails, and shopping online on different websites. iWeb would be something she may venture out into. She is used to very slow PCs, so by no means does the computer have to be fast -- just work well.

Because I am a student in college right now, I'd probably be looking for a G4 Mini (combo drive), or a headless laptop. Anything that is near $200 or less, and would meet these things. Does not need wireless internet or anything else. Thanks, and I hope some of you guys have some things lying around! She's really eager to learn and get into this stuff, but very nervous about "learning computers" :)

[Sawtoothdude]

I Have a Tangerine iBook:
300Mhz 160MB RAM 10GB HD, Good battery and OS X,
Let me know

[bobber205]

What you're doing is very nice. I think G4 minis go for about that much on ebay. Though I'm not entirely sure.

I would sell you mine but my mom now has it. :D

[rdowns]

My mother refuses to learn to use the Mac I bought her and my step father.

Anyone want to make an offer for my mom? :D

[iToaster]

The only problem with people is that they have to want to switch or else they'll just refuse to learn. I'd say a G4 mini would do the trick, but you have a variety of options for old machines.

[sigamy]

I have a G4 Cube - 400Mhz/768mb/20gb/DVD-ROM. Not sure if the drive works. Keyboard and mouse.

Let me know if you are interested.

[regre7]

My mom is still stuck on a 2001 Gateway machine: 1.1 GHz Celeron, 512 MB SDRAM (I upgraded it from 128), 40 GB HDD capacity (upgraded from 20). Yeah. It sucks, but she refuses to budge.

[mulletman13]

Heh, I just remembered that eMacs exist! That would fit the bill quite nicely, but I am still open to anything else. I mean, finding an eMac around the Milwaukee area is probably going to take a bit of time :)

I am pretty interested in that Cube, I've always loved them... :)

[MacBass]

I have an iBook 14.1" G3 900 MHz, 40 GB HDD, Airport, 640 MB RAM, 32 MB graphics. It is just slightly out of Apple Care, but I managed to get Apple to replace the motherboard, so it has a brand new MoBo. I'm just a hop skip and a jump away from Milwaukee too. I have the original box and all of the install CD's (including TechTools). I mainly left my computer plugged in, so the battery isn't great, but plugged in, the laptop works just fine. PM me for a price.

[jakeDude]

My mother refuses to learn to use the Mac I bought her and my step father.

[QUOTE=rdowns;3935319]Anyone want to make an offer for my mom? :D


How about $2 or $3 if she's really good.

[ivanlo2]

Check out these eMacs on newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&SubCategory=561&N=2153340561

Newegg is a pretty reliable place as far as hardware parts. Never ordered system from them before.

That $250 800GHZ G4 looks tempting, the 1ghz is a little less than $100 more.

[mulletman13]

I ended up getting the following for my mom!

eMac - 1.25ghz G4 - 40gb HDD (She doesnt need much) - 256mb RAM
It has AppleCare for another two weeks so I'll be taking it in to get whatever defects it has fixed :)

I paid $238 for it.

Then I got an extra gig of RAM for $60, bringing the total up to $300, then I also got a USB webcam so she can video chat with my sister and myself for about $40... so paid just about $340, and I believe she will have a great setup for managing her pictures, email, video chatting, and shopping online. I'll enable remote desktop then so I can VNC into it. I'm very excited and for the first time in my life I feel like Im actually doing something to help her out!

:D

[techlover828]

great deal, very happy for you, I'm looking for something similar for my mom

[maccam]

Didn't the 1.25 GHZ eMac's have major problems?

[DoFoT9]

lol way to shatter a mans dreams!!!! my friend has an emax 1.25ghz, he has never had a problem with it... not all of them are failures, i suspect this model, at that ages, and is still working, will not have any defects... maybe a flat clock battery???

very nice buy mate, id be happy with that computer!!!

[maccam]

lol way to shatter a mans dreams!!!! my friend has an emax 1.25ghz, he has never had a problem with it... not all of them are failures, i suspect this model, at that ages, and is still working, will not have any defects... maybe a flat clock battery???

very nice buy mate, id be happy with that computer!!!

Oh I know that not ALL eMac's had problems. Apple has a repair thingy going, so if he is taking it to an apple store he should check to see if it's faulty.

[mulletman13]

1.25 had a bunch of problems? Luckily I have AppleCare on it until August 7th, so I'll take it in! The display actually has some rings around the corners so that will need to be replaced, but hopefully they'll do whatever else they have to do in order to get it running smoothly.

Thanks for the advice!