So my laptop has been on the fritz since sometime in Alaska.
Fish wasn’t the only thing I was catching… I was catching some serious viruses on the ‘ol Lenovo.
It kept slowing down and doing crazy stuff like anytime I clicked on a website from a Google search, it would go to a spam website. awesome.
{In happier times and still head over heels in Lenovo love}
I was going to my husband reimage it but he said to go ahead and buy a new one since mine was like 1000 years old. at least in computer years.
So yesterday he went out and bought a HP Beats Envy laptop… for me. sure, for me.
Ummm, yeah. You know me, just a regular ‘ol DJ Mix Master.
I made him return it.
I don’t think I really need supersonic bass and an Ibiza club rivaling sound system. I mean, I haven’t updated my ipod in over 2 years. According to my musical selections, Chumbawumba and Mambo #5 are still hot stuff.
I’m all about practicality: I want lots of memory and hard drive and those hamsters that run really fast on the wheel to power the whole thing.
After doing research and talking to different people, we bought a plain old acer laptop from Frys. They honored the lowest online price so we saved an additional $80 off their list price. Score one for smartphones to do last minute price checking.
And a $50 rebate on Norton security. need that.
Now our table looks like a crap hurricane hit it.
A couple of you said to get a Mac and my SIL said the same thing – she’s never had a virus on hers in 5 years. But I just can’t. I’m a creature of habit and I can’t switch sides.
Plus, the Apple store is like my 8th level of hell – so many people crammed in there all the time waiting and geeking out about techie stuff.
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{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
I am so not a Mac girl either! HP all the way and never had any trouble. Had a Mac for work a few years ago. Bought it brand new, and less than a year later it totally crashed for no reason. Not only was it a PITA to get work done while it was being fixed, the total bill after repair was 2K. I’ll pass, thanks.
I am going to have to bite the bullet and get a new laptop soon. I don’t know if I can cross over to the other side either (MAC). Everyone that I know that one, loves it.
I swear by Avast anti-virus – and it’s free! It’s a much smaller program and doesn’t eat up so much memory space when it runs. There’s also a paid version that has expanded coverage for like $20 a year, but I haven’t found that I’ve needed it (and I’ve used Avast for at least 2 years).
I’ve used Avast for years, however I’ve found that some of the latest updates slow down computers running Windows XP. So I installed Microsoft Security Essentials, which boosts the performance of the computer, and does just as good a job as Avast…and is also Free!
SR- You might be able to resurrect your old laptop with minimal effort. If you didn’t want to reformat it and install Windows again, and keep it as a spare/backup.
In the computer world, the ‘newer is always better’ mantra generally holds true. Except for creatures of habit (;
I love my Mac, but my husband uses a Lenovo. He just couldn’t justify spending the money on a Mac, which I get. Enjoy the new laptop! You are smart to just go ahead and get the anti-virus as soon as you got the computer.
I am on my second 500 dollar Acer in 5 years and I love it! I can’t justify the Mac either~!
I’m personally a Mac user, and although they don’t get viruses they still can get issues and need replacing after a while.
I say stick with what you know, especially if you get a great deal!
I can’t do Mac either – just not in my blood. My city just got their first Apple store and it’s just terrifying…why do they need like 28 employees in each aisle at all times?
PCs all day! i need a new one too…Apple is no where in my price limit
It’s true “once you go MAC, you’ll never go back”!!! Mac’s rule, very user friendly and they are designed to NEVER get viruses. I’m a MAC junkie: iPhone, iPad, iPhone, iMac, and iPod. I call it love!!! But, I hope your new PC treats you right ’cause I sure love reading your posts!
You can’t use WLW on a mac. I would have to quit blogging if I switched.
me too. i dig wlw so hard im thinking of getting a tattoo of it… on my butt cheek.
I love my macs but must agree the apple store is hell! Good luck with your new computer. Does this mean your blog will be better?
I’m a Mac person now because my husband is also an IT (nerd) guy, but in a Mac department. They are beautiful objects, and the operating system is aesthetically amazing. I’m glad you got a new computer, though – any new computer, before it gets all gunked up with searches and cookies (and brownies and cake) is so fun to use.
I love my Mac. I have never had a virus and I’ve had it for 5 years. It is just now getting somewhat slow. I know the apple Store sucks, but online buying isn’t bad.
I guess we can’t be friends anymore. This was your chance at fixing your biggest personality flaw
If each reader gave you $1 you’d easily scrape together the funds for a 13″ macbook air which is just about as close to perfection as a laptop can get.
I also hate the apple store, it’s so crowded nobody goes there anymore. Online shopping is the way to go.
OSX isn’t really any better or worse than Win 7 for a typical user. A lot of people confuse the OS with the hardware since most mac owners don’t boot to Win 7. So, if you’re happy with Windows, you can still be a mac owner once you abandon the “cheapest is best” mentality which is the strongest argument against anything apple. It does kind of suck to pay extra for a license key for Win 7 after buying a fairly expensive laptop though.
Using a HP netbook (yeah, small one there) at home (I’ve access to a HP desktop in the office) – works out for me but would love to change to a Mac when it “dies”.
As everyone is agast at your Apple defiance I am still tripping on u having Chumbawumba on your mp3 player!! Girl- I almost LOL and woke my husband! Do u have a list of all the songs on ur player? Would love to look it over!
Ok so on to the Mac vs PC- eh I’ve always had pc. Never considered Mac- I feel 1) I’m not trendy enough 2)prob too Expensive and 3) it’s so lite I’d prob break it..
