Questions about the Mac? Get them answered here.

Hi, CN.

This is Apple so there is no Word or Powerpoint per se as these are Microsoft programs. You have two options:

(1) Use the Apple equivalents - Pages and Keynote. (Numbers is the equivalent of Excel)

(2) Install Office for Mac onto your Mac (separate software) to run applications like Word on the Mac natively.

There is a third option, using free programs like Open Office. But I am not too familiar with it, although there is supposed to be a great support page in this site for users of OO.

If portability if your key concern, the Air will be your best bet. (Just watch the price.)

Apple products are not susceptible to PC viruses. If there are viruses, Apple will send you updates ASAP when needed.

Not sure what software you had in mind for the "great science program". Maybe you could try browsing through the Mac App Store - with thousands of apps, you just might find one there for your specific needs.

Macs automatically "looks" for wi-fi connections wherever you are.

My iPad has a Skype app so I don't see why a Mac can't have it also.

Photos and music (and using them in creative ways) is one of Apple's strongest points.

Hope this helps,
Joey

• Answered by Joey R from Quezon City
• Jan 28, 2012
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iWork is definitely cheaper, only 20 bucks each (you can choose which to buy separately on the Mac App Store) for Pages (Word) Keynote (Powerpoint) and Numbers (Excel). They can also save in the microsoft office formats, but you shouldn't rely on that too much, since there can be a few changes when you open them up on the pcs. Pages also has different types of, well, pages. Envelopes, resumes, brochures, etc. Overall, iWork is a lot more simpler.

However, if you are a die hard Microsoft fan, and you couldn't figure out a single button without Word, etc., or you would do a LOT of interchanging between mac and PC, go with Office. I do mostly printing, in which case any "changes" don't bother me.

The mac app store has a pdf to iWork converter, called PDF2Office SE for iWork, if you want.

• Answered by Nikko S from Florence
• Jun 25, 2012
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You'll be happiest with the matte screen.

• Answered by Roger K
• Aug 11, 2012
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My teachers use it at school. It is really only if you want to lock down the laptop so no one will casually steal it. you can buy (i guess from Kensington) a 4 number combination lock that clicks in and is attached on the other end to a long thin metal cable that you can loop around any small enough object that isn't going anywhere, like a column of some sort.

Is that good?

• Answered by Nikko S from Florence
• Jun 25, 2012
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I finally managed to place an order for Snow Leopard from the Apple Store. Its not listed on their on-line system nor is it available at any retailer that I know. The only way you can purchase it is by calling the Apple Store.

• Answered by Tony L
• Aug 16, 2012
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Yes, and no. It mostly depends on your HD compression, or lack thereof. For example, in the high-end professional arena, uncompressed 1080i @ 29.97 fps (59.94 fields per second) video will never play consistently in real time from this drive, regardless of the fast connection. That's why most use multi-spindle raid drives configured so that the data from each video frame is divided up and recorded across several drives at once, increasing the bandwidth (your limitation was the 2.0 USB bandwidth). Conversely, in the less demanding home-based and pro-sumer arenas, various HD compressions (H264, Apple ProRes, DNxHD, etc.) could yield very satisfying results on this drive - based, however, on several factors: long GOP compression vs short, 8 bit vs 10 bit, video frame rates, data rates, etc.). Finally, another big factor is whether you are performing fades, video layering, or other transitional effects, from one video clip to another, obviously because this drive will have to buffer heavily and play two or more streams of HD video at once. Bottom line: choose the right HD compression and this drive will run steady. If you need more quality, you'll need more bandwidth (drives).

• Answered by Curtis E from Snellville
• Apr 17, 2013
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