Apple purchase for non educational pricing

[niter]

My FH's grandmother has decided she wants a computer for internet browsing and printing webpages. She does not have any need for transfering files, Office, advanced programs, etc. Just a basic computer.

FH suggested a Dell (cheap and basic) and I suggested and Apple--not just because they are cool. I was thinking, and he is agreeing, that an eMac would be the best thing for them. Very simple to set up---keep in mind she has never owned a computer before--and very simple in that it is an all in one unit. I also think that that OS X will be easier for her to learn and perhaps she will even dable in some of the iApps. The part that I think is the most important is that it will be far more stable and she will be less likely to find a virus. For us, it will be easier to upkeep for her without being in town.

Now, the only problem is that I do not know were to get one for her. I am a student and I just buy from the apple store because of the discounts. Where would be the best place for her to buy from? She would like a printer, and I know Apple is offering one, so maybe the Apple store is best. Also, is my choice for her the best one? Is the iMac better? I think keeping the price low, while she is willing to pay more for the Apple, is best. I do not think she would use anything extra on the iMac vs. the eMac.

Thanks!

 

[kuyu]

I've got an emac, and it is a great computer. For her uses, I think you'll find it to be more than enough. My only recommendation would be for her to get at least 256 ram, as the emac kind of drags with the the stock 128. Other than that, it will do everything she wants and then some.

One thing... The imac and emac are pretty much the same inside, so you might let her pick one out. I agree that she'll benefit from an "all-in-one" unit. If her eyesight is bad (like most older people) she might enjoy the 17' imac because of the larger viewable area at a lower resolution.

I have an epson stylus C82 and it doesn't require any 'drivers', although there are some helpful utilities on the epson disk. Also, it uses four seperate ink cartriges and they just clip in.

Good luck, and sorry for the l-o-n-g post.

 

[voicegy]

Get her a 17" flat panel iMac.

Easier on the eyes. The iMac screen is fully adjustable, so she'll appreciate not "looking down" all the time at a screen. Easier to move to another location (the eMac weighs a ton and is slippery!)

Any printer recommended from the Apple store would be fine. But for "ease of use" (given my statements above) the iMac would be a superior choice.

 

[grafikat]

I got my mom an imac when she was 70. She had never been on a computer before, but she found it quite easy. While she still has her bondi blue model, if you can get the new one that is adjustable, it will help alot! (just don't laugh when she tries to use the mouse for the first time!...I did, and I got the *bad kid* stare!)

As to where, if you don't go to the apple store, then check out small dog, club mac, macconnection, etc. If you find a deal that isn't matched anywhere else on the net by the mainstream folks, it's probably not really a deal. Also, check out refurb models for savings, too

 

[pinto32]

The eMac should be just fine for her. Assuming that she doesn't need to burn CDs, apple is offering a refurbished eMac (800Mhz, 128MB RAM, CDROM, 40GB hard drive) for $579.00 Just look for the red tag that says "SAVE" in the online Apple Store.