Getting a 15" MBP soon, few questions.

PLmatt91

Limp Gawd
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So before dropping $1,700 on a MBP, I have a few questions.

Does Apple plan on releasing a new MBP version soon? I like to stay up to date with my technology but if they are going to release a new line of MBP's soon then I would rather just wait to pick up a new one.

Now I use Limewire Pro in XP now and I still would like to download some songs time to time in OS X, but is there a better agent to use rather than Limewire Pro for Mac?

I'm in college and I have TONS of papers to write along with presentations in Powerpoint. What kind of software is out there that is similar to MS Office that I can also use in OS X with out dual booting?

And last question.. I am so used to my right clicking for renaming folders or moving them, etc.. But what substitutes the right click?

Thanks for any answers regarding my questions. I know they're probably typical, I searched and found similar results but I just want to get a more forward response, thanks again,

-Matt.
 
For determining whether u should get MBP soon: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/ So far its neutral so, your in good position.

Other then limewire pro, there is acquisition p2p. I've only used limewire.

They make MS Office for OSX and there is iLife 09.

Holding a finger on the pad, then clicking with the other constitutes as right click. I think another way is to hold option or ctrl and use the other finger to click. I'm in windows, so I can't tell ya if its option or ctrl... I think it's ctrl.
 
I heard of there being another software that's free that substitutes MS office but I forget the name.
 
you just tap with two fingers for a right click

generally, to rename a folder or file you highlight it and hit enter, which puts it into rename mode
 
Does Apple plan on releasing a new MBP version soon?

Likely not. The MacBook Pro line was updated top to bottom in June, so it's unlikely that Apple will do anything with the line any time soon. There's always a small chance that Apple will refresh the line with a speed bump, but the odds are so remote (and the speed increase so small) it's not worth worrying about.

The next major revisions are rumored to be in the MacBook (the white plastic model, not the MBP line) and the iMac lines. The MBP line is safe for now.

Now I use Limewire Pro in XP now and I still would like to download some songs time to time in OS X, but is there a better agent to use rather than Limewire Pro for Mac?

Yes. iTunes. :D

[H] doesn't allow piracy discussion as far as I know, so that's the best answer you'll get unless someone wants to broach that barrier.

I'm in college and I have TONS of papers to write along with presentations in Powerpoint. What kind of software is out there that is similar to MS Office that I can also use in OS X with out dual booting?

Uh... MS Office. Microsoft maintains an OS X version of Office. The latest version is Office 2008. There's also OpenOffice as said before, and Apple offers a free trial of its iWork suite, which consists of Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentations), and Numbers (spreadsheets.)

And last question.. I am so used to my right clicking for renaming folders or moving them, etc.. But what substitutes the right click?

A two-finger click on the trackpad constitutes a right click, as does holding the Command key and pressing one finger on the trackpad. You can also use a mouse, if you want.
 
Does Apple plan on releasing a new MBP version soon? I like to stay up to date with my technology but if they are going to release a new line of MBP's soon then I would rather just wait to pick up a new one.

I don't know how long you would want to wait, if new models were in the works. The latest MBPs came in June, so they're still fairly new. My MBP is my first Apple computer, and I don't really follow their hardware cycles, but if you bought one now they probably won't have better ones until spring perhaps? Even then it could be a pretty minor bump. The base 15 inch is a 2.53 Ghz Core 2 Duo. If the new base model went to a 2.66 Ghz processor you're not going to notice much of a difference. If I had to guess I'd say the RAM would probably remain unchanged, since they already start at 4GB, but maybe the graphics chip would be better. Who knows...

Now I use Limewire Pro in XP now and I still would like to download some songs time to time in OS X, but is there a better agent to use rather than Limewire Pro for Mac?

I can't really answer this, since not only is the discussion not allowed, but I haven't used a P2P program on any platform in quite some time. My advice would be to use either iTunes or another service like the Amazon MP3 store. It's time to go legit man! :)

I'm in college and I have TONS of papers to write along with presentations in Powerpoint. What kind of software is out there that is similar to MS Office that I can also use in OS X with out dual booting?

Well Microsoft Office is available on the Mac, and it should be fairly cheap if you're a student. I haven't used the Mac version, and I've heard mixed things about either the current version, or the previous. But I think a new version is in the works. Also, Microsoft is working on an online version of MS Office that you can access online, no matter what OS, so you might want to look into that. It's suppose to be free, and similar to Google Docs, but I don't know when it's coming out, or how good it'll be.

Other then that there is OpenOffice, which is a really good choice, considering it's quite powerful, and also free. Apple makes their own office suite as well, called iWork, though I've never used it.

And last question.. I am so used to my right clicking for renaming folders or moving them, etc.. But what substitutes the right click?

