Do Apple offer onsite now?

There is a nice Philips 17 inch LCD with 3 year no dead or bright pixel warranty with DVI and speakers built in. The model number is 170B6CB. RRP is close to $600 but I found it online for $380!

Or maybe get a nice 17 inch widescreen and add a TV Tuner.

Buy an $800 Mac Mini, a $50 Apple keyboard and either a Mighty Mouse or a $25 cheapie from Logitech or Microsoft.

Some dealers still have the older models which only came with 256 MB. You get a free 1GB iPod Shuffle with them! Be worth getting if you are going to increase the RAM to 1 GB anyway.

I know they are old (well, parental anyway!), but you have the power to get them to buy whatever you think is best. I envy you. Have fun!

I'd buy the Mac Mini and the 17" screen myself.

I find a good quality LCD much easier to read than CRT's, and if at some point during the life of the machine the screen was to die, it's much easier to replace the LCD. CRT's also seem to go out of focus when they get old which will make it harder on your parents.

Being in one box or not - it's only natural to people who assume that computer should be in one box (I find it un-natural myself), and I don't think having to cable up a computer (It's not like the mini requires THAT many more cables (video and monitor power) than a eMac) is a big deal unless your parents are likely to move the computer.

Even then the mini is lighter/smaller to move.

With an external dvd burner your sister can use it with her laptop and your parents could use it with their mini (just unplug and move it)...

Mini!

I'd say the eMac, because it's all integrated, and no-one has to play around with cables that unseat themselves, it's faster, it has a tray-loading drive, which means you can't accidentally stick two DVDs in the one drive, and you can use those mini-CDs without stuffing your drive.

Plus, it comes with keyboard, mouse, speakers and display, so it ends up cheaper as well.

Thanks yall.
I bought the emac.
I was going to buy it on Friday when i had a fresh brain - but i procrastinated and waited for the weekend where i was tired and angry - so i bought the eMac (less shopping involved).

Didn't realise it was THAT heavy. Almost killed my short stubby arms.

good choice scruffle, the emac would be a excellent choice for the older type people, also isnt it cheaper to get the emac? not the mac mini with LCD + keyboard + mouse?

I voted for the Mac mini.....

Though, if your olds have bad eye sight, or it is going south... the CRT is best. Mainly due to the fact that they can display lower resolutions nice and clear.

LCD's have a native resolution, so technically are only really ever clear and crisp at that, and anything outside it causes dithering issues. ie: Blurred vision.

Boo! :lol: Told you they were heavy!

Its really good to hear that they bought Apple, whatever the hardware is. I hope you and your family enjoy it.