I can't decide on a Mac.

This is a "what would you buy?" question. I have a max of $1800 to buy a Mac and I will be using it for school. More specifically, I will be typing documents, making occasional slide shows and spreadsheets. I may make some web pages, play games, some basic programming, basic photo editing; and some basic movie editing. I'm deciding between: an iMac 21.5 in, i7, 1tb; Macbook Pro 15 in, i7 500 gb; and a Macbook Air 11 in, i7, 256gb. All will have 4gb RAM. I'm concerned about the dual core i7 will not be enough compared to quad core. Also the graphics in the Macbook Air will not be as good and therefore ruin the functionality of gaming and watching movies. Last, I am comfortable upgrading ram on the iMac and the Macbook Pro but it's not even possible on the Macbook Air. So will 4gb be enough? I currently use a 6 year old Macbook core 2 duo, 2gb RAM, 70gb. It works fine but is getting dated and most new programs will not work to the full extent on it. I really do need more hard drive space and this Mac is the only reason it think 2gb RAM is enough.
P.S. Sorry if this is miscategorized.

I think, if you are using it for school, you should get a MacBook Pro 15 inch i7 500GB. It has Ethernet and Firewire ports that MacBook Air does not. iMac is great, but not portable.

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I can't decide on the mac air or MacBook

I can't decide on buying a mac air or a MacBook?

The newest macbook Pro is essentially a larger macbook Air with Retina display and options for speed in increasing prices up to an independent graphics and quad core processor.
both Air and new Pro now have PCIe SSD and permanent RAM.
The Air is the lightweight portable form factor, fast to boot and shut down, but with longer battery life than any of the macbook pro in 13"
Now the new macbook Pro and macbook Air are extremely close in form factor and nature.
both have 802ac wifi
both have permanent RAM, no superdrive
both are slim profiles and SSD
The only real differences now between Air and Pro....are (in the most expensive Pros) faster processors and quadcore processors and top end model autonomous graphics and the Pro has HDMI output.....and of course the retina display
both are now "very good for travel"
Other than features the form factor of the Air and Pro are VERY close now,....so now its merely a matter of features and price more than anything.
You need an external HD regardless of what you get for backups etc. Drop into an Apple store and handle both and make your choice based on features, such as Retina or non-retina, .... both at a distance now look like the same computer.
The Pro weighs more, ....but nowhere near what it used to just a month ago on the oldermacbook Pros
The NEW macbook Pro is a different creature entirely than the older macbook Pro, .....the new Pro is thicker than the Air, but id frankly call the NEWEST Pro a "macbook Air with Retina display" , or
Maybe a “macbook Air PRO with Retina display”
Instead of Air VS Pro now,.....its really a smooth transition from Air to pro without comparing say, 2 different creatures, now its like contrasting a horse from a race horse.
Either one in 8gig of RAM (preferably)... the 4gig upgrade costs very little, the I7 you will notice only 15% faster on heavy applications over the I5, and NOTHING on most APPS.....I5 has longer battery life.
As you see below, the non-Retina 13" AIR is 82% of the Macbook with Retina display in resolution
there is no magical number of pixels per inch that automatically equates to Retina quality.
http://www.cultofmac.com/168509/why-you-might-be-disappointed-by-the-resolution- of-those-new-retina-display-macs-feature/
A huge internal SSD isnt a game changer for anything, you need an external HD anyway
what you WONT READ on Apple.com etc. is that the larger SSD are MUCH FASTER due to SSD density
"The 512GB Samsung SSD found in our 13-inch model offers roughly a 400MB/s increase in write speeds over the 128GB SanDisk/Marvell SSD"
http://blog.macsales.com/19008-performance-testing-not-all-2013-macbook-air-ssds -are-the-same
Here is an excellent video comparison between the 11” I5 vs. I7 2013 Macbook Air.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDqJ-on03z4
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-465 0u/2
I5 vs. I7 performance 13” Macbook Air 2013
Boot performance
11.7 I5 ……11.4 I7
Cinebench
1.1 I5….1.41 I7
IMovie Import and Opt.
6.69 I5….5.35 I7
IMovie Export
10.33 I5…8.20 I7
Final Cut Pro X
21.47 I5…17.71 I7
Adobe Lightroom 3 Export
25.8 I5….31.8 I7
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Performance
27.3 I5…22.6 I7
Macbook Pro processor and configuration options:
http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/
Macbook Pro ports:
Macbook Air (13") ports:

