University and MacBook

[quik]

Greeting all!

I'm going to university in September (UQAM in Montreal) in management and like any new student, I'm looking to buy a laptop. I'm interested in the MacBook White 2.0/1GB. I have a couple of questions:

1) Do you think this laptop will be OK for the next 3 years?
2) How about the AppleCare?
3) What are the changes we may expect from Apple? (Leopard, LED display?)
4) Does the free iPod promotion is always there each summer?

Thank you! 🙂

Charles

 

[daneoni]

1. I dont see why not
2. AppleCare is a must for any laptop
3.Leopard for sure, LED displays well....
4.Free iPod promotion is usually around April

 

[Totty]

1) Depending on your uses, yes. If you are going to want to play games from 3 years from now on this laptop then, probably not. However if the intention is to have a great laptop to do schoolwork on for your college career, then yes, the macbook would be fine. You may consider at some point upgrading the ram, however, which is a relatively cheap and easy process.

2) As said, with laptop's especially, Applecare is recommended. Apple is generally good about making a nice product, but you don't want to be in your Junior year and suddenly have to pay for a new hard drive replacement or something.

3) Leopard is definitely coming soon. Some rumours even say it could be next month. iWork and iLife will see updates soon as well. So, you would "save" at least 150 dollars in software if you wait until they are updated (assuming that you would upgrade after they are released.)

4) There is no law or anything that says that Apple will do it. They probably will, but we don't know for sure. As one of my professors always says, "You buys your ticket, and you takes your chance."

If absolutely nothing else, I might wait until after the 20th of this month, since there is a rumoured apple event to take place then. Possible hardware upgrades or new software could be announced then. A lot of conjecture, but I would wait a week to see.

 

[taildragger]

what is your intended major and use of the computer?

Unless your gaming, engineering student, or someone who needs the extra monitor space, then I'd say its good, I would personally get more ram since I like to run multiple apps at a time (I'm running 10 right now on my old dell and its rough)

 

[quik]

what is your intended major and use of the computer?

Unless your gaming, engineering student, or someone who needs the extra monitor space, then I'd say its good, I would personally get more ram since I like to run multiple apps at a time (I'm running 10 right now on my old dell and its rough)

I already have a great desktop PC with Vista to play games (Which I don't play a lot in fact...) so it will be only used to takes notes, do some Office work, listening to music and browsing Web.

 

[taildragger]

You should be fine then, make sure to get the applecare, if your comp breaks, it will pay for itself

 

[blurb23]

4) Does the free iPod promotion is always there each summer?

Possibly a stupid question for you guys, but this is my first post here, so go easy 😛

What's this about a free iPod promotion? I've never bought a Mac before, nor have I even bought an Apple product before, so this is all new stuff to me.

Do you get a free iPod whenever you buy a new system? Is it a shuffle, or one of the bigger 30GB iPods? When do these promotions usually start?

Thanks in advance!

 

[polevault139]

Possibly a stupid question for you guys, but this is my first post here, so go easy 😛

What's this about a free iPod promotion? I've never bought a Mac before, nor have I even bought an Apple product before, so this is all new stuff to me.

Do you get a free iPod whenever you buy a new system? Is it a shuffle, or one of the bigger 30GB iPods? When do these promotions usually start?

Thanks in advance!

Last year I think it was a free iPod Nano. The only time you get a free iPod is when they run the promotion, which is usually around April like someone else said.

 

[devilot]

Last year I think it was a free iPod Nano.

Whenever this promotion runs, they'll usually allow you to put whatever 'free iPod's value' toward a more expensive iPod if you wanted.

Example, when it was a free Nano, you could put $149 towards the video capable iPod and pay the difference. (Techinically, you pay the full price upfront, submit rebate, proof of purchase, etc., and get mailed back a check for the $ value of the 'free iPod.')

 

[lamina]

I thought it was end of August till the end of September? I worked at a campus computer store last year and that's what it was...

 

[emac82]

quik,

Do you live in Canada? I see you are going to school in Montreal, so if you live close to a CompuSmart, check them out..They are a big Apple reseller and they have Accidental Coverage which AppleCare doesn't offer. It covers the same stuff AppleCare does but it will also cover physical/liquid damage... It is a 3-year coverage too, I know some people who got it and have used it. One guy actually got a new laptop because it was going to cost to much to fix it...

A MacBook should last you for at least 3 years...

 

[mz.bhvn]

I was in pretty much the exact same position as you just a couple of days ago, until, finally, I decided to purchase a macbook. Mainly for the pure reason of University... Today was my first day at uni, and I've been using my macbook alot the last couple of days and it's great! Only problems I'm having is that it heats up pretty quick, so just be warned. I'm studying Digital Media, and the macbook is compatible with all the programs I need, so I'm extremely happy with it atm. Though, I may need to upgrade my ram, since I'll be using photoshop and macromedia studio pretty much at the same time almost everyday. So more ram may be an option for u. Otherwise, go for it - purchase one now! Hehe 😀