I can use my iPhone 3G as a modem (either via Bluetooth or USB lead). Doesn`t have to be in a WiFi spot, don`t have to cart any extra kit and it costs zero too... I only ever have one issue with my laptop (besides slow start-up); Every now and again it decides to not recognise it`s equipped with WiFi and drops the link to the router. The only workaround is to perform a system restore, then it`s fine for another few weeks. Ironically, it did exactly that as I was trying to post this! The another annoyance now, is it`s restored a lot of crap I binned off yesterday in an attempt to speed the fecker up... If only Macs weren`t so bloody expensive I might invest!
A worthy investment though Stu, very worthy. I think Trev was saying that he would rather not have to jailbreak just to unlock something like tethering. This is my only bugbear with the UK networks and the way they have tied down the iPhone. Remember, this isnt Apples fault, they could offer tethering for free if they wanted.
It's completely worth it. My Apple economics over the past few years; Mac #1 - PowerBook G4 1GHz Titanium, bought brand new with RAM upgrade for 2,300. - Used heavily for 4 years (two or three flights a month, used for tethered digital photo capture in all weathers, heavy Photoshop usage). - One HDD failure (Seagate), cost me 50 to buy and install a new WD Scorpio HDD myself. - Finally offered it for sale for 500, I had four people fighting over it. Mac #2 - PowerBook G4 1.67GHz Aluminium, bought second-hand with RAM upgrade for 900. - Again with the heavy use, this machine went everywhere with me and its lovely 1440x960px Hi-Res display was my personal DVD player. I ran this machine relentlessly for 2 years. - One HDD failure, again it was a Seagate. New WD stuck in there for 45. - DC-In board finally choked after somebody used a non-Apple power supply on it. I couldn't repair it, so I stripped and caddied the HDD, pulled and sold DVD-RW drive, RAM and Battery out of it, and sold the bare shell on eBay for 225. Mac #3 - Mac Pro 2.8GHz 8-Core desktop, bought new (Ex-Demo from Jigsaw Systems with full Applecare) for about 1600. I already had a 20" display kicking around. - Four internal HDDs and 6GB of RAM later, it is still cheaper than my first PowerBook and, properly configured, is insanely quick. I've had it for about 18 months. iPhone has resumed all the mobile web duties, and it's a great setup. Quality costs money, and you only have to see inside a Mac to appreciate what they're truly made of. Marketing hype aside (I actually found the new iPhone 4 video really patronising) they are phenomenal pieces of industrial design, and creatives rightly look to them as near-perfect representation of how well-resolved and intuitive most other new products should be.
Lighter, won't get hot on your legs, longer battery life. Doesn't support Flash, so some embedded videos in websites might not work. YouTube will work fine.
Now that`s what I don`t get... Not supporting Flash is what`s putting a lot of people I know, off getting one. It`s just extremely obtuse of Jobs/Apple to think they are above using it.
I don`t disagree that quality costs, and that Apple products are right up there in terms of design/construction, but I simply can`t justify (or afford!) 2000+ on a laptop...there are more important things for me to spend that kind of cash on (if i had it!).
they're not value for money, which has made apple products a bit of a status symbol, which is why I hate them, plus none of their products are best at the jobs they're aimed at, imo!
You're so self opinionated Wez I was an apple hater too until I opened my eyes. Sent from my iPad FTW
you don't think they've become a bit of a status symbol? you don't look down on people without apple tech? and you DO think every apple gadget you own is the best gadget in it's category?!
Apple consider it old, slow and out of date. They insist that the ball is in Adobe's court and have said when Adobe can make Flash run fast they would look at it. Apple is investing in HTML5 instead as it's new and more exciting than Flash. Also, opening up to Flash means anyone could publish apps to a site they claim to be for the iPad that could be potentially very sub standard and damaging to the rep.
Don't talk crap. I don't look down on anyone with none Apple tech. I support MS server and desktops on a daily basis. I just hate it when opinionated people give bashing statements when they have no experience with something. You do it at every opportunity you get with either the xbox or apple. And no, not a status symbol at all. Not for me. I just choose to like and buy the products, but I don't look for topics about bb and android os phones to hammer and if you post something about the ps3 I don't rant in it about the xbox being l33t.
I have experience with it, that's why I don't own any of it! you completely misread my post and took it too seriously though, I was messing about it, but at the same time, that's how most the apple users come across tbh! you pay your monies, you get what you want, I just like to have the best thing I can afford, obviously not everyone is the same..............
Then why not just stop posting on the subject instead of trolling needlessly? Its easy to misinterpret a wind up merchant.
I must admit, if I didn't require my computers (Macs) for work, I would balk at spending 2k on a personal computer. iPhone & iPad however are competitively priced for what they do, and what they are - imo. There are plenty of holes in Apple's product lineup, don't count me in as a 'fan-boy'. - Their LCD displays have left much to be desired for Photographers for years, and continue to do so (Eizo & LaCie picked up where Barco and Sony Artisan left off in the days of CRT). - Apple actually developed the first mass-market Laser Printer. Now they don't make any printers at all, and the printer choice in the Apple stores is dire. - There are rumours of an Apple 'Magic Slate' input device coming, but tbh most visual professionals have happily relied on Wacom tablets for years, and Wacom are staying ahead of the curve, imo. - Now that Apple laptops have a non-removable battery, professionals must look for 3rd-party solutions for prolonged mobile power, and every single one of them is a pain in the backside. Why Apple can't engineer a good supplementary power solution for their MacBook Pro line is just beyond me. Back in the day, I used to carry two spare PowerBook batteries, and that was that. 12 hours of heavy use, out in the field, piece of cake. Things have changed for the worse on that front.
