1. Price

The most obvious advantage to going with a PC is the price difference. Today you can buy a PC with the latest components for under $500. On the other hand the least expensive Mac is the Mac mini at $600. If you go for the full size Mac with an actual screen you are looking at 20″ iMac for $1200. Sure Apple puts a lot of time and money into design and most Macs are gorgeous… but most people have no need for an all aluminum body… they need a cheap computer they can get work done with. They need a PC!

2. Customization

With a Mac you choose from the few options Apple offers. With a PC the possibilities are endless. You can even build your own PC customizing it for you specific needs. Want a blueray player? Want multiple graphics cards? Since no one company controls the PC market competition makes for a huge array of options. Whatever you want chances are you can find a PC that meets your needs.

3. Gaming

Although Macs have come a long way in the gaming world PCs still rule! If you are an avid gamer you will want to go with a PC. Most of today’s hottest games are made to run on Windows and most offer no Mac version (just go take a look at the Mac software area at your local store). PCs also offer more graphic options with large video graphics companies releasing the latest and greatest cards for the PC. You will need the latest and greatest graphics cards to play some of the newest games with optimal performance.

4. Compatibility

Let’s face it because PC are more prevalent software developers usually create software for the PC not the Mac. So if you don’t want to deal with having to find alternative programs that do what you want a PC is probably for you. There is also an abundance of freeware applications available for the PC.

5. XBOX 360

If you own an Xbox 360 it integrates seamlessly with your media center PC. Stream audio, video etc right from your PC to your big screen via your Xbox. Although there are hacks to sort of kind of make it work on the Mac on the PC it just works.

For a more in depth look at the Mac vs PC debate check out my other article Mac or PC.

By admin
5 Comments »

So the much anticipated iPhone 3.0 system update has been rolled out by Apple. We all know about the long awaited cut, copy, paste and the landscape email typing, but Apple also update a lot of other things. This is by no means an all inclusive list just a list of a few of the more hidden features in the iPhone 3.0 update.

iPhone 3.0 features:

• Download apps redeemed using promo codes right on the phone instead of having to use iTunes.
• In Stocks you can swipe the small graph to get other options such as stock specific news.
• In Stocks you can tap the right side digits to switch between percentage, value and market cap.
• You can share a contact from the contact list. It will open up an email with the contact info attached.
• Incoming calls from numbers not in your contacts show the location of the number.
• The phone type (mobile, work etc) or location is shown on your outbound call log.
• You can copy paste as many images as you want from Photos into an email.
• You can close apps before the fully open.
• You can start typing an sms message before the first one is done sending.
• In iPod you can now hold down on the scrub button and drag down to various levels of scrubbing
• You can shake to shuffle in iPod.
• If you go into edit mode to delete a message it will still show if its unread.
• Curse word are not auto corrected.
• Podcasts and Audiobooks have the option to go back 30 sec and also set a faster play speed.
• In the keyboard if in numbers mode and you hit the space it will not go back to text mode.
• Most applications have their own search bar if you slide the screen down.
• Hold down on a link in Safari and you can open in new window or copy.
• When typing you can shake to undo.

By admin
No Comments »

Friend, family and clients always seem to come to me when they are considering buying some new tech gadget. One of the most common questions I get from those looking to get a new computer is if they should go with a Mac or a PC. In this post I’m going to break it down for you. As a designer I have used both Macs and PCs extensively and will try to provide my hopefully unbiased opinion. Although this comparison will be primarily focused on laptops (since that’s what I used the most) most of it can be applied to desktops as well.

Ok so what is really the difference between Macs and PCs. I mean they are both technically PCs (personal computers) so the main difference really comes down to the operating system… Mac OS vs Windows (we will discuss these in detail later). This is what it all really boils down to. However there are also other factors to consider such as price, design, performance, security etc. Lets take a look at some of these factor and how each system compares.

Mac vs PC: Performance

So what’s faster? Mac? PC? Well the truth is that it just depends on the Mac or the PC. There are slow Macs and fast Macs. There are slow PCs and fast PCs. Today’s Macs basically have the exact same components inside that can be found on PCs. The newer Macs use the same Intel processors available on most PCs. There really is no difference between comparably equipped Macs and PCs. Some will say that Apple has a bit of an advantage in that they are the only ones who make Macs so they can ensure the best compatibility of components. Windows on the other hand has to work on a large number of different brands all using different components. Although this could be a factor in performance I think it it negligible. One area that I think Macs currently outperform PCs is in their displays. A lot of the new Macs use LED backlight displays and they look amazing! The lighting is very even across the entire screen, the colors are vibrant and they actually help reduce power consumption! There are some PCs on the market that offer LED displays but they are few and far between.

