iMac, Anyone?

[oldfella]

Any one here working with an Apple iMac? I'm not ready for one, yet, but I wonder how difficult the transition from PC to iMac... are the MS mouse and keyboard compatible? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Pete

 

[sipowicz]

It will take you less than a day to feel comfortable on it...there's an old joke that Windows 98 was Mac 85...everything is just point and click...the mouse and keyboard from the PC will not work with Mac but it's very intuitive...no F keys to bother with...and if you have any questions there are plenty of us here who can help...

A great feature of the mac is the doc on the bottom which is similar to a start menu on the PC...you put all your favorites there like mail and internet....and when you roll your cursor over it, each one gets bigger so it's great for older eyes...(or you can turn that function off)

 

[Andy Griffith]

Get an Ipad.

Just make sure it isn't used! *disgusting*

 

[oldfella]

Thanks Sip - Very tempting, but pricey.

Pete

 

[westcoast362]

For me there was almost no transition. The mac was very intuitive. I don't like the mac mouse, so I got a two button mouse so I could right click. I have had mine for about three years and I would not go back to a PC.

 

[bobcat]

I've already decided that my next one is going to be a MAC, a couple of the youngsters at work have them, and love them. One had his notebook at work one night, and it seems extremely intuitive, I'm tired of the continual "updates", new OS for PC, viruses, etc., the money I'd save replacing my PC's will more than pay for the price difference.

Plus, I gotta say purely from asthetics, the MAC is a good looking piece of hardware, and I like the no tower design.

Good luck with your quest,...

 

[5Wire]

Any USB keyboard or mouse and most other USB devices work on Macs without any additional software. I use a Microsoft wireless mouse on mine.

The transition from Windows to Mac OS is basically learning all the things you don't have to do on the Mac that you found yourself doing on the Windows machines to get things done.

 

[oldfella]

It's beginning to look more-and-more promising/enticing.- problem is, There is no store near me... how about buying it via the net, as I do most things... I suppose I'd have to find some one savvy enough to make a house call, eh? Thanks every one for your input.

Pete

 

[JamesArthur60]

I'm typing away on a Mac right now. For someone who is not computer savvy the transition was super fast and easy. Especially from the thick, bulky PC keyboard to the thin "fast fingers" Mac keyboard. Plus, no virus utilities required with Apple. The one fault I personally find with the Mac is my video game selection is smaller compared to the standard Windows PC. We should have made the move sooner.

 

[5Wire]

It's beginning to look more-and-more promising/enticing.- problem is, There is no store near me... how about buying it via the net, as I do most things... I suppose I'd have to find some one savvy enough to make a house call, eh? Thanks every one for your input.

Pete

You can order from Apple on-line. Get the Applecare too, it's cheap insurance. You have up to a year after purchase of the computer to get it. Give consideration to the Mini and shop for a display, keyboard, and mouse to suit your needs. Make sure the display is a digital display.

 

[bellevance]

For me there was almost no transition. The mac was very intuitive. I don't like the mac mouse, so I got a two button mouse so I could right click. I have had mine for about three years and I would not go back to a PC.

You can right-click and left-click and scroll and a lot more with a Mac mouse--and you can program those features into it to suit yourself.

 

[mtheo]

I have been using Mac since june of 1984. I have had one virus and that was in 1986....no problems since. I bought IBM compatible laptops for my daughter and son when they went off to college....it was deemed necessary because the schools were primarily so equipped. My daughter immediately went back to Mac upon her graduation and my son immediately changed back to Mac after his first semester. I have an employee that gave up on PC during the "I love you" virus plague. His antivirus software DVD was actually infected with a virus. He made the switch to Mac and even though his wife's office environment is PC she switched to Mac for her personal laptop. My mother is 83 and started using a Mac when she was 70. She suffers from macular degeneration so I bought her a large character keyboard and set the screen resolution to a larger (1152x720) resolution for easier viewing. You could do these things with a PC...but it can be tedious. Even if you don't have vision problems...for ease on the eyes I recommend an LCD monitor.

