Should i but mac or PC laptop??

DJR David · 14-09-2005, 04:46 PM

g'day all. i have about$1500 to spend, should i get a pc laptop or ibook mac?

mainly for music andupdating cv etc etc, will still use pc for home and work, this is for travel. can files in ms word get transferred between the 2? can my ipod change between the pc at home and mac travelling?

thanks

David

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Timmeh · 14-09-2005, 04:55 PM

Mac products are extremely well built, and are becoming more and more compatible with Windows computers. MS Word files can be opened on either system, for example. I am 99% sure the iPod won't be able to be used on either, despite the fact iTunes is used on both PCs. I remember having to configure mine for PC format, but it was a while ago since I first had to do it.

If you are running a Windows PC at home, for compatibility sake it would be easier if you bought a Windows laptop. I personally though would buy a Mac. In my opinion they are more well built, extremely reliable, not as likely to catch viruses or any of that rubbish that are written for Windows computers, but I recommend for the typical user: stick with what you know.

Also your iPod will be able to dock on either PC without format issues.

Tim

Paris Hilton · 14-09-2005, 05:07 PM

I have a hand-me down G3 333mhz "Clamshell" iBook running OSX , and it is by FAR my favourite computer. Very well built, easy to use, never EVER crashes, does everything it is supposed to. Everything is easy to navigate, and best of all, very compatible. You won't be able to transfer files using both at the same time with iTunes, but there is a way to do it using 3rd party software...I looked into it a while ago, but never looked back into it as I am trading my iPod for a PSP.

Perana · 14-09-2005, 05:33 PM

Go an Apple !
Compatability isnt as much of an issue as it once was.

XplosiveR6 · 14-09-2005, 06:47 PM

good luck trying to get a mac notebook for $1500 new, try twice that, unless you go second hand

Perana · 14-09-2005, 06:52 PM

Mac Notebooks are from $1599 new now... Example Here

parawolf · 14-09-2005, 07:00 PM

Okay it depends on what you mean by transferring files between your Windows PC and Mac laptop. An iPod will only sync correctly with iTunes on one PC. Everytime you go to update it (depending on settings here, but this is my experience) the iPod will only get what is in the sync list on system it is connected to. You cannot transfer MP3's from your mac laptop via iTunes to the iPod playlists and then into the PC iTunes playlist. This would violate many many copyright issues.

What you CAN do is partition off your iPod into general storage as a FAT32 partition and into an iTunes sync area. What you can then do is copy files into the FAT32 partition and when you connect under windows you can copy these files out of this partition.

I do a similar thing all the time with a USB key. keep my 'portable' documents on a 1GB USB key, and that goes in my Mac Laptop at home, my Sun UltraSPARC servers and workstations at work and my PC work laptop or PC. Works a treat.

I use a mac (so does my partner) at home, and we both use PC's at work transferring files on a USB key seemlessly. The idea with using the iPod is similar, unless you are talking about transferring your playlist MP3's...

**Uncle_Ken** · 15-09-2005, 07:56 PM

What do all your friends use? For peer tech support software etc getting the same platform as your mates mught save you a few $$ down the road. My 19 yr old loads all his song to his iPod using WINXP. For the record both MAC and PC will do what you want to do, so it comes down to your likes (kinda like Fords or some other car thats starts with H)
Uncle_Ken

parawolf · 15-09-2005, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle_Ken

What do all your friends use?

Actually in the case of an Apple and Mac OS X, you don't need to worry too much about peer support. My partner picked it up without a single question, and even my Auntie, once she learnt to steer with the mouse (she used to be a receptionist back when it was just typewriters) she loved it.

My Auntie now even uses iChat to talk to her kids via video with an iSight camera and broadband, and got a digital camera and Epson inkjet printer working without a hitch. Though it still confounds her with the printer why if she is out of colour, she can't print black only until the colour printer is replaced, but thats just epson.

Personally doing 90% of day to day tasks on a Mac is fairly intuitive.

Gunns · 15-09-2005, 09:49 PM

Its simple MAC, MAC or MAC.