Inexpensive Way To Get Started In The Mac World

[Tuned MP5]

Can't convince the wife that we need another computer. Its there an inexpensive way to get started in the Mac world? I can’t justify why we need another computer in the house. I’m looking for something used but not beat up.

[Ryan1524]

an emac, used imac, or used ibook or powerbook might work.

[Brother Michael]

Keep a look out for "snow" G3 iBooks. If you can get one with say, a 600-800mhz processor for anywhere between 500 and 700 then that is a goo deal.

You will be able to run Panther on it and generally have a decent laptop (especially if you have a good and current PC). A G3 will take care of the normal day to day activities that you do on a computer and be enough to convince yourself and others thaht buying into Apple is a good thing.

Mike

[evil]

Keep a look out for "snow" G3 iBooks. If you can get one with say, a 600-800mhz processor for anywhere between 500 and 700 then that is a goo deal.

You will be able to run Panther on it and generally have a decent laptop (especially if you have a good and current PC). A G3 will take care of the normal day to day activities that you do on a computer and be enough to convince yourself and others thaht buying into Apple is a good thing.

Mike

i totally agree with this.
i entered the mac world with a 500mhz g3 ibook. it worked quite well. i was running 10.2 on it if i remember correctly.

[Kingsnapped]

Can't convince the wife that we need another computer. ::snip::

It'll be harder for her to refuse if... something accidental-like happened to the PC...

...ya' get my drift?

[Jovian9]

Also try the 'Special Deals' section of the Apple Store:

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/71301/wo/rZ6vX2p5gXWN2DS0sRA14WGzPQp/0.0.9.1.0.6.13.0.5.0.0.0.0.3.1.1.0?71,56

Some refurbished items and some brand new items that they have stopped making.

[Jovian9]

Try some of the Apple resellers too.......they often have discontinued models of Apple computers that they sell cheaper.

[dvdh]

It'll be harder for her to refuse if... something accidental-like happened to the PC...

...ya' get my drift?

Ya, just turn off your firewall and antivirus and leave it on an open connection for awhile. Should become pretty much unusable in no time at all . . . and produce a perfect reason to upgrade to Mac.

[jsw]

Instead of destroying the PC, would she be ammenable to selling it? Maybe if you got a used Mac and a cute little pink iPod mini, she'd be happy.

[Brother Michael]

JSW has a point there. In fact that is a really good idea...

Mike

[flyfish29]

An emac would be your best bet. Under 7-800 new I think and if you can find a refurb one it would be around 5-700. It would have a G4 most likely which is almost the very latest processor if you don't know. I would be careful about getting too old/slow of one so it doesn't make the sell more difficult by not runing OSX smooth and quick. Emacs are so cheap only because they use a crt screen instead of a flat screen. An iBook would not be bad, but make sure it is more than enough to run OSx (by asking us here in the fourm) quickly.

If you really want to sell her on mac, if you have a friend who has one you can either borrow or go over and use to try it out. What does she like to do with a comptuer?
do you have kids? Could be another excuse to get one.

Do you drink coffee and do you spill it often? :D

If you or someone in your family is an educator you can get macs at a discount.

good luck

[Tuned MP5]

Actually this is the second computer in less then a year. First one was a HP which we sold to her dad for 250 while we paid close to 1100 for it. So scrap the selling idea.

My daugther uses the computer a lot for games on line. So we'll have the family pc and I'll have my own Mac. :D

I'll just look for a deal and look to you guys for advice thanks.

[intrepkid21]

I second the notion of going eMac..I couldn't imagine going with anything less than a 800mhz G4 truthfully..but thats just me and the work I do...600-800mhz G3 will be fine for light tasks.

[thehuncamunca]

rather than buying a used, underpowered mac now and be disappointed, i'd save up for a new model
try out itunes and the ipod so you can get a taste of macs without the expensive hardware investment

[virividox]

check out the refurbs under special deals on the mac store

[KevRC4130]

Tell your wife that you think your daughter should have her own computer, and give your daughter the PC, and have the Mac be your new main computer.

