<p>I just bought a Macbook, and I couldn't be happier. It's my first experience with a mac, and it sure is a lot better than my dell I had before this.</p>
<p>i thought i very much wanted a laptop- but was dissapointed by the relatively small moniters on the black macbooks. then i looked towards the imac and was extremely impressed that i could get a 20inch moniter and all the great same apple stuff for the a comprable price...but im nervous about getting adesktop, even if it is so thin and easy. is the macbookpro worth it? it seems too expensive, but with the education discounts i am now thinking that the 15inch is only like 100dollars more than the imac 20inch. is it worth it? five incnes? is a fifteen inch big enough? realistically, wont i be good with a desktop-- will i really be in cafes or the quad with my computer? there are also other ocmputers everywhere on campus,</p>
<p>thanks for reading my ramblings...input please.</p>
<p>Whether a desktop or notebook will work for you or not depends on how you plan to use your computer. Obviously if you want to take it home with you on breaks, a notebook is easier. I haven't bought a Mac since 1998 so I don't know what the options are with them, but they're probably similar to PC's -- i.e., you can buy a monitor (more $$, of course) of whatever size you like and plug it into your notebook at your dorm. Many people buy a docking station (even more $$) and hang their peripherals (external hard drive, mouse, monitor, printer, etc.) off the docking station, and pop the notebook in and out of the docking station as needed, although I don't know if this is an option with Macs. With PC's, there's a fairly hefty difference in processing speed between a desktop and a notebook, dollar for dollar. If you're not going to be playing graphic-intensive video games or doing heavy-duty CAD design or other graphic-heavy work, it won't matter, but desktops will get you more speed for the same money.</p>
<p>The iMacs are great machines. Essentially, the Macbook Pro is everything that is in the iMac in a smaller case. Howevever, there is also not a lot of difference between the macbook and the macbook pro. If you are into playing games, the macbook has integrated graphics and a smaller screen. I don't play games on a computer, so it wasn't a big deal to me. If you plan on taking the computer anywhere, the macbooks are soooo portable. I think they're better for taking to class, etc. Like what was posted above, you could get a macbook with an external monitor for more screen if you really need it. I've been pretty satisfied with the amount of screen real estate because the resolution is 1280X800.</p>
<p>You can plug a regular VGA monitor (maybe you already have one) into an Apple laptop for a larger view at your desk. No need for a docking station any more as any USB peripherals (printer, full size keyboard, mouse, iPod, etc.) can be used with the laptop also, although you'll probably want a powered USB-2 hub with just 1 quick USB connect to the laptop.</p>
<p>So has anyone who ordered a Dell from the Emory bookstore actually received it yet? We ordered one in June and paid for it, Emory Bookstore placed the order, we now have the VISA bill for it, and meanwhile Dell--being Dell--sent the order into a black hole and then canceled it without so much as contacting anyone. The fault, btw, lies completely with Dell, not the bookstore. </p>
<p>After a series of miserable, convoluted Dell customer service (contradiction in terms) headaches several years ago with our small business, we vowed we'd never, ever deal with Dell again. We kept our word and have purchased Toshiba and Sony instead and have not experienced any customer service nightmares like the ones we were repeatedly subjected to with Dell--until we ordered a Dell through Emory's bookstore. The only reason we broke down and bought (or tried to buy) a Dell against our better judgement was for the on-site 3-year service. At this point we have no idea if we'll ever get this computer. Emory bookstore is trying very hard, they are really doing the best they possibly can, but Dell is such an awful company to deal with that I think you might have to a first-degree relative of Michael Dell to get anything short of an endless runaround from Dell Customer NonService.</p>
<p>Moe,</p>
<p>I just got a call from Rachel at the Emory Bookstore earlier this morning... I had the same problem for my daughter's Dell Laptop order. It sounds as if the matter will be handled, expedited and hopefully resolved within the next week to two weeks.</p>
<p>I evaluated the deal that the Emory Bookstore was offering and it's a good package -- we got the Dell Latitude D620A package. I looked at all the other online offers, direct/indirect from Dell, and decided it was the best way to go, especially given the more comprehensive service option (CompleteCare) for 3 years. </p>
<p>I'm not defending Dell necessarily, but I should add that Dell has been good for the most part, based on my experience. I have another Dell Inspiron laptop at home. Also, at work, our compay has ordered tons of Dell PC's, laptops, servers, etc., and we have had little problem with them. They have been quick to take care of problems that we've experienced. Let's cross our fingers that this will be our future experience with them! ;)</p>
<p>Hmmm, well, I guess I'm just a grouch, since I don't consider resolving an issue "within the next week to two weeks" acceptable, especially since my order was placed in June. Note that I'm not blaming the bookstore, I'm blaming Dell, and also note that I'm not talking about the quality, reliability or value of Dell products. And as long as nothing goes awry with a Dell order, it's all good. But when the slightest little thing goes wrong, you end up in a Dell "Choose from the following options" blackhole, or some sort of Pidgin English email back-and-forth. </p>
<p>For example, when I finally received a response (2 days later) to my inquiry to Dell about the whereabouts of my computer 3 weeks after the order, Dell wrote:</p>
<p>
[quote]
...Please contact your sales representative, at 888-987-3355, extension 68528.
[/quote]
When I called that number, the electronic voice informed me that only 7-digit extensions were acceptable. So after another email delay, Dell wrote: </p>
<p>
[quote]
Thank you for choosing Dell.</p>
<p>Please feel free to email us back in the phone number that appear below,</p>
<p>Thank you for being DELL customer.
[/quote]
That phone number did include a 7-digit extension, but I chose not to "email" them back "in" that phone number. Instead, I spent 3 1/2 hours phoning that number and entering the extension and getting nothing but a recording telling me that all agents were busy and that I should please try my call again later (and then I got disconnected). When I emailed Dell about this, I got the following response:
[quote]
Thank you for choosing Dell.</p>
<p>I do apologize for this inconvenience but you need to Contac us in the phone number that appear below so we can go ahead and help you,</p>
<p>Thank you for being DELL customer.
[/quote]
And when I finally was able to get through "in the phone number that appear below", they were not helpful. They told me I had to call the Dell tax department, and it got even weirder after that. Meanwhile, they cancelled my order. Seriously, this is not good customer service, at least not by my standards. </p>
<p>The rumor was a couple of years ago that very small businesses (like ours) and end-user customers were given short shrift from Dell on customer service, but that customer service for enterprise customers was excellent. I don't know where an educational institution falls on that yardstick, but if the best Dell can promise is to resolve this within "a week or two" -- this is just not good customer service any way you slice it.</p>
<p>fo free shipping anymore, dell's saving money and shipping everything to emory now</p>
<p>
[quote]
fo free shipping anymore, dell's saving money and shipping everything to emory now
[/quote]
Or maybe this was one way to solve the tax problem -- during one of my hair-pulling "conversations" with Dell, the problem with processing my order (which was to be shipped to CA) was described to me as a missing tax exemption certificate for the state of California. Emory had provided this to Dell but, being Dell, one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing. If I had to deal with Dell, I would make it as simple as possible and just have everything shipped to GA. That way they only have to hold Dell's hand to find one tax exemption certificate for one state. Dell could not handle 50. They can't even handle speaking English.</p>