Mac vs PC: Design

Now this is where in my opinion Macs definitley have an advantage over PCs. Although design is very subjective I think Apples designs are second to none. This is especially true with the Mac laptops. However the PC makers are trying to step it up a notch in the design department. Take a look at the Dell Studio XPS or Dell Adamo laptops, very nice. Things like slick aluminum body, thin LED screen, touch pad with gestures, backlight keyboard set the Mac laptops apart from many of the PCs on the market.

Mac vs PC: Security

PCs get full of viruses and spyware and nasty stuff. Macs don’t. At least that’s what Apple wants you to think. In a way that is true, but not necessarily because Macs are more secure than PCs. Having used PCs for many many years I never had much of an issue with viruses or spyware. Why? Because I was smart about not downloading attachments, updating Windows, running an anti virus etc. Smart PC users do not have many issues with viruses and spyware. However not everyone is a savvy PC user. Why do Macs not have these problem? There are simply not enough Macs out there to make writting viruses and spyware for the Mac worthwhile. The ultimate goal of many of these spyware programs are to infect as many computers as possible to send out spam and other such things. So writting it so it works on the majority of computers out there just makes better business sense. There have been viruses for the Mac and Apple releases security updates just like Microsoft does. So if you go with Windows you do have to take a bit more precautions when it comes to viruses and spyware.

Mac vs PC: Battery Life

Again this one is a bit tricky. The new Macbooks have claimed battery life of 7-8 hours (depending on the Macbook). Most PCs cannot match that battery life out of the box, however you can buy larger batteries that will extended the battery life closer to these numbers. The Macbooks have an integrated battery that you cannot remove. Many people critizes this fact stating that if the battery dies or starts to lose its charge you have to get a new computer or have it repaired by a professional. On the other hand the integrated battery provides amazing battery life while keeping the slim lightweight design. So this really depends on your needs. If you do a lot a work at internet cafes (like I do) then having something thin, light and with great battery life is essential. If you work at a desk mostly, have easy access to power outlets and don’t carry around your laptop much then a PC may be for you.

Mac vs PC: Windows or Mac OS

Ok so we have come to the core difference between these two computers… the operating system. So what is better? Again this depends on you. If you are new to computers and don’t really have experience with either then going either way wont matter much. If you are a long time Windows user and have little or no experience with Mac OS then you might want to stick with Windows. There are also applications on Windows that are not available on the Mac so if you need to run this type of software then you might want to stick with Windows.

Lets complicate things a bit. You can now run Windows on the Mac. In fact it runs just as well as it does on any PC. Using a program that comes with the Mac called bootcamp you can install a copy of Windows (XP, Vista or other operating systems) on your Mac! When you start your computer you can choose if you want to load Mac OS or Windows. If you load Windows it works like any other Windows machine. Bootcamp provides drivers for all the Mac components so you don’t have to worry about driver incompatibility or anything like that. This is great for people who want a Mac but have PC only programs they need to run such as Outlook. Another cool features is virtualization. This lets you run Windows right inside your Mac OS. This method is a bit slower but it’s great for running simple programs only available on Windows. However to do virtualization you will have to buy software such as VMWare or Parallels which will run you about $80. Bootcamp though is free and comes with the Mac.

Mac vs PC: Price

Now on to what most people base their decision on. In this case PCs win hands down! This is probably part of the reason the majority of computer users are on PCs. Today you can get a PC for $300. The $300 PC may not have the specs of the lower end Macs which start around $,000 but if you don’t need the performance then why pay more. Powerful PCs are also still less expensive than comprobable Macs by $200-$500. Ultimatley you do pay a premium for the Apple brand and design. So is design worth the premium? That depends on you.

Conclusion

So in the end I think it really doesnt make much of a difference if you go with Mac or PC. The best way to decide is to go to your local store and look at the Mac and PCs. Play with the operating system, run programs, touch the materials, feel the weight, touch the keys, try the trackpad. What feels better to you?

By admin
No Comments »