I'm in a bit of a jam. iPad or something else.

[cornchild]

My baby (2007 24' iMac videocard has kicked the bucket.) so I'm without a computer besides this iPhone I'm typing on! The price to repair isn't worth it. So my question is this.

Given that I'm gonna have to buy a new iMac in the next month or so should I get a $500 new iPad or a small pc notebook to tie me over?

My daily routine:
- surfing the Internet
- email
- Facebook
- YouTube
- Photoshop (though I know Ill have to just let this go until the new iMac)
- making music.

Having Internet withdrawals!

Thanks,

Thomas

 

[Epic Xbox Revie]

It'll be difficult to make music on the iPad. Everything else will work fine. Not sure if you'll want the iPad after you get the mac and a cheap netbook might have more of a place. Or perhaps you'll love the iPad and it'll work for you. It's all about finding what works for you.

 

[Macman45]

Garageband works fine on the iPad....For your stated needs I'd say get one. If you don't want to buy the new ipad3...Grab an ipad2 refurb from the Apple store....That will more than tie you over until you get a new iMac.

 

[Gimyslog]

I'm actually in a very similar position! We had to return our school-laptop at the end of march, since then I've had my iPad and I'm waiting for the new iMac as well! My needs are also quite similar to yours, and I must say for a tablet the iPad handels them beatifully. Sure, its not the versitile machine that a real computer is, but I'm recordning music on my iPad with my apogee jam, and with a stylus, Photoshop touch actually exceeds my expectations. And when it comes to surfing, facebook youtube and all of that stuff, I'd take the iPad over a notebook anyday!

Basically what I'm missing with the iPad is the abillity to download media, and it isn't really an option to stream either, since safari (on ios) is quite restrictive when it comes to playing videos.

But i can't do anything else than reccomend it! It will also make a great companion to an iMac! Hope this helped a bit!

 

[RobinHood5]

If you need something to get you through the next month or two get an iPad. Actually I'm typing on a iPad 2 right now! If you really want to save some cash get an iPad 2 and even consider refurbished. If you don't care about the camera/gyro but need 64gb of storage apple still sells a refurbed iPad 1 64gb for reeeeally cheap.

 

[MacSignal]

iPad is good enough to help with your "Internet withdrawals", if you are willing to do without PS until you can get your iMac. I can't tell if you GarageBand on the iPad would meet your requirements for "making music", but it has some nice capabilities. Good luck!

 

[cornchild]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm very scared to get another iMac after the video card in this one up and died. Although I read this was a common issue with the 2007 24' iMac's video card. I had screen ghosting the past few months. I should have knew it was on its last legs! lol

The only other option would be to buy a mac mini and Apple display now and make the big jump to a pro when they update it.

Oh the choices!

 

[dacreativeguy]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm very scared to get another iMac after the video card in this one up and died. Although I read this was a common issue with the 2007 24' iMac's video card. I had screen ghosting the past few months. I should have knew it was on its last legs! lol

The only other option would be to buy a mac mini and Apple display now and make the big jump to a pro when they update it.

Oh the choices!

5 years sounds pretty good. Nothing is built to last anymore.

 

[briansolomon]

Try an iPad from CowBoom if you don't care to have the latest and greatest. You can get a 1st gen iPad with 64 GB and 3G for $249 there now. They may have cheaper models, but I think the less expensive ones were sold out last time I looked.

 

[Geekbabe]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm very scared to get another iMac after the video card in this one up and died. Although I read this was a common issue with the 2007 24' iMac's video card. I had screen ghosting the past few months. I should have knew it was on its last legs! lol

The only other option would be to buy a mac mini and Apple display now and make the big jump to a pro when they update it.

Oh the choices!

Why not hit Craig's List buy a used MacBook Pro or Air? Alternatively picked up a refurbished Air from Apple online store?

 

[s15119]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm very scared to get another iMac after the video card in this one up and died. Although I read this was a common issue with the 2007 24' iMac's video card. I had screen ghosting the past few months. I should have knew it was on its last legs! lol

The only other option would be to buy a mac mini and Apple display now and make the big jump to a pro when they update it.

Oh the choices!

Have you asked Apple about out of warranty repair? Sometimes, it's much much less than you would think to do the repair, even out of warranty through Apple.

 

[LaWally]

Apple quoted me $395 + $39 labor to replace the video card on my 2008 24" iMac. I had AppleCare so I did not have to pay anything, but the quote should be close to what they would charge for an OOW repair.