Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

A few questions (macbook Pro)

Sesshi

Sesshi

macrumors G3
Original poster
Hello. Got a few Mac related questions.

Laptop stand. I'd like something that can raise the Macbook Pro 17" to the same level as a second screen alongside it. It would be great if the stand had a USB (+ Firewire) hub built in.

Failing the hub being built into the stand, are there alternatives for both USB and Firewire which fit into the 'apple design ethos'?

Keyboard/Mouse. I have a few alternatives already lying around but would the Apple keyboards be the best bet? I like them enough but what would be the best aftermarket keyboard and mouse compatible with (and legended for) the Mac?

Training. Is it worth going to the apple store "Getting Started" sessions for a fairly newbie switcher but experienced Windows user who has just dropped a bunch on new Apple equipment? Or should I just turn up for the 'Switch At Six' sessions?

Additional 1Gb RAM for MBP. I missed out the 2Gb RAM for the MBP thinking I could add a gig cheaply later. Is this correct? http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=352324

Thanks for any answers.
 
A couple of answers

Welcome to the wonderful world of Mac!

For a stand for the MBP, I've really come to like the one that RainDesign puts out (iLap). I actually use two. One sits on the desk at work. That one has the front padding taken off. It puts the MBP at a nice height, it doesn't add "clutter" to the desk, and with the padding off, you can easily get into and out of the slot-loading cd/dvd drive.

I then got a second one for home to use for the lap (since I don't want burn marks on my legs). It puts it, again, at a great height, and the swivel back leg allows it to adjust to whatever your legs are doing (recliner, etc.)

For a USB hub, I use one from IOGear that has 6 USB ports and all of the little card slots (MMC/SD/CF, etc.) It works well on the Macs, but I no longer use it on the Wintel machine (XP read each memory card slot as another drive, which really drove me batty - you end up with 6 additional drives under My Computer).

I'm not gonna say I think they're a perfect match, but with their stand-up design, I put them up on a stand against the wall and they stay out of the way. I guess I'm saying they don't add or detract to the aesthetics.

For keyboard - I stick with Apple's primarily because I use numbers so much that I really can't handle jumping around among computers with different number pad layouts. I even use an Apple keyboard on my Wintel for that reason. There are a few different numeric pad layouts used (the differences being if the "0" is large or broken into "0" and "000", if the plus sign is doubled, and if the top row begins with an = sign and ends with multiplication in the corner, or if it puts a Back Space button in the corner and eliminates the = sign.

Coming from the Wintel world, your fingers are probably used to something different than mine, so you'll probably want to stick with what makes you comfortable. Personally, if I use any other keyboard, I end up typing phone numbers and social security numbers like this:

815+123+5432

For mousies - again, you probably have a different experience than long-time Mac folks. For me, Mighty Mouse was the perfect compromise for us one-button fans. While I leave mine in one-button mode, you can set yours to two-button mode. I've even come to appreciate the scroll ball, which is much less cumbersom on the fingers than a standard scroll wheel (which hurt my joints to use). My favorite, though, is the bluetooth mouse. It's the perfect companion for the MBP.

But maybe it's all just me. We all have different things that make us comfortable. And that's the point - make yourself comfortable so that you can focus on your work and not on the tools being used to do the work. That's what makes the Mac such a joy to use. You're going to love it!
 
Thanks for the replies so far. The iLap is a bit basic... looking at it, it's not actually any different to the set-up I have now, which is having it propped on top of a digital to analog converter 😀 What I would like is something that still clears the front loading slot but allows the MBP to be fairly sharply tilted upwards (so that at maximum opening, the screen would be vertical), but is adjustable and ideally has a USB (at least) hub built-in.

Thanks for the link regarding memory.
 
I steered clear of the mighty mouse for my other macs. I think I will try one. Thanks. I'll also just get the bog standard Apple keyboard and the iCurve. Thaks for the suggestions.
 
dferrara said:
I bet this is what you're looking for? Unfortunately, they don't have a MBP version yet.
Click to expand...

Ugh. Sorry, but that thing looks like a PowerBook torture device, it doesn't have a built in hub, and it costs $110. 😱

I like how the description on their site says "Unlike other laptop stands, the Power Support Ergo Stand has no flimsy plastic parts that will break with extended use." Um, it's a notebook computer stand. You put your computer on, you take it off, etc. My iCurve shows no signs of wear or tear after 2 years of daily use.
 
Is the sperdrive slot in the same place on the MBP as opposed to the 17" PB? I quite like the look of that stand. I'll see how I get on with the iCurve anyway first.
 
Just an update guys. The Mighty Mouse didn't work out. The left/right click differentiation was frequently mistracked because of the way I held the mouse, and the movement was too slow in the end. So I switched to the Logitech Mediaplay mouse, in the hope that the buttons on it (identical in function to the Mac remote) would be supported by Mac OSX. As it happens no, ut the movement was really zippy in comparison. But I found the buttons and scroll wheel made my fingers hurt really quickly. I'm now on the Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 which seems like a good choice. Scrolling feels well-damped, doesn't 'click-scroll' and movement is a little faster than the Mighty Mouse. The button positivity is near perfect while not being too stiff. I guess I wasted my money with the Mighty Mouse but it was an interesting experience.

The iCurve is perfect though.
 
I have always liked Microsoft mice, they are pretty good with replacing them if you have problems too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back