Hello All,
I don't mean to keep beating a dead horse, but Gary Stager posts his very
interesting take on the video at The Pulse Blog:
http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=48655
The comments section is also worth checking out. Sorry ... I'll stop now ... :-)
dave
Dave Wee, Librarian
Harvard-Westlake Middle School
700 North Faring Road
Los Angeles, CA 90077
dwee@hw dot com
"The fact that she had a nut for a head made it hard for her mind to grasp new
ideas."
~~ Miss Hickory, Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, 1946 ~~
________________________________
From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Theresa Gonzalez
Sent: Tue 11/6/2007 4:53 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: [LM_NET] OT Hit: Advice for buying a MacBook (long)
Thanks for all of your responses you are a great group. Below is a list of some of
the responses I
received. One point to remember with
Apple is that they offer an educator discount both online and in the store
(with school ID). The original question
was: I am thinking about buying an
Apple MacBook. Is there a difference between buying from the Apple store
or the online store?
Thanks,
Theresa
Theresa Gonzalez
M.W. Downing Library
Malverne, NY 11565
My husband and I have been
buying Macs for a long time... since the Apple IIGS and we always used the
Apple stores until I began teaching... now it is much easier to get the
teaching discount using the online store.
--
Janice Conger
All I can tell you about this is that they tell me
the "refurbished(?)" models online are just as good as the
brand new ones and they are a couple of hundred dollars
cheaper. I just bought one myself online (since I am
overseas it is hard to get into an Apple Store) and it was
delivered to a friend in CA within a week. The computer
person who has looked at the machine says that it is in
great shape and the people who have bought refurbished
before tell me that they have lasted forever.
Don't know if that is helpful but thought I would
pass it on.
Carol Van Brocklin
The biggest difference is probably that you can get a teacher discount from
the Apple Store (you have to order online though). You can also customize
the laptop through the Apple Store whereas other online retailers usually
have them preassembled.
Gypsy Notov-Lew
I believe one the main differences is ability to have info transferred from
your current computer, etc.
I do love my MacBook, although I wish the screen was bigger, but you may not
have that challenge if you're buying the Pro.
Paula Joseph-Johnson
Linnie, when buying Mac's you never know where the
best deal is. I'd check the store, online and MacWorld.com. I've
never bought from a store because of my location, but once from Apple online
and one time from Mac World. This Spring I bought a new iMac and online
was the BEST deal. They gave away free iPods-generation 5 with purchase,
free shipping, etc. great price also. Time before that MacWorld
offered the best deal. Generally these products are free shipping and
arrive quickly. Good luck with your choice.
Catherine Bright
I bought online because there wasn't a store that was
convenient to my home, but as long as the store knows you have an educator's
discount, it probably won't make much difference. I love my Mac!
The other day I was at a training session and I had my Mac and my friends all
had IBM's. To connect to the wireless, a message popped up saying
"none of yur trusted networks are available. Would you like to
connect to this open network?" All I had to do was click yes.
My friends had to go to the control panel, drag up to Connections, select
Internet, search for the network and apply. It took them about 5 minutes
to get online and me about 30 seconds.
Also, if you have a store near
you, it is really worthwhile to do the One-on-One class. It is just you
and an instructor for 45 minutes a week for a year (times are flexible and you
tell them what you want to work on). The cost with the educator's
discount is only $84. Really worthwhile! Good luck and enjoy!
Debbie
I just purchased a iMac in mid July. I am the sole user and it has only been used
at home; in other words, it hast not been abused in any way. It totally broke down
Thursday. I have their extended warranty plan and have NO IDEA when it will be
fixed. (Since I am to do presentations out of state in a few days, I let them know
that the timing is critical. Still have no idea when it will be fixed. They won't
even tell me WHO is going to fix it.) Check in to service options in your area
before purchasing.
To answer your original question:
If you want extensive customization, you will want to order online or through the
1-800 number. If you just want to pick one up, the store is fine. (They can add
ram in the store.) Our area Apple store did not give me the education tax break,
but the 1-800 order did.
Deb Logan
See where you get the best price. Remember to get your educator's discount!
I think at the Apple store here they have you order online there at the
store for your educator's discount. I have purchased desktops two directly
from Apple online and have had wonderful success with both. When a monitor
was delivered which did not work, they over-nighted me another with
directions on how to mail back the defective one. Quick response with no
questions asked.
Great tech support too. As a librarian you can receive the educator's
discount...look on the website.