Like the others have said, you can do a two finger touch gesture, for a right click, or hold the Command Key down while doing a single left click. On top of that you can just do a right click by pressing down on the bottom right corner of the track pad. The entire MBP trackpad is a button, so if you press down on the bottom left it's a left mouse click. Push down on the bottom right corner and it's a right click. I like this method because you get a tactile response, with the click.

Apple has a video just over half way down this page to show how it all works.
 
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People still use Limewire!?

Bit Torrent FTW. Yes there are plenty of alternatives for the mac.
 
The entire MBP trackpad is a button, so if you press down on the bottom left it's a left mouse click. Push down on the bottom right corner and it's a right click.

Only if you enable One Finger Secondary Click in the Trackpad section of System Preferences. Left/right corner association is not default behavior AFAIK.
 
I just heard from macrumors or appleinsider that they are coming out with new imacs very soon and I could have sworn that I heard things about a new revision about the macbook. They said this would happen within a month or so. It might be worth to either double check this or if you can wait a month and see what happens.

Also I personally think limewire is the worst program out there. I remove virus's daily because of Limewire. If you have a mac it might be different because it won't be able to recognize a .exe trying to run or something close to that. Just note that out of the 6 PC's I'm working on right now 4 of them are virus removals and 3 of those 4 have Limewire.

Actually use Limewire, I need more money.

When I did a test on my own windows machine to see how well we do virus removals where I worked it took me 3 days to get enough virus's. The easiest way I achieved this was to download Limewire and start downloading. This was on my Windows Vista laptop at the time. First thing that died was IE, hehe that browser always dies.

Other than that everyone has already answered your other questions. Note that once you get used to using the macbook's pad it is a dream to use. I'm using it right now and when I jump to a windows machine I always start trying to use the gestures that are on my mac. It always makes me sad.
 
I just heard from macrumors or appleinsider that they are coming out with new imacs very soon and I could have sworn that I heard things about a new revision about the macbook. They said this would happen within a month or so. It might be worth to either double check this or if you can wait a month and see what happens.

The MacBook rumors have to do with an update to the plain old white plastic MacBook, not the aluminum unibody MacBook Pro line.
 
Only if you enable One Finger Secondary Click in the Trackpad section of System Preferences. Left/right corner association is not default behavior AFAIK.

Yeah, I believe you're right. I did go into my trackpad settings and change a few things, so I probably had to enable that particular feature. I'd have to check to be 100% positive, but I think you're right and it's not on by default. In my opinion it's nice to have on though.
 
Thanks for answering my questions guys, now just one more..

If I keep my MBP for about a year and Apple does drop a new MBP, is there like an exchange I could do and then pay the difference for a new upgraded one? Because that would make mine refurbished and they could still sell it. Correct me if I'm wrong though,

-Matt.
 
Thanks for answering my questions guys, now just one more..

If I keep my MBP for about a year and Apple does drop a new MBP, is there like an exchange I could do and then pay the difference for a new upgraded one? Because that would make mine refurbished and they could still sell it. Correct me if I'm wrong though,

-Matt.

No, there is no Apple "step-up". But if you want to resell it, make sure to do it within a year or have Applecare to go with it. People are more willing to pay if they have some sort of extended warranty.
 
I've bought/sold several MBPs over the past few years. They hold their value better than any laptop on the market. A good time to sell is August - September before the school year kicks off. Definitely buy an AppleCare warranty before you sell. That extra two years worth of coverage is a big plus for buyers in the market for a used MBP. Get the warranty from eBay. It's completely valid and costs about $170 vs. $350 retail from Apple.
 
OP: Lots of people are mentioning the two-finger right clicking, just so you know, it's in system preferences under trackpad and you can even enable tap to click so you don't actually have to click down on the trackpad.

Also, do you see yourself needing a discreet GPU in your MBP? or were you planning to get it with the 9600M GT already or just the 9400M version?

People still use Limewire!?

Bit Torrent FTW. Yes there are plenty of alternatives for the mac.

People still use Bit Torrent!?

Usenet FTW. (fix't)
 
Rumors have it that they might be updating all macs to support blue ray. I would defiantly wait until after the October announcement of new mac minis and imacs.
 
I have nothing to contribute other than to laugh at you for using Limewire. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
I think I'm just getting the 9400M, and I stopped at best buy and they explained to me that their warranty protection is better than Apple Care's but do you think I should get plain Apple Care's and use my student discount also from the Mac store?
 
I think I'm just getting the 9400M, and I stopped at best buy and they explained to me that their warranty protection is better than Apple Care's but do you think I should get plain Apple Care's and use my student discount also from the Mac store?

Of course Best Buy will tell you their warranty protection is better. They're notoriously pushy about warranties and other add-ons. Ignore them.
 
If you plan to sell your MBP an AppleCare warranty will be a helluva lot more reassuring to a potential buyer than anything from Best Buy.
 
