Macbook Pro

Janell's Nest

I am THIS close to having all the money saved (and then some) to get my Macbook pro (converting from PC).  I will have all the money once my tax refund comes through, so the end is in sight!!

 My question is what "extras" do you think I need?  I've got a budget above and beyond the cost of the laptop so tell me what is necessary and what I can wait on.

I am currently debating whether I want to get the mobile ME software and the Office for Mac software but tell me what I should be looking at.  I do photo editing so I'll be getting photoshop already.

 

Thanks!!

phreerose

Office for Mac was a must for me as well a a compatible external hard drive. Good luck I just got my MacBook Pro a few months ago and I love it!!!

hopscotch.

I just bought a MacBook Pro about a week ago (I decided to get one and stop waiting on the upcoming refresh).  I wouldn't waste your money on Office for Mac.  Once you get your MBP, download Open Office from openoffice.org.  It is free and you can do pretty much anything you need to with it.  Any Mac Forum will recommend Open Office over Office for Mac.  I also wouldn't get iWork.  It's pretty pointless (unless you really need a good presentation - PowerPoint type app).

I do a lot of photo editing and bought CS4 from Academic Superstore.  They have great prices for students, teachers, and faculty!  I also am trialing Lightroom and getting ready to buy it, as well, as I really love their raw processing and bulk photo editing much more than Photoshop. 

I am trialing Mobile Me and am planning to revise my photography website to let them host.  If you have an iPhone, you can also use Mobile Me to locate your iPhone (almost worth the $99/yr alone if you ask me!), you can remote wipe all the info off your phone if it is lost too!

Things I'm planning to buy soon to compliment my MBP: just bought Photoshop CS4, buying Adobe Lightroom, buying a MBP sleeve, buying a MBP case, and potentially buying a hard case/protection for the MBP, also going to buy an external mouse (likely a Logitech VX Performance) for photo editing (the trackpad is awesome, but not for detailed photo editing)

I think that's about it, but if I think of anything else, I'll let you know!

ShurasGirl

This goes w/out saying but just in case: Make sure you get the Apple Care Plan.

hopscotch.

You can actually hold off on the AppleCare -- you just need to buy it within the first year.  I decided to buy mine with an AMEX because they will extend Apple's 1 year warranty by another year...so I got a 2 year warranty just by using an American Express card. 

Because I have those 2 years, I'm going to hold off about 11 months on buying AppleCare to see if I have many issues.  If I have a ton of problems, I may go ahead and buy AppleCare from Amazon (cheaper price than buying directly from Apple), but if I have no problems I may just take my chances.

Janell's Nest

Oh yes I will for sure be getting some sort of care plan with it...

I will most certainly add an external hard drive as I hadn't thought of that one. 

 Thanks everyone for the suggestions!!

MrsGo4Hockeychick

I have actually come to love iwork much more than I ever loved office. 

I have mobileme, and I do use it a lot. It's my main email, and I run my business website off of iweb. I'd recommend at least the trial, and then decide from there. We get it for free since DH works at the Apple store, so cost isn't a factor for me. 

If you have the money, I'd get an external HD to run time machine on. I haven't had issues with my computer, but I do love that my computer is constantly backed up..so if something does happen, I won't lose everything.  

LittleSweetie

I actually don't have any other programs loaded on my MacBook since I use Google Docs for almost everything. Didn't want to spend the money on Office, and so far, I haven't needed it!

estherandgeoff2

I can't stand Office and the Mac version esp. bugs me. I use iWork if I have to open Office documents or edit them. I would get an external HD to use Time Machine to back up to. And I would buy Lightroom for managing photos (or Apple's Aperture 3 which I use).