Laptop Purchase (MacBook Pro)

In the middle of DD on a potential new laptop purchase and am seriously considering a MacBook Pro. For those who have had experience with them, would appreciate any comments about your experiences, both good and bad.

I do have a work laptop (Windows), so have used all Microsoft applications (Excel, Word, Powerpoint) and am also wondering how different iWork is?
 
In the middle of DD on a potential new laptop purchase and am seriously considering a MacBook Pro. For those who have had experience with them, would appreciate any comments about your experiences, both good and bad.

I do have a work laptop (Windows), so have used all Microsoft applications (Excel, Word, Powerpoint) and am also wondering how different iWork is?

There is an apple forum over on whirlpool that contains a fair bit of info.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/
 
Macs are awesome...I switched a few years ago and have never looked back.

MS Office is available for the MAC.. iWork is good also.

I have both an iMac and Macbook....best investment I ever made in terms of computers.

Plus you can also run Windows using either Bootcamp, Parallels or VMWare...just make sure you get plenty of RAM.
 
Buzz I have a macbookpro
If you want to run windows get a minimum of 2gb ram
the mbp can go up to 4gb
Dont buy extra ram from apple tho
Its much cheaper via other sources online, or at your local apple store

Office for mac is a bit dated as it was designed for powerpc chip
so its a little sluggish

Iwork is great
It will take a while to get used to

Get either parallels or vmware - youll need 2gb ram, preferably more
I dont bother with bootcamp anymore
I dont bother with office inside windows either
I just use vmware - with windows xp - for PIA analysis, some realestate software, and money beans

Numbers is great for pretty spreadsheets with pics and tables
you can easily include pics of your properties etc
Keynote kicks butt - every presentation I do people are wowed by it and the content
Still I do use MS Word - for osx. Though if you dont need to transfer files to others, pages is fine

In terms of realestate software
most is done online, via numbers spreadsheet
finance - quicken mac is US version so I dont use it
MYOB available for mac
Im investigating moneyworks - looks really good for property
if id learn how to use it www.cognito.co.nz
Theres also moneydance = quicken without the crap, except it doesnt support the classes feature
stocks - istock or mystock
http://infinite-loop.dk/istock/index.php
http://www.barereef.com/mystock.php

PDF filing- devonthink pro - I use a pdf sheetfed scanner and have all documents electronically

skype osx works fine for video chat mac to pc

moneybeans - via vmware windows
games is the only reason to run windows native - I dont bother
 
Macs are awesome...I switched a few years ago and have never looked back.

MS Office is available for the MAC.. iWork is good also.

I have both an iMac and Macbook....best investment I ever made in terms of computers.

Plus you can also run Windows using either Bootcamp, Parallels or VMWare...just make sure you get plenty of RAM.

Pianoman, what has made it the 'best investment'? Given the price premium for MACs would be interested to know?
 
Oh if you want to access internet at work
Ive been doing it using a three mobile
and the mac
connecting via bluetooth!!!
the X series plans are great value
 
Thanks Deepmarine. One of the reasons for getting a personal laptop separate to work, is also not having restricted or barred internet sites (whirlpool is one of those) :(

Wow, that is restrictive. Our work blocks email sites (gmail / yahoo etc.) but certainly not something like Whirlpool which is pretty safe content.

My girlfriend has an old mac. She loves it. I've used PC's for too long to want to switch, but I'm thinking about getting a Mac Mini to use as a HTPC in the loungeroom.
 
For me 'best investment' means I don't spend hours and hours each weekend attempting to fix things in a Windows environment, whether it be OS related or hardware related (albeit my PCs were spec built from the local computer parts shop and not DELL/HP etc built).

It just works...and it keeps on just working.

Applications just work - the integration between the iLife apps is awesome.
 
I've used apple laptops for 5 or so years now.

Love them :)

Macbook pros are great, but the macbooks are now so good that the need to buy a "pro" is a lot less than a few years ago. Unless you are doing some very heavy graphical work I don't think there's much of a need for a "pro".
 
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I use PC's for work, a PC desktop at home, and more recently (2 years ago) an iBook at home as well. I am about to upgrade the desktop at home and was going to go for a PC with 22" monitor or similar, but i am now thinking of a Mac Mini. I realised that all the multimedia applications i use are on the Mac so what would be the point of buying a weapon PC that i can only for half the time. It has taken me a few years to contemplate the idea of going Mac only. Like most i am very familiar with Windows because it's used at work, so i've had to make an 'investment' to get up to speed with Mac OS.

Regards
Able
 
Well, considering Mac users haven't answered my query about next business day onsite warranted repair, I'd hate to be using Macs in a business that seriously requires computing power.

A dearth of Mac repair technicians and tech centers has always scared me off going Apple.
 
Well, considering Mac users haven't answered my query about next business day onsite warranted repair, I'd hate to be using Macs in a business that seriously requires computing power.

A dearth of Mac repair technicians and tech centers has always scared me off going Apple.

There are mac fix it people and apple stores with workshops. I've never needed one myself, never had one break down. I don't think laptops of any stripe are "serious computing power" for businesses anyway.
 
I dunno about that twitch - guess it depends on your definition of serious computing power...

I recently bought an Asus G2s - its a gaming laptop - but i use it for business (don't know what games are!! :p) and some fairly graphics intensive stuff and 3d image rendering etc...

the thing is a weapon in terms of laptops - not much can match it in power - my home computer doesn't go near it. I know we are now in the days of quadcore computing and the like - but i'd be flat out finding much that this thing can't handle outside of the really big games.
 
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