I spent my Sunday buying and then setting up this bad boy!
A new iMac!
I can already tell you that it was worth every second of time and every penny spent because I am already in love with my new computer!
It’s so much faster than my 4+ year old pin-wheeling-from-hell old Mac. <—I discussed that already and anyone who has a Mac loathes the pinwheel. And I was getting it 85% of the time!
I couldn’t wait any longer for a new computer. This went from an “I’d like to have” to an “I must have” purchase, immediately, upon our return from Aruba.
I think my old computer must have read my blog post and gotten wind I was thinking about trading it in for a new model and decided to really act up for me and force my hand into a brand spakin’ new machine. Some things are “meant to be” I guess. Like my new computer!
What I purchased from the Apple Store in San Diego is this computer (not yet on the Apple website yet because it’s only a month old). It’s a 3.4 Ghz i7 Quad-Core Dual with 8GB RAM. If you don’t know a thing about computers, all you need to know is the is the Lamborghini of computers. Screamin’ fast and powerful.
And I am in heaven with it!
Blogging, internet surfing, sitting at my desk is already more fun!
I have already noticed it takes me:
less to to wait for WordPress to load things when I’m blogging (such as finding links to old blog posts, creating new links, adding photos)
less time for me to do anything on the internet from surfing to posting comments on other people’s blogs
to no pinwheeling while I am using Lighroom 3 for photo editing
less time to upload pictures
the screen is huge and fabulous and I can have so many things open at once
I am digging the wireless keyboard I had a Magic Mouse with my last computer that I purchased separately but this computer came with a Mighty Mouse
The only random thing I am hating is that for some reason, getting a new computer must have made half the WordPress blogs I comment on think I am a spammer because my comments are going into moderation on many WP blogs. Not all WP blog, but many, and I don’t know if people realize they have comments in moderation via email alerts from WP letting them know (I sometimes get them from WP, but not always). I hope that gets sorted out soon. Something to do with my IP address, I’m sure. But it wouldn’t have changed? Technology is weird.
I also purchased Apple Care so basically if anything happens to my new lover in the next 3 years, it will be covered under warranty and it should be free should anything happen to go wrong. Somehow with technology, things always do. Plus there’s free phone support for 3 years.
And I bought a new external hard drive so I can back things up. New computer = new external drive.
Clean slate, fresh start.
Please, back your machines up whether you have a PC or a Mac, you must back up!
I had all my music and iTunes from my old Mac on an external drive and I transferred that onto the new machine.
6000 songs at a buck or two bucks each? Do the math. Buy an external drive if for nothing else, peace of mind.
I still haven’t touched or moved photos and I don’t think I will. I will just keep my “favorite” 25,000 photos parked on the old external drive and if I really want to go back and look at them, I know where they’re at. I don’t want to import and clutter my new computer unnecessarily.
Point being, however, if you aren’t backing up your computer and you lost all your music + photos, how would you feel? Music can be replaced for a fee. Photos cannot. And yes, even external hard drives to fail, but it’s better than not doing it at all!
I also wasted money on purchased Microsoft Windows
I purchased Windows so that I can run Windows Live Writer (WLW) on my Mac. Not familiar with WLW? See this post.
In order to run WLW:
You need Windows and you need a program such as VMWare Fusion or Parallels that allows one to run Windows on a Mac.
Thankfully, I worked a deal out at the Mac store for the VMWare Fusion!
I didn’t pay that. Yay!
But I was not as lucky when I ventured “down the hall” of the mall and into Microsoft and paid for a Windows license, in entirety.
Ouch. $220 after tax.
Why do I want to run Windows on my new Mac? In order to run Windows Live Writer so I can be a more efficient blogger!
So now that I have officially bored you with talk of my computer, we can talk about my last post, the Greek Festival I went to over the weekend.
It was fun to read about what festivals you’ve attended and most everyone loves festivals, fairs, and of course the food that goes with them!
In terms of food, I think everyone loves Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and 3 minute recipes, right?
Try a Microwave Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oat Snack Bar out.
Questions:
1. Do you get excited about new technology? Is it important for you to stay current with technology?
I will admit, I love it. I was stoked about my iPhone, my Macbook, my camera, yes, I do get very excited by these things.
I’d rather buy camera equipment than lingerie these days if that tells you anything!
So it was a pricey Sunday but I look at my blog as a job, of sorts. I don’t make enough money from my blog to quit my dayjob. Far from it! But blogging is a large part of my life: two posts a day, comments, reader questions, reading others’ blogs, and so much more. Having a machine to keep up with my needs is key.
Also, photography is a big part of my life and I hope it becomes an even bigger part and I’d love to explore my photography in a more professional sense so having a machine in which I can edit my photos efficiently and effectively is absolutely necessary. And let me just tell you, the screen size is huge and makes editing simply amazing. I don’t think anyone says, yay, I get to sit down and edit 200 photos today but I will say, I am almost saying that because the screen is honkin’ ginormous and makes editing a breeze! And no pinwheeling, either, of course!