[Tuned MP5]

I think I'm going to wait until the new iMac comes out. Anybody got any idea when or what it may look like it?

I'll be using the iMac for iTunes, AIM, Excel, Word and just surfing the net.

[MacinDoc]

I think I'm going to wait until the new iMac comes out. Anybody got any idea when or what it may look like it?

I'll be using the iMac for iTunes, AIM, Excel, Word and just surfing the net.
Apple has said that the new iMac will be introduced in September. Speculation is that it will be introduced at Expo Paris, which runs from Aug 31 - Sept 4. Hopefully, Steve Jobs will be well enough following his surgery to deliver a Keynote at Expo. Speculation on the form factor is generally focused on either:

1. a base (various shapes, including half-dome, or "pizza box" stood on its end) with an LDC screen supported by an articulating arm, somewhat similar to the current form factor, or

2. an articulating arm supporting an LCD screen with the CPU mounted on the back of the screen.

I'm also waiting to see what the new iMac is like before I make my next computer purchase...

[SilentPanda]

It'll be harder for her to refuse if... something accidental-like happened to the PC...

...ya' get my drift?

I'm waiting for somebody to steal my 1G 10 gig iPod from my car... I'm trying to convince myself that I need a new 4G 40 gig iPod but I never use my iPod except for audio books... anybody want to steal my iPod? :P

[flyfish29]

I'm waiting for somebody to steal my 1G 10 gig iPod from my car... I'm trying to convince myself that I need a new 4G 40 gig iPod but I never use my iPod except for audio books... anybody want to steal my iPod? :P

Let me know where you live and I will be there with facemask on. :D

Tuned MP5 good idea to wait. The cost of current iMacs will drop as a result which can affect other used product lines as well depending on what the iMac is priced at, etc.

I personally think the iMac will be a flatscreen that has the capabilty of being a portable tablet type comptuer that you could take into your living room, sit in front of the tv and edit your videos on it, control your itunes from it, surf, etc and play dvd's from and they would use something to show up on your tv using bluetooth or some other wifi type connection.

Just a dream, but a fun one none the less.

[FuzzyBallz]

Buy used, but I'd get at least a G4 running Panther OS. The G3 processor is painfully slow.

[Fender2112]

If you go with an iMac or eMac (or any mac for that matter) besure to upgrade the RAM to at least 1 GB. It made a world of difference on my eMac. By the way, the eMac turned out to be a great computer for my wife and kids. It does everything they need to do, and then some. I would let them use my G5, but they would not appreciate it. To them it's just bigger. :)

[flyfish29]

If you go with an iMac or eMac (or any mac for that matter) besure to upgrade the RAM to at least 1 GB. It made a world of difference on my eMac. By the way, the eMac turned out to be a great computer for my wife and kids. It does everything they need to do, and then some. I would let them use my G5, but they would not appreciate it. To them it's just bigger. :)

So size does matter? :eek:

I would argue that 1GB is not at all necessary for most users. I upgraded to 768 on my flatscreen iMac and don't notice much or any of a difference for what I use it for. I am still glad I did it as I plan on getting into some video editing in the future, but if you are going to be a basic user email, iPhoto, web, itunes, etc then I would either rec. 512 or 768 at the most. 512 would be fine for basic users on a newer emac or iMac. I don't know whether it would have a greater effect on an older mac to bump up the memory even higher for a basic mac user, but I am sure someone else here would know.

[lasuther]

I would recommend a new eMac at $800 instead of a used mac. You'll get the latest software like Panter and iLife 04, which is a big deal because both of those would cost you $180. Plus its a 1.25GHz G4, which is probably a lot better than a used Mac at that price. If you can afford more, look into a refurbished iBook for $950.

lasuther