Just got my new MacBook + "Free" iPod nano!

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

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Well I say just, I got it yesterday!

Decided it was time for a new laptop seeing as the keys on our old Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook stop working. I love OS X so off I go to Meadow Hall Apple Store on Friday after work. Spend 2 hours stuck in traffic to get there. Spend 5 minutes in the shop and come out with a basic spec MacBook and a Product Red iPod Nano that Apple will kindly give me £85 towards as I got the education discount. Took half the time to get home and since then i have spent most of the time getting the shiny beasts ready.

So far I have:

Formatted and re-installed OS X (Always do this because out of the box OS X seems a little sluggish)
Installed/Purchased all the extra applications needed (CandyBar, Growl, GrowlTunes, XTorrent :D Adium, Firefox and so on)
Copied my music from my desktop PC (Yawn!)

The I set up my iPod and tried a few music videos.

Now all I need to do is use VisualHub to convert all my Family Guy and Babylon 5 to mp4. Double yawn....go Core 2 Duo power!

2GB and a bigger HDD on the Christmas present list methinks.

I love OS X and my shiny new MacBook and getting an almost free iPod is cool too...shame about the postal strike.
 
Nicely done, got my bottom spec Macbook recently - is it true about reinstalling OSX? I've been using it since the factory install, if i reinstall will it be any better? Can i choose which apps i want installed etc?
 
richieboy said:
Nicely done, got my bottom spec Macbook recently - is it true about reinstalling OSX? I've been using it since the factory install, if i reinstall will it be any better? Can i choose which apps i want installed etc?
Click to expand...

If your OS X install has been working OK then don't bother. I have handled a lot of Macs at work and they always seem to be a little better with a fresh install.
 
Fair enough guys, any ideas about being able to choose what apps are installed when installing OSX? Have never done it before so just wondered if there is many config options when installing...
 
when i reinstall osx, i do a custom install (when you install, cant remember exact button name, but on the lower left on the screen after you choose the mac hd iirc) and take out all the progs i dont need, like garageband etc. I also take off all the printer drivers apart from epson (wouldnt use any others, if so, they would be networked anyway) and it does free up a few gigs, as well as a slight speed increase. some people may disagree, but i feel it does make a difference.

also, deffo do the 2gb and hd upgrade :D web browsing etc, 1gb is fine, 2gb really is night and day for using vmware or parallels or with photoshop etc. :)
 
Nice to know about the reformat-before-use idea, never thought of doing that with my MacBook Pro but what you've said makes sense when you consider that most Windows-based notebooks (especially Dells in my experience) come bundled with so much pre-installed junk that it takes hours just to remove it all.

I'm planning to reformat when Leopard comes out anyway, I'm using Tiger to familiarise myself with Macs & OSX in general (my first Mac!)
 
Nice replacement laptop!

You guys with new macbooks, how are you finding OSX ? What are the programmes you use most ?

I just HAVE to get one of these around christmas :D
 
Try Handbrake.

It's free, and has most of the amazing features of VisualHub :)

I ALWAYS reformat when I get a new Mac.. I deselect EVERYTHING (including Front Row), and save a good 8GB of space!
 
AlexBell said:
also, deffo do the 2gb and hd upgrade :D web browsing etc, 1gb is fine, 2gb really is night and day for using vmware or parallels or with photoshop etc. :)
Click to expand...

My wallet has just taken a somewhat large hit! That's why I am going to have to blag the RAM and HDD for Xmas! :)

As for Parallels, well Windows isn't going anywhere near my Mac...

Ry@n said:
You guys with new macbooks, how are you finding OSX ? What are the programmes you use most ?
Click to expand...

OS X is good, sometimes having so many windows open causes me some confusion with no taskbar. Then I remember Expose and everything is good again.

Applications I need/use are:

Firefox (Safari and I don't get on...)
iTunes (Default anyway)
MPG Converter for iPod/iTunes (I use VisualHub but it isn't free...try iSquint)
Adium (MSN, ICQ et al)

If you need a free Office package then NeoOffice is good, I have iWork 08 but, again, it isn't free...
 
Hey LordSplodge, glad you recived your Macbook.

Any chance you could pop some pictures up please? :)

Im now debating over a Macbook or one of the Sony Vaio N Series Latops. :(
 
Last edited:
stickroad said:
Hey LordSplodge, glad you recived your Macbook.

Any chance you could pop some pictures up please? :)

Im now debating over a Macbook or one of the Sony Vaio N Series Latops. :(
Click to expand...

I'll try and get some pictures up, but to help swing your decision I have had two Vaios. Good laptops but not even in the same league as the MacBook, plus they run Windows for gods sake.

Get the MacBook
 
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