Best portable compliment to an iMac?

Hello,
I want a new portable, but trying to decide the best fit. I already have a 20' iMac, Core Duo, 2 gig RAM, 256 vram as my main computer. I'm looking to get a portable to compliment this machine, mainly to just have a machine I can travel with, go to a cafe, etc. Nothing to intensive. I'm trying to figure out the best bang for my buck, so to speak. (i.e., if spending $1, 100 on a low-end MB, why not spend 1300 on the mid-range, and if spending that, why not go 1500 on a refurb MBP, CD1, etc). Thats my line of thinking and I can't seem to get it straight in my head . Basically I need help determining where to draw the line between going overboard, or going to "underboard" and ending up with a lower grade machine when a few more bucks would've gotten me alot more. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I think it just depends on what you want the machine for. if it's just your portable personal machine, then there's a lot to like about the macbooks. the current blackbooks are really lovely machines, and they have tons of x-factor. for the size they are, there's not a lot to fault in them, and everyone I know that has one is totally enamored with the machine. they seem to have a bit of personality about them that really makes you feel attached to it, which a lot of people find attractive in a laptop that they want to whip out at a café.
of course if anything you do requires more screen real estate, or proper graphics support, then you have no choice but to go macbook pro.
but I will say one thing.. I have the latest top of the range MBP 17".. I don't use it as a laptop, it stays put as my work machine. but, my brother my partner and a few friends have a blackbook as personal machines, and to be honest, the whole feel of the machines and how they are built feels somehow more solid and dare I say it, better quality than my apple flagship model MBP. go figure.
I still use my PB 12" as my personal lappy, and am still happy with it. but when I've got some cash floating around that looks bored and could do with being spent, I'll prob buy into a blackbook as my café and inflight machine.

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Hello,
I'm planning to replace my "old Maggi"... what!? I'm the only one around here who name his computer? (^_^)... anyway, as I was saying, I'm planning to replace my old G5 desktop dual 2.0Ghz for a new machine.
I would love to put my hands on a brand new Mac Pro but the price is too much for my current budget so I was thinking in a more "wallet friendly" option.
I need a machine powerful enough so it can handle pretty intensive work with *Final Cut Pro* and 3D (mainly Blender but also a bit of Cinema 4D). This is where I need some advice.
As I said before, I cannot afford a Mac Pro, so I was thinking that my best option relies between an iMac and a MacBook Pro.
Portability is not an issue, I'm more concern about "raw power". Of course I can get an idea just by reading each machine's specs, but there must be "small details" that make the difference. Plus a quote of "users' experience" that I would like to hear so I can make a "well informed purchase".
I'll really appreciate any advice.
P.S. That's right, MAGI... as in NEON GENESIS EVANGELION... I know, I'm a nerd, ha ha ha.

if you are not terribly risk adverse ...
Implied in this statement - this process voids the Apple warranty and any free support for hardware issues at an Apple store.
I really don't care if the hacking company will stand behind the mod, it means sending the machine back to deal with it and they will not deal with ANY other issues that are unrelated to their mod - eg, if the screen dies in the first year, you are toast.
Doing the mod on a 3 year old machine makes sense as there is no warrenty at that time. Doing it on a brand new machine makes absolutely no sense - particularly as there are other options out there.
x
Message was edited by: Studio X

What's the best portable hard drive?

What's the best portable hard drive t use for both windows and Mac?
My first iMac arrives tomorrow and want to back everything up from my wife's work laptop as well as my own notebook and transfer to the iMac.
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It's all down to personal experience. I read up extensively recently and ended up totally confused by the conflicting reports. I actually bought a WD elements and it works fine.
Don't forget to format it Mac Extended (journaled) and make sure you have sufficient capacity for your needs ... Double the computer HD, or more.

HT5304 what is the best way to connect my imac wireless with airport express or directly plugged into airport unit

what is the best way to connect my imac to internet via airport express. wireless or ethernet plug to airport? thanks

Hello quinstar,
It sounds like you would like to use either your Personal HotSpot to AirPrint from your MacBook Pro or use an Airport to do so without internet access to the home. According to the following Featured Discussion you very well may be able to use AirPrint with Personal HotSpot:
HT4356 Can I use personal hotspot as wifi to connect printer?
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4007254
Also, the Airport products to not need an active internet connection to set up a home Wi-Fi connection so that is another option as well.
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Take care,
Sterling

