I made the plunge and purchased my first MacBook. It is not that I finally discovered the advantages of using a Mac. The timing was just right and several factors tipped the scale to MacBook Air’s favour.
Source: penmanila via photopin cc
I enjoyed the Mac experience long ago, having used a Mac during my temporary stint in an editorial company. I just didn’t see a need to get a Mac since several programs I use can only run on Windows. This was also the reason that made me decide to stop running Linux on my laptop.
I almost got a Mac slightly more than a year ago. After countless hours wasted fiddling with problems with Windows XP 64-bit, I was frustrated and on the brink of switching to Mac. The release of Windows 7 made me give Microsoft another chance.
The need to run applications on Windows held me back from making the switch to a Mac. Since I’ve started work, I have been using the computer for fewer tasks compared to when I was an undergraduate. That reduced my dependence on a Windows-based system.
Recently, I have been spending so much time out of my room that I hardly have time to use my desktop PC. That led me to contemplate getting an Asus Eee PC for writing and blogging on-the-go. I also planned to get a MacBook Pro eventually for photo editing and graphics work.
Instead of buying both an Eee PC and a MacBook Pro, I went with a MacBook Air. It is sleek and light but at the same time it packs more power than the Eee PC.
My initial choice was the 11″ MacBook Air as it is more portable given its smaller size. Once I tried out both the 11″ and 13″ at the store, I knew I would go for the 13″ as the larger screen is easier to look at and it makes a lot of difference when I’m doing my graphics work.
Being one who would rather purchase something that it at least more future proof, I went for the fully upgraded specs: 256 GB HDD, 4 GB RAM, 2.13GHz processor.
The storage space is small but it can be easily addressed with the use of external drives. Time to start shopping for a couple of those. More on that in a later entry.
I took the advice of Mac enthusiasts and bought AppleCare as well, for the 2 years of extended warranty coverage. They are having a 20% discount on AppleCare. 2 years of warranty coverage and dedicated support for just $310. That’s a good deal!
Time to research on reviews for the different apps and testing out demos to find the right apps for me to use on Air.
Look out for an entry about Mac apps from the perspective of a new Mac user.