# Getting a Mac



## Txmason (Mar 20, 2013)

Howdy Brothers!

I am starting a new career in real estate and have the opportunity to buy my first computer. I have used pc's for years and would like everyone's input on owning a Mac. 

I went to the apple store in the woodlands yesterday and spoke with one of the employees about purchasing a MacBook Pro laptop with retina display. All in all, it would be about $2,000 with upgraded ram, apple care, and one on one classes. But as we talked more I asked him about buying an iMac because a professional photographer friend of mine suggested I buy an iMac because they are less expensive and you get more to use. 

I am thinking about an iMac 27 inch and either waiting for the new iPad to come out or get an MacBook Air. I would graciously appreciate any brothers on here who could suggest what might work best for me as I have absolutely no idea what I need (except a girlfriend..). 

Look forward to hearing from you all. If anyone would like to talk by phone please let me know. 

Best,
Jerry 


Freemason Connect Premium App


----------



## Benjamin Baxter (Mar 20, 2013)

Jerry, I have used both Mac and pc for years. The Mac is easier to use in my opinion and they know it. They make you pay for it, though. I would look at a mini Mac if you don't have to be mobile with it. You can by a souped up one and by a huge regular flat screen had monitor for half that. 


Glen Rose # 525
Granbury # 392


----------



## Trip (Mar 20, 2013)

Yes I agree with Bro Bennylee if u do not plan to be mobile. Also they have the Microsoft office applications compatible with Apple computers. Plus they last longer... Good luck & congrats with the job.


Freemason Connect Premium App


----------



## sands67 (Mar 22, 2013)

Which platform to use should depend on the software you need. You mention real estate. Will you be using any proprietary software that runs on with just a windows PC or a Mac? I wouldn't be concerned with a retina display tbh? There are plenty of good quality screens out there. New PC's will most likely come with win8...not necessarily a good thing but for 5 bucks it can look like win 7 (star dock software). One advantage is you know how to use a PC now. There is a learning curve with Mac maybe not a steep one but its there. Go for usability, proprietary software (if any) and cost.

Freemason Connect Premium App


----------



## flttrainer (Mar 23, 2013)

I have a MacBook Pro without the retina display and love it. I also use Parallels 8 to run windows for the couple of windows only programs I have to have. 


Freemason Connect Premium App


----------



## Txmason (Mar 24, 2013)

Brothers,

I went to the apple store yesterday Saturday March 24, and spoke with three employees. All suggested the samething, getting an iMac would be a great way to go (the 27inch for $1,799) I can upgrade the memory plus the apple care for 2 yrs. at $99 and the one on one for $99 a yr. 

What are your opinions on buying an iPad? I say down and looked at the MacBook Air 13 inch and it was just too small for me. Can I use an iPad in real estate? Is it worth getting now or should I wait until they come out with a newer iPad? What about the iPad mini? 

What are your thoughts on buying an iMac? It would be my first purchase and first solid investment so I would want it to last for years to come. 

Any and all advice is appreciated. 


Freemason Connect Premium App


----------



## sands67 (Mar 24, 2013)

Txmason said:


> Brothers,
> 
> I went to the apple store yesterday Saturday March 24, and spoke with three employees. All suggested the samething, getting an iMac would be a great way to go (the 27inch for $1,799) I can upgrade the memory plus the apple care for 2 yrs. at $99 and the one on one for $99 a yr.
> 
> ...



If you are going to the Mac world and looking for a tablet the iPad would be a great choice. You could use it for real estate as there are programs in the apple for for mls and I think in some meetings with clients you could justify it. With iTunes and the Icloud  you can share do pics and documents between your iMac and your ipad


----------



## Txmason (Mar 26, 2013)

Do you Mac users have any other advice I should know? Should I subscribe to Macworld? Is that the official publication of apple?


Freemason Connect Mobile


----------



## nfasson (Jul 28, 2013)

The gap has closed somewhat between PC and Mac in terms of ease of use, but in terms of reliability and overall quality, I'd probably steer towards Macs. They are just built better, in my opinion.

I have a 13-inch MacBook Pro and it's been rock-solid for the four years I've owned it. It once fell off my bed, bounced on the floor and it woke up fine with no issues.




Freemason Connect Mobile


----------



## pointwithinacircle2 (Jun 29, 2014)

The Woodlands, TX?  I lived there for over a decade. Many fond memories.  I still miss the people I knew there.  That really took me down memory lane.


----------



## dmurawsky (Jul 9, 2014)

I'm not ready to become that emotionally (spiritually?) invested in my technology. It seems that when a person buys a Mac, they start drinking more $10 lattes, wearing more black, and learning about new obscure bands before other people do. 

In seriousness, though, I can't justify the price. Granted I'm "an IT guy" so I don't worry about support, but I've been very happy with my Dell Latitude Ultrabook and it cost about half what an iMac costs. Further, When you buy Apple, you buy the Apple multiverse and mindset. This is a good thing as long as you want to do things the Apple way. However, it is still vendor lock-in. It will be hard to migrate some things out later (like DRM protected music). 

For my next personal laptop, I'm looking at an Acer or Asus Ultrabook. Cheap, durable, and powerful. I may dualboot Windows and Linux, or I may just run Windows straight.


----------



## dfreybur (Jul 9, 2014)

We entered the Mac world by getting a used mac laptop for my wife.  The price wasn't that bad for used equipment.  Then it occurred to us that we'd been in that world with iPods.  Now my wife carries her iPad with her everywhere and I got her Amazon Fire handed down.

Mac takes a bit of getting used to but after about a week it just works better than Microsoft based products.  Gradually use of Windows imitation products gave way to use of native Apple products.  When in no hurry it was a slow and easy transition.


----------



## jvarnell (Jul 10, 2014)

It took my wife a long time to get used to a Mac and so I added VMware and I run windows programs in that because she doesn't like the Mac quicken.  Also some of the other software she likes the look and feel of.  I my self get down to using and xterm and VI, Elm and others sometimes on the Mac.


----------