Can't send Mail on Mac Mail, but can on Entourage - what am I doing wrong?

Aggg. Help.
I have been using Entourage on my Macs, and have decided to switch to Mac Mail. I have multiple accounts for my websites on my dedicated server. I use standard ports for sending and receiving mail - and, as it is my server, I can dictate all controls.
So... I can receive mail on my Macs, but can not send. I am trying to set-up IMAP accounts - and my server requires i use as outgoing" mail.mywebsite.com
I use a linux server using cPanel.
It works on Entourage. But Mac's Mail will not accept the outgoing mail information. I have tried with and without authentication (which is required). I have overridden the port and tried each individually (25, 465, etc..). I have tired smtp.mywebsite.com rather than the required mail.mywebsite.com, just to see. I have tried every combination of information with no luck. I sort of think I know how to set it all up, but can not understand what I am missing?
Why can I not get Mac Mail to send?
I can match what is in use by Entourage - but it just does not work.
I use MS Office 2008's Entourage - and to make things more fun, Mac Mail will not import my Entourage accounts (says it can not find them). I am using a 3 month old iMac with latest OS. I have been on Macs since 1988 - so I just don't get what is going on. HELP PLEASE. Puuuullleeeeeaze.
thanks!

Hello,
If you open the Activity viewer (click on Window in the menubar and choose Activity) and watch when you try to send, what phases if any are indicated are taking place before failure?
What type of authentication is required for this SMTP? When using in Entourage, what are the selections in Advanced sending options, particularly regarding the box beside Use same settings as receiving mail server?
Ernie

IMac or Macbook Pro Can not Decide Need Help

The iMac or Mac Pro I can't decide which is the best one to get and I need to get a
good answer before next Thursday. The 24" iMac with extreme Intel processor or Macbook Pro 17" with 2.6 Intel Processor. I'm into Graphic Design in the winter months and want something that doesn't crash when I'm designing websites with dreamweaver. I need to know from you professionals which is better. Also this will be my first MAC. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Newbie,
It really comes down to your desire for a fast Desktop, or a fast portable. Only you can decide whether or not you want to "go portable." Either one would suite your professional needs, and do so extremely well. And Macs simply don't just "crash" (not if they are working as they should). My well-over-1-year-old 17" Macbook Pro has never been shut down, and I rarely restart it. No crashes, no problems. I have seen my wife's 3-year-old iBook with an "uptime" of over 160 days (that's almost 6 months with no shutdown or restart!!!). Also no crashes, no problems.
The 24" iMac is simply... stunning. And, with the 2.8 Gig Core2Duo Extreme, it should really rock speed-wise. But, it would remain in one place. The benefits of the iMacs are (obviously) the larger displays, larger hard drive capacities, and sometimes better performance (as in the case of the 24" w/ Core2Duo Extreme).
On the other hand, there's a lot to be said about being portable. "Going portable" is potentially a complete paradigm shift, as far as how one works. My Macbook Pro goes with me almost all of the time, and I can use it for work or play at a moment's notice. I have a really nice dual-display setup at home, which has (sadly) never been used since I moved to a portable; I simply can't be bothered being tied to a single location to use a computer anymore.
In the end, the decision is yours. Either way, you'll be happy.
Scott

