Oh damn the Mac rumour sites. Damn them! They just made my life a lot harder. OK... not really. I have pretty great life. Any complaints I have are pretty minor compared to what most of this planet's people have to deal with. But a decision I have to make did just get a tad more complicated. Oh woe is me! Consider:
1) My mother retired a few months back and is in the market for a computer. She had one at work but has never had one at home. I managed to convince her to get a Mac by telling her that they're less trouble and that I could provide tech support (I don't do Windows). I think she should get one of the snazzy new iMacs but she's hell-bent on a laptop, so an iBook it is going to be. Since I'm heading home for Christmas, that's when the deed is to be done. We'll head down to an Apple reseller, pick up the iBook and various other goodies, and I'll set it up for her. So far so good, right?
2) Enter the latest rumour by Think Secret that Apple will release new Intelized iBooks in January. Contrary to my belief that the Mac Mini will be the first to recieve an Intel chip, they seem pretty sure it's going to be the iBook, and six months sooner than scheduled. Now frankly, my mother doesn't give a rat's ass what chip is in her computer, as long as it does what it's supposed to do. No, what's got my panties in a knot is that IF this is true, then the price of the PPC iBooks is going to to be quite a bit less after any January announcement of Intel iBooks than it is now, especially if, as the rumour states, Apple also lowers the iBook's price. So, does she get one at Christmas, or does she wait till after Christmas? I wouldn't advise her to buy one of the Intel iBooks because they'll be new technology and god knows I don't want HER to be a guinea pig. If my own iBook were more recent, I'd give it to her and buy a new one myself, but that's not going to work here.
So, what to do? On top of all this, I can't really talk to her about it because, well, she just wants me to take care of it (I think you're starting to get the picture). If anyone is actually reading this blog, what do you think I should do? Is potentially saving a couple of hundred bucks worth the hassle to all parties involved of delaying the purchase? Did I just answer my own question? So... confused...
6 comments:
Holy Mac quandary, Macman. As you know, I find myself in a similar predicament. Was originally hoping to get a PowerBook but now...oh, my head.
Get your Mom an iBook for Christmas, Peter.
First, there's the fact that some of Apple's most interesting machines take forever to become available in Canada (witness the iMac G5 20", which, alas, is nowhere to be found). Second, I wouldn't count on a significant price drop. Apple has an amazing ability to clear sales channels so that all focus is on the new product, in this case an Intel-based iBook that you would, rightly, hesitate to purchase before the kinks are worked out. Considering these things, your mom may not get her iBook until April. You wouldn't want to keep her waiting, would you?
Hey JasMan. My first comment from a Mac user. Cool. Thanks for the advice. You basically confirmed what I've already decided. She's getting the iBook for Christmas. And there's no need to trouble her with little details like she might save a few bucks if she waits, especially since she's the one paying. ;-)
Well... I am sitting on the fence on this one. Half of me says to get the ibook for Christmas. It's Christmas, it's about giving, it's about having fun, you'll be there to see her reaction and help her in her first steps into macland. Get it at Christmas because computers are just a tail chasing game anyway. You can and will forever be saying "If I wait just a little longer the price will drop, etc. etc.".
That said, you are very familiar with my iMac story and right after we bought it they announced a price drop and speed bump. (Well, four months after we bought, maybe five.)
Oh, f*** it! Get it for her for Christmas!!!
Hey MacT. Thanks for the post. Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think I won't even mention it to her. She doesn't follow Apple news anyway, so what she doesn't know won't hurt her.
Hi Peter,
Getting a kick out of your dilemma. Don't you know the old saying--it's not what equipment you have but how you use it :-0
I've got an old G3 Power Mac for video editing (four shows weekly); an old imac (OS Jaguar I installed myself) for library automation; an emac for my students to search the card catalog; a brand new hp Pavilion PC at home with Intel Pentium 3.00 GHz and .99 GB of RAM which I'm sure is enough for me, however much it is or is not; and, this is great, a computer my husband bought at a yard sale for $25.00 which works like a charm and has free internet as long as I am not in a hurry and don't use more than 20 hours a month on it (We put it in the vacation house just to check e-mail.)
I never dreamed I would spend so much time on a computer but, really, the only thing I've given up is some second-rate TV shows. I'm thrilled for your mom. The latest ibook? She's going to love it!
Carol
Hi Carol,
Well, as a trombone player, I'm well aware of that old saying, but on the other hand, the best thing is to have the best equipment AND know how to use it, right ;-)
I'm surprised (and a little shocked) that you have all those macs at school but are using a (gasp) Windows machine at home. Don't you miss OS X?
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