<p>You can get Microsoft Office on a Mac. So there is no problem there. </p>
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<p>The FSU Computer Store advertises that they are authorized to repair many brands of computers. I’ve never seen them listed as an authorized repair location for my laptop (a Lenovo), and upon looking at the authorized repair locations for many major brands (including Apple, ASUS, Acer/Gateway/eMachines, HP/Compaq, Dell/Alienware and Toshiba), they aren’t listed as an authorized repair location for most of those companies (in fact, unless I’m looking in the wrong location, they aren’t listed as an authorized repair location for any of those companies). </p>
<p>That means that sure, they might be able to help fix your computer, but they are not authorized by your manufacturer to do so- and this is actually important. That puts the FSU Computer Store about on par with your friend who knows how to fix computers in the manufacturer’s eyes- and probably cheaper for you than the FSU CS, too. </p>
<p>I do think it’s interesting that they sell Acer and HP laptops but aren’t authorized to repair either brand. Considering that both lines they sell are actually typically not known for their build quality (Acer and HP typically rank in the bottom 3 of the major manufacturers for reliability, along with Acer’s subsidiary Gateway), I would steer clear away from the FSU CS. </p>
<p>You might be able to find something awesome at the FSU CS. Who knows. I however can’t recommend them to anyone based off the fact that when they were in their old location the windows were plastered with “authorized repair center for” and then a list of just about every brand of laptop, and yet they aren’t actually listed as being authorized by any manufacturer I looked up. If they’re that deceptive up front, I’d hate to see what happens when you trust them with your laptop for repairs. They sound almost like Geek Squad.</p>
<p>The feedback about the IPad is really appreciated. We are now looking at Macbook Air vs the other ultrabooks. That way our daughter can have the portability and long lasting battery life but the functionality of something lightweight. Hopefully all of this advice is helpful to the OP as well! Any thoughts on these options? I am not meaning to start a vicious MAC vs. PC debate but pros/cons are very welcome! It looks like wifi is available in her the dorm she will be in and throughout much of campus. We are also looking at the Brother laser printers as well.</p>
<p>WiFi availability in the dorms doesn’t mean it’s reliable. When I lived in Wildwood I had near constant issues with the WiFi, and lots of others I talked to said they had problems too. </p>
<p>I don’t recommend the Macbook Air at all for FSU, for the sole reason that if there is an outage with the WiFi, your daughter will be out of luck for internet. </p>
<p>Of the Ultrabook line, most don’t have ethernet ports, which sorta clogs up looking for which ones are the best. I know that the Toshiba Ultrabook line sports ethernet (and if I recall correctly, they’re around $800 at Best Buy for the low-end model) and I believe the Samsung Ultrabook line has ethernet. Aside from that though I don’t pay much attention to the Ultrabooks, since I find them underpowered compared to my needs.</p>
<p>I know WiFi in the dorms is great, but there really is a reason for Housing suggesting to everyone that they have a laptop with both WiFi and ethernet capabilities. The WiFi on campus is less than ideal both in speed and reliability at times.</p>
<p>Yeah I agree w pasbal wifi isn’t always reliable in general, so MB Air is out of the question.
Go to BestBuy they have a huge section dedicated to laptops from many brands and specs. Let her check them out and use them in the store. Then weigh out your options. </p>
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<p>Pasbal, in your opinion is portability an important factor when choosing a laptop? Also, you mentioned ultrabooks are not powerful enough for your needs. My daughter is going to major in Biology, would you think she could have needs for greater power than what an ultrabook provides?</p>
<p>Honestly? No, I don’t feel like portability is really that important. But I also don’t take my laptop to class, so I’m rarely hauling it around with me. I don’t really think that the difference between my laptop (about 5.5 lbs) and any of the ultraportable laptops (2.5 to 4 lbs) is really all that big of a deal. It’s all personal preference though- some people I know swear that even a pound of weight difference in a laptop is significant.</p>
<p>Ultraportables are like the new netbooks (except more expensive and with better specs): they’re being marketed as a powerful enough laptop with great battery life, but they achieve that battery life by using low powered processors, that use very little power compared to the “mainstream” processors you’ll see in full-size laptops. </p>
<p>They could work for your daughter. I don’t know of anything that would stop an ultrabook from being sufficient in her case. I’m a very atypical college student- I’ve never had any requirements from my computer other than to go online and open Microsoft Office for my classes, but I use it for things like audio and video editing and some light gaming, and the processors in the Ultrabooks just don’t compare to their more powerful versions in full-size laptops. </p>
