Purchasing a MAC. Update post #48

[DawnM]

Does your library currently have it? I would be surprised as ours stopped several months ago due to RS stopping their deal with libraries and wanting people to purchase it.

Our library used to have it, but not anymore.

Dawn

Have you checked your local library? Ours has Rosetta Stone available for check out in several different languages.---Kathy

 

[DawnM]

A couple of Mac questions.

Our second PC just died.....now, we can survive with our one remaining PC (and my MacBookPro laptop) for now, but I want to replace the PC that died with a Mac.

I am an educator as well and am able to get the educator's discount.

As far as the ipod touch for free.....are you able to pay the difference and get the 32gb instead? Or can you only get the one offered?

Also, do the free deals and educator's discount apply for the Mac Mini or only for the MacBooks and iMacs?

I am trying to decide if I will wait until Aug with free tax (by the way, how long was your wait at the Apple store to get in? I have heard ours can be hours!) or just get one now.

Thanks,

Dawn

 

[arminnie]

Which mac do you think I need & why? Where should I purchase it? TIA!!!!

I'm a total PC person so I don't know. But my sister makes a living answering this question (but only locally so I'm not advertising her services) and setting up new macs.

She had to find a new way to live a couple of years ago and set up a little business. It has really taken off. She charges $75 an hour. I'm amazed at the people who buy 10 hours or more. Hopefully you are getting good free advice here.

 

[PigletsPal2]

DD #2, an editor and graphic designer for books and magazines, works from home on a standard MacBook laptop (not even the pricier, more bells-and-whistles MacBookPro), using the Adobe Creative Suite (including Photoshop and InDesign), Quark, and Office for essentially everything. You may not need to purchase the full Photoshop if your needs don't require it; Photoshop Elements is a basic package and may offer you everything you need (and is considerably cheaper!). Also, depending on what vendors you work with to produce newsletters, etc., you may not need or want to purchase Quark, as InDesign is a far more popular program (even if DD still thinks Quark is much better!).

It's rare to find discounts on Mac hardware, but you can consider purchasing a refurbished laptop through Apple online. They're warranteed for a full year, and I believe you can buy an extended service package, too. Mac laptops can be remarkably sturdy, too; DD's iBook lasted 5+ years, replaced with a MacBook just this past Christmas.

Hope this helps a little!
Queen Colleen

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Thanks PigletsPal2!! I can't believe it...another Quark fan! I used to be the advertising director at our newspaper (yeeeeears ago) and I learned design on Photoshop & layout on Quark. I'm not against InDesign, just don't know it. Thanks for the info on the mac, too I think I'm going to try to wait it out until the tax free wkend + iPod touch voucher. I only hope this dumb pc can last that long.

 

[Swimalie]

Thanks PigletsPal2!! I can't believe it...another Quark fan! I used to be the advertising director at our newspaper (yeeeeears ago) and I learned design on Photoshop & layout on Quark. I'm not against InDesign, just don't know it. Thanks for the info on the mac, too I think I'm going to try to wait it out until the tax free wkend + iPod touch voucher. I only hope this dumb pc can last that long.

I am a graphic artist and learned page layout in Quark and I can tell you that if you know Illustrator and Photoshop, then you can easily pick up InDesign. I love InDesign now.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I am a graphic artist and learned page layout in Quark and I can tell you that if you know Illustrator and Photoshop, then you can easily pick up InDesign. I love InDesign now.

Thank you Do you use a mac or pc? I know our "true" graphic designers at the newspapers used macs & our ad assistant used a mac to do layout. I just fiddled with all of it when we were cutting deadlines too close. (But it did get me addicted to designing!)

 

[Swimalie]

Thank you Do you use a mac or pc? I know our "true" graphic designers at the newspapers used macs & our ad assistant used a mac to do layout. I just fiddled with all of it when we were cutting deadlines too close. (But it did get me addicted to designing!)

All Mac here. In fact, my husband and I own 5 working Macs (one dating back to the late 1980s). I work from home so some are my work computers as well.

 

[tar heel]

Apple has offered the back-to-school Ipod deal since at least 2006. My son got an Ipod and free printer when he got his computer for college. We also shopped tax free weekend.

I'm ancient (REALLY) and am using InDesign. I'm only using a fraction of its capabilities, but I'm getting more confident all the time. When the nonprofit I work for researched design programs, we were told Quark was pretty much obsolete or would be. Speaking of nonprofits, are you an employee or volunteer for the church? Nonprofits get phenomenal deals on software.

