Apple MacBook–Wouldn’t Live Without It
Up until a year and a half ago I was a self-avowed Microsoft/Windows girl. Then I needed to buy a laptop. I shopped for Windows systems and also looked at the Apple products. I still had leftover and outdated information stored in my head from long time Apple owners: stuff like "isn’t compatible with Windows systems," and "hard to get used to using." In the 21st century, Apple systems are seamless with the rest of the world.
I finally settled on the MacBook (OS X Tiger)–an $1100 purchase. I was lucky– Apple runs back to school promos for students and those closely associated. A friend shopping with me showed her student ID and I got a Nano iPod and a printer for free (well, mail-in rebates which I’ll review later).
There are two basic MacBooks–a white and a black. I bought the white and for some reason the black is like $500 more–why? I’m not sure.
My personal use and abuse of the MacBook:
I am a freelance/contract writer. I have spent 8-10 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week hammering on these keys for a year and a half now. I use it so much the "popular" keys are worn to a glossy patina from constant use and the finger pad is as well. When I bought the laptop I also bought Microsoft Office for Mac –a student/teacher edition–which gave me Word, Excel and PowerPoint and some other esoteric program I have never used and don’t care about (MS Entourage). I think I spent just under $100 for this essential software. I needed Word for my work and I also needed it to seamlessly jive with clients–it has btw. I have had no maintenance issues so far (fingers crossed now that I’ve said that).
I have literally hundreds of Word docs stored on this baby, the once glossy surface is scratched from use and being dragged all over the country, and I have personalized it with a G. Love and Special Sauce concert sticker on the bottom. I wouldn’t leave home without my MacBook! For word processing, Internet surfing, storing music and other basic stuff, I think this little machine is a powerhouse, it can’t be beat.
The battery life is a bit slim. I’ve managed to extend it at times by shutting off Airport and Bluetooth and only working on Word–will last between 2 and 3 hours (fortunately I don’t have to do this often), but if you’re using the Internet you’ll barely squeeze an hour and a half out of it before the juice is down to dregs.
I’ve downloaded TV shows and movies–the screen is high def–small, but I got used to it.
Out of the box the MacBook is easy to setup:
- Plug her in, power on and follow the simple setup wizard.
- The Apple is a sensory experience: one part utility and another part design and style, the graphics it comes packaged with as far as desktop and screensavers are top notch and distinctive Apple style.
- You have Bluetooth built-in–switch it on with a couple keystrokes–and Airport, the same thing–pick up a wireless signal with a keystroke or two.
- Anti virus and firewall stuff are all included-built into the hardware, part of the machine–I know, hard to believe especially if you come from a long background of Windows systems….I actually went to Best Buy looking for a good virus protection program when I first bought the Mac and I was confused as to why all the software seemed designed for Windows systems. When I went online and did a bit of research I found out the Apple computers are built like brick shithouses as far as security goes. I programmed my firewall for "stealth mode," which means I run invisibly. I have so far had no problems with viruses or unwanted visitors.
The one complaint I have with the Apple MacBook is the user manual packed with it–small, dinky and not nearly what you expect. Best advice: go to the book store and buy a good Mac manual written specifically for your model and OS. I bought: Mac OS X Tiger Edition: The Missing Manual by David Pogue. This is what a MacBook manual should look like–a two-inch thick beefy burger of a book you can really sink your teeth into. He gives a thorough description of all the applications packaged with the computer and provides invaluable tips and tricks for using the machine to its fullest capacity–again, wouldn’t live without it.
My next computer will be another Apple MacBook.
