day all
firstly I have to thank you for helping me pop my thread cherry. As a complete nube/first time poster, please ensure that all reply posts are dumbed down a smidge for me as i have only a very basic understanding of computer-related stuff and things.

OK so to the questions! I'm considering upgrading my 5yo PC to an iMac (or possibly a better PC if i'm not convinced otherwise!) but am not sure of a lot of things. I will be using it for webcam/skype calls, music, Excel, Word, Powerpoint, internet browsing, and possibly DVD editing (just bought me a DVD recorder so might need to edit chapters, cut out adds etc). I am eligible for the teachers discount (-$50 + ~10% off all upgrades from base model), but will also consider a Refurbished model for a better deal. Pretty basic setup needed really, was thinking of going for a base 20" iMac (no upgrading at all) but I NEED YOUR HELP

1) Can I use my existing (D-Link, internal, wireless) MODEM for a Mac? Is it cheaper buying an (external?) modem elsewhere after purchase or opting for the $70 model offered upon purchase?
2) Can I use my existing PC's wireless KEYBOARD & MOUSE on a Mac? (Microsoft brand) & if so, am I better going to JB/non-apple store to work out a deal which doesn’t include them in my online purchase (or can I exclude them from an online purchase to save $$)?
3) Do I need a Mac Printer or should any/my current printer suffice?
4) Will my Logitech QuickCam work on a Mac? Or is there a built-in webcam? (if so, any good/what's it equivalent to?)
5) I wanna watch TV on my new Mac - possible? (if so, how much does it cost and can u specify u want this included in the internet order?)
6) will I need to purchase 'legit' Office to install on the Mac?
7) Am condidering upgrading the RAM, but based on what forums say, this should be done after purchase
8) Upgradability - are there any issues upgrading iMacs? (not that I'll need to upgrade it much methinks, but is it as easy as PC's?)
9) Which stores sell iMacs - so I know where to look for cheapest deal? (DSE, JB, Apple store are the only ones i know of), and can u haggle iMac prices from the apple store online by calling them to order? (Did the same with my latest Dell laptop purchase, got ~$100 extra by phoning up)
10) Protection plan - is it worth it? What does it mean/do?
11) Video card - what comes standard, and should i bother upgrading? (& can this be done easily enough afterwards if need be)
12) I've had a play with the iMac mouse in-store, and i hate it. If I can't use my existing MicroSoft wireless mouse, what other options do i have? I've seen people talking about buying a Logitech MX Revolution mouse, but that seems a bit overthetop for me... i'm happy with a wireless, 2 button+scroll mouse if i can get one for cheaper!
13) is there any way of knowing when the next model comes out? i dont wanna buy mine now and have the new one come out in a couple of months... If the new model does come out, will they be selling these current models for cheaper btw?

wow, that is a lot of questions. feel free to ignore some that are too nubey, but any response is appreciated!!!
thanks

1) You say it is a D-Link internal modem but you put wireless in there too? What is it? A wireless card? An internal modem?

If it is a wireless card, then you don't need it because the iMac has a wireless card built in. If it is a modem, then you can't just use the internal modem and put it inside an iMac. The iMac requires a USB modem purchased separately if you want to use dialup. This is external. If you want to use dialup, then I suggest you buy the USB modem for the iMac.

2) Yes. iMac has USB for receivers and Bluetooth if you use Bluetooth. Check with Microsoft for Mac compatibility. It should work though.

3) What is your current printer? Some printers do not work on a Mac in my experience.

4) iMac has a built in iSight (web camera).

5) Yes it is. You need an external adapter if I am not mistaken e.g. EyeTV?

6) If you are a teacher then ask about Home Use programs etc... there are academic programs available for example under MSDNAA. This is for university. Staff at uni (like me) lets you have Home Use programs too and also some employers have similar benefits for home usage. In short, yes.

7) Upgrade yourself after. Takes 2 minutes.

8) You cannot upgrade an iMac as easily as you can a PC. That's because you're not supposed to crack it open and replace things inside, other than the memory.

9) Apple are not usually flexible with their pricing. Take it or leave it. Or buy a PC and haggle.

10) Yes. Warranty.

11) Apple - Support - Technical Specifications

12) You can use any mouse you want.

