I’m buying a laptop now. I’m not sure if i should go with a Mac or a standard notebooks. I like the Mac video editing features and the photobooth stuff and how it is not as prone to viruses as other laptops. I need one with a lot of memory, the standard applications like a writing application etc., and something that I can download applications easily on. But are Macs really hard to use? Are applications more geared towards PCs than Macs?
thanks in advance.
Macs are some of the best computers out there. They take a bit of getting used to, but once you get used to them, they are really easy to use. Applications are still geared towards Windows, but you can make any mac a dual boot, which means it can start a Mac OSX, like Leopard, or Windows, like Vista. Too bad you can’t put a Mac OSX on a non-mac computer.
Since Macs cost a lot, I would say get a pc. And if you want to use Mac software, just replace windows with OS X since both systems use the same type of hardwares.
I would NOT recommend a Mac. They are completely different from any computer with Windows. The features are not that great, and most programs are not compatible with them. They are not very hard to use, but really they are not that great.
I think you are not exactly sure what a mac is exactly. First of all macs are NOT more secure than windows the only reason why they get less viruses is because there are more pcs than windows, and of course those people want to infect more users. And also yes people gear applications towards pcs more than macs. Also yes macs are easier to use but as long as you aren’t a total idiot you should do fine with vista or xp. And yes I know about bootcamp but for this you have put a minimum $200 investment into a clean copy of windows xp or vista. In addition to that macs are pricier than pcs in general and you could find a comparable pc for a fraction of the price.
It sounds like the photobooth thing may make a macbook a lock, though I;d check other windows laptops first since baseline macs can be expensive, and adding more memory (RAM) can jack the price up even more.
As for other uses, downloading and applications should be as easy on a Mac as they are on a PC. I don;t often use macs, but from my little experience, they have a pretty intuitive interface. I picked up a 10 yer old powerbook g3 a year back and found it pretty easy to find my way around. I was even able to hook it up to my DSL internet connection (though running pre-OSX, it wasn’t a very modern surf)
“Are applications more geared towards PCs than Macs?”
That would depend on the applications – if you have any in mind, you should ask friends with Macs how well those applications run on “bootcamp”.
There will always be a better notebook out there. Though the newly released macbooks easily sit at the top, don’t imagine that manufacturers of windows notebooks are going to cede the market for premium portability.