Can't decide Macbook Pro 15 or Retina

Hello!
This is my first post here so excuse me if I'm doing anything wrong!
I'm going to buy my first Mac but I can't decide if I should buy a Macbook Pro 15 or a Retina.
I'm in college and I'm going to use it for FinalCut, Photoshop, Logic Pro and some Illustrator probably, but also for some gaming through bootcamp (Dragon Age, FM, Mass Effect, etc).
My actual computer is filled to the top and it's 500GB so that's a cons to Retina unless I chose the 512Gb but it would be even more expensive. Another problem is that if something happens to the Retina the repair is a lot more expensive due to the sofistication of the hardware.
And altough I really like Macbook Pro 15, buying it is like betting in the past.
Is the Retina really worth the extra money or is the Macbook Pro 15 an awesome machine that will be able to do everything that the Retina does?
So as you can see I'm a pretty unsure guy, so all your help is needed!
Thanks!

Well two years for an investment like this is not that many years.
The problem is that the 256GB of the Retina are really not enough and upgrading is too expensive. The solution had to be an external drive, but even that would not work due to the partition that I will have to create (I’m going to share it with a friend that works with Windows-exclusive software). The question is am I really going to need the resolution that the Retina offers? “Eventually all Macs will be retina, so that's something to bear in mind.” That’s the thing that “****** me off” because I don’t think that paying almost 3000€ is worth it, but buying the non-retina is betting in the past. So Vestan Pance the non-retina with those specs would only last 2 years maybe? Even with the 16Gb ram for now and hypothetically a flash storage?
I’m from Portugal and the refurbished section is not that popular here! But it would be a nice option!
So ds store in your opinion how many years would last the non-retina setup? And do you really think it would be equal to the Retina?
I will have that in mind, noondaywitch. Thanks!
Thanks to all of you and sorry for the long text!

I am trying to decide on which Mac laptop I should get

I am trying to decide on which Mac laptop I should get

nobody can tell you without knowing your parameters of usage
If mostly photo and video editing (or a lot of same), then get a higher end pro.
If casual typical use, the Air is a powerhouse of which many are fooled by its slim size thinking it cannot do much, when in fact its a full powered notebook that amazes most people first time in use.
recommend 8GB min. RAM on either model.

MBA or MBP? can't decide

I've been using a MBP 2.2 for 2 years now and want to get another mac but I can't decide. I've heard the MBA overheats a lot and no multitouch. The only thing attractive is the size.
New MBP has better battery life, don't know about the overheating issue.
any thoughts?

The MBA is lightweight, ultraportable and very sexy. That being said, it is not for everyone. The complaints that some have made regarding overheating can be due to several issues ranging from its small breathing holes positioned at the bottom and/or network issues. I have a first generation MBA (1.6 GHz early 2008), after a few months of heating and freezing, I learned most of this is due to user negligence. First of all, its form factor is so compact, and yet it is able to perform as well as any other notebook, assuming you know what things to avoid or what steps to take to ensure it can perform to the specifications.
The first thing I learned is that it is not a laptop, it is a notebook, the term laptop is the reason for most people's frustrations with the little guy. The fan vents are positioned under the machine so it needs to sit on a flat, ridgid surface. So if you want to use it on your lap avoid placing it over fabric. Use a ridgid surface, if you must use it in bed or on the couch, the simple solution is a laptop table or in my case, I use a small cutting board I purchased at walmart that fits perfectly under it.
The second thing that can cause overheating or sluggish responses is the wireless network you use. I use a Time Capsule which can be configured to use the 5MHz band and the 802.11n radio mode however, if you have more than one wireless machine in your network and one of them at least does not have the 802.11n but 802.11g (such as older macs, the iphone, etc.), your network will be downgraded to the slower radio mode. This cannot be avoided unless you have this year's new wave of airport extremes and time capsules, which have the ability to run in dual modes.
So if you take all of these things into consideration and accept the fact that this machine was built to work with the latest network technology and you can live with it sitting on a flat ridgid surface, there is no reason why you wouldn't love the machine. I have used it for over a year and do not see how I could ever part with it. This notebook is as small as I ever want to get and will be my favorite apple computer for a long time.

