iMac for school: free Nano vs. wait and see?

[paddle2thesea]

My wife's student, and I'd like to get a new iMac with Apple's educational pricing. For about another week, Apple will give you a $149 rebate on a previous-generation Nano.

I've already got an iPod and my wife isn't very interested, so the question is whether to buy now and take the free iPod or to wait until the freebie offer ends and hope that Apple will replace the $149 iPod rebate with maybe another $100 off the iMac price.

The educational price for the entry-level iMac is currently $1149, just $50 off the regular retail of $1199. But I remember that when the new iMacs were first announced, maybe before the free iPod deal, it seemed like Apple was advertising student pricing "from $1049." Did anybody else see that? When the deal for free old Nanos expires, do you think Apple will drop the student price, or maybe announce a new freebie deal?

 

[Naimfan]

Here's what you can do: Buy the iMac and iPod, and a printer. Send in all the rebate forms, sell the printer and iPod on eBay. Easy.

I cannot specifically remember if Apple drops the education price after the Back to School promo ends, but it seems unlikely.

Best,

Bob

 

[faust]

the $199 rebate for the Buy a Mac and get a free iPod Nano isn't restricted to just Nano's. I was able to get a 30 GB iPod Video with my rebate, of course which required another $50, so I saved $200 on a iPod Video, which left it costing $50 in the end. Just wanted to throw that in there.

The educational discount won't be dropped any time soon, if that's what you're talking about.

Honestly though, if you want an iPod for cheaper than the regular price, go for the offer.

 

[paddle2thesea]

Just doesn't seem like we have much need for another iPod.

Is there any value to waiting for iMacs to start shipping with Leopard?

 

[Naimfan]

The value of waiting for Leopard is that you won't have to pay to upgrade to it. Then again, assuming Leopard stays at the same edu pricing as Tiger, it'll only cost you $69. If you buy the iPod and printer and sell them, you've helped underwrite the cost of the iMac (because the rebates make the iPod and printer free, and whatever you get by selling them on eBay reduces the actual price you paid for the iMac).