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12" ibook purchase and AppleCare - help! I'm bad at making decisions :/

K

kafiene

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 21, 2004
9
0
Toronto, ON, Canada
As my re-initiation back into the world of the Apple computer I am going to be buying the 12" G4 ibook, that decision has been made (much deliboration and scrimping/money juggling, heh).. however I'm having trouble deciding which extras will be most important since my budget is somewhat limited. I'm getting the bluetooth since you only have one chance to make it internal and the AirPort Extreme since school is wireless, but do you think that upgrading ram or hard drive is more important? The ram I can always upgrade later.. but is a larger hard drive really necessary since there's a CD burner? (except maybe when it comes to resale value? I'm not even sure about that) - I have no experience buying a lap top or a mac even, the last mac my family purchased brand new was back in 1992 I think (after that my dad used to get them from work until he retired or we'd get used ones from the school my mum worked at for $100 or so and those just came as is no choice about it)

I'm also having trouble deciding whether I should ditch upgrading either of those and going for AppleCare instead. I could always ditch my pride and ask my parents for a loan, but I'm trying to avoid doing that.

Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks. :)
 
It would be better if you can atleast upgrade ram. Do not buy ram from apple, goto crucial.com instead and you can get 512mb for around 100$. And yes you can always do it later whenever you have extra cash.
I have an ibook with the standard 30gb hard drive and i still have about 12gb free. But then i do not store movies, i rip cds instead. I do store music and have about 3 gb of mp3s. So unless you want to store movies or have a mammoth mp3 collection, 30 gb would do ok.
Regarding applecare, you have 1 year warranty with the ibook, so if anything goes wrong apple would take care of it till 1 year(although i am not sure if it covers EVERYTHING). But still you can buy applecare when you are close to completion of the 1 year period.
cheers
P.S. and boy..ibook is a sweet decision :D
 
Originally posted by abhishekit
It would be better if you can atleast upgrade ram. Do not buy ram from apple, goto crucial.com instead and you can get 512mb for around 100$. And yes you can always do it later whenever you have extra cash.
I have an ibook with the standard 30gb hard drive and i still have about 12gb free. But then i do not store movies, i rip cds instead. I do store music and have about 3 gb of mp3s. So unless you want to store movies or have a mammoth mp3 collection, 30 gb would do ok.
Regarding applecare, you have 1 year warranty with the ibook, so if anything goes wrong apple would take care of it till 1 year(although i am not sure if it covers EVERYTHING). But still you can buy applecare when you are close to completion of the 1 year period.
cheers
P.S. and boy..ibook is a sweet decision :D
Click to expand...

I agree get the ram via a third party, installing it is easy. As for the AppleCare. If it were a desktop I'd say don't worry about it, but with a laptop, they take more of a beating so I would recommend it, maybe not right away if you want to save a little money, but eventually. You have 90 days of free phone support, might as well not worry about it til after that atleast.
 
My advice? Forget AppleCare and RAM for now and get the hard drive upgrade. Like Bluetooth, you can only do this once. If I were you I'd go for the full 60GB possible, even if you don't think you'll use it all. Certainly go for at least 40GB. You never know when the next big file space hog comes along so and it's a cheap upgrade so do it.

I have 80GB on my PowerBook and I'm glad I got it. Even though I do dabble with digital video (which EATS up space - 13GB an hour). I have used 30GB on normal usage but I still have plenty of things I need the extra space for. And I have a DVD burner on mine too.

As for AppleCare, I don't have it and think it is a complete waste of money. It's expensive for laptops and still doesn't cover you if you drop it or get it stolen. Get the laptop on your house insurance and save the money. If you're unlucky and your screen goes wrong after two years, it will cost you not much more than AppleCare to fix it. The chances are nothing will go wrong so you'll save the money. (After 3 years it doesn't matter anyway). Extended warranties are good profit makers for manufacturers, which is why they try to get everyone to have them.

Of couse, if you do want to get AppleCare, get it 9 months down the line. As for RAM, you can get that later (crucial.com). I survived fine with the stock 256MB for the first 4 months. Then, when I had some cash again, I maxed it out. Don't worry about that now.
 
I question the need for Blutetooth

Not a lot of Bluetooth stuff out there, and what's available is pretty expensive. Most of the neat mice I saw to go with my new 12-inch iBook with Bluetooth module were RF. I ended up buying the Apple mouse because it was the least expensive Bluetooth mouse I could find -- though combined with the Bluetooth module I spent $120 for a 1-button, no scroll-wheel mouse /BT card vs. the $40 a really good RF mouse with multiple buttons and a scroll wheel would have cost.

That said, the Bluetooh mouse is cool and I don't need an external RF receiver to hang off the side through 1 of 2 USB ports, but I think I would have gone a different route had I known the expense of the Bluetooth devices.
 
