new 17" PowerBook G4 at Apple Store avaliability???

[diehldun]

hello.
i am new to this forum, and i already have an important question to ask all you mac-fans:

for years, my family and I have been using windows-based computers, and are quite honestly, pleased with them. however, I am begining to get annoyed with the styling of the new XP-laptops out there. all i see are either pitch-black laptops that weigh like a desktop (a.k.a my Dell Inspiron 8200), or flimpsy silver-painted plastic ones. The new Apple PowerBook G4 17" appealed to me instantly, and want to get one before my birthday, which is on the 26th of November.

However, my parents don't seem too thrilled about getting a mac. they are constantly concerned how "it won't work in our network" (we have wireless-networking), or "it won't print to our printer".

finally, after constant protests and pleading on my behalf, they have somewhat consented. the question i have (actually 2) are:

(1): Is Microsoft Office v.X Professional w/ Virtual PC worth it? I run CD's here and then for homework, labs, projects, or assignments. Will it really slow down the computer by running a program on a CD?

(2): I am also concerned regarding avaliability at my local Apple Store, which really isn't local (a good 45 minutes away). therefore, I really don't feel like driving out and asking. if i call, they say "come on over. blah blah blah." i know there was an issue regarding the new alu 15" PowerBook. But how about the 17"? Should there be lots at the Apple Store?

For some reason, I don't feel comfortable purchasing such expensive equipment at an "authorized retailler", rather than the actual Apple Store itself. i have had the experience of trying to return an item at a computer mega-store once; what sould have been a 30-min ordeal turned into a day-trip to fiasco-land.

i'd really appreciate your feedback/advice!

 

[yoda13]

I don't normally run applications from cds, so I cannot answer that question. However, I use Office v.X all the time and find that it works very well for me. Virtual PC works well too, just don't expect to play any games that require video acceleration. Supply should not be a problem on the 17in. Even the local CompUSA has them in stock. I also don't see any reason why your Mac won't work with pretty much any printer, as long as it has a USB port. The network thing shouldn't be a problem either. While my university is faily Mac friendly, the department I am in is not, and I don't have an compatibility problems. As far as I know there have not been any widespread problems with the 17" like there have been with the 15s. If you are concerned, get AppleCare, which I recommend anyway. Hope this helps.

 

[caveman_uk]

Re: new 17" PowerBook G4 at Apple Store avaliability???

Originally posted by diehldun

(1): Is Microsoft Office v.X Professional w/ Virtual PC worth it? I run CD's here and then for homework, labs, projects, or assignments. Will it really slow down the computer by running a program on a CD?

Think of Microsoft Office V.X and Virtual PC as two separate product that happen to be bundled together. You don't need virtual PC to run Office as Office v.X runs natively on the mac. You just install it to the harddrive - after that you don't need use the CDs it came on. Bear in mind that if you're a student you qualify for the MUCH cheaper student version of Office which is IIRC the full version anyway. I don't think it has virtual PC.

Virtual PC is rather slow and is a bit like running XP on a Pentium 200 MHz - it's quite frustrating but if you have windows apps you must be able to run then it's the only way as mac processors are very different to PC processors and run a different instruction set. This is a plus as it means nearly all windows viruses can't run on a mac. As Yoda13 said virtual PC only really helps run windows apps. It's pretty useless with games.

As to your parents concerns. Macs were amongst the first computers to have wireless networking and they comply to the same standard as everyone else. I use airport in my ibook with a netgear basestation and it works fine. Check the printer thing out but if it's USB it will probably work. Parallel printers won't. Scanners are a little more dicey but the Epson series is well supported with built in drivers - other manufacturers provide third party drivers.

 

[joker2]

You won't need to run the applications from CDs, there's plenty of room on your HDD to put the applications. Installation is easy, just drag & drop. Everything you need should fit on your 80 Gig HDD, no need to carry CDs around.

See caveman_uk's post re: Virtual PC. You won't need it for running office, it'll just be for a few things that you might be working with that do not have an equivelant on the mac side.

Re: wireless - the only setting you may have to put in differently than your windows PCs is an identifier in the password area that tells the Mac to send it as straight hexadecimal instead of translating it for you, if you're using WEP on the wireless router. Most printers will work, Epson and HP printers' "drivers" are already built-in to the system.

Re: availability - you should have no problems. There don't seem to be supply issues as there are with the 15"s, and my local Apple store had plenty of them in the back. If it would make you feel better, you can travel the 45 minutes each way to the Apple store, and once you have purchased your machine you can take it out of the box, power it up, (register there at the store using the in-store wireless), and play around with it for a while. They don't mind, (unless you stay past closing... everyone wants to go home, sometime!) and if you have questions you can ask the genius bar then and there.

 

[diehldun]

apple student discount?

sorry guys- one more quick question---

i have heard of the apple student discount, in which you recieve somewhere around 15% off. i know this includes the PowerBook 17". but on the website, it says it's for "students, teachers..." but when I put my high-school name in, it never mentions students, only board of directors, teachers, etc...

so can you get discounts from apple if you are a high-school student, or is this only if your are in college? because their pricing on the 17" PowerBook after discount is pretty nice.

 

[stoid]

Sorry, the education discount only applies to college students or faculty members. High-school students are left out of the loop. Now, if you have a friend or family member who is a college student or a faculty member, you could ask them a favor....

 

[Billicus]

When I ordered my new PowerBook 17" from the online store one Sunday night, it was here on Friday afternoon, so you'll have to hurry to get it by you birthday unless you choose express shipping. Only college students are applicable for the Education discount, but I was able to get it because my dad is on the Board of Education and because my mother is also a teacher.
One word of caution, though: make sure the DVD player works. The first one I got wouldn't play DVDs, so I had to exchange it for the unit I currently have.
I wouldn't get Virtual PC unless there are applications you absolutely have to run that don't have a Macintosh equivalant, but that is just my opinion.
Feel free to ask me any questions you have about usage on this beautiful machine...