To keep costs down you might consider a Mac mini. You could use your old monitor, keyboard and mouse. Keep in mind the iMac has a built in camera and microphone ....this would be used for things like Skype or even photographing items you might want to post on smith-wessonforum.com

You do not have to go to a Mac store to purchase one. In many larger cities that do not have Mac stores there are third party service centers that will sell you new or used macs with a warranty and give you assistance with selection...just use google maps for Macintosh in your area.

 

[Thiokol]

About a year ago, my wife and I switched to the iMac and we couldn't be happier. I just wish that we had done it sooner.

What I really like about them is that they are wireless ready. My wife's is hardwired to a Linksys gateway and my iMac runs wireless. There is also no need to set up a network to share printers. There's just one box to click and you're good to go.

 

[bellevance]

I moved from my old G4 AGP Graphics tower to an iMac with a 24-inch screen and Snow Leopard three months ago. It's a terrific computer--fast, stable, quiet, bright, and beautiful.

Got a great deal through MacConnection online--free shipping and a rebate on the iMac and the iWork software.

 

[oldfella]

I'm looking at the 21.5" - does the iMac come with a photo editing program; and, for a non-gamer, does the out-of-the-box unit suffice... should I add anything else, how about speakers, do I need any?. Thanks.

Pete

 

[ptrumble1]

Twice the price and half the work--looks like a gunfight to me--

 

[bellevance]

I'm looking at the 21.5" - does the iMac come with a photo editing program; and, for a non-gamer, does the out-of-the-box unit suffice... should I add anything else, how about speakers, do I need any?. Thanks.

Pete, out of the box it's complete--except for wordprocessing software. It comes with iPhoto--a great photo editing program--and iCal, a handy calendar, and Mail, which I use now for email, and iMovie, and iTunes, and a DVD player, and Time Machine (automatic back-up) and on and on and on. The Dock and Dashboard are wonderful features. (You'll see.) There's a lot of neat freeware you can download, too.

The sound system (and built-in camera) are excellent, so, no, you will not need any speakers. No add-ons are necessary. Great out-of-the-box experience. But I will say that I think it's wise to purchase the protection plan (but only after the first 90 days, which are free).

 

[mtheo]

I'm looking at the 21.5" - does the iMac come with a photo editing program; and, for a non-gamer, does the out-of-the-box unit suffice... should I add anything else, how about speakers, do I need any?. Thanks.

Pete

iPhoto which comes as part of iWorks has photo editing capabilities such as croping, exposure, sharpness, rotate, straighten, redeye.

If you really want to get into some detailed photo editing buy the Photoshop elements program. $99

The speakers aren't bad....plenty good enough for things like Youtube. Keep in mind with iTunes you can rip your whole CD collection onto your computer at which point you might want to invest in a speaker system.

I bought the Freckle song, Huggin' and a Chalkin', Red River Valley and some other songs of that era fron iTunes and burned a CD for him to play in his truck....put tears in his 85 year old eyes.

 

[bellevance]

mtheo--

iPhoto, like iTunes and iCal and iMovie, comes with the original iMac purchase. It's in there.

But iWorks is a separate software suite that includes Pages, for wordprocessing, and Numbers, for spreadsheets and so forth. You have to buy iWorks in addition to the machine.

 

[mtheo]

I'm looking at the 21.5" - does the iMac come with a photo editing program; and, for a non-gamer, does the out-of-the-box unit suffice... should I add anything else, how about speakers, do I need any?. Thanks.

Pete

iPhoto which comes as part of iWorks has photo editing capabilities such as croping, exposure, sharpness, rotate, straighten, redeye.

If you really want to get into some detailed photo editing buy the Photoshop elements program. $99

The speakers aren't bad....plenty good enough for things like Youtube. Keep in mind with iTunes you can rip your whole CD collection onto your computer at which point you might want to invest in a speaker system.

I bought the Freckle song, Huggin' and a Chalkin', Red River Valley and some other songs of that era from iTunes and burned a CD for him to play in his truck....put tears in his 85 year old eyes.

