Apple Consumer Financing questions

[Lordillingworth]

Hello there, ignoring the rumours of imminent updates to the macbook air, i don't think i can hold on any longer without getting one, with apple care this is going to cost a shade under £1,400. I can pay for it outright, but right now i would rather not have it all go out in one go, and looking at the apple finance option i can't help but be tempted even with the interest factored in. (It would allow me to buy a few more pieces of junk!)

I have a few questions though... firstly, when i add the items to my basket and then checkout, i change the option for payment to finance but i still have to click on a 'place my order' button, with apples lovely little message about accepting terms by clicking it. If i click it and then don't like what i see can i back out by not completing the form, i was expecting to see the options first as even at the place my order screen i have not seen any monthly payment details etc.

Also are there any options for less than three year payback times, i have never really done anything like this online before so i don't know if i have read the info right! And i am to scared to click the place order button!

 

[neiltc13]

Did you know that Apple's MacBook Air is just 0.81cm thinner than MacBook?

It is roughly the same width and depth as MacBook but features 300 or 500MHz less clock speed than MacBook. It also has just one tinny speaker, suffers from regular overheating issues and lacks a removable battery, meaning that you'll have to pay Apple for service when it eventually stops charging.

MacBook Air is just £1199 but you can have a machine which is more powerful and more useful in every conceivable way for just £699.

I know which I'd choose.

 

[Lordillingworth]

Did you know that Apple's MacBook Air is just 0.81cm thinner than MacBook?

It is roughly the same width and depth as MacBook but features 300 or 500MHz less clock speed than MacBook. It also has just one tinny speaker, suffers from regular overheating issues and lacks a removable battery, meaning that you'll have to pay Apple for service when it eventually stops charging.

MacBook Air is just £1199 but you can have a machine which is more powerful and more useful in every conceivable way for just £699.

I know which I'd choose.

i completely agree with all your points and i also recognise that the specs of the Air are pretty poor. I have had this debate running through my head for the last month or so. The reasons i want to go for the air are:
Backlit Keyboard, almost vital as probably 80% of my computing is done at night or in darker rooms
Light weight, the air is 3 pounds compared the normal macbook 5 pounds which is a shade under the macbook pro at 5.4, after using the pro for only a couple of days (repeated faulty units then just a full refund), i found that the weight really seemed to be a factor and seemed very heavey compared to my other laptops, there was no way that i would be carrying the macbook pro in anything other than a macbook, but the slightly smaller and 'quite a bit' lighter air seems to be far more suited to sticking under your arm and running around with (not advised though!)
multi-touch trackpad, using the macbook pro trackpad was an absolute revalation to me, things as simple as the swipe to go forwards and backwards through safari and mail etc, it really was a brilliant thing to me personally.
there are a few other minor selling points for me, but one thing i must add is that for what i want to use it for the specs and limitations are all more than enough as far as i am aware. So in theory i am not actually losing anything by not having a bigger hard drive etc. I'll be honest and say that i am mainly going to use this to update my websites and write a book and some general information pieces on historical places and events!

Like i say though your arguement is completely justified, i guess it just comes down to what you want to use the computer for.

Now you have thrown that arguement up though it has shaken my confidence in the decision... what if in two months time i find i have different needs?! What if i don't!? Thanks for your input! It will cause me a restless night! lol!

 

[logana]

Just to further lessen your chances of any sleep tonight - one of the rumours for the updated macBook is the backlit keyboard but who knows...

 

[neiltc13]

I have to say that the backlit keyboard is nothing more than a gimmick to me. The keys themselves glow, which is cool but I've found when using my MacBook in the dark (I've owned both a white and a black model) that the light from the screen is more than sufficient to illuminate the keys enough to read them. I've been a touch-typer for a very long time though and I rarely look at the keyboard.

MacBook's trackpad might not be multi touch, but it still supports things like two finger scrolling and clicking.

 

[Lordillingworth]

Just to further lessen your chances of any sleep tonight - one of the rumours for the updated macBook is the backlit keyboard but who knows...

This is very annoying! my problem with waiting to see what happens is simple:
I have needed one for the last month or so and everyday i don't have one is a day extra that i am missing out on getting any writing done. Then if i do wait what happens if they don't announce anything on the next few weeks like we expect? Do i keep waiting or risk spending the money and having the unit being 'outdated' in an even shorter time than if i buy now!

Plans now on hold for no more than two weeks cos this is unbearable! I hope you are satisfied! (lol thanks for the heads up!)

 

[wwe2008]

the oher post dont really answer his question.... i think that you can pay it off early, just arrange it with barclays bank. the monthly payment is shown under when you save tghe basket in your account.

I hope this helps....
Thanks

 

[skubish]

This is very annoying! my problem with waiting to see what happens is simple:
I have needed one for the last month or so and everyday i don't have one is a day extra that i am missing out on getting any writing done. Then if i do wait what happens if they don't announce anything on the next few weeks like we expect? Do i keep waiting or risk spending the money and having the unit being 'outdated' in an even shorter time than if i buy now!

Plans now on hold for no more than two weeks cos this is unbearable! I hope you are satisfied! (lol thanks for the heads up!)

Well if you need it to get work done, I would but something immediately. You have a Mini in your sig so if you are just writing you could use that but idk your situation.

At worst, if a new MB or MBA comes out you could sell the one you have and get the new one. You probably would lose very little money on the deal.

 

[iMav]

I have needed one for the last month or so and everyday i don't have one is a day extra that i am missing out on getting any writing done.

Out of curiousity...how did you compose this post and why is it not sufficient to handle your writing needs until you buy your MBA?

 

[Lordillingworth]

Out of curiousity...how did you compose this post and why is it not sufficient to handle your writing needs until you buy your MBA?

I used my mac mini which is currently in my room, it can ineeed happily forfill my writing needs... As long as I am sitting in my room! I am spending a lot more time away from home these days which is making me depend on using my iPhone a lot more (this reply is being typed on it now!) if I have an idea while I am away I have to make a note on the notes app even though a lot of the time I could easily sit down and spend an hour on it straight away! I should also point out that I do not have a desk at home so all work is done either lying down or perched on the end of the bed which quite literally means I can only type for so long until my back hurts enough to stop me, I didn't expect to just have the mini on it's own for this amount of time so I set it all up as a media center setup which is why it has no desk or sensible way to work with it!