<p>So you've all heard about Apple making the switch. My question is should I get one for fall now or wait until 2006 to get a laptop? What have people's experiences been in not having a computer first semester of your freshman year? Or should I just get a PC?</p>
<p>Personally, I would wait. You can use the school's computer labs in the meantime, and since it's only one semester I think that it would be manageable. This is just hypothesis though--I'll leave the "advising" to actual college students. ;)</p>
<p>thanks. :) Anyone else?</p>
<p>Personally, I'd feel naked with a laptop. I'll probably buy a Thinkpad or maybe a Toshiba Tecra....</p>
<p>Then buy a Mactel later down the line.</p>
<p>Where would I sell the PC when the Mactels come out? Do Thinkpads hold their resale value well?</p>
<p>Thinkpads hold their resale pretty well (reletively speaking for the computer industry). I wouldnt touch a used HP/Compaq and only the newer used Dells though it would be risky. The thinkpads however have the same standard of excellence throughout their lines. In terms of used thinkpads, I have seen it all in the last year or so. Everything from a 486 (with the RAM upgraded to 12mb) to a PII (600-series, GREAT line of laptops) to a modern T23 (1.13ghz PIIIM). All of them are still excellent (well, the 486 is too old to do much) and have held up to time superbly.</p>
<p>if you use your computer on a regular basis, you're not going to want to lug off to the computer lab all the time at school-- (assuming you have a computer at home) access to a computer at your own whim is a luxury you don't realize you have until you have to make a 10 minute hike to the lab just to sign onto AIM. i vote go out and buy the ibook-- it's not like in 2006 it's going to cease to work, plus, for most people, the switch isn't even going to be THAT big of a deal. by the time today's ibook is completely obsolete as a result of the switch, it's going to be obsolete as a computer in general (too slow, too little ram, too little HD space... etc).</p>
<p>just go for it-- wait until august if you're going to wait at all, as who knows what back-to-school deals apple is going to come up with (or what updates the ibooks might get in the meantime, as they're long overdue). they already have one going on with ibooks and ipods, for example.</p>
<p>go for it, portrait is right. It's not going to go obsolete any faster than a comparable PC.</p>
<p>Agreed. I'm not waiting for the switch. Now I am waiting for a powerbook g5. That would be nice.</p>
<p>Think about it, if you wait for over a year, and you are paying say, 20,000 a year for college, what is a couple grand (at the most). And, what if you have to wait at the computer lab. Sometimes being penny wise makes you pound foolish. The convienece is worth it. And if it is not a huge budget issue,well, I say go for it. It also allows others kids who can't get a computer for financial reason easier access</p>
<p>It also depends on the college facilities, some have great computer labs, lots of computers but thousands of kids wanting to use them. Others have smaller labs, but less need.</p>
<p>There will be no G5 PowerBook. Apple announced two weeks ago that they were shifting from IBM to Intel processors starting in 2006 and finishing by 2007. Steve Jobs' speech at the Annual Developers Conference two weeks ago stated that IBM could not produce a G5 chip that ran cool enough nor was cost effective to be placed into a PowerBook. </p>
<p>Back in early June, there was a fake announcement on the Web about the pending release of the G5 PowerBook. See the above link.</p>
<p>Apple has already consolidated their Ipod lines and adjusted their prices due to slower sales. Students should wait until August to see if Apple will drop IBook/PowerBook prices to stimulate sales. Note: Its probably in your best interest to hold off buying an Apple laptop in July. A drop in July sales may make Apple nervous enough to drop prices prior to the fall term. July and especially August is like Xmas to computer manufacturers. Im guessing that the Apple bean counters will be looking closely at July sales to see what the Intel switch impact will be. If the late July/early August sales are flat, you could get lucky. Maybe not a price drop, but some kind of "rebate"...</p>
<p>what I want is my 5th gen ipod!</p>
<p>i went to the apple store today and asked the ppl there and they said that the prototype is coming out next year, but the new apples wont be out until 2007. i decided not to wait, i can just buy one now and buy another one in like 3 yrs.</p>
<p>"Let the games begin!"</p>
<p>Cnet reports today that any Mac purchase (not including the 12" IBook) between now and Sept. 24th. will qualify a student for a free Ipod mini. Other Ipods purchased with a Mac computer will qualify for a $179 rebate (after you pay full price, of course). Must be a student.</p>
<p>Good-bye old inventory (Apple hopes!).</p>
<p>The 12-inch iBook is included, just not the very basic model (I believe $799 or $899 with only a CD-ROM drive installed). Other versions (CD-RW or DVD-RW) of the 12-inch iBook are included in the promotion.</p>
<p>Thanks for that helpful bit of info, guys. That tidbit was very helpful, kimmibee. I think I'll just end up getting a Mac. If the new models aren't in actuality coming out until three years from now, I think I can wait.</p>