Mac users - I need your expertise

[DavidandLeahZ]

We're starting to shop for a new computer (desktop) purchase and are looking at Macs. One thing I've liked about our PCs is the media card "hub" that lets you plug in any memory card from digital cameras into the PC tower.

Do Macs have anything similar? If not - how do you insert media cards from digital cameras?

 

[ErinBug]

I currenty own a macbook with no place to insert cards. I use a cheap card reader (~$10) that just plugs into a usb port. I believe the new iMacs have a port for an SD card though!

 

[WDWKOOK]

We're starting to shop for a new computer (desktop) purchase and are looking at Macs. One thing I've liked about our PCs is the media card "hub" that lets you plug in any memory card from digital cameras into the PC tower.

Do Macs have anything similar? If not - how do you insert media cards from digital cameras?

The media card will have to be in the camera and the camera plugged into the USB port either on the back of the Mac or on the side of the keyboard. The HP printers, which are recommended for use with Macs (we have the Photosmart C6280) do have the CF and XD slots on it.

Excellent choice switching to a Mac! We haven't owned a PC in 10 years and we would NEVER EVER go back. You'll love your new Mac.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

The media card will have to be in the camera and the camera plugged into the USB port either on the back of the Mac or on the side of the keyboard. The HP printers, which are recommended for use with Macs (we have the Photosmart C6280) do have the CF and XD slots on it.

Excellent choice switching to a Mac! We haven't owned a PC in 10 years and we would NEVER EVER go back. You'll love your new Mac.

Don't know that we can afford it - but we're looking. Are they really THAT good?

 

[RadioNate]

I love my mac. I use a multi-format USB card reader also. The new iMacs do have a SD slot though.

I also use a PC and I greatly prefer the Mac. Today, I had to do 5 restarts on the PC before I could even use it because it kept doing updates and other downloads. Every time I got one finished, another would pop up. I do at least one update restart every time I go to use the PC. I hate only having an hour or 2 to work on something and having to spend 1/2 that time just doing updates so the computer stops 'yelling' at me.

The only reason I use the PC is for one stupid PC only program. I do all the work on the Mac and then save to an external to transfer to the PC. Not a perfect system but I'm willing to do it to not always have to be on the PC.

I can run Windows on my Mac but I'm not thrilled with the performance in Parallels and I need Mac and Windows open at the same time. A colleague runs the same program in Boot Camp and has no issues. She just has a much bigger hard drive so she can mirror everything on both partitions.

 

[maelstrom]

Don't know that we can afford it - but we're looking. Are they really THAT good?

Yes, they really are THAT good.

My new laptop is, sadly, not a Mac. I desperately needed a new computer to take over for my six year old iBook G4, and my mom offered to buy me one, and a new (or even refurbished) Macbook was not in the budget. My ancient iBook G4 still runs great and there's nothing wrong with it, it's just that it's old for a computer and too slow to do the things I want to do (games are a big one). It still works fine for internet, email, word processing, iTunes, stuff like that. My new Dell laptop is super fast and can play the games I want it to, but I really miss OSX.

If you get a Mac now, count on it lasting you a long time; a lot longer than a PC would.

 

[RadioNate]

Yes, they really are THAT good.

My new laptop is, sadly, not a Mac. I desperately needed a new computer to take over for my six year old iBook G4, and my mom offered to buy me one, and a new (or even refurbished) Macbook was not in the budget. My ancient iBook G4 still runs great and there's nothing wrong with it, it's just that it's old for a computer and too slow to do the things I want to do (games are a big one). It still works fine for internet, email, word processing, iTunes, stuff like that. My new Dell laptop is super fast and can play the games I want it to, but I really miss OSX.

If you get a Mac now, count on it lasting you a long time; a lot longer than a PC would.

Yes but I'm drooling at the new iMacs! There is the problem. I have a perfectly functioning 18 month old iMac but I want a new one!

