computers

[just hit it]

I have been a pc and blackberry guy for sometime, but I am considering a Mac and maybe even an I-phone. I know this is not a golf item or subject, but I would be interested in the opinions I might get here. Any input would be appreciated.

[basesloaded190]

Switched to a mac for college about 3 years ago and will never go back to a pc again. Everything with a mac is seamless and so easy to use. Got myself an Iphone last summer and the two together are a perfect match. I don't want to sound like a cheap advertisement or anything like that, but i truly love my computer and phone. I will be buying a new mac soon and will continue to buy iphones.

[clubchamp]

Got a mac 3 years ago and I will never go back to a pc. However I'm not a big fan of the iphone

[senorchipotle]

I have been a pc and blackberry guy for sometime, but I am considering a Mac and maybe even an I-phone. I know this is not a golf item or subject, but I would be interested in the opinions I might get here. Any input would be appreciated.

buy a mac. simple as that. it's the best investment in a laptop you'll ever make. macs beat pc's across the board. my gf has a pc that's three years younger than my mac, which in computer terms is a really long time. my computer whips hers. i can turn on my computer and be surfing the net within 20 secs. now that may not sound like a big deal, but i'm pretty impatient, and it takes hers(which incidentally has more free disk space than mine) at least 2 minutes. safari also beats the hell out of explorer.

[B Keller]

I bought an iPhone in about September and decided I was fed up with Windows in October. Now own a MacBook Pro and am wondering what took me so long to make the change.

[basesloaded190]

I think thats the same with many. The way everything just works together when it comes to things from apple is amazing. It seem like you are then locked into just using their products, you aren't, but im ok if that's the way it is. Everything like i said works so well and compliments everything else.

[Dub]

I'll not enter into the Mac vs. PC debate as I've never owned a Mac.

I will say that my family is nuts over our iPod Shuffles, Classic and Nano. I've also become a huge fan of the iPhone (which I am typing this on now). The iPhone is a really special item.

I'm also highly impressed with iTunes.

I could see where a Mac would be very appealing.

[The Road Dog]

Get a Mac, OS and HW working together seamlessly is what gives Macs the edge over PCs. I work for a company (32 yrs) that has made/sold PCs for 25 years, they give me one to use. I buy Macs for myself and home use.

[MSB256]

I had an iphone... when my wife and I wanted a desktop we got an imac... when my HP laptop was stolen, we replaced it with a macbook pro. I won't go back to PC, period.

[avguy]

Quickly, b4 mods move this - go MAC if you can afford. I'm in the video biz, have used them for work for years and started full blown home conversion about 4 years ago. You can cruz the net and download music files from everybody and they don't crash. I run an IMac of 1.83 GHZ with 150 GB Hard drive in the back office, and a stronger MacBook Pro 2.66 GHZ w. 320 GB HD that spins 7200 RPM. We have an Apple wireless Appletalk router, and even our IPOD 8 GB Touch hooks up into that network. We have two printers hooked in to choose from.

When I had PC, yep, more docs. are easier to read from other places. But crashes were common every week. Now, if you want, one can run many MS Office prgms. in stability on the faster Macs. Must add, I am not a PDA type, but tried a Blackberry Pearl a few days and it didn't sync up with the Macs. You will need to go IPhone on that one.

I can play HD video from NFL rewind off the MacBook thru two cables into my HDMI inputs on the Panasonic HDTV and see it quite clearly with out digital errors on a middle tier cable provided ISP. Good, stable equipment are Macs - I cherish that in similar fashion to my Mizuno irons. My Macs just don't have the issues of PC's - sadly, my current employment in the "distribution" end of TV doesn't have this figured out yet. Good luck converting.

[natp0wers]

I've had both a mac and a pc.... go with the pc.

[zeg]

I've recently picked up a Mac and I'm reasonably happy with it. Prior to this I was using a PC laptop running Linux exclusively, so my transition experience is probably a bit different than those who are coming from the Windows world. I'm not real familiar with post-XP Windows operating systems, though I've tinkered with Windows 7 (on my Mac) and was not terribly impressed. Generally I find the Windows look-and-feel to be clunky and incompatible with my style.

