Ex-Apple Employee Needs Advice: New MBP?

[ItsAShaunParty]

How Long Can I Wait and Is It Worth It?

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To start, I can't comb through here anymore. So, help please. Also, I worked at Apple in 2008. I probably gave you a discount.

Background:
Snow Leopard was great! Wanted Skitch. So, I decided to drop Lion into my Apple MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.0 13-Inch (Unibody - Late 2008/Aluminum) MB466LL/A.

Needless to say, it was not worth it. But everything was spotless and the RAM upgraded so I figured how bad could it be? Slow. So, so slow. Then, I was cleaning it, and the keyboard went. Needs to be replaced. On a USB keyboard now.

Five years ain't bad. Running Adobe Suite, MS Suite, etc. But I'm waiting a solid 30 second to a minute to open text edit? Not cutting it.

I love the size, though. MBA is too small for me.

NOW:
It is taking all self control for me not to just go use my buddy's 15% and get a MBP. I went in to the store the other day and he literally wouldn't let me but... He also thought June 10 would be solid.

Last time I grabbed one quick (this one), I cried when the keyboard didn't illuminate.

Questions/Advice:
How long is it going to be until the redesign? July? Q3? Q4?
Is it going to be so magnificent that I should wait? What are we going to see?

I mean, at the Q3 point, I guess I should just...
Can I speed this up?
Buy used? Recommendations? Cheapest website?

CONCLUSION:
I mean, I am in SEO. I look like an idiot. Maybe I'll get an MBA.

THANKS!

PS: If I ever helped you, you got a discount.

 

[sonicrobby]

I never got a discount >:[ why werent you there?!

I dont think there will be a "redesign" per say, but more of internal upgrades (the 13" rMBP might get thinner though). What will it have and when it will be out? thats pure speculation. I think their next event is sometime in the August-October range. I dont think anything is going to be announced in July that wasnt announced at WWDC. People seem to believe the Haswell processor will be in the upgrades, so it will have much better battery life.

Another option could be looking at used MBPs (ebay or craigslist) or buy refurbished from apple (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac). I just got a used one from ebay. Except for one scatch at the bottom, its pretty great! saved me some $800+

But depending on your needs/wants, I would say wait if you can. Hopefully in a maximum of 4 months, the new MBPs should be announced. I mean youve been dealing with your current one for 5 years now, whats a few more months, right?

 

[designs216]

It's anyone's guess when and specs. My advice is stick with your current rig until the refresh happens and then you'll have more options: buy the 2012 at a deeper discount or the latest which folks think will be less power-hungry. I will say that the 2012 cMBP is an awesome machine and there are plenty of good deals on these now [sans Shaun discount] in the refurb bin.

 

[Lunfai]

You worked at an Apple Store and you're asking us when theirs going to be a refresh/redesign? Were you working at the right a store, because apple employers don't even know, never mind us.... There's no concrete information, mostly rumors.

I hardly doubt you gave out discounts willy nilly, I'm pretty sure the store manager fired you for that reason if you did. Why didn't you do more research if you wanted illuminated keyboard instead it just buying it, maybe even waited until your store had stock and looked at one before you purchased it.

 

[sonicrobby]

You worked at an Apple Store and you're asking us when theirs going to be a refresh/redesign? Were you working at the right a store, because apple employers don't even know, never mind us.... There's no concrete information, mostly rumors.

I hardly doubt you gave out discounts willy nilly, I'm pretty sure the store manager fired you for that reason if you did. Why didn't you do more research if you wanted illuminated keyboard instead it just buying it, maybe even waited until your store had stock and looked at one before you purchased it.

The guy is coming here for advice, whether the information is true or not, why be bashful?

 

[RedTomato]

Your MPB is a fine machine. It shouldn't be running slow. My 2009 white macbook (non-unibody) is on Mountain Lion, and shouldn't be slow. It runs perfectly fine - Adobe CS6 photoshop opens in 25 seconds, and Textedit opens instant.

1). How much RAM do you have? 2GB is too low for your work. Think about 4GB or more.

2) Erase your HDD and reinstall the OS from scratch. Seriously. My white macbook was also slowing down like yours. It was about 3 or 4 years since I'd last reinstalled. I know you shouldn't need to do this with OSX, but if it's been years and years, yes you do need to do so. I only moved data and files over, NO APPs. Any app i needed on the new install, I installed from scratch as and when I needed it. I went from about 200 apps on the old macbook to about 20 on the new one.

3) Think about upgrading to Mountain Lion for the new install. Install ML from scratch if you do so, don't do an upgrade. ML is better than Lion and pretty damn cheap. I'm loving the integration with my iPhone for Notes and Reminders and iCal.

4) Think about putting in a SSD, if you're happy with a 128GB SSD. If you need bigger, tbh you might be better putting the money towards a new macbook.