Laurie
I have bought all my Mac products on-line and have
been very pleased. I would, however, suggest buying
the Apple Care support service with your MacBook.
It's a 24 hour phone number you can call to get help
night or day with any problems you might encounter. I
use it once in a while and my problem always gets
solved. I think it lasts for five years and costs
about 100 bucks, but it is well worth it.
Kathleen Dunbar
I bought a MacBook Pro this past July. I used the web
site to look over the information on the different
models and then went into the store to see all the
options in person. I think if you know what you
really want you're fine with ordering it online. I
wanted to see the difference between the glossy and
mate finish for the computer screen, so I'm glad I
went into the store to see it first hand. Going to
the store, there is also a person there to whom you
can direct any question. I've never ordered
anything on the Apple online store, so I can't comment
on the service. The stores I've gone into have always
had pretty decent service. If you go at a busy time
though, you may have to wait for help.
Heather Neidenbach
With the
exception of certain factory installed options (i.e. hard drive and possibly
wireless, memory and software configurations) there is generally no difference
between purchasing online and at the store. A major advantage is that you
receive your machine right in the store and can use it right away. The warranty
begins from date of purchase (pick-up or shipping date) which can differ
by several days.
Please note that
Apple periodically offers specials (i.e. free printers, discounts on mac
accounts (e-mail, group communications, external storage, etc.) - Usually
around the holidays, for the new year, at the end of the current school year
and before the new school year.
Just one note -
The apple educator agreement restricts the purchase quantity for each item per
academic year (July - June). The details are available at
http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespoliciesEdIndividual.html
From my
experience, and those of my colleagues, Apple's new Intel Duo Core chip sets
allow you to have the best of both worlds (OS-X and Windows) with either boot
cam (included in Leopard) or Parallels - a non-apple product.
Martin H. F. Gonser
Some specific configurations need to be ordered via the online
store, because they are not among the "most common" configs
that you will find in retail stores. The other difference... if you
order something online, vs. buy in-store, you are likely to end
up with newer software, so there are fewer updates to run when
you start it up. The updates work just as well, but it's one less
thing to do. I bought at a store just because I had a window of
free time to make sure that everything was up and running, and
waiting a few days for my online purchase to be delivered would
have put me past that convenient window. ;)
Have fun!
- Amy Goldsmith
Good luck with your decision. I bought my MacBook in
a store, but I think that online is about the same
(possibly more shipping.)
But - as you look at the white, black and silver
models (increasing in price) I will tell you that the
black (which I have) shows fingerprints like nobody's
business. I think if I did it again, I'd get the
souped-up white one.
Otherwise, I've been very happy.
Alisen
I don't have an apple store in my town. And in fact the one dealer
who does deal with Mac's said that he has stopped trying to sell them
as you could get them faster by going online.
AND in fact I just purchased a new Macbook. I ordered it one
Saturday at around midnight and by Sunday I got notification that it
had left China. It went from China to Anchorage Alaska, to Ohio, and
to my doorstep in Iowa by 9:30 Tuesday a.m.
One thing to consider. I often travel with my laptop and use it for
PPT programs using a LCD projector. Apple changed connections so my
power cords for my former ibook do not work the connector is a
magnetic one (comes with the MACBook) but also the connector that
adapts the connection from the LCD projector to the smaller MAC one
is different. So if you intend to hook your MACBook to a LCD
projector you will want to order a Mini DVI-to-VGA adapter. Dynex
makes a model that will work (DX-AP110) ordered from BestBuy
SKU#8424378 -- or just order from Apple when you order your laptop.
I actually did not do that because I did not know enough to do it but
luckily the repair store did have an apple one in stock and they let
me have it (despite the fact that it had been ordered for someone
else as I needed one to go to AASL). Between $18.00 - $21.00
Sharron
My 20 year old daughter bought herself a MacBook Pro this
summer. We went to the store to ask questions and then, after she did some
research and thinking, went back to the store to buy one. They were out
of stock. The salesperson that helped us told us that they would be
getting more in and my daughter would be able to buy one in the store when that
happened, or she could order it online for the same price - which is the
option she picked. Because she is a college student, she got a
discount. Perhaps educators qualify too, but I'm not sure. Anyhow,
if you know exactly what you want, you can skip the trip to the store and just
order it online.
Diane
P.S. My daughter is an art student and
absolutely LOVES her MacBook Pro and can't imagine how she managed to use a PC
her first 2 years at college
_________________________________________________________________
Climb to the top of the charts! Play Star Shuffle: the word scramble challenge
with star power.
http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_oct
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home