Preserved Topic: New Macs

Now that I'm finally pulling in some cash from freelance work in addition to my horribly paying student job I am lining up a loan to purchase a new computer. I've decided to pay the premium to go back to Macintosh, partly because OS X looks incredible, and partly because the standardized hardware and software over a wider user base makes unusual problems that no other user has ever heard of rare to non-existant.

I am somewhat attracted to a 450 mhz cube or perhaps a dual-processor model, but these current models have been available for quite some time now. The tech guy here at work tells me the new models will have significantly better architecture. So now I'm questioning whether I should play the waiting game, or just get one now for probably a 100% increase in productivity.

Does anyone know any good sites with detailed information about Apple's new models' features or release date speculation?

Things will *always* get better! Question is - will it make your life better now, or can you wait. I haven't heard rumors of radically new hardware in the immediate future (though you can bet it's coming anyway). There was quite an extensive thread here about the Cube a month or so ago - might search for that. Bottom line if I remember was to go for a tower instead of the cube for it's expandability. About the only thing you can expand on the Cube is its RAM (though they are beautiful beautiful machines!!)

I'm waiting until OSX is out of Beta. I know lots of people who have bought the beta so they'll be ready when it comes out, but I don't need to prep an enterprise for the new OS and I have the willpower to wait for the shipping version, so that's what I'm doing.

Multi processor .. well, what do you do? If it's mostly web work I doubt the extra money is justified - even when OSX supports dual procesors natively. If it's big files for print,then you'll see a big difference I understand. Even though OS9 doesn't support multi processors, Photoshop has a plug-in now that does, so you'll see extra speed from PS, even though the Finder can't take real advantage of it.

i bought my yosemite G3 about 1.5 yrs ago and like 2 weeks later they announced the coming of the G4. that's just life. i love my G3, i do mostly PS, after effects and premier work and my machine is perfect for what i do. you gotta just go with what you want and need out of your machine - steve made some very good points - you really can't go wrong with a mac - i HATE pc's. (and having said that, this pc i have at work will probably crash) <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">

if you decide to buy a machine now, the best thing you can possibly do would be to get a dual g4/450 tower. if you buy it from apple's site you can config it down to a minimum memory/hard drive and save a lot of money by getting your own parts on the web. i will gladly assist you if you choose this route, i've been using macs since 1987 =)

if you plan on waiting, the new version of the G4 (G4+ / v'ger) is coming out soon (who knows *how* soon, but a january MW introduction wouldn't be a bad bet) which should run around 700mhz. this new chip also sports a few architectural improvements that should make photoshop roar.

as for apple information, there is:
http://www.appleinsider.com http://www.mosr.com http://www.theregister.co.uk

the first two are rumor sites, the last one is an industry zine that also contains rumors, but i think it's a lot more sane than the first two.

if you could tell me what your work is typically like i can give you some more detailed information.

Thanks, that last link was a real gold mine. I think I'll probably just get a 400mhz G4 so that I have enough cash to get 256m RAM, a scanner, and a printer.

As for my work, well I mostly use Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Bryce, and Infini-D. Although I am looking forward to playing Quake 3 and will definitely need to play Halo and Oni when those hit the shelves. By the time I need something faster I should be making enough that I should be able to pick up one of the high speed G4 Pluses.