Apple vs Microsoft

I know this is a very contraversial topic, so I'm expecting some nice strong opinions

I'm looking at getting a laptop, but I'm pretty clueless about all the available options. All I want is to be able to do simple word processing and use the Internet (emails, TCS etc).

I've never used Apple products, but I am liking the sound of their sturdiness (did I mention I'm chronically clumsy? ), reliability etc. I don't have a huge budget, but I'd rather spend a little more on the right thing than spend less and regret it.

A big concern is that I have a Samsung phone, not an iPhone, and I still want to be able to transfer photos from one to the other. Also, the family computer is Microsoft, and I'd like to be able to transfer documents from one to the other is needed.

Weight is a factor too...I'd prefer not to have anything too heavy or unwieldy.

Soo...Help please All thoughts would be much appreciated!

Personally I am partial to Apple. That is just my experience from having a jinxed Dell as my fist one and from having them at work. The problem is they are so pricey. But they last a while. 

It seems that Microsoft's operating system is trying to copy Apple's.

It seems the price of laptops have come down substantially. 

If I remember correctly, there was a thread about this several months ago. I think Winchester just purchased a new computer.

Rick gave me a new laptop for Christmas (it's a Toshiba); we got the new desktop last year, I think (Windows 8.1).

@LaRussa (Carol) just got a new desktop....it has Windows 7. So far, she really likes it. Maybe she can comment when she sees this.

I have nothing against Apple (other than their prices).

Thanks for your input

I really, really wasn't going to do this. I went to look (and only look) at laptops today - just to get an idea of what they were like 'in the flesh'. My budget was an absolute max of £300. I had absolutely zero intention of buying.

I got seduced :anon: I bought a Macbook Air :doh3:

Absolutely blew my budget - it was double what I'd intended to spend...and that was before the extras! It took forever to pay for as the shop's computer system was fouling up, I think I had a fairly new member of staff, and they had to ring round a few stores to locate one for me. At one point I was actually hoping they wouldn't be able to find one so I could back out. Anyway, they found one for me, and the deed is done I'll be picking it up tomorrow.

Can't quite believe I've come close to wiping out my bank account in one go


I hope I don't live to regret this. ...

Everyone I know that has Apple likes it and would never consider going back.  I just haven't taken the plunge because of the price.

Good luck with your new computer.  As Winchester said, I bought a Dell Windows 7 Pro a few months ago and really like it.  Since I have never had anything else I couldn't compare it to anything else.  I did love my XP and wish they hadn't stopped using it.  I also spent more than I wanted to with all the extra's.  I'm happy with it tho and hope you will be too.

You won't regret getting the MacBook Air! Both my daughter and I have one, we really love them, and I don't usually love inanimate objects.  We also have two MacBook Pros (husband has one and I have one for work) and they are just great. The Air is better because it is SO light, but the new Pros are also a lot lighter than they used to be. 

MacBooks are so intuitive, fast, sleek, easy, fun, lightweight… How long did it take you to be up and running - was it about 60 seconds, after filling out the registration? SO easy, SO fun, you are going to have a lot of fun with it.

Thanks everyone

denice - the price scared the hell out of me!

It was simply that I started playing on the demo one, and it all just made sense :jaw: I hate the software on dad's computer with a passion (Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2013) - I seem to spend as long fighting it as I do using it (though I'm sure that would've changed if I used it every day).

The keyboard felt sooo much more comfortable too - that slight slope makes such a difference!

Great to hear you're all happy with your Macs swampwitch Kind of encourages me that I haven't been totally stupid :lol3: I won't be getting it home until tomorrow, but I can wait to be able to use the TCS main site and type, instead of doing it all from my smartphone. My RSI will be pleased too

My daughter got her MacBook Air for Christmas last year - she had been getting my cast-off laptops for years and this was her first new one. I let her open it up and get started by herself. It literally took seconds, and she was up and running, she couldn't believe it was so easy. 

I had to use a Windows computer now and then when I worked for the Smithsonian Institution - thankfully the main computers there were Macs - and I couldn't believe how clunky and difficult it was. Macs are simple and fun. Who doesn't want simple and fun? Please give us an update after you get it. I'm excited for you, lol.

Congratulations!!!!!   

I really do hope you like it. What hooked me into the Apple products was the fact that they are so easy to use. Things just make sense. I do not use the shortcut keys. I can't remember them! 

One of my friends asked me to see if I could help her with her new windows based laptop. I was lost! Absolutely nothing made sense. I was looking all over the keys I needed. 

Yes, the price is really a bit unrealistic. 

It seems that once you start with an Apple product, you do not want to go back to a Windows based system, unless it is absolutely necessary due to cost...

I hope you did get the AppleCare service. It is well worth it. Just having them there at a phone call is great! 

Eight days before the AppleCare was to expire, I had issues with my iPhone. I went to the store, fully expecting to have to purchase a new phone. Since the problem was not due to my fault, I got a completely new phone. Not a refurbished one. A new one! And they completely set it up for me. All I had to do was put in my iCloud password and all my apps, contacts were downloaded to the phone. And it is fully warranted for 90 days.

Kind of the same thing with a  MacBook Pro. , several years ago... I spilt some water on it.    gasp! Yup, I know !

I took it to the store, they saw that I had some power coming into it, so it was not completely fried. The had it for a week and replaced what they had to at no cost to me!!! 

If you have any questions about anything, you can always call the customer service people and they do their best to explain it to you.

I have not come across any phone call time limits.

Recently I had an issue with this laptop. I was on the phone with a technical rep for an hour and a half. She was talking me thru things. I finally had to erase and re-install the operating system. She tried to do everything in her power no to do so.

