I use mac computers for my work at university and since joining two years ago I have had to go and buy my own. The apple power mac G4 is as powerful as any PC and can be used in exactly the same way yet the small differences make the computer feel nicer and more personal.
DESIGN Apple put alot of time and effort into making their computers look awesome and they certainly do. The apple power mac G4 as you can see by the picture looks great and definatly has an edge over a standard PC tower, the smooth curves, the light grey shimer and the apple emblem on the side make this stand out above the rest.
FEATURES Obviously the spec can vary from computer to computer but on a basic pakage expect- 80g HD 256mb RAM 1.25 processor speed CD/MP3 reader/burner Apple OSX software 3 USB ports 2 Firewire ports The above gives you some idea of the basics and will give you a basic guide as what to expect.
USABILITY At first I found the concept of the mac system very difficult to get to grips with but after a while I started to understand it, basically it is all the reverse of a PC, you open programmes and then select them by clicking the icon on the top menu bar and after this you can open a window in the selected programme. Now I am used to it I couldn't go back, it is so much more simple and easy to use than a PC, You might be worried about compatibility but there is no need to, Macs all have inbuilt software in OSX which de codes any microsoft programmes and you can also save work in MICROSOFT format, you can even buy Microsoft programmes to run on macintosh computers!!! I personaly found I created a bond with my computer and didn't shout at it or get angry because it never crashes! Macs have quaint little touches like speech activation where you can chat to your computer, you might think this is a bit sad but it is quite fun when your getting bored of doing your work you just simply ask your computer to tell you a joke!!!! BRILIANT!!!
PRICE One major down fall of this computer is the price, depending on the spec you can pay from £550 (like me) or up to £2000!!!
SET UP It sets itself up, just plug it in, I hardly had to read the instructions!!
SUMMARY I believe macs are brilliant although they are not the best for everyone, I am not the most logical person, I am more creative therefore the mac suits me better as it allows me a bit more creative space and gives me the freedom to create music on my computer as well as doing written work. Macs do offer a good alternative but if you are not somebody that likes being different then they might not be for you.
More details
Reliability
Excellent
Memory / capacity
Good
Range of Extra Features
Excellent
Instruction manual
Very useful
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