I am a first time switcher and the only thing holding me back is the Graphics Card in the High end MacBook. Is it 64 bit? Will it easily handle leopard? Will I be able to do basic video editing? Does anybody know when the next Office will release?
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The Only Thing Holding Me Back...
- Thread starter msharpmu
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The card will handle leopard. Yes you can do basi video editing.
Next office should be here around November.
The new Macbook should be fine for Leopard, should run decent on all of the intel computers. For that matter should run fine on the last PowerPCs as well.
You can do basic video editing on it, just don't expect to much from it.
Whats so important about the next release of Office, why not get an open source office, like neooffice which will open office files and allow you to work and save back to office formats.
I have never heard of this. Coincidenatlly I am buying my first mac today during lunch. Should I not get office and use something else like "neooffice"?
Actually, MBs handle video editing rather well - e.g. when CreativeMac compared MBs and MBPs handling Final Cut Pro, performance was basically identical.
Good call about NeoOffice.
Start off with neooffice and if you feel you need more then you haven't spent any money and you haven wasted anything.
I'm confused by what you're asking. Are you asking if the GPU in the Macbook is 64-bit? That doesn't really make any sense. If you mean the CPU, Core 2 used in all of Apple's systems except the Mac Mini is 64-bit, though the Macbook can only address 3GB I think (the Macbook Pro can use a full 4GB now).
Regarding Office, it will most likely launch later this year-that's what Microsoft keeps seeming to imply.
Personally, if you can, I'd hold off on buying Office until the next version comes out, since I'd hate to buy Office 2004, and like a few months later have to buy 2007.
As mentioned, you could try a free Office program. But I'd recommend Open Office instead of NeoOffice. NeoOffice is based off of Open Office, but it's based on an older version I think (1.x) instead of the current 2.x. Right now Open Office uses x11 instead of the regular OS X Aqua interface-if that doesn't mean anything to you, it just means the interface is a little different from other Mac programs (the Menu bar is at the top of windows, instead of at the top of the screen), but it still works normally. NeoOffice probably looks slightly more Mac-like, and I think uses Java for it's interface.
But I'd really go with OpenOffice over Neooffice. More developers have kicked in recently to get Open Office using the native Aqua interface.
http://www.openoffice.org/
here's some screenshots of the current OS X version of Open Office (one of them is in another language, but you get the idea)
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/screenshots/ooo-x11/index-Pages/Image2.html
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/screenshots/ooo-x11/index-Pages/Image0.html
Open Office (and NeoOffice) read and write Microsoft Office files, so they may get you by until Office 2007 comes out. Or you might decide to just keep using them.
the processor is 64-bit, the video card is 256 bit (and which is among the best available for laptops) and will easily handle leopard
you wouldnt want a 64 bit graphics card nowadays ever
I have a G4 iBook, and I can answer yes to all these questions! the new macbooks are more then capable. I read a bit on
the GMA 950,the graphics card, and am not sure of 64 bit.
I'm not sure what you're refering to either. About the only thing you can refer to as "64-bit" or whatever in regards to a GPU is the memory interface.
The Macbook uses Intel's graphics, which don't have any RAM at all, it's just using main memory.
The Macbook Pro's Geforce 8600GT uses a 128-bit interface. Though I don't think that's what the original poster was asking about. I think he/she may have been asking about the CPU, as that seems to make more sense.
Thanks for all the advice. I am walking out the door right now to get my brand new macbook pro. since I want a computer that will be great for a long time I decided to get the pro. I am going to sell the iPod and so it will only cost 1600. I will try out open office. Thanks.
So you've got the educational discount? Cool! If you decide to get Office 2007 later, you'll probably be able to get the full version for $80 through an educational vendor-might want to check with your school.
You'll also be able to get the full version of OS X 10.5 in October (or whenever it launches) for $80, though you should be able to get it straight from Apple.com for that price through the education store, versus having to go through some other company.
Have fun with your Macbook Pro!
I wish I could get up the courage to buy one. I'm just nervous about how hard it is to change the hard drive in them (at least relative to the regular Macbook-I guess it's not really THAT hard, but still).
IT IS DONE! I have it under my desk right now! I haven't booted it up yet. I am gonig to do that tonight. First impressions... man it is heavy... but if it kicks a little @ss then I am ok with the weight. By the way, thanks for the advice with Leopard and Office.