New Laptop, what to get?

Flagship store on Regent Street, just down and across from Hamleys I think.  One in Brent Cross too.

Actually quite a few in the UK

http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/storelist/

Birmingham, Bullring
Level 3, Upper Mall West
Bullring Shopping Centre
Birmingham
B5 4BU
0121 260 1900

Essex, Lakeside
Unit 245, West Thurrock Way
Lakeside Shopping Centre
Grays, Essex
RM20 2ZP
0170 871 7500

Glasgow, Buchanan Street
147 Buchanan Street
Glasgow
G1 2JX
0141 300 4950

Kent, Bluewater
Unit 132, Upper Mall
Bluewater Shopping Centre
Greenhithe, Kent
DA9 9ST
01322 640100

Kingston, Bentall Centre
The Bentall Centre
Wood Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1TR
0208 213 2020

London, Brent Cross
Unit V6a, Upper West Mall
Brent Cross Shopping Centre
London
NW4 3FP
020 8359 1050

London, Regent Street
235 Regent Street
London
W1B 2EL
020 7153 9000

Manchester, Arndale Centre
U23 New Cannon Street Mall
Arndale Centre
Manchester
M4 3AJ
0161 216 4570

Manchester, Trafford Centre
146 Peel Avenue
Trafford Centre
Manchester
M17 8BL
0161 240 1000

Sheffield, Meadowhall
80 High Street
Meadowhall Shopping Centre
Sheffield
S9 1EN
0114 212 1000

Solihull, Touchwood Centre
Crescent Arcade, Unit SU16
Touchwood Centre
Solihull
B91 3GJ
0121 224 1300

Southampton, WestQuay
Unit SU35, Upper Shopping
WestQuay Shopping Centre
Southampton

Thank you!   Hmmmmmmm.  When to go!

Hmmm....given your needs for a computer, the financial budgeting that has to be planned for, the other things in life that have to accounted for, I'd say the best time to go is....

RIGHT FRICKING NOW!!!!

Run, Don't Walk! 

Just kidding.

One other thing to consider.  Is your husband your tech support guy?  Is he trainined in Windows, or does he think he is trained in Windows?  I ask because when you do have a problem, you probably want to find someone who can help you out (without charging an arm and a leg).

Well, that's a good point. If Rich is your go-to computer repair dude and he's more comfortable with PCs than Macs ... that's definitely a consideration.

Hmmm....given your needs for a computer, the financial budgeting that has to be planned for, the other things in life that have to accounted for, I'd say the best time to go is....

RIGHT FRICKING NOW!!!!

Run, Don't Walk! 

Just kidding.

LOL!

TBH, the need is not that great, I just like new things   No budgeting necessary, well, just the OK from him really. (Which I kind of just got on the phone right now.  He almost sounded a little excited and seems to know about Macs, who knew)

Will have to wait till he is recovered from his op, but I'm going, now the idea is in my head

I think he is probably excited to get to play with something new, although for his work he is probably sticking to the XP/Vista world, so since it won't interfere in his day to day, he'll probably be supportive.

Some system administrator types have made the switch because of Parallels, the ability to run basically every type of operating system on one machine.  Others like the freebsd/unix-like core of OSX.  I know some of my friends (hard core trouble shooters) used to have to travel with two different laptops for their admin needs when they went overseas.  It was a real pain. 

By the way, next Friday the newest OSX (10.5) is released to the general public.  If you buy a Mac between now and then, then the upgrade is $10 US or so.  If you buy after next Friday, the upgrade is free.  If you just buy the upgrade for an older system, then it is like £65 I think.

If you can wait that long....

I think you are right, he loves new gadgets.  Fine by me, I do to!

I think he is probably excited to get to play with something new, although for his work he is probably sticking to the XP/Vista world, so since it won't interfere in his day to day, he'll probably be supportive.

Some system administrator types have made the switch because of Parallels, the ability to run basically every type of operating system on one machine.  Others like the freebsd/unix-like core of OSX.  I know some of my friends (hard core trouble shooters) used to have to travel with two different laptops for their admin needs when they went overseas.  It was a real pain. 

By the way, next Friday the newest OSX (10.5) is released to the general public.  If you buy a Mac between now and then, then the upgrade is $10 US or so.  If you buy after next Friday, the upgrade is free.  If you just buy the upgrade for an older system, then it is like £65 I think.

If you can wait that long....

Hiya

Looks like you're favouring the Apple stuff !

Have a look at this review

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/125304/apple-imac.html

Yes, a review of an Apple in a PC magazine! and repect where it's due - the new Imac is fantastic looking indeed!! and it's performance is excellent as well!

there's always downsides and here it's the usual - stump up upgrade prices at point of sale else there's not much else you can do. £76+ VAT ( £89 inc)for a 1GB memory upgrade is very very expensive and having to spend another £51+VAT (£60 inc)for a HDD upgrade only at time of purchase seems a little unfair and expensive and 'ties you in' of which Apple are doing to maximise their profits!

Now is a good time to buy for that freeby upgrade offer - but the MEASLY 10 days or so of the grandfathering policy is extremely selfish of Apple - the opportunity to buy PC's and Laptops with an upgrade to Vista was available for months - so looks like Apple have known about this release date but kept it quiet to maximise profit out of sales of units right up until just a week or so before the LATE version of Leopard (OSX 10.5) is out !

I'm also going to 'try' Apple by getting a Macbook and running Apple's own Boot Camp software to run windows on it as well - see how it works and what all the fuss about OSX is about and worth it or not! has one or two specific benefits that I want to evaluate as well!

Start savin yer dosh now Stacey !

hope this review helps!

DtM! West London & Slough UK!

but the MEASLY 10 days or so of the grandfathering policy is extremely selfish of Apple

Welcome to Steve Jobs' world.  He lives in it, we pay for it.

Welcome to Steve Jobs' world.  He lives in it, we pay for it.

Yeah, but, my Mac is brilliant. I love my Mac!    Stacey, my MacBook Pro is still available for you to test out if you can wait that long.   

Welcome to Steve Jobs' world.  He lives in it, we pay for it.

speak for yerself on that one! I don't pay anything towards his world!

indirectly i guess I do pay for Bill Gates' world - out of the two, for me it's better to pay towards bill's world..  i can get more choice for the things I want to do in personal and business computing...   

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Yeah, but, my Mac is brilliant. I love my Mac!

I probably should have mentioned that I posted that from my 20" iMac.

I probably should have mentioned that I posted that from my 20" iMac.

 

I have not started a PC vs Mac War now have I.

I should say I want a Mac notebook, does that make a difference?

Oh and bonus, Rich gets a discount on Macs!!!!!  Not much but anything is good!.


If I buy after 10 days what does it mean, I pay for the upgrade or it's included?

Dar, I might have it before you get here.  At least I hope I do!

Dar, I might have it before you get here.  At least I hope I do!

Can I test yours out then? 

My dad ordered the new OSX for me to upgrade to as a "moving to the UK" gift!  Weeeeeee!