potential new Mac user

[Colon the barb]

Hello boys and girls,

After years of having PC's crash on me at work and home I thought a change is due. The last Mac I had was at work and was an Apple Lisa which was great then we moved IBM and DOS I just want something that works.

Anyway as most of my home needs are simple

photos & simple editing, IPOD & music, e mail, contacts, xmas card lists, access to my document backed up on WD my passport (all excel, word, powerpoint) web browsing etc

So a few simple questions

Is it worth waiting for the O.S. upgrade to Lion, what will this bring?

Why do Macbook pros use slow HDD instead of 7200?

On spreadsheets will the screen res on 13'' be an issue? any plans to upgrade it?

not familiar with Mac software will I work access my old 'my documents' or will i need office 2010? i tend to use mostly spreadsheets

Is there a mac native version of outlook or should i buy outlook?

I'm sorry if I am repeating what many others have done!

PS Is Applecare worth the money?

 

[Hellhammer]

1. You can buy Lion when it comes and then install it. No need to wait for it.

2. 7200rpm HDs cause more noise, vibration and shorter battery life. Not everyone wants them.

3. You can always use an external monitor if you need more screen estate. It's hard to say as everyone has their own preferences but it would be helpful if you told us what monitor(s) do you currently use.

4. iWork is compatible with Office formats but for maximum compatibility, investing on Office for Mac might be worth it. What I've heard, Numbers isn't anywhere close to Excel.

5. All Macs come with Mail, which is a decent and very simple email application. You could give it a try and then buy Outlook if Mail cannot satisfy your needs.

6. There are millions of threads about AppleCare. Some people think it is worth it while others find it a waste of money. There is no right answer. It will give you peace of mind at least.

 

[apd]

Agreed with the above.

As for spreadsheets, I do some quite large ones and 13" is fine for me. As Hellhammer says, it depends on your needs.

Office 2011 (for Mac) is very good and comes with a native version of Outlook that is almost as good (if not as good) as Outlook 2010 for Windows. Mail, however, is really very good but has a more simple look. The version coming in Lion is apparently even better.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I would recommend getting MS Office for Mac.

Unless you want the absolute basics, the default Mail app sucks. Outlook is the way to go. Or give Thunderbird a try, it's free.

Also Open Office is also free, and a decent alternative to MS Office. I still recommend MS Office though.

 

[PUMMYUK]

I did the switch a few weeks ago when the new MBP's came out and the thing that stung me was exporting contacts from Outlook into the OSX equivalent.

It takes a little getting used to for the fields and formats. If you are an iOS user, also make a decent backup of your device before migrating.

Calendar export I am attempting tonight, so will let you know if I get hit with another sting.

 

[Andy2011]

Hello boys and girls,

After years of having PC's crash on me at work and home I thought a change is due. The last Mac I had was at work and was an Apple Lisa which was great then we moved IBM and DOS I just want something that works.

Anyway as most of my home needs are simple

photos & simple editing, IPOD & music, e mail, contacts, xmas card lists, access to my document backed up on WD my passport (all excel, word, powerpoint) web browsing etc

So a few simple questions

Is it worth waiting for the O.S. upgrade to Lion, what will this bring?

Why do Macbook pros use slow HDD instead of 7200?

On spreadsheets will the screen res on 13'' be an issue? any plans to upgrade it?

not familiar with Mac software will I work access my old 'my documents' or will i need office 2010? i tend to use mostly spreadsheets

Is there a mac native version of outlook or should i buy outlook?

I'm sorry if I am repeating what many others have done!

PS Is Applecare worth the money?

I replaced the standard 5400 drive with a Seagate 7200 drive... then put the 5400 back in.

While booting the laptop was noticeably quicker with the faster drive, I don't think it was worth the extra and noise. The other factor is the drive is right underneath where you rest your right hand, and you can feel it vibrate while you type. Not good. I'm sticking with the 5400 until I can afford to put an SSD in.

 

[macpeach55]

My thoughts

I went from a Toshiba Tecra 15" to an MBP 13" and found it comfortable - only gone up to 15" because I'm getting old and so are my eyes!

Go for Office 2011 with Outlook - otherwise you will take ages to be comfortable with either Mail or Thunderbird, as they are so different from Outlook.

If you travel a lot worldwide, the 3 year guarantee is well worth it, otherwise just normal insurance, but do get a separate Hard Drive and save to Time Machine.

That's my two penneth!