 

[debbiemomto4]

We have always been a Mac house since the Apple IIGS. Now there are 6 in the house. 3 teenager and a ds and a desktop and a macmini.
We have bought very successfully from MACMALL. Its online and have found there customer service great. You get all the deals - free printer W/ rebate, plus I use ebates with it.

Still get 1 yr warranty with it and you can buy extra if you want.

 

[SookieStackhouse]

I got in on that free iPod w/purchase of a MacBook in 09... I got mine in June and the program was active that early. I sold the iPod to offset the price of the MacBook.

If I remember correctly, if you want to upgrade the iPod, I think you can for a certain price. It would just be the price difference between what they are giving you and the iPod you want. It would be a pretty good deal if you want an iPod. Not sure what the current promo is, but when I got my macbook it was something like 8gb for free, or $100 for a 16gb.

 

[karin037]

If you have a Microcenter near you, they have the 2.4 Macbook Pro for $999.99 ($200 off). http://www.microcenter.com/storefronts/apple/index.html
You can order it online, but you have to pick it up at the store.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Apple has offered the back-to-school Ipod deal since at least 2006. My son got an Ipod and free printer when he got his computer for college. We also shopped tax free weekend.

I'm ancient (REALLY) and am using InDesign. I'm only using a fraction of its capabilities, but I'm getting more confident all the time. When the nonprofit I work for researched design programs, we were told Quark was pretty much obsolete or would be. Speaking of nonprofits, are you an employee or volunteer for the church? Nonprofits get phenomenal deals on software.

I do volunteer quite a bit with our church. Here's another thing that's in the works: I will probably homeschool our two children next year. Does that qualify me as an educator in TX?

 

[DawnM]

It will once you start homeschooling. Many of our local hs moms get the educator's discount. I homeschool but since I also was a teacher they have allowed me to use the last school of employment.

Dawn

I do volunteer quite a bit with our church. Here's another thing that's in the works: I will probably homeschool our two children next year. Does that qualify me as an educator in TX?

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Thank you! This is great news! We are still not 100% sure about that decision...still praying about it. BUT, what a perk--to get a discount on mac + tax free + ipod. Gee, I hope this pc lasts that long!

 

[DawnM]

I am holding out until summer I am hoping! We will see....our PCs are limping along at the moment but I do have my MacBookPro for me that I love.

I am a diehard Apple fan now and hope we can get two desktops at some point....but this year will only be one.

Dawn

Thank you! This is great news! We are still not 100% sure about that decision...still praying about it. BUT, what a perk--to get a discount on mac + tax free + ipod. Gee, I hope this pc lasts that long!

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I guess it would be best to have 1 computer DEDICATED to my kids once we start homeschooling. Wonder if I could have this dumb pc wiped clean & give it to them fresh? I don't want them touching my mac.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Well, my pc went ka-put So, here's the quote I just got from apple. I got the CS5 suite + ms office, & the warranty plan. I qualify for the educator discount b/c we are homeschooling. Please let me known if I got suckered into any " unneeded extras." It's about to kill me that I couldn't hold out for tax-free weekend + free iPod

Part Name Part Number Qty Unit Price Price
15-inch MacBook Pro Custom 1 $ 1908.95 $ 1908.95
*****-SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
*****-Microsoft Office Mac 2011 - Home and Student Edition
*****-500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
*****-MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
*****-2.0GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7
*****-Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
*****-4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
*****-Accessory Kit
AppleCare Protection Plan for MacBook Pro (w/or w/o Display) - Auto-enroll $ 239.00 $ 239.00
Adobe® Creative Suite® 5 Design Premium - Student and Teacher Edition (with Mac purchase) $ 349.95 $ 349.95
*Subtotal $2497.90. + tax= around $2700

 

[DawnM]

Just a thought:

Tax free is great (8.5% off for us), but you can get a 5% discount if you have a Discover card and order online through your Discover card website.

If you can hold out for about one more month the free ipod touch, free printer, educator's discount, 5% off, AND free ipod touch (if that is what they offer this year).....could still be had.

Usually the education deals start in late April/early May.

Dawn

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Bump Still needing to know if I'm agreeing to more than what I need? I have to make this purchase TODAY b/c I have to update our sales & expense reports, build ads for remainder of season, etc... I would LOVE to wait on a deal, but we need it yesterday :/ thanks!

One of the things I'm wondering about is the "500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm" do I need that? He talked me into it --for faster speeds . TIA!