 

[ridewv]

Macs are somewhat different than a PC, but easy to learn. They really aren't much more expensive than a PC when you compare them critically. And here's something not often discussed when comparing Apples and PC's. Compare two new computers, a PC and a Mac, that operate about the same speed. Then compare their speed just one year later, the PC will have slowed down considerably while the is Mac still working as fast as when new.
Sometimes MacMall.com has deals, rebates, free shipping, etc on Apples.

 

[oldfella]

I did subscribe to MacMall's email specials... the price seems to be slightly lower than other places. Thanks,

Pete

 

[5Wire]

The Microcenter is a good online source, too.

 

[Capt Steve]

Just bought my I Mac

Pete, your post is about as timely as any I've seen for a while. We just got home from the Mac store here in Tucson. I was about to post a followup to the thread I started yesterday asking about Mac's when I saw your new thread. After a lot of research we bought the I Mac with all the bells and whistles: We got the 500GB Hard drive with 4GB of memory, I Mac with 21.5" screen ($1,199), the three years service plan($169), the I Work software package($49), a nice HP Photo shop C4680 printer/scanner(Free after the on line rebate), and the One to One Membership where they will transfer all of the files from my old PC to the I Mac and show you how to use it ($99).

I'll take my old PC tower to them tomorrow and they will transfer all of my files to the I Mac for pickup on Wednesday. This feature is available if you buy on line as well but you'll have to take it to a Mac service/sales center to have it done. I priced out a comparable Dell system and it would have been about $1400 vs the I Mac at $1515 (after the $99 rebate on the printer). For me it was a no brainer, based largely upon all of the comments in your thread and mine.

Another Mac option is the Mini Mac which we looked at. By the time we added the bells and whistles the 4GB Mini ($799), was only a couple of hundred less than the I Mac so for us, again, it was a no brainer... a lot more computer for not that much more money. YMMV. (o;

Thanks again to one and all for your input, it was a big help in making the final decisions.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Any one here working with an Apple iMac? I'm not ready for one, yet, but I wonder how difficult the transition from PC to iMac... are the MS mouse and keyboard compatible? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Pete

The transition is easy for the average Windows user because they don't do much to begin with. For more leaned Windows users is can take significantly more time and effort to get up to speed. So If you are just browsing the net or fooling around with some pics... it really won't be much more than an pot full of coffee before you are moving right along. Otherwise, plan to have a few weeks of learning ahead.

 

[mtheo]

mtheo--

iPhoto, like iTunes and iCal and iMovie, comes with the original iMac purchase. It's in there.

But iWorks is a separate software suite that includes Pages, for wordprocessing, and Numbers, for spreadsheets and so forth. You have to buy iWorks in addition to the machine.

yep, couldn't remember everything that came with it when new...by the way Text edit which comes with the machine isn't a bad word processor by itself and there some inexpensive programs that can enhance text edit to a very high level of performance. I generally use text edit as my word processor....I needed the spreadsheet and Pages came with iWorks. Considering the cost of Microsoft software iWorks was a steal.

 

[enfield]

I liked my daughter's Mac laptop - she showed me how to do things and I played with it for 20 minutes 3 months ago. Last week I was at her apartment, picked up her Mac and cruised a few forums without any problem.

Now I'm tri-lingual - I do Mac, Winders and Linux. Of the 3, Windows is the worst OS.

 

[oldfella]

What about this "Apple Mac Box Set" does that include word processor?

Pete

 

[jeffsmith]

The included Application "Preview" is pretty useful too

Most people use it just to open .pdf files
but you can use it like the Full Version of ADOBE to work with .pdf's
and also for some minor photo editing too

you can crop, resize and adjust the color of photos
and save them in a variety of formats

If you don't want to buy iWork of MS Office
Neo-office is free & downloadable

I use it on my Laptop Mac and it does everything I need it to
and works well with window files

BTW I have been owned Mac's since 1988
and have been a Mac Support Tech in two jobs

 

[Brunen]

I switched to a Mac 3.5 years ago. I spent 2-3x what a comparable PC would have cost. However, I have NO virus software or virus attacks, it runs like a top, and has never, not once - crashed. Do as you wish, it isn't the most intuitive to me, but it's well worth the effort as I no longer deal with the BS that plagues PCs.