Glad ur back up online on a new Laptop! Your gonna regret not getting the Beats laptop u could have totally started mixing SR mps3 and sold em as Run Jams 2012!
ur my fave! Later!
I got a new laptop for grad school a year and a half ago, and I looked at everything, and was back and forth with a Mac…. but I just couldn’t do it either. I’m a PC girl, and am on my third Dell… I always end up going with one. The battery life makes me sad, but I’ve never had issues with any of mine. And the prices Macs’ make me want to cry..
Just walking past the Apple store is scary!!!
I am such a PC person too! I have extended family in the city I live in and they are all Mac people…when I go to their house and use their computers, I have to ask my 13-year-old cousin to help me figure everything out–she thinks I’m an old lady and obviously not smart since I can’t figure out a computer
No right-click button or menu? No, thank you!
Mac’s are a great product.. if you do a lot of website development or graphical development stuff. I’d stick to a regular PC if your needs are Microsoft word, excel, power point, and basically the internet. You’d be paying way too much for something so sophisticated and you wouldn’t even be using all of its functions! (computer nerd talking). Anyway, you got a solid computer with some great antivirus stuff. Good choice and I hope it works well for your needs!
I’m a mac girl, but use a lenovo at work. I hate Windows, but I also get that macs are like 100X more expensive.
I bought an Acer from Frys and it lasted me a happy two years, then I switched to the dark side and got a Mac. I’ve never been into a Mac store. I’ve never even needed to call their number for help … Mac Support can be done all over the phone/email or if necessary, you can go into their store. But, you make an Appointment, so you’re in and out pretty quick.
Mac’s really are THE BEST. And you can buy a refurbished one online (my first Macbook was), and it still comes with the same warranty and you can save yourself a few Benjamin’s.
I did dig my old Acer though
Until the blue screen of death.
Oh SR, how I weep for u. Please listen to all these smart women & go to a Mac. We run 2 biz, have 5 iMacs, 3 iPhones & an iPad. All shooping done online. Best support, tho rarely needed.
Pls reconsider, u r brave, go to the Apple store. End of rant.
I use a Mac at work and im meh about it. not worth the ridiculous price jUST to avoid viruses. Just avoid getting viruses and start doing regular checks and u are golden! Enjoy the new lapper!
I would not use Norton or McAfee for any type of protection. Besides being overpriced, you can get great protection from AVG or Avira. My IT guy swears by these and I’ve had them on my two home computer for years with no problems.
Girl you totes should have kept the 1st computer! You could have added DJ to your list of jobs!
I am totally with you on Macs. Everyone I know says they are heaven on earth, but I don’t want to move to the other side with my computer. I already did that with my iPhone (and it is heavenly). Yay for PCs!
girl, you’re funny! “chumbawumba & maroon #5″ IS still cool!!
You are too funny! I actually was a DIE HARD MAC GIRL. Until my Macbook died. Now, I have a pink sony laptop and am as happy as can be!
Once you go Mac you never go back.
I “inherited” my husbands mac when he built his own super-computer desktop and I love it to pieces even though it needs a new battery so I have to drag the power cord around with me where ever I want to use it. But I agree with you on never wanting to set foot in an apple store. Ever.
I had an Acer in college! It was definitely a good computer and I loved it, but I guess it didn’t have much memory or gigabytes or whatever those techies call it on it because it ended up becoming SO slow and dying
I also am not very computer savvy so I probably could have prevented that in some way, but all in all it was a great computer!
I’m not a Mac person either, but my husband is. He loves him some Apple products. I am the same way as you, the Apple store freaks me out, I hate places like that. And IKEA.
We have a macmini in our office – it’s 5 years old and I think it’s finally time to replace it.
I have to say, it has been pretty reliable. But I was only able to stomach paying $500 for that little guy back then. I’m not sure I can cough up over a grand for an Apple laptop give that you can get a decent PC laptop for like $400. I don’t know. The other option is installing Linux (like Ubuntu) to avoid viruses. Or making a Hackintosh if you have an Intel processor (my coworker did that – installing Mac OS on a former PC laptop – worked alright).
Ha! Your so funny….I’m like you, though…I’m going to stick with what works and I don’t need the biggest and baddest thing out there to send an email and check trashy blogs….(~smirk~)…No, seriously, though, I have not had problems with my current one..a Toshiba, I call Toby. The only thing I cannot stand is that the plug is on the side, as opposed to the back, and it is constantly being unplugged. If the cord sticks out a bit as my kiddos (4 going 7 of them) go whipping by, they trip and fall and send my laptop flying!
Note to Toshiba…put the plug in the BACK where it belongs!
My husband is in IT and when my computer suddenly died on me a year ago, he asked, “When’s the last time you backed this up?” I wanted to pull his hair out. He’s my IT dude, he’s supposed to back stuff up! Fortunately, for him and his mad IT skills, he was able to resurrect my computer and retrieve my files. Lucky for him!
Hey! The picture of you typing on your old laptop is the one they used in Fitness! Congrats on Best Running Blog by the way!! (:
i know
Glad you didn’t convert. You don’t need a mac to show you are cool. We already know you are.
Should have gone the Costco route. You get an extra year warranty included in the price; plus in reality you can return it for credit anytime. Also, not to put a damper on your purchase -Why Norton?? My IT security friend recommended AVG; he claims their free app is better than Norton or McAffee. I use it, and have not had any virus issues.
Anyway, your running distances are looking great!!!!!!!
we checked out costco first and my husband liked the specs for the price on this one better.
nortons came with the computer for free.