My experience with the Mac has been mixed. Some things that were hard on my Linux laptop are easy on the Mac, and some that were easy are hard. Getting some of the old software I used to run on the new machine has been difficult. Overall, I'm far, far happier with the Mac than I'd be with a Windows machine, and I'm moderately happier with it than I was with my Linux laptop. For a desktop machine, the balance would be a bit different, but I'd still take the Mac over Windows without question. Through Bootcamp, you can install Windows on your Mac if there are a few apps you really need, which is a point in favor of the Mac also. However you get to pay the full price to get a copy of Windows so this isn't a cheap option.

If your technical needs/preferences aren't as strong as mine, then it's a bit more complicated. If your budget is tight, then it's going to be hard to justify the cost of a Mac. They just don't make low-end machines that realistically compete with the $400-$500 PCs that are out there. However, you're not going to get much of a PC for that price either so it may be sensible to put off the upgrade. If your budget lets you consider $1k or slighty higher machines, then in both the laptop and desktop markets you could consider Mac. My take is that for laptops, hands down Mac provide a nicer experience than the PC options. Desktop-wise, sub $2k Mac means the iMac which is a fine machine. If you're really looking forward to keeping your machine up to date as long as possible with upgrades, that's not ideal, but speaking as someone who used to go that route, the era where it makes sense to do this has long since ended.

But really, it comes down to what you need to do. If you're just browsing the web and sending emails, anything will work. If you're a game nut, Windows is still where it's at for the most part, but I'd imagine you're not in the hardcore category or you'd already know what you need. For the iPhone, it's really irrelevant whether you pair it with an Apple computer or not, it'll work fine with iTunes for Windows (I believe).

[jamo]

Once you go Mac, you never go back. Unless it gets too pricey, like what happened to me.

[murphmjm]

What are you going to use your computer for? Are you computer literate at all? There is more factors than just hey which is better. In my own personal experience PC's do fine when you load them up with ram and don't have a crap OS on it. Windows 7 and Vista are garbage, your better off loading your new PC with windows XP if you end up going that route. Things will run much quicker and you'll still be much cheaper than a mac. If you have no idea how to use a computer be trendy and get yourself a mac.

Odds are most people who are complaining about PC's being slow and crashing load them with all sorts of garbage and cant understand how to run the msconfig to fix things or tweak your settings. I've had my HP on constantly for the past 5 months and it has not crashed once... Just don't believe that if you buy a pc your going to be bluescreening and getting viruses galore, that's operator error. A computer doesn't do anything but what you tell it to do, so stop installing garbage and trying to download free porn on limewire and maybe it might run a bit better... I don't even run a virus scan, it's pointless, just don't be stupid with what you do to your pc and it wont be stupid back at you.

If your using your computer for intense graphic production or photo editing go with a mac, it will be better. But figure out what you want to to for you before you go spending lots of money on something you just don't need.

[zeg]

If you have no idea how to use a computer be trendy and get yourself a mac.

On the flip-side, if you really know what you're doing, you might also want a Mac instead of a PC... Don't undervalue the strength of a Unix core.

[Meddle]

Really it depends on what you use it for. I use a netbook running Linux because I don't like paying for things. Runs smooth, crashes way less than windows and does everything I want it to as a college student.

[Fraser]

Went to Apple when I emigrated as my wife had a Powerbook. Lived with it for three years before getting my own computer and went back to PC again. My computing uses are fairly minimal whereas she does website design, graphic design etc. My brother in law works in special effects on films and uses both.

I do like some Apple products, have an iPod Touch which I love

[murphmjm]

Quickly, b4 mods move this - go MAC if you can afford. I'm in the video biz, have used them for work for years and started full blown home conversion about 4 years ago. You can cruz the net and download music files from everybody and they don't crash. I run an IMac of 1.83 GHZ with 150 GB Hard drive in the back office, and a stronger MacBook Pro 2.66 GHZ w. 320 GB HD that spins 7200 RPM. We have an Apple wireless Appletalk router, and even our IPOD 8 GB Touch hooks up into that network. We have two printers hooked in to choose from.

Not sure how being able to hook it up to a hdtv makes it the winner, I can do that with my pc just fine, with one cable! A pc wouldn't cause digital errors, your video source would so not sure why the ISP video output quality even matters when deciding on which to buy. Also,not sure what the "issues of PC's" are either, can you elaborate? My PC is filled with dust since I keep it on the floor which you just shouldn't do, yet it still hasn't crashed on me, seems good and stable no? If you dont buy an inferior product it won't suck, pretty simple I think.