One of the critical steps towards making a transition to Mac is to perform at least a basic needs assessment.
What I will need to replace my current configuration:
Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint) - These are very important for home business and online college coursework.
Wireless compatibility - My main PC is connected to my DSL Modem and wireless router - may need to look into this a little closer, hmm.
80+ Gigabyte Hard Drive - Main PC currently is 60 GB
In my initial review of new Macs its pretty clear that all other items in my current configuration are pretty old and would easily be met or exceeded by any new Mac.
It's one of the reasons I have waffled for so long. It's an all to common argument. It's why I have gone back to just being a PC almost every time I really think about becoming a Mac - they are expensive. And, dang-it, this week's advertisements are just not helping!!!
In the Sunday newspaper is an ad for this beautiful, I know because I touched and played with it at the store, HP TouchSmart. Most comparable to the Apple iMac 20" and the price is really nice when you see that it comes with a built-in HD TV Tuner. Perhaps a bedroom TV replacement? I will have to do a side-by-side comparison in the near future.
As if that wasn't enough, check out this new commercial from Microsoft. Completely fake, but it does make a strong case for the everywhere available, cheaper by the dozen, all too popular, Windows PC.
Update on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 11:19AM by
John
Are Mac's Really that expensive?
Well, I've been doing a little research and in my research I came across a great website of a writer that took the time to compare a Mac to similar PCs in terms of specifications and price. The result was very interesting. Here's a quote from his FAQ for the lazy and a link for the interested:
Q. Could you do me a favor and tell me your conclusions now, so I don’t have to click through the whole darn story and read thousands of words?
A. Sure, but only because it’s you. I found that the MacBook Pro had some features the other machines didn’t, and lacked others they did have, and was competitive overall, even when you ignore its operating system and treat it as a hunk of hardware. It cost less than the Dell, about the same as the HP, and $350 more than the Lenovo. And it was $1200 more than the Sony–although that machine was the skimpiest of the four. All in all, the MacBook Pro is priced nearer the high end of what you might pay for a similar Windows laptop than the low end, but if there’s a Mac tax it seems no worse than the Dell Tax or HP Tax–in this case, at least.
Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 9:25PM 
John
;)