13) No. Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone will be your best bet. If you don't want to buy now, then don't.

New model will be out in around 6 months. But then again, new models come out every 6 months.

Wait or don't wait. Buy it now if I was in your shoes and want to buy one right now -- if you can wait and you say you can, then wait 3-4-5-6-7-8-9... months.

The rest someone else can explain/answer.

Have you checked out the specification of the model you wish to purchase yet?

My iMac 2.66 has built-in wifi, you can use a wireless keyboard & mouse with a iMac. What brand is your printer, iMac don't have built-in TV card but your can get a USB tuner, Windows software does work natively on a Mac, do what you want with your RAM, you don't have to get into the PC upgrade cycle like PC, Go shopping, Some say it is some say fuck it. I have a ATI 2600 that is fast enough, it's not a slow PC after all, see my previous answer, google it.

Wow that WAS a lot of questions and you are going to have to remove your Windows head with a Mac head. Did you know that I have never reformatted my hard drive or had to tweak the operating system?

I was a Windows user since Windows 1 and I'm so glad I got rid of my PC.

1.) yes you should be able to use your current setup
2.) yep you should be able to find drivers for it
3.) any known brand pinter will suffice
4.) not sure, but there is a built in webcam, decent for webcaming, but not a DLSR
5.) ??
6.) you dont need to, but you will have to get the mac version. you should pay to support the developer
7.) Definatley buy RAM after purchase, easy to upgrade and saves heaps
8.) head to iFixit: iPod, iBook, & PowerBook Parts and Accessories for detailed guides
9.) DSE, JB, Apple Store, Mac1, nextbyte, Myer, David Jones. I dont think they will move on the price.
10.) I would recommend it. Gives you a extra years warranty. macs tend to break down, and are usually dear to fix.
11.) ??
12.) see answer 2
13.) Next model will be next year around March-April. The urrent will be on clearance sale as "refurbs"


HTH,
Beau

That's what we're here for

Are you using dialup or broadband? If you're on dialup, you need to buy the Apple modem. Otherwise, what you have now should work fine.

Yep, it will work fine if it's USB.

Nope, no such thing as a Mac printer - what you have now should work. Epson & HP are generally very compatible with Mac OS X. Check your printer manufacturer's website for Mac OS X drivers (or if it's not that recent of a printer, support for it may already be installed in OS X Leopard).

The iMac has a built in web-cam that is pretty good (640x480) and identical quality to a mid-range webcam.

What you want is the Elgato EyeTV range. They have lots of products, but the best one is the EyeTV Diversity, which lets you record or view two channels at once (or record one, view another). The Apple online store sells the entire range.

Yep. The Windows version of Office and the Mac version of Office are different (but cross-compatible). So unless you already have the Mac version, you need to purchase it. There is also iWork, Apple's office-suite that is great and worth looking into.

Sure should. Apple charge an arm and a leg for RAM upgrades. All the Macs out right now use the same RAM (except for the Mac Pro). To get 4GB of RAM installed yourself, it is only $150.

All that can be upgraded hardware wise on the iMac is the RAM. The HDD, video card, CPU etc are not upgradeable.

Best place for someone not too confident to buy a Mac from is an Apple reseller like Next Byte or CompNow. If you know what you want, the Apple online store is great as it's super easy with no salespeople

However, if you want your Educational discount (for being a teacher), you can *only* get it from the Apple Online store. There are some uni campuses that have Apple resellers and will give you the EDU discount. DSE, JB, Myer, DJ's will *not* give you the educational discount (but they may come close to matching it if you plan on buying a lot of non-Apple accessories).

All it does is extend the warranty by an extra 2 years (so you have 3 years in total - 1 year is included for free with every Mac). If you intend on keeping the Mac for more than a year, I strongly suggest it, as repairs can be quite expensive.

You can't upgrade the video card in the iMac. What it comes with is what you will have.

Yep, the Apple mouse sucks - I don't use it either. Grab any USB mouse you like and go for it, they all work fine. Wireless mice have a receiver that plugs into a USB port - those work fine too.

If I knew when new Macs were coming out, I'd be running the most popular Mac website in the world
Apple keeps this stuff a big secret.
However, you can gauge when new Macs will be out based on Intel's CPU release schedule, as that's when Apple tends to release updates to their products.