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I have read suggestions for the best portable USM HDD for K430 hot-swap bay, but I'm not sure if the K450 has the exact same hot-swap bay as the K430. Are the drives suggested for the K430 the same ones that would be best for the K450? I haven't even received my Lenovo K450 yet. I ordered it on Thursday and it will arrive on Monday Oct. 14, 2013. I just want to understand the hot-swap bay because I thought there was a way I could use a hard drive out of my old computer and put it in an external drive case and plug it right in. After reading the literature here in the community posts, that doesn't appear to be the purpose of the bay. I wish it would work that way because I wanted to easily offload some documents that are saved on my 500 GB Western Digital 3.5" hard drive that I would have liked to move to my new computer easily. My old computer is not working at all anymore, so I can't just drag and drop them from my extra 500 GB drive from that computer onto the new one.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I purchased this same drive and it works great!! It is too bad that Lenovo didn't tell me this when I contacted their support team. It would have saved me a lot of time!!

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There is no "best." Everyone has their favorite manufacturer.
My suggestion to you is to do research for the HD that you are interested in. Read its reviews.

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What best free anti-virus for imac?,

There are no viruses that can affect Apple OS X, but Trojans are a different matter.
Please read on:
You may find this User Tip on Viruses, Trojan Detection and Removal, as well as general Internet Security and Privacy, useful:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-1848
Regarding MacScan, First update the MacScan malware definitions before scanning. You can also contact their support team for any additional support - [email protected]
Security of OS X generally:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/
http://www.nsa.gov/ia/_files/os/applemac/I731-007R-2007.pdf
Security Configuration for Version 10.5 Leopard:
http://images.apple.com/server/macosx/docs/Leopard_Security_Config_2nd_Ed.pdf
This Blog entry is also worth a read:
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What is the best product to clean an imac screen

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This is the formal Apple advice.
How to clean Apple products
Do not attempt to use anything other than a slightly damp micro fibre cloth to clean the screen.

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If the answer is wired rather than through an Airport Express, what is the best way to wire an iMac to a good stereo? Is there any way to do it other than through the headphones out jack?

Morning Acousticare,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Thunderbolt cables should not exceed three meters for maximum performance. The Apple Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt cable (2.0 m) is two meters in length.
For more information on this, take a look at this article:
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http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4614
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Which is best way to back an iMac? I have lots of photos and videos on my iMac TIme Capsule or hard drive. I would like to take photos and videos off my iMac but would easy access to them.

steve359 wrote:
CCC stores a "base image", then its incremental backups are stores in separate folders that you would have to search for specific files. If different files were "last changed" on different days, you may have to search different days "incremental folders" to get all files.
Because of this CCC is "managed" ... you cannot fully control how backups are made or where files are stored. And TimeMachine eventually deletes "incremental folders" as they get too old, so it is "managed" as well.
If you have full sets of files you want saved "as a specificslly formatted set", I would do it in another eternal drive that *I* manage as a set of folders.
This is totally 100% incorrect. What you described here is more or less Time Machine, not CCC. CCC is a standard backup program. It does not, I repeat, NOT, create incremental dated backups. While you can save what gets replaced by date archived directories that is not the intent of CCC. It's intent is to have a exact disk image, folder-for-folder, file-for-file, of the source. Under option it just stuffs the files it replaces in a folder.
And you switch what your are taking about halfway through your post to TM.

What is the best anti virus for an iMAC with OS 10.7

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What is the best portable hard drive for my mac

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A lot depends on the size you want...physical size, I mean...see what they have at OWC, http://www.macsales.com I have thee of there drives and they are great...compatible and already formatted out-of-the-box. But it is still better to format and partition yourself to set them up your way.