Can't Decide

I am torn between two computers. Either I will get the MacBook Pro 15 inch 2.16 Ghz with everything standard except 2 Gigs of Ram and 160 Gigs of storage.
Or I will get the MacPro with everything standard except 2 gigs of ram. Any help making this decision you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
I can't decide if I prefer the portability with less power, or more power with no portablility. Also I am about to be a freshman in college, so that might play a role in my decision. Again any help would be great.

I used a 12" Powerbook G4 for a good two years as my one and only machine and then did the same with my MacBook Pro for the first 6-months before I got my MacPro. I did some pretty heavy lifting designing dozens of magazines with both of them and while there were times I wished I had the latest, greatest desktop as well, portability is key - I'm able to have all of my files at my day gig, at home on the couch and anywhere I might meet my clients.
While I love having my MacPro at the ready, my MBP is still my main squeeze leaving the MacPro to only see action once in a while when I need the added muscle (3D rendering, big Photoshop work, etc.), so its far from earning its keep as far as dollars spent to productivity is concerned. Like my Powerbook before it, I haven't run into anything that I couldn't do on my MBP, it just takes a little more time here and there and when you get into video or even heavy Photoshop use, external FW drives become your friend for more scratch disk space.
Being that you are in school, I agree that the laptop would be the better option as you can take it to class, kill time in between and use it at home/work as well and you'll really get your money out of it - I wish I had a one when I was in school, but they were waaaay too pricey back then. Anyway, once you get out of school, you can build your dream tower, but the MacBook Pro should serve you well in your current situation.
MacBook Pro 15" 2.0GHz 2GB RAM / Mac Pro 3.0GHz 4GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Macbook Pro vs. Macbook Air, I can't decide..

Alright so I am planning on bringing a new notebook into the family but I can't decide which one is actually right for me and my needs.
I am planning to use the laptop for the obvious reasons: Web browsing, school work (Microsoft Office), downloading photos, Music (iTunes) etc., however I also plan to run Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator on the machine and maybe some other music software such as Ableton.
The weight of the products don't matter to me however I am attracted to the thinner MBA for obvious reasons. I just want all my programs, web browsing etc. to run smoothly and I want it to last!
I understand the MBP has a better processor, and I am willing to spend the money if needed, however I don't want to spend all that money and not use the power that it can support.
I know the basics about the MBP and MBA however cannot decide which features best suit my needs.
Any feedback and/or experiences with the laptop welcome...

I am actually looking for feedback as well between the Air and the Pro.
I have an OLD Mac Mini that can no longer be upgraded and whose whirling beach ball is driving me nuts.
My geek son suggests I get a MBA for its speed and portability, and my ex suggests I get a MBP for its better processor. I mostly surf the web, but I also edit papers, some which include graphics and Power Point presentations.
Portability matters, so the lighter weight Air seems desirable, but is not critical. However, if I had portability, it might be nice not to be limited to my desktop, both at home and for travel.
My son says any upgrade at this point would be Major! But with the above discussion, I'd hate to invest in an Air and find in 2 months that a newer, better version is available and desirable. Plus, now your comments on heat is another factor to consider. Cost as well is a big factor.
Thanks for whatever additional feedback you can provide.

I am going to college this fall and can't decide which MacBook pro to buy!

I am going to college this fall and can't decide which MacBook pro to buy the 13in or the 15in. Mainly to type, browse the web, watch videos, and maybe some light gaming. I am worried that the 15in might be too big to carry around all the time. And worried about the 13in being too small and hurting my eyes over time. Once I do get one, I am most likely going to use it for the full 4 years. Please Help !

The 13" will do the trick for what you describe as your needs, Be sure to consider how you will backup your data -- need an external drive?
Also be sure to check with your college or division of study to see what they recommend. If they are hostile to Macs, you may be on your own for finding support. But in most major cities, that will not be too hard.

