<p>If anyone needs to purchase a new computer and their child has an Apple MACBOOK, I highly recommend getting same (or even a less expensive model). The reason being ICHAT (not the same as the old add on cameras) so amazing! They can see (& speak) with up to 4 friends at 4 different colleges!! </p>
<p>My D talked me in to getting one since she is so far away. I no longer miss her not singing at home (not the same, but I'll take it). My husband was skeptical, but can't resist it when she's on.
Ahhhh..... now if they can only invent a way for us to touch. ;-)</p>
<p>Mainstage, I had to chuckle when I read your post. We did exactly what you suggested. All it took was 30 minutes playing around with the MacBook Pro that our daughters received at school for me to realize just how versatile and smooth running they are. Went out and got one for myself after 18 years of being a die hard PC person. Not only are the video communications great but if they can con a media communications major to video them performing, it can also be downloaded into the MAC and either the file sent or turned into dvd's. All of the software needed to do it comes with the ILife suite of which IChat is one part.</p>
<p>And for those concerned about the cost of a MACBook Pro, the regular MACBooks are a notch down but more than adequate at a substantially lower price if you can deal with a 13 inch screen. Or, you can get an IMac "desktop" computer with all the capabilities of the MACBrook Pro at half the price. Finally, if you are a PC person concerned about your Windows programs, don't be. As I have discovered, most consumer software comes in the MAC version and the data files for Windows/MAC are the same; further, if you are running specialty programs that do not come in a MAC version, you can easily partition the hard drive and configure the MAC with dual operating systems. The MAC website leads you through how to do it like a cookbook recipe and it was incredibly easy to do. I am now running all of my office's specialty programs in a Windows environment on my MAC and they run as well as on a PC.</p>
<p>I just bought my d a new Mac laptop and she too loves the video chat. Does anyone know if you can buy/download something for a PC that would enable one way video? I want to see her when we chat but don't want to mess with buying the camera setup for my PC -- it would almost assuredly sit in a closet with all the other electronic/digital stuff I can't figure out! If I can watch poor Britney at the MTV awards ... and numerous other silly stuff on youtube, it seems like I should be able to see her even if she can't see me!</p>
<p>skype!--it's so handy and i actually like it better than ichat--it's completely free if youre both skype members and one of my friends doesnt have a webcam but she can see and hear me and just messages me replies--so just go to skype.com and download it!</p>
<p>Students (& colleges who have distributed computers this yr.) seem to use the 15" Macbook Pro (a 13" for parents is fine)- you don't need to add any "goodies" it's all in there ready to use from the box. I would visit an Apple store (or retail carrier) for details.
P.S. I don't receive commissions. ;)</p>
<p>The MacBook Pro comes with the ILife suite that has virtually all the media software one needs to handle music, photos, video/dvd. The regular MacBook may not so check with Apple. The only software I added was Microsoft Office for Mac and Palm software so that I could sync to a single program that would handle my calender, contact list and email. Also look at the IMac which is a very coolly packaged cpu and monitor in one LCD type of unit.</p>
<p>MacBook comes with iLife Suite, garageband, interal camera, all the bells and whistles. Besides screen size biggest difference is the Pro has better video making capabilities but macBook burns dvds as well as cds. MacBook quite adequate for MT kids.</p>
<p>i'm in love with my mac. i'm a senior in HS right now, but all my friends going off to college got macbooks this year, so it's amazing to be able to see their smiling faces from ithaca and connecticut and all kinds of places. </p>
<p>i got a RAM upgrade when i got my computer and it's been really nice to keep it running fast even when i have word/internet/ichat/itunes/many more open at the same time.</p>
<p>Anybody have problems with your Macbook? My D got one in August 2006 through school. It has already crashed once and she had to have the hard drive replaced. Now she tells me it will not turn on. Or maybe it makes noise like it is turning on, but the screen is blank. It is under warranty, but that's two problems in 14 months. Otherwise, she loves it, but it doesn't seem very reliable.</p>
<p>musicmom1215 - Does your D sit in bed a lot with her laptop sitting on the bed itself and not her lap or does she use it on the floor with a thick carpet? Laptops are susceptible to overheating in general and my impression is that Apple laptops run hot to the touch on the bottom of the case. I bought my daughter a desk "pad" with built in cooling fans for using her laptop at her desk and also bought her a rigid "pad" with a hard surface and soft cushy padding underneath to put her laptop on when she is using it in bed or sitting on the floor. Stores like Staples, OfficeMax, Bestbuy etc carry them if you are unfamiliar with these.</p>
<p>I'm sure she probably uses it sitting in bed, but she also carries it with her everywhere she goes as she uses it for classes. I don't think she treats it roughly, and she has a padded case it is in when she's hauling it around. I know she can't be the only one who uses a Mac on the bed. I'll have her ask at the Apple store, when she takes it in for repairs, what she may be doing that others are not to cause her to have so much trouble with it. Thanks for the info about the pads. I'll have her check into it.</p>
<p>skype is great, I agree it's more dependable than I chat, at least with my D. The other night we "visited" with her and she was thrilled to see her beloved cat mewing at her. (Well, at her voice!)</p>
<p>musicmom 1215 - When she carries it around in the padded case, is the computer shut down or just in "sleep" mode? My daughter also carries her Mac in a padded case and I discovered that she was simply putting it in "sleep" mode so as to not have to "put up" with the delays of a "cold" boot. When in "sleep" mode, the Mac is still powered up and generating heat, which I would think is exacerbated by putting it in a padded case.</p>
<p>We used Skype last Saturday so S could "attend" a major family event. It was great, with no hitches. At present they only support video between 2 parties at a time but they do support multi-party messaging,</p>