<p>Something I thought was interesting: I just looked up the Acer Ultrabook on Amazon and the 14" Acer TimelineX (the old Acer “thin and light” line before Ultrabooks). The Ultrabook is only listed at 6 hours of battery life, but the TimelineX is listed at 9 hours of battery life- and it’s got a fully powered processor (it’s also nearly $100 cheaper). I can also attest to the size of the TimelineX being very thin- almost the size of an Ultrabook. </p>
<p>Personally, I don’t really get the appeal of Ultrabooks, but I also understand I’m not in the target audience for one either. If your daughter though likes one of them, there’s really no reason that it wouldn’t work for her.</p>
<p>My husband just checked on wired ethernet options for the Macbook Air and found a USB to wired ethernet adapter along with a usb hub to supplement the single usb on the Mac. He’s pretty bent on getting her a Mac if it is possible. It sounds like I am going to have to do more research!</p>
<p>I actually used that exact method right after I broke the ethernet port on my laptop, and I found the Ethernet to USB adapter I had either was faulty (which isn’t likely, since it worked at home, actually, when I went to test it) or it wasn’t working correctly with FSU’s wired internet or something. I had trouble getting it to stay connected for more than 5 minutes at a time. That could have been my laptop, or really anything though. As long as you get a working adapter though, that’s probably a good workaround. And it’s probably pretty cheap, too.</p>
<p>Why does your husband want to get your daughter a Mac? It seems, well, pointless, honestly, given the huge difference in price between Windows-based laptops and Macbooks. Please don’t tell me that it’s the whole “Macs don’t get viruses” thing. </p>
<p>[HP</a> Pavilion dm4 2195us Laptop Computer With 14 LED Backlit Screen 2nd Gen Intel Core i5 2430M Processor With Turbo Boost Technology by Office Depot](<a href=“http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/479509/HP-Pavilion-dm4-2195us-Laptop-Computer/?cm_mmc=Mercent-_-Shopzilla-_-School_Supplies-_-479509&mr:referralID=a0b64088-8740-11e1-ac63-001b2166c2c0]HP”>http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/479509/HP-Pavilion-dm4-2195us-Laptop-Computer/?cm_mmc=Mercent-_-Shopzilla-_-School_Supplies-_-479509&mr:referralID=a0b64088-8740-11e1-ac63-001b2166c2c0)
Here’s an example of what I was talking about earlier in this thread, where a decent i5 powered laptop can be had for about $450. The comparable Macbook is the 13" Macbook Pro, and it’s $1200. My girlfriend has this model HP and it’s actually surprisingly good. </p>
<p>You could also splurge a little and get an i7 powered Windows laptop for about $600-700. The comparable Macbooks start at like $1500 for that.</p>
<p>You don’t need to buy a brand new MB. There are refurbished options which I would get ASAP before they sell out a month or so before the fall semester.
A lot of people complain how expensive they. Yes they are and I won’t deny it, but they are much cheaper now than what they were a few years ago.
I love my MB and though I paid a lot for it to get the specs I wanted I don’t regret it.
I wouldn’t get a MB Air though b/c I don’t know many that even like their Air’s…many of them prefer the Pro’s.
Also check to see if you can get a work discount depending where any of you work. I work at a grocery store and they give way better discounts on Apple products compared to the student discounts. </p>
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<p>If anyone new is reading this, another option that I think I’m going to opt for for my son is a chromebook. Here’s a good video:
[Google</a> Chromebook Review: A Student’s Perspective - YouTube](<a href=“Google Chromebook Review: A Student's Perspective - YouTube”>Google Chromebook Review: A Student's Perspective - YouTube)</p>
<p>The only problem with a Chromebook is that even Google markets them as a secondary laptop. They really aren’t designed to be a main laptop for anyone. Not to mention, they’re almost worthless if you don’t have an internet connection- and FSU’s internet isn’t exactly perfectly reliable. I also hope that your kid isn’t in a major that requires using specific software that they would be unable to use on a Chromebook.</p>
<p>Long story short: Chromebooks are okay if you are using it as a secondary laptop. But as your only laptop? Not a good idea at all.</p>
<p>Yeah a chrome book sound like a bad idea for a college student. Majority of students and people in general like to run multiple applications at the same time and I doubt a CB could handle that. You want something that can at the very least survive 5 years and if taken care of it can last longer. I doubt a chromebook would last.
I’d stick with getting a PC laptop or a MacBook Air or Pro.</p>
<p>DON’T buy a chromebook!!! That’s a terrible idea!!!</p>
<p>
By itself, yes. However, when purchased in addition to a primary computer, a Chromebook could actually be a great idea, if you have a use for it.
Whereas a lot of people have iPads or other tablets in addition to their laptops, which are pretty useless for note-taking in class, a Chromebook could be a better choice- and considering I’ve seen Chromebooks for about $175, they’re cheaper than most tablets. </p>
<p>But really, the idea of buying a Chromebook- which is even marketed by Google as essentially the perfect secondary laptop- for someone’s primary computer is just a nightmare waiting to happen. Not to mention that a number of majors (or even just individual classes) may require you to use software that Chromebooks can’t load.</p>