The only benefit best buy's has is that you can get protection from accidental damage that Apple cannot, they will replace the computer for free if you get their plan. But that is about it, any other issues you have to deal with GeekSquad, god help you.
 
But... They have a promotion now, no interest for 18 months if you sign up for their card. Then it's $45 a month. But should I still go through Apple and just get it then?
 
It really is up to you, no one is saying that you can't get it from there, but remember any tech issues you may have will be done through GeekSquad. Then there is the fact that you will be getting a credit card through Best Buy, which I don't know how sensible that is, but once again it is your choice. You can still buy the machine at Best Buy, and still get all support through Apple if you so choose, it really doesn't matter where you buy the machine.
 
But... They have a promotion now, no interest for 18 months if you sign up for their card. Then it's $45 a month. But should I still go through Apple and just get it then?

Why would you get a Best Buy card just for the sake of a notebook, especially when you've already said you can get a student discount through the Apple Store? And let's not even delve into the poor financial situation you'd be putting yourself in. Payment plans and credit cards are evil. You can either afford something or you can't.
 
Well the situation is that I don't have all the money right away, and my parents just got a lot of new stuff for our house and kitchen since we're remodeling. So they told me if I wanted to buy the computer then I would be paying it off each month. I have no problem doing that at all but would it generally be a bad idea to do this?
 
Payment plans and credit cards are evil. You can either afford something or you can't.

+1

Imagine owing on this MBP when the new ones come out, you still don't own the old one and now want the new one.

Credit cards = Evil.
 
Well the situation is that I don't have all the money right away, and my parents just got a lot of new stuff for our house and kitchen since we're remodeling. So they told me if I wanted to buy the computer then I would be paying it off each month. I have no problem doing that at all but would it generally be a bad idea to do this?

Monthly payments are a bad idea on everything except a house and a car, and even then you want to put as much down as you possibly can. If you "don't have all the money right away," then for all intents and purposes you can't afford the product you want to buy. I realize this is a radical notion in the "charge now, pay later" society we live in, but it's true.

If you're absolutely determined to get a MacBook Pro, then what you really ought to do is call the Apple Store and see if they'll work out a plan where you put as much money down as you can afford (getting as close to the final price as possible) and then give you a quick path to paying off the rest, all while applying the student discount. Don't bother with Best Buy and their credit card offers. Don't only pay the minimum monthly balance. Get the thing paid off ASAP.
 
Well the situation is that I don't have all the money right away, and my parents just got a lot of new stuff for our house and kitchen since we're remodeling. So they told me if I wanted to buy the computer then I would be paying it off each month. I have no problem doing that at all but would it generally be a bad idea to do this?

OP: You should watch this quick video.
 
Hahahah that was a funny video. I'm determined to get the MBP no matter what, I have about $1400 altogether and my parents are just going to chip in for the rest like they told me. I'm going to give the Apple store a call and see what they could do.
 
$1400 will get you the same refurb MBP I currently use: http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB470?mco=MTA4MzEzMjI

No extended payments, no credit card debt, no need to rely on the parents, great MBP (with the 9600M, too), refurb models are every bit as good as brand new, upgrade the RAM and HD yourself... it's all good!
 
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So what I'll end up paying for the refurb after RAM and a new hard drive will come up to the same if I bought it new, so I kind of see no point in doing that..
 
So what I'll end up paying for the refurb after RAM and a new hard drive will come up to the same if I bought it new, so I kind of see no point in doing that..

Then don't upgrade the RAM and HD and save the cash over buying new. Just offering alternatives. If you insist on building a pretty pile of debt to go along with your MBP, then go for it. :rolleyes:
 
Now.. I've actually come across and I've seen this one online for sale:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB470?mco=MTA4MzEzMjI

Now if I did buy the RAM in a couple of weeks to upgrade to 4GB, can I do it myself? I've already built my own PC so I know what to expect but will I need to reformat OS X or will the install just be a snap in and the OS will pick it up right away?
 
the install will just be a snap in and the OS will pick it up right away

this. no reformatting will be necessary.

Just open the back and pop it in. There are detailed instructions in the manual. Very easy to do. I would suggest, however, waiting a week or two before you decide to upgrade the RAM to 4gb. I have yet to find a reason myself on my 13"MBP.
 
Yea I know what you mean. I think I'm going to go with that refurb one though, I can afford it and I constantly hear people being satisfied with their refurbished products. Has any one ever received a damaged one though? I mean visually were there any scratches or marks?
 
That's the exact refurb model I linked in my previous post. What changed your mind?
 
When I saw it had 2GB's of RAM, it wasn't what I was looking for because I wanted 4GB's. But I saw how cheap it was to upgrade and it's already $400 dollars off or so, it's not a bad deal what so ever. I read about Apple's refurbish policy I guess... Seems like there's nothing wrong once they inspect and there is already one year of Applecare that comes along with it. So I might go ahead and order a refurb hopefully tomorrow!
 
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