We are on our second PC laptop since I've had this iMac. Granted, we buy cheap laptops but the 1st one lasted just over a year before the hinge cracked and isn't repairable. Our current laptop we got in Jan or Feb and we've already had to reformat it once and do a clean Windows install. It also over heats. There is a battery recall but our model isn't included (yet.) It should be because unplugged the battery only lasts about 10 minutes before it dies.

 

[glitterkittyy]

You can buy a media reader for Apple for around $15. Or you can just use the USB cord from the camera. My reader works great with my mac. I LOVE my Macbook, and my new iMac comes on Friday!

ETA: Here's kind of what my reader looks like. link

 

[maelstrom]

Yes but I'm drooling at the new iMacs! There is the problem. I have a perfectly functioning 18 month old iMac but I want a new one!

So sell your current iMac (you can probably still get a decent price for it) and use that money towards the purchase of a new iMac. I love the hugenormous screen on the new iMacs and I don't blame you for wanting one.

What are the specs on your current iMac (ram, hdd, superdrive, screen size, etc)? My aunt may be in the market to replace her current iMac with one with a superdrive since my little cousin has gotten into iMovie and wants to make DVDs of his movies for me.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

We don't do any online gaming or videoediting; two things Macs are known for....is a Mac still the right choice?

 

[mrsklamc]

This will sound corny but it's true to my experience.
A PC is a computer, and thinks like a computer. Very regimented.

Of course, a Mac thinks like a computer too, but it's programmed more like an organism. I.E., the Mac 'thinks' more the way I think.

 

[WDWKOOK]

We don't do any online gaming or videoediting; two things Macs are known for....is a Mac still the right choice?

We've never done any online gaming either. I do upload our digital family videos and make nice DVDs of them using iMovie, which is very easy and I love iPhoto. If you don't use those features, you'll still get the benefit of a very user-friendly and innovative interface (it basically reads your mind!) and no more blue screens and virtually no viruses. We still run anti-virus software on all three of ours (G4/G5/MacBook), but not many viruses are written for Macs.

If you are a government employee or active/retired military you can get about a 5% discount on all Apple products at both the Apple Stores and online.

 

[glitterkittyy]

We don't do any online gaming or videoediting; two things Macs are known for....is a Mac still the right choice?

I don't do either of those things (though I am going to start video editing). I love my MacBook and get my iMac tomorrow. You'll love it for just everyday use as well.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

What about software?

We have a few kids games that say: For use with Windows.

Can they be used if I boot to windows via Bootcamp?

 

[safetymom]

I own both PC and MAC. I do most of my work on my PC. I haven't had problems with my PC's for years.

I am still waiting for that whiz bang moment where I slap myself and say why didn't I buy a MAC years ago.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

Do Macs typically last longer than PCs? Enough to warrant the price difference?

 

[Shutterbug]

random thoughts concerning Imacs...

As far as refurbed Imacs go I had to go through 4 of them to get one that worked right when I first bought mine. There were problems due to power supply issues and screen issues. Then on the 4th one, the hard drive died after just one months of use. Apple of course replaced it free of charge.

Now as far as service getting these Imacs replaced each time, service was prompt from getting fedex return tags to getting the other one out quickly.
I was also given applecare for free to make up for the trouble I had.

Apple offers free clinics at its store to help you learn OSX. They also offer tutorials online as well.

The new Imacs DO HAVE an SD card reader built in.

When some people ask me if they should get a mac I ask them what they plan on doing with it. Often I will steer them over to more affordable PC's and notebooks because those will do what they need for alot less money. Imacs indeed are crazy expensive.

I do like mine though I have made some neat DVD's with videos from my camcorder.

 

[Laura]

Do Macs typically last longer than PCs? Enough to warrant the price difference?

No, not really. Software-wise, PCs are more prone to getting messed up due to user error than Macs. But hardware-wise, computers in general are built from many of the same components.

Nothing against Macs, but I'm not sure (from the questions you're asking) that they're what you're looking for in a desktop computer. For what you spend on a Mac, you can get a more powerful PC that won't be obsolete as soon. And you don't have software compatibility issues. To get some programs to run on a Mac, you have to buy additional software to run a Windows environment.