What's the Best Place to Buy Online?

I've purchased from these places:

http://www.macwarehouse.com (or http://www.cdw.com)
http://www.maczone.com
http://www.jandr.com (in NJ or NY)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com (also NY)
http://www.amazon.com (amazon reward points if you pay by Amazon visa)

Most places have free shipping. If you want to avoid paying tax, buy from one that is out of state. If you still want a better price, try shopping around and calling them to ask them to match or beat the best price you've found. However, don't count on that to work with Amazon.

afehrenbach said:

Hey everybody. I was just wondering if you could lend me some advice as to where I can get an iMac G5 for the best price online. I'm just looking to get the standard $1300 17", but I wanted to ask if there was any site that is offering good deals/free upgrades to 512MB RAM or more. Personally, I think that $75 is way to much to ask for that kind of upgrade, and the 7% sales tax that comes along with buying on the Apple Online Store is ridiculous. Please help me out and share your thoughts... Thanks!

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I hear macmall is pretty good.

Amazon currently has a $100 mail-in rebate on all iMac G5s plus no sales tax. You can also get an additional 1.57% off (which on an iMac is another $20-30) if you do just one search on the A9 search engine prior to ordering. You won't find one cheaper at any other authorized dealer. As for the extra memory, just wait for a sale at CompUSA or Fry's and add it yourself. That's what I did after I bought my PowerBook at Amazon in July. Good luck.

afehrenbach said:

How about any current iMac G5 owners? Do you think wires take away from the iMac's elegance? Is it worlth going all wireless?

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I've got a G5 w/bluetooth and airport extreme. My internet is with Comcast and I've got a wireless router/gateway with a PC and a Mac on it. Very happy with everything so far. I just bought a Macally Icekey keyboard which is wired but I really like the action.....very similar feel to a laptop keyboard. My Mac is housed in a big wooden computer "hutch" with slide out desk and slide out keyboard shelf so I don't mind the wires from the keyboard. I do want to get rid of the Apple "hockey puck". Can't stand that mouse! What I really want is a BT mouse. I know that Apple has a BT keyboard and mouse but the mouse is still the hockey puck so I'm waiting. There's a BT mouse, RADTECH, that I've seen that is nice but think it's more for laptops as it is tiny. Wish that they would make a bigger version. M$ makes a BT mouse but am holding off. Anyway, my advice for the new iMac G5 is to go with a wireless keyboard and mouse. That's from a "looks" stand point, so get the BT option. If I'm not mistaken, you'll get the best price on a AE card if you buy it when you initially order. Good Luck. Cheers

To Wire or Not to Wire

afehrenbach said:

How long is the standard apple wired keyboard's wire?

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The Apple keyboard has a very short (maybe 2 or 2.5 feet?) wire. It's meant for those who have their CPU's on their desks. It's fine for my Pismo, but I do have to use an extension on the Gateway (which sits under my desk at work). I understand the idea - an extension is easy, but it's tough to hide a few extra feet of chord if you do have your CPU on your desk. Actually, come to think of it, my apple keyboards may have come with the extension.

Personally, I'm not nearly ready for the BT mouse and keyboard. The wired ones are just so gosh darn reliable. It scares me to not have the wire. If you have to hold down some key combo - say "Option" - at startup, can the computer decipher it before it's booted? If the computer freezes, will it really be able to recognize an Option-Clover-Escape?

My other concern would be - do the keyboard and mice accept rechargable batteries? As much as I like the little pink bunny, I don't want to put him through college.

As for RAM, you could get a 512 off Newegg for $70, or off Crucial for $99.

Two Different Questions

afehrenbach said:

Reliability seems like a good reason to stick with the wired keyboard and mouse, at least for now, anyway. I can always add a DLink Bluetooth Module to the iMac later on. Thanks everyone!

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Keep in mind you can still get the bluetooth module pre-installed without using a wireless keyboard and mouse. If I were buying now, I'd probably go ahead and get the module built in. It allows for the future use of a BT mouse (which might come in handy during presentations, etc) or for syncing your Palm/PocketPC, etc. Who knows, digital cameras or other devices might transmit to your computer via BT some day soon. I'd say $50 is worth not having to mess with an external module for the next X years you own your computer.

And - keep in mind that my bias toward chords is more out of fear than first-hand knowledge. Let's wait to hear from someone who has used the wireless to see what they have to say about its use before startup and during computer freezes, etc. Apple may have all that worked out.

Heck, I still believe that all phones should be tethered to a wall - don't follow me.