What is the best security package for an imac using yosimity

What is the best security package for an imac using Yosimity

Mac users often ask whether they should install "anti-virus" software. The answer usually given on ASC is "no." The answer is right, but it may give the wrong impression that there is no threat from what are loosely called "viruses." There is a threat, and you need to educate yourself about it.
1. This is a comment on what you should—and should not—do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet and gets onto a computer as an unintended consequence of the user's actions. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the computer, or who has been able to take control of it remotely. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it.
The comment is long because the issue is complex. The key points are in sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user. Internally Apple calls it "XProtect."
The malware recognition database used by XProtect is automatically updated; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
☞ It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
☞ It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
☞ It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
☞ A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
☞ An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
Apple has taken far too long to revoke the codesigning certificates of some known abusers, thereby diluting the value of Gatekeeper and the Developer ID program. Those lapses don't involve App Store products, however.
For the reasons given, App Store products, and—to a lesser extent—other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. Sandbox security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they are not, and never will be, complete protection. Malware is a problem of human behavior, not machine behavior, and no technological fix alone is going to solve it. Trusting software to protect you will only make you more vulnerable.
The best defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and Internet criminals. If you're better informed than they think you are, you'll win. That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know when you're leaving the safe harbor? Below are some warning signs of danger.
Software from an untrustworthy source
☞ Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, doesn't come directly from the developer’s website. Do not trust an alert from any website to update Flash, or your browser, or any other software. A genuine alert that Flash is outdated and blocked is shown on this support page. Follow the instructions on the support page in that case. Otherwise, assume that the alert is fake and someone is trying to scam you into installing malware. If you see such alerts on more than one website, ask for instructions.
☞ Software of any kind is distributed via BitTorrent, or Usenet, or on a website that also distributes pirated music or movies.
☞ Rogue websites such as Softonic, Soft32, and CNET Download distribute free applications that have been packaged in a superfluous "installer."
☞ The software is advertised by means of spam or intrusive web ads. Any ad, on any site, that includes a direct link to a download should be ignored.
Software that is plainly illegal or does something illegal
☞ High-priced commercial software such as Photoshop is "cracked" or "free."
☞ An application helps you to infringe copyright, for instance by circumventing the copy protection on commercial software, or saving streamed media for reuse without permission. All "YouTube downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily malicious.
Conditional or unsolicited offers from strangers
☞ A telephone caller or a web page tells you that you have a “virus” and offers to help you remove it. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
☞ A web site offers free content such as video or music, but to use it you must install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "downloader," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one.
☞ You win a prize in a contest you never entered.
☞ Someone on a message board such as this one is eager to help you, but only if you download an application of his choosing.
☞ A "FREE WI-FI !!!" network advertises itself in a public place such as an airport, but is not provided by the management.
☞ Anything online that you would expect to pay for is "free."
Unexpected events
☞ A file is downloaded automatically when you visit a web page, with no other action on your part. Delete any such file without opening it.
☞ You open what you think is a document and get an alert that it's "an application downloaded from the Internet." Click Cancel and delete the file. Even if you don't get the alert, you should still delete any file that isn't what you expected it to be.
☞ An application does something you don't expect, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
☞ Software is attached to email that you didn't request, even if it comes (or seems to come) from someone you trust.
I don't say that leaving the safe harbor just once will necessarily result in disaster, but making a habit of it will weaken your defenses against malware attack. Any of the above scenarios should, at the very least, make you uncomfortable.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it—not JavaScript—in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a padlock icon in the address bar when visiting a secure site.
Stay within the safe harbor, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself.
7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" (AV) or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they are all worse than useless. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free security apps in the Mac App Store—nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial AV products?
☞ To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. This technique is a proven failure, as a major AV software vendor has admitted. Most attacks are "zero-day"—that is, previously unknown. Recognition-based AV does not defend against such attacks, and the enterprise IT industry is coming to the realization that traditional AV software is worthless.
☞ Its design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere. In order to meet that nonexistent threat, commercial AV software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
☞ By modifying the operating system, the software may also create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
☞ Most importantly, a false sense of security is dangerous.
8. An AV product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," has the same drawback as the commercial suites of being always out of date, but it does not inject low-level code into the operating system. That doesn't mean it's entirely harmless. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An AV app is not needed, and cannot be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful, if at all, only for detecting Windows malware, and even for that use it's not really effective, because new Windows malware is emerging much faster than OS X malware.
Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else. A malicious attachment in email is usually easy to recognize by the name alone. An actual example:
London Terror Moovie.avi [124 spaces] Checked By Norton Antivirus.exe
You don't need software to tell you that's a Windows trojan. Software may be able to tell you which trojan it is, but who cares? In practice, there's no reason to use recognition software unless an organizational policy requires it. Windows malware is so widespread that you should assume it's in every email attachment until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, ClamXav or a similar product from the App Store may serve a purpose if it satisfies an ill-informed network administrator who says you must run some kind of AV application. It's free and it won't handicap the system.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have all the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
10. As a Mac user, you don't have to live in fear that your computer may be infected every time you install software, read email, or visit a web page. But neither can you assume that you will always be safe from exploitation, no matter what you do. Navigating the Internet is like walking the streets of a big city. It can be as safe or as dangerous as you choose to make it. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

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I got one from Huuman (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJY11RK)
And I love it. I like that it's slim so I can put it in my pocket. I found most high capacity chargers are chunky and for me, that's not the best. Plus the color is gorgous gotta look good right? lol - it charges my ipod6 and my ipad mini super fast.
I found out there's a deal if you buy it from their website: http://store.imhuuman.com/collections/frontpage/products/maxx-portable-external- battery-charger
the promo is for 10% off till end of Dec. Try this code: HIHUMN10

Best portable compliment to an iMac?

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