 

[Lunfai]

The guy is coming here for advice, whether the information is true or not, why be bashful?

Yes I may be bashful, but no one really knows except himself really. We don't know when upgrades are out, and we can't say anything but: "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait". This has been said a thousand times and should be stickied.

 

[sonicrobby]

Yes I may be bashful, but no one really knows except himself really. We don't know when upgrades are out, and we can't say anything but: "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait". This has been said a thousand times and should be stickied.

Forums are to discuss, express opinions, get input and advice from others. If everything were yes or no, we could just google it. While no one knows what the upgrades are, we can give ideas, reiterate the rumors going around at least. Every person is different, and each has unique situations, the forums are to seek answers that may not be available for the person's unique needs.
Stickies are very general and may lack small details needed, or contain way more information than needed.

Ive been in his situation, and Ive googled many times my "dilema". But the most helpful one for me was to ask on these forums, see what the users had to say, how it fit their needs, and if it would fit mine, etc. They were there to answer my questions and give advice that HELPED me make a decision. Coming in saying something to the effect of "we dont know, do whatever you want" just isnt helpful to anybody.

 

[Lunfai]

Forums are to discuss, express opinions, get input and advice from others. If everything were yes or no, we could just google it. While no one knows what the upgrades are, we can give ideas, reiterate the rumors going around at least. Every person is different, and each has unique situations, the forums are to seek answers that may not be available for the person's unique needs.
Stickies are very general and may lack small details needed, or contain way more information than needed.

Ive been in his situation, and Ive googled many times my "dilema". But the most helpful one for me was to ask on these forums, see what the users had to say, how it fit their needs, and if it would fit mine, etc. They were there to answer my questions and give advice that HELPED me make a decision. Coming in saying something to the effect of "we dont know, do whatever you want" just isnt helpful to anybody.

I'm sorry this is my last post. Using the search tool can provide information that will lead to: "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait". Instead of making creating a thread that's been posted a thousand times under the same synopsis, when is the new one coming out or is there a redesign.

The answer will always be: we don't know but "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait till it simply refreshes". Bye.

 

[sonicrobby]

I'm sorry this is my last post. Using the search tool can provide information that will lead to: "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait". Instead of making creating a thread that's been posted a thousand times under the same synopsis, when is the new one coming out or is there a redesign.

The answer will always be: we don't know but "If you need it, then buy it, or else wait till it simply refreshes". Bye.

Doesnt have to be your last post, its a forum, discussions happen =P

Its not about getting the answer, its about getting advice on a personal level. Someone talking TO you. Not just reading a conversation between other people.

 

[ItsAShaunParty]

You worked at an Apple Store and you're asking us when theirs going to be a refresh/redesign? Were you working at the right a store, because apple employers don't even know, never mind us.... There's no concrete information, mostly rumors.

I hardly doubt you gave out discounts willy nilly, I'm pretty sure the store manager fired you for that reason if you did. Why didn't you do more research if you wanted illuminated keyboard instead it just buying it, maybe even waited until your store had stock and looked at one before you purchased it.

Wow, I'm acctually going to do this.
1. Thanks for the info!
2. It was 2008 during the WGA strike
3. I ask you because you guys tend to spend more time piecing this togetgher (ie: Of the _____ is being manufactured in )______ tfor Auhust then _____/" I love Apple, but don't follow it like that.
4. This one's my favorite! "I hardly doubt you gave out discounts willy nilly, I'm pretty sure the store manager fired you for that reason if you did." If you were nice, I did 100% of the time. Depending on the product you didn't need an approval. Usuysally like 4% and 9% ring a bell. The disounts for certain businesses, etc.
5. I was not fired, I was offered to be a manager. I declined. I was also offered to be a Google Associate. I declined.
6. Re: Keyboard. Ever misread something? I had just left Apple and thought they all had it. Small mistake.
7. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!! You are not judgmental and I did not meet people while working there who helped my career really take off by giving out discounts to those who are kind.
8. Oh, I think I know why you don't believe the discount.

Cool dude.

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I asked as friend who was not awake and they said late fall best. So, I'll buy a computer.

thanks for halpinh me, defending me, and, the one person, who doesn't understand that so,etimes on these forums you don't have 18 hours.

Link me tp tje tjreads with answers then!

A mom came in once to buy her daughter a computer. (You learn to tell real from fake people) The cheapest laptop was the White Macbook at 999 (?). then Mac Mini. She looked like she was going to cry. She couldn't afford it. So we went to Dell's site or something.

I told her that if she is looked around $500 -- maybe a third party refurbished, but that these were pricey.

Then I said, "She in college? What college?" Got her around 20% with managerial approval.

Response:
"Nah nah nah witch noises" - mean lady wearing a "Nice People Suck" shir.