Re: I question the need for Blutetooth

Originally posted by brhmac
Not a lot of Bluetooth stuff out there, and what's available is pretty expensive. Most of the neat mice I saw to go with my new 12-inch iBook with Bluetooth module were RF. I ended up buying the Apple mouse because it was the least expensive Bluetooth mouse I could find -- though combined with the Bluetooth module I spent $120 for a 1-button, no scroll-wheel mouse /BT card vs. the $40 a really good RF mouse with multiple buttons and a scroll wheel would have cost.

That said, the Bluetooh mouse is cool and I don't need an external RF receiver to hang off the side through 1 of 2 USB ports, but I think I would have gone a different route had I known the expense of the Bluetooth devices.
Click to expand...
True, but expect Bluetooth to get a lot cheaper as it becomes more of a mass market thing. Once that happens, you'll be glad you got it. Bluetooth came built into my PowerBook anyway, but I currently don't have any devices. I might pick up the Apple BT mouse when I visit the states in May, but I know I will make use of it in the future. My next phone WILL be a Bluetooh one (but they'll have to get cheaper first!)
 
I think bluetooth is a good idea - there may not be much stuff out there, and it may not be cheap, but the laptop is not just for the next 12 months. I would guess that bluetooth will grow, and prices will fall. I have my phone and Palm T3 connecting via bluetooth, and am thinking about a mouse sometime soon.

I go with Johny regarding the hard drive, as this is obviously harder to do later. And the ram, crucial for example will do you a good deal.

I have never liked extended warranties. It is often the case that if there is a problem with the hardware, it will appear within the first year, or later in its life. An example of this is the PB I'm on now - got it in October, and it badly needs a new screen, just waiting for a new one to arrive so I can send this one in. Remember, these people don't sell warranties to be generous, it's a massive business. I sell them within my company for all types of hardware, especially printers. We look at the equipment to check the condition - most of the stuff we cover is used - and then a figure is worked against any potential claims. we pride ourselves on being cheaper than the manufacturers and big players with our warranties, and we still make good money from them. And before you lot ask, no we don't cover Apple kit, although it is something we are looking into.

At the end of the day, it's your choice, and if you feel more comfortable with AppleCare it isnt a complete rip off. But do get the stuff you can't add later, bluetooth and hard drive.

Good luck, and enjoy your new toy.

Marc
 
Thank you all for your advice it was very helpful! I've decided to go with upgrading the hard drive to 60GB and leaving the ram until later. crucial's prices are incredibly good even with shipping to Canada and the exchange rate, so I'll keep that in mind for when I'm working over the summer and can afford it.

One other quick question - Is .Mac worth it?
 
Try the 60 day free .Mac trial first to get a taste of it. I tried it and personally thought it wasn't worth the money, but it definately has potential and there are lots of incentives to get it.
 
I had .Mac, and dumped it. Their web interface for the .Mac homepage is alot more limited than a another service might have.. its difficult to make your own pages to put on them, you have to use their layouts. There were also alot of problems with the web mail being down, which i think is totally unacceptable. Calendars on the net, not very useful, IMO.
 
Originally posted by crazzyeddie
its difficult to make your own pages to put on them, you have to use their layouts. There were also alot of problems with the web mail being down, which i think is totally unacceptable.
Click to expand...

No it's easy to make a web page and you don't need to use .mac templates either, you can design your web page off-line with your choice of application then upload it to your iDisk.

I've never had a problem with .mac web mail going down, I don't use the web interface and it's always been accessible when I need it.
 
buy apple notebook = buy apple care

if you get a desktop system i would think about not to purchase it (i will still purchase it but i am stupid ;p)

notebook = always
 
My 2¢

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
As for AppleCare, I don't have it and think it is a complete waste of money. It's expensive for laptops and still doesn't cover you if you drop it or get it stolen. Get the laptop on your house insurance and save the money. If you're unlucky and your screen goes wrong after two years, it will cost you not much more than AppleCare to fix it. The chances are nothing will go wrong so you'll save the money. (After 3 years it doesn't matter anyway). Extended warranties are good profit makers for manufacturers, which is why they try to get everyone to have them.

Of couse, if you do want to get AppleCare, get it 9 months down the line.
Click to expand...

Applecare for laptops should be mandatory. If any one piece of hardware fails while your laptop is between 1 and 3 years old, applecare pays for itself. A failed logic board on a 2.5 year old laptop costs more than the value of the machine.
And getting applecare later on while your 1-year limited is still active only makes sense if you're looking to save money Now. It doesn't extend anything if you do it that way as applecare only kicks in as your limited turns off.
But it is true, any accidental blows or cosmetic damage will not be covered by any warranty, applecare or the limited warranty. This is also true with repairs made to the computer for software problems. But, applecare extends the 3-month phone support all the way to the full three years, so you really benefit from getting applecare towards the end of that three month period if you didn't get it with the computer.
Also, Applecare covers any additional Apple accessory hardware (airport stuff, cameras, etc) that is purchased with the computer when applecare is bought at the same time.
 