Apple sells previous models on their online store - take a look for some fantastic bargains on machines that are pretty much identical to the current ones!

Good luck with the Mac!

As meinrosebud says, you have to dump PC thinking. A PC will probably be a bit cheaper. BUT, when you get your mac out of the box and it all just works so easily, and you start to think about how much less stuffing around you have to do on the mac, a PC is false economy. Office Mac is cheap, and the iMac will come with everything else you need already installed (iMovie, iDVD, iChat etc). You will be creating great looking DVDs in no time. The iMac has bluetooth and wireless, so hooking it up to your wireless router will take no time at all, and it will connect to a bluetooth mouse, or use a wireless dongle if you must.

The webcam may not be as grouse as an aftermarket one, but it will work fine as a webcam, and won't look butt ugly sitting on top of the screen, and it will 'just work'.

Check out iSync - it syncs your iCal and Address Book to your phone via bluetooth. Priceless. etc etc etc.

Don't worry about comparing Mac $$$ to Dell $$$. You can't explain the experience in terms of $$$. You will have a beautiful looking thingo in your room that will be a joy to use. Get Applecare for 3 years' peace of mind if you like. I have an ancient G4 laptop that is still going fine. Don't worry about it being superseded - this is always going to happen anyway.

^ Better yet get an iPhone if you're switching to an iMac and lovin' it.

Also about the printers, check with the maufacturer. My gf bought a printer and I thought it would be no problems with OS X. In fact, we've not been able to use it and after a bit of Googling it turns out the printer does not work (or something). Tried different drivers, other models etc. Just no go with OS X. So do your homework.

From the thread title I thought you were posting a new telephone number - 13IMAC. LOL!

ok guys - i said i was a nube and i meant it

the modem sits in my PC box, not external/usb connected. It's a "Wireless G Desktop Adapter" (DWL-G510 - just looked at the box). all i care is that it helps me get connected. I only bought it a year ago and still have 2 more yrs warranty... So i spose i won't be needing it for my iMac as they have the equivalent built-in?!?
Internet is BROADBAND (ADSL2+ with comcen/comFail - having problems with it cutting out every 10mins lately...)

Currently got an Epson CX3900 printer but i think it's dying, i have a spare HP 3-in-1 which i'll use soon i spose.

Is EyeTV a dongle/USB TV tuner type thing that i plug in to watch TV? or is it software?

Are JB/non-apple sellers flexible with price? If i don't end up buying a mouse/keypad then that should get me a discount, add haggling to that and i should be laughing?
If purchasing online thru apple, can u ask them to exclude the mouse/keyboard for a discount?

I'm only really looking into Macs cos i've heard they rarely stuff up... Being an ultranube i need something easy-to-use & reliable. I am preparing for a considerable change-over period so i can acclimatise to Mac OS.

THANKS GUYS YOU'RE CHAMPS

yours FAITHfully
nubemeister

You won't need the D-Link anymore.
The iMac comes with a "Wireless G Adapter (also A, B, and N)" inside.

EyeTV is an adapter. Go to Elgato for more info.

This is Apple. Unless you buy lots of accessories, buy AppleCare etc... don't expect prices to move. It's not a Harvey Norman shop etc that you negotiate with.

When you use the Apple Online Store, you can only remove and deduct so much. You can't say "I don't want OS X, I don't want the keyboard, I don't want the mouse...". You take the default package. If there is a better option, then it is provided e.g. wireless keyboard, wireless mouse. But you cannot say "remove the Mighty Mouse and give me $69 credit" or whatever.

You could try going educational (if you are at school or uni) or EPP (if you work somewhere that has it).

Doesn't make too much of a price difference on the iMacs, but its better than nothing.

8800GS in the 24" is perfect for playing games in bootcamp.

Apple store often has special pricing.

if i had a 24 inch 2.8 model with ATI graphic card, is it i can bring it bak to apple authorised store and ask them help me to upgrade to 8800GS? anyone done that be4? what price range i m looking for

And it is also software, that works with the Elgato EyeTV adapters (aka USB Tuners).

Negative. Buy the model with the graphics chipset you want up front, as you won't be able to change it.