After upgrade can no longer connect to Mac from Windows

I have a wireless network (Linksys) with 2 iMacs, Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP workstations. I have file sharing between the Windows and Mac computers. After upgrading I can no longer see the shared folders on the upgraded iMac from the Windows box. I cannot even ping the iMac by node name, but I can ping it by IP address so it is recognizable on the network. I cannot connect by IP address, however.
I have file and printer sharing enabled on the Leopard iMac. What can I do to restore the former connection?

Thank you! That partially solved the problem. I can now see the Leopard Mac and can open my user folder on it. However, the subfolders give an error saying they are not accessible - permission denied. I have gone through the folders and set all of them to Shared, but this did not make them accessible.

Can no longer share my Mac to my windows PC

With 10.4, sharing my Mac to my windows PC was really easy. Now that I've installed 10.5, my PC can no longer see my mac's shared folders.
When I try to map network drive to \\192.168.1.4\shared_folder (for example), my PC just gives me an error that the "network path could not be found."
Yes, I read the online help and tried everything in "If you can’t connect to a Mac from a Windows computer"
For some reason, the systems preferences will not let me set a workgroup for my mac. I type in the workgroup name for the mac, and click save, and then when I go back to look at it again, it doesn't appear to have saved the workgroup name I typed in. So, if the workgroup name is the problem, I can't appear to fix it. why isn't it saving this information?
What the heck am I doing wrong?

To set up file sharing:
Choose Apple > System Preferences, and then click Sharing.
Select the File Sharing checkbox.
Users you have set up with accounts in Accounts preferences can access your computer by connecting to it over the network.
To refine user access to your computer and set up specific folders or volumes to share, click Add {+} at the bottom of the Folders list and select the folder you want to share.
To further refine user access, click Add {+} at the bottom of the Users list and select a user from Users & Groups (accounts you have set up in Accounts preferences), Network Users or your Address Book. Or click New Person and enter a name and password to create a sharing account. Select the user from the list and click Select.
After the user is in the list, use the triangles next to the user name to assign privileges for that use user (No Access, Read & Write, Read Only, or Write Only (Drop Box)).
Click Options and select the way you want to share your computer: using AFP, FTP, or SMB.
If Windows users will connect to your computer to share files, make sure SMB is selected, select the On checkbox next to the name of the account that will share your computer, and enter the password for that user.
Message was edited by: KJK555

HT1284 Can I back up my Mac and my pc to the same external hard drive? If so, could you explain how? Thanks.

Can I back up my Mac and my pc to the same external hard drive? If so, could you explain how? Thanks. I am a new user with mountain lion.

You could partition the drive into 2 partitions. One formatted as HFS+ for Mac OS X back, and one formatted as NTFS for Windows backup.
You would have to move the drive from system to system to do your backups. If there are 2 systems, I would suggest just getting separate drives for each, unless they are both laptops, then you will be disconnecting the drives all the time anyway.
Unless Windows is running in a virtual machine on your Mac. Then a partitioned drive would be fine.

How can i connect my 2008 mac book pro to a tv?

how can i connect my 2008 mac book pro to a tv?

The Mini-DVI to DVI adapter is designed for the iMac (Intel Core Duo), MacBook, and 12-inch PowerBook G4 — allowing you to connect to an external DVI monitor. It can also be used in combination with the Apple DVI to ADC adapter to support older Apple flat panel Studio or Cinema Displays.

I downloaded pages from the app store and I can use it on my Mac login but it doesn't show up when my wife logs in to her account? Were using the same computer, just different logins.

I downloaded pages from the app store and I can use it on my Mac login but it doesn't show up when my wife logs in to her account? Were using the same computer, just different logins.

No. You need to buy it for your Apple ID and for the other. You will have problems with updates

I can't decide on a Mac.

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