Re: My 2¢

Originally posted by m15t3r 8L4Ck
Also, Applecare covers any additional Apple accessory hardware (airport stuff, cameras, etc) that is purchased with the computer when applecare is bought at the same time.
Click to expand...
only airport and displays. ipods, isights and those things are not covered. maybe the bluetooth mouse and keyboard have been added to the list, i would have tocheck on that one.

iJon
 
Originally posted by crazzyeddie
I had .Mac, and dumped it. Their web interface for the .Mac homepage is alot more limited than a another service might have.. its difficult to make your own pages to put on them, you have to use their layouts.
Click to expand...

I know it's already been said, but this is absolutely false! You definitely don't have to use Apple's templates -- I never have. And I'm not sure how it could be any easier to make your own pages... I simply drag my html to the Sites folder on my iDisk. How much easier can it get than drag-n-drop?
 
AppleCare is simply an extended warranty. So I am, to an extent, taking a gamble by not getting it. But why is AppleCare for a laptop any more mandatory than for a desktop? You are more likely to drop a laptop, but that isn't covered. A logic board could just as easily fail on a desktop (unless bigger=more reliable). And I don't play juggling games with my PowerBook.

After my 90 days free phone support expired, I got a leaflet through the post persuading me to get AppleCare. When I looked, I noticed that the PowerBook AppleCare was the worst value (iBook 2nd worst). The graph showed the cost with AppleCare, compared with the average cost if something were to go wrong. (What are the real chances of something major going wrong?) The AppleCare saving was less than 5%. There and then I knew I wouldn't get it for definite (ironically the Apple leaflet was the final nail in the coffin!).

Out of all the computers my family has owned non of them have ever had a problem. Computers don't go wrong normally if you are careful with them. Sure, you can be unlucky, but it would be an absolute stinker if that screen was to go 3 years and 1 day/month after purchase. Sod's law, that's what'll happen.

In the UK, the consumer watchdogs are trying to clamp down on extended warranites and advising how they are poor value for money. Dixons, for example, (electronics chain) makes of 20-30% of its profit from extended warranties, and its goods are way overpriced as it is.

AppleCare = rip-off = BIG PROFIT FOR APPLE.
 
Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
AppleCare = rip-off = BIG PROFIT FOR APPLE.
Click to expand...
i find your opinion not to valid, just because all your examples are from you personally. thats great that you havent had any problems, there is no reason why you would want to buy applecare. im more than likely around more computers than your dose of family computers. applecare is a huge hit, and most people get it (no matter what computer) and i cant stress how many times it has saved people. im not usually a warranty type person, but unless i plan to sell my computer before the year is up and get a new one i will always invest in the applecare program.
 
You pay $1600 for a product and then another $200/300 to ensure that it works for at least three years. In the words of Homer Simpson whle having a crayone jammed into his brain: "extended warranty? How can I lose?!"

Just to give my 2 cents in regards to the laptop: if this is to be your only computer, I'd recommend getting the ibook, and using the money you save to get a half-decent desktop. Because, as much as I do appreciate my 12" pb, it's just not a desktop replacement--not even close.
 
No worries I'm not trying trying to substitute a desktop with a laptop. This house has plenty of desktops, granted all but 1 of them are windows machines and the mac is rather old (PowerMac 6100/60 i think? - something like that at least), but they do their job. It's more for school and also being able to move about when I'm working on stuff since my room is in the basement and the lighting is kinda crappy and oppressive. Also I just wanted to play with a Mac. I've never really had the opportunity to properly mess about on one, at least not recently.
 
Bluetooth -- DOA

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
True, but expect Bluetooth to get a lot cheaper as it becomes more of a mass market thing. Once that happens, you'll be glad you got it. Bluetooth came built into my PowerBook anyway, but I currently don't have any devices. I might pick up the Apple BT mouse when I visit the states in May, but I know I will make use of it in the future. My next phone WILL be a Bluetooh one (but they'll have to get cheaper first!)
Click to expand...

I think Bluetooth is going the way of the floppy disk....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/zd/20040219/tc_zd/119654
 
That can be said about everything. Most things take longer to come to market, and could be the same for wireless USB. The PS2 console ditched modem completely in favour of broadband and it took a lot longer for any fruitition (back in the Dreamcast days). Longhorn is taking forever.

The fact that BluRay and that other HD DVD format are on the way doesn't mean that DVD is dead. Bluetooth may not have yet acheived mass appeal but the aqdoption of these things by more manufacturers will gain more stead. I think this article is just scaremongering.

And, as the article says, I don't care about that, nor does the other average Joe. If I can buy a wireless mouse for my PowerBook (that may just happen to be BT), I don't care whether its Bluetooth or not, just that it does what it functions to do. These things will get cheaper. Have faith.
 
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