Many people don’t know this but I’ve been a Mac user for most of my life despite the fact that I prefer Windows OS for most tasks. My first set of computers that were pretty much taken apart and put back together again and again were Apple clones and a couple of low end Macs like the LC III, Mac Plus, Mac SE and Power Computing models running Motorola chips. It wasn’t until Freshmen year of high school that I was allowed to check out a Tangerine iBook full-time from the school as a part of the web-design club. A year later, I got a 600Mhz G3 iBook for Christmas from my grandmother. I don’t think she has any idea how much that computer changed my life. A $999 investment has really sparked much of where I am today. A year later, I asked her for a ram upgrade for it and AppleCare so I could keep the thing for another couple of years. A few PCs entered my life but I was a complete PC n00b when hired at an IT company in Florida fixing PCs. I was such a noob, they offered me $8 an hour to do work that was billed much higher because they knew I wasn’t going to be very good at it.
In 3 years, I trained and tested and studied and tripled my hourly rate and began working on servers and doing other remote support. I really fell in love with Windows during those three years from 2005 to 2008. I was so much more productive on a W’indows PC than a Mac but the issue I have with Windows is the hardware. This isn’t exactly Microsoft’s fault but why is it that a premium Core i7 Dell that I use for work is enclosed in plastic, covered with stickers and still has a tray loading CD drive? Apple has used slot loading drives since the 2nd generation iMac in 2001, yet this thing has a tray loader? Why?
I don’t think I’d go back to Mac if it wasn’t for their industrial design but i’m not lauding Apple for having great design. Mostly I choose Apple because every other PC manufacturer has design that sucks. Apple sets the bar high and no one even gets close. Most of my happiness with the Windows OS isn’t because it’s necessarily better than Mac OS. I’d recommend Apples and Macintosh to every home user on the planet. Windows, to me has less distractions and gets out of the way when it comes to getting things done. Windows is only really powerful assuming you are your own IT department and can fix any problem that arises or your company has an IT provider. Any home user that doesn’t know how to edit the registry or keep things updated and defraged will ultimately find Mac OS refreshing. I think Mac OS is less problematic, more reliable and secure but is too colorful with big glossy icons and translucent animations to be an effective work machine. That’s just my opinion though.
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So, why go back to the Mac? Why did I leave it at all? I sold my 13″ 2.13 Ghz MacBook Air and 27″ Core i7 iMac prior to moving to New Hampshire. I didn’t really need the cash all that much but I didn’t want any damages to happen to them during shipping and both models were due for an update soon and I had a better resale value in San Francisco than I would out in New Hampshire. I avoided eBay and sold them through Craigslist for nearly what I paid and was happy. Work gave me a Dell and I have been very productive on it and prefer it for most tasks.
Here’s my current computing lineup:
- Core i5 27″ iMac with 12 gigabytes of ram
- 24″ Dell LCD (really want that 27″ Apple Display but it’s too pricey)
- 1.4Ghz 11″ MacBook Air with 4 gigabytes of ram
- Dell Latitude E6410 w/ Core i7 & 4 gigabytes of ram
- iPad 32GB Wi-Fi
- iPhone 4 32 GB
This setup is very much the one I wanted to have a few months ago when writing about completing my computer arsenal. I’ve justified each of these computers in the past so I won’t do that here.
Why iMac?
Apple’s iMac is the most beautiful and powerful all in one computer in the world. Price per megahertz on the iMac is the best value of any PC manufacturer and it offers a beautiful display with low power needs and exceptional resale value. PC users who need Windows should still buy this and throw Windows on it. I really think it’s that good of a computer.
I need a home desktop computer to run my media & entertainment center boxes. It’s the hub where I buy TV shows, movies and music and all of this “content” is streamed to my Boxee Box, AppleTV and Xbox. It’s a backup hub for my iPad, iPhone and MacBook. I store nearly 40K photos and my growing music collection. It’s the hub to my digital lifestyle. I can remotely connect to it via LogMeIn or MobileMe from anywhere in the world and get an important file. It’s my 2nd fall back in the event that my notebooks are in repair or stolen. I’m not ‘mac-less’ because I always have one at home.
Why MacBook Air?
The MacBook Air is the thinnest and lightest full-featured notebook in the world. I stand by that completely. I can’t find a computer this thin, with a core2duo process, 4 gigabytes of ram and a great quality video card with an iSight, speaker, microphone and full size keyboard for $1000. I don’t need to edit photos or make movies on it. I need it for consuming content, email, mild office work and staying connected with a long lasting battery in a machine that fits in my man purse. It’s a fantastic machine and I’m in love with it. MacBook is too heavy and netbooks are too underpowered. I consider the 11″ MBA a netbook but it doesn’t perform like one. I can easily put this in a bag WITH my Dell Latitude and not feel like my shoulders are hurting. This is my fun GTD machine in a small package.
Why iPad?
Consumption. 10+ hour battery for long plane rides, reading books and news and switching tabs to check email and Twitter from time to time. Most planes have Wi-Fi now and this is a good machine to pass the time. No other tablet comes close to it.
Why iPhone?
I’d love to get away from Apple but the display and battery life is phenomenal. I don’t like the camera but I hear it’s better than other mobile phones. Also, Apple kind of has me with music and movies. All of the content I buy is via iTunes and I don’t want to carry around an iPod touch so I stick with iPhone because it’s the best device for iTunes users. Also, every new application comes to iPhone first. Startups build for iPhone first so early adopters are sort of required to have an iPhone or they’ll have to wait months or a year for their favorite new websites to release apps for Blackberry or Android. This is starting to change but iPhone still gets most apps first.
Why Dell?
I think this was already illustrated above but this is a work issue notebook and I love Dell products in comparison to other PC manufacturers’ products. I wish the hardware was nicer but the battery life is 7 hours which is great for a quad core notebook with a large display. This is the computer I’m required to have with me at all times if I want to do my job effectively. This means that any traveling I do must factor in this notebook. For personal vacations, I’ve started keeping this in my checked bag and the iPad / MacBook Air goes in my carry on. Their weight combined is half of the weight of this notebook and they’re for consumption and blogging while this is for work. it’s always changing though and sometimes I do work on planes and trains with my Dell. Just all depends on what needs to get done.
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Of course, it’s worth noting but not necessarily important that I say that in the event I find myself no longer at my current job (highly unlikely but worth keeping in mind), it’s a good idea to have my own personal computers. I have a lot of friends who rely on work computers and 2-3 years later, they unexpectedly find themselves unemployed and don’t have a computer of their own to find new work or redo their resume. It’s a hard situation to be in. I don’t have any fears at my job but having your own computer tucked away is a good idea. I feel guilty writing this but I have to remind friends to have a cheapo MacBook at home or at least money in savings to buy a Mac Mini if they have to unexpectedly.
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So, I have gone back to the Mac. It’s been long overdue. Despite the fact that I prefer Windows, Apple’s design, support and reliability paired with exceptional iOS software and resale value across the board makes me stay with Apple. If other PC manufacturers used Windows but upped their design and made devices work together, I’d jump ship but no company has really given me that proposition that’s good enough to want to switch.
Apple is pricey but when you compare spec for spec and design to other computers, there’s no competition and a Dell that’s given the same specs as a Mac are mostly the same price yet the Dell is made out of plastic while Apple uses glass and aluminum in a small package. PC companies really need to improve this.