MBP vs iMac opinions

[lukin]

All, thanks for any advice.

I'm thinking about upgrading my late 2008 15" MBP. It's been a great machine, but I want a bigger screen. The 17" MBP seems like it would be the perfect machine, but then I started considering an iMac. It's bigger and faster, yet not portable.

When I think about what I use my MBP for when I'm using a laptops 'portability' benefit, I'm typically on my couch surfing or travelling (surfing/email/facebook/access to pictures and music).

Anything I do that would benefit from a bigger more powerful machine could be done at my desk, so an iMac is a possibility for me.

My questions are around how easy/hard it is to share files/documents/videos (imovie)/pictures(iphoto)/music(itunes) between multiple machines. I essentially want the two to be 'one'. I've never had to do this in an OS X environment. I'll want full and complete access to all these things from either machine at any point in time. I'd prefer to not have separate versions of files/pictures/music on the different machines if I went with an iMac/MBP combination. I don't want to not have full control to any of this from either machine. I don't want to have to go through loops to hack my way to get this to work. Can I get some input from those experienced with this?

Thanks!

 

[S.B.G]

I have a MBP and an iMac. As long as you have a home network you can accomplish all of your goals quite easily. I share all my files, music, and photos between the two all the time. I can even control my iMac via my iPhone so I can start up and play music or videos through iTunes all from the couch.

You should have no problems at all.

 

[Hellhammer]

Just enable file sharing from System Preferences and you'll be fine. I can access all the content in my iMac from my MBA. Another option is NAS which you use to backup both of your Macs. That way the other Mac does not have to be on in order to access its files.