She make an appointment, for another phone call later that day, (cuz I hit the wrong button by mistake) and then follow-up with a return call the next day. She also remotely accessed my laptop to do some stuff to it...She gave me her direct telephone number, and kept the ticket open for 30 days. I asked if I had the same issue re-occur, after 30 days, could I still call her directly. She said definitely!

I do not know of another company which would go that far to help a customer. 

yes, I could have just dropped it off at the store, but this way, I did not have to make a trip, and be without a computer for a while. 

you good luck with this. I hope you like it...

I've never had Apple products and don't intend to start now.  That said, I absolutely HATE Windows 8. Windows 8.1. And anything that is trying to emulate a table (or whatever the heck they're trying to do.).  I have no idea why you would need a touch screen for a lap top or desk top, seems like a big pain in the neck to me.  I have a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge, which I've had for a few years, and I love it.  I got sold on the ThinkPad's way back when I first got an IBM T40 on Ebay. 

Well...I finally have my Macbook Air! 

Just getting it was quite a performance. It was meant to arrive at the store for collection yesterday. Duly drove over there (30mins each way) - no laptop. Come home. Sit and go through all the details. Realise I've been charged a different price to the one quoted, I've been sold a different care plan to the one we discussed etc etc. Bear in mind this was after spending nearly 2hrs in store on Sunday just trying to pay for the damn thing!

Go back today, not best pleased. They have the computer, and we spend a further hour trying to sort everything out. At least I ended up getting £50 off the price I payed on Sunday - part of that was due to being overcharged originally and part of it was as an apology for the mess they caused.

I'm using it for the first time now. Really fighting some aspects of it (I'm not keen on the email setup, and can't see a way to mark multiple messages in one go to, say, mark as junk or recycle. Also trying to transfer photos and music from my Galaxy S5, and am really struggling to make that work. 

Also had a bit of a fight setting up my apple account for some reason - kept getting locked out   At least that seems to have sorted itself out now.

Asha does not  approve of there being a computer in my lap instead of her! We're gradually working through that one...not sure who's going to win 

Its really weird using the TCS main site too...I'm so used to the mobile one that its a bit of a shock (as is having to type in all my own punctuation again). I'm sure I'll adapt 

Sooo...if any of you Mac users out there have any tips for me, they'd be gratefully received! 

Oh NO!!!   

I am not an expert at this, I bought my Apple products directly at the Apple Store. All I had to do was plug it in and register it.

Is there a store near you?----never mind, probably not, otherwise you would have purchsed it there, directly.

The suggestion I have is: Since you have the AppleCare Plan, call them to register this product with them and ask for a technical expert to walk you through it.

Write down all your concerns. They are there to help you. They do not want you to hate their product.

use the 888 number. You will get someone in the United States. Since you have already purchased the AppleCare Plan, then you will not have any additional fees.

    

Thanks @Artiemom    It's behaving a bit better now. I've managed to get most of my music across via Amazon Cloud. It occurs to me that I might have been having issues because I was trying to load hundreds of photos and all my music from my phone at the same time  

The photos are loading ok now, just so s l o w l y. Never mind. Its what I get for getting a Mac computer and a Samsung phone 

Still can't configure the email as I'd like to. Mum's got  a friend who's used Apple for years, and he said he's happy to come and troubleshoot for me anytime. I think that's  easier that a phone call - he can physically show me what to do.

The main computer is great, its the the finer points of operating it that I'm a little unclear on. My version of so called 'touch-typing' is coming back to me too 

I'm sure I'll get there. I've only had it for a few hours so far!

Asha's sulking because I'm not paying her enough attention now....some felines are never satisfied....

Columbine said:

 
(I'm not keen on the email setup, and can't see a way to mark multiple messages in one go to, say, mark as junk or recycle. Also trying to transfer photos and music from my Galaxy S5, and am really struggling to make that work....

Sooo...if any of you Mac users out there have any tips for me, they'd be gratefully received! 

Click to expand...

To select multiple mail messages: hold down shift to select a group (for example, to select 1-100, click on 1 then hold down shift and click on 100) , and hold down command to select particular items, one at a time, that are not in a sequence. You can also click on the left part of the pad while scrolling down or up to select a group that way.

Here are some shortcuts:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201236

As far as transferring photos from a Samsung, that's a tough one. Can you transfer the photos to a USB drive first?

SwampWitch said:

 
To select multiple mail messages: hold down shift to select a group (for example, to select 1-100, click on 1 then hold down shift and click on 100) , and hold down command to select particular items, one at a time, that are not in a sequence. You can also click on the left part of the pad while scrolling down or up to select a group that way.

Here are some shortcuts:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201236

As far as transferring photos from a Samsung, that's a tough one. Can you transfer the photos to a USB drive first?

Click to expand...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You're WONDERFUL 

I gave up on the photos, and transferred them via Dropbox, which worked just fine. 

I think I'm getting the hang of this 

I think the thing about transferring from PCs and PC adaptable devices has always been an issue with MAC.  Of course MAC users will say the issue is with PC's rather than MACs.

Denice said:

 
I think the thing about transferring from PCs and PC adaptable devices has always been an issue with MAC.  Of course MAC users will say the issue is with PC's rather than MACs.

Click to expand...

 Very true. I was told in-store that file transfer was straightforward, even between apple and non apple products. Guess its not as easy as they said....or I could just be being dumb -I'm not very technically minded at all. Whenever I get a new device, I HATE it with a passion and regret switching. Within a month, though, I love it and would never switch back!

I had a play on some Windows laptops yesterday - just to be 100% certain. I couldn't get ANYTHING to work at all. I have a feeling I'd be cursing even more if I'd got one of them...even if the file transfer would have been easier.