And let’s face it, we live in a technology-driven society and I’d rather invest in quality now, and know that for the next many years, I am set and don’t need to buy a thing.
2. I haven’t broken the seal on the VMWare or the Windows license. For anyone who blogs with Windows Live Writer, you can tell me if it’s worth it. I know it is, but just tell me it is!
Have you tried blogging with any other software such as Ecto or WLW? Or would you like to try them?
3. Do you back up your computer?
I hope so!
4. Best thing you ate or did over the weekend?
Computer
and No Bake Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites made for an amazing weekend for me!
Have a great week!
If you show those divine little bites again I may break down and make them ;)
Oww owwww and look at that sexy computer! congratrs on your new mac-ie-poo =) xo
It’s so preeetttty :) We had a Mac laptop for a few months (an Macbook? ibook?) But sold it not too long after. I loved it, but the OS’s Shane works off of work better for Windows (or something like that? lol) Sure was pretty though! :)
I definitely get excited for new technology and gadgets!
What a pretty computer! I am typically a pc girl myself but I’ve used apple computers before and they are nice.
After you mentioned WLW a few days ago, I downloaded it. It is really convenient and much faster to use than the regular wordpress platform, especially with pictures.
And backing up your computer is so important! My old computer crashed along with all my music [like 3,000 songs] because I kept putting off backing it up. I know better now!
omg that sucks about your music!
thanks for lmk you installed WLW and just like THAT you are up and running with it. much faster, eh? Like I should break the seal on my $220 worth of software so I can install it ?
that is a sexy piece of machine! did you see the release info on the iOS5 and cloud? pretty amazing stuff! steve jobs. you have a genius crew working around you! i totally geek out over new tech and listen to the apple talks every tuesday lol. i love greek food! i sometimes back stuff up on an external hard drive. better safe than sorry!
“did you see the release info on the iOS5 and cloud?”– no you have me beat on geek status with that one…I do know about clouds but not the other info..lol
I am such a mac girl. My family’s first computer was an apple 2E, and I brought a blueberry iMac to college with me. I bought a new iMac in 2006 and it still works great- although I do have to move all of my music to external drive also! I also just bought a Macbook when the ThinkPad my PhD program gave me took a crap for good. The IT guy told me the only way to fix was to throw it out the window. Love my new laptop and syncing all of my various products together! Enjoy!
PS- I made the avocado banana ice cream and it is FAB!
oh macs ROCK! i am such a mac girl, but never thoughht I would be! i think most people turn to the dark side haha…the picture and technology is just amazing! enjoy it in good health!
I LOVE that computer!! That’s the exact one I want :) I’m using an old MAC notebook right now and it is sooo slow! I’m going to be making the Coconut chocolate chip cookie dough bites tomorrow for a work function we are having. I’m sure everyone will love them!!
xoxox
keep me posted on the Coconut chocolate chip cookie dough bites :)
Ooooh, I like it! Tiny keyboard :D I’ve never owned a Mac, other than iPod/iPad/iPhone, but I play with them when I go to Best Buy. LOVE the big monitor. You can NEVER have enough desktop real estate, lol.
I just compared your current IP (today’s) to what it was last month and it’s the same. So, you’re likely getting in spam/awaiting moderation due to a browser issue. e.g., WordPress finds your new computer’s browser suspicious for some reason. Not sure, but try upgrading any browser software if you haven’t already. Weird, for sure!
just told prev commenter
“no problems w/ the keyboard..it’s the same size really as other kb’s, it just doesnt have the numerical pad at the right making it appear shorter but it’s really not.”
ok this “WordPress finds your new computer’s browser suspicious for some reason.”–yes but i think it’s getting the point as more and more bloggers fish me out of moderation status; it’s moderating me less today now that half a dozen told WP i am “safe”.
thx for the IP cross referencing
and yes, brand spanking new firefox installed yesterday…weird.
Yay, congrats! Sometimes it’s so right to spend the money and have what you actually need and want. I hope that you get wonderful use out of it.
I’m curious whether you’ll like the keyboard: it looks like these mac keyboards I’ve seen that are a size smaller than standard and maybe have some keys transposed: I think I had a hard time touch-typing on one. But I’m sure you’ll get used to it and it does look beautiful.
Great reminder to back stuff up. I don’t know why I’m so bad at that. I could be pretty tech-savvy if I paid it the attention, and often, I just don’t. But as I get more into blogging (esp realizing that I should migrate to wp, thank you again) I’m recognizing that I need to re-up my tech-savvy.
love
Ela
no problems w/ the keyboard..it’s the same size really as other kb’s, it just doesnt have the numerical pad at the right making it appear shorter but it’s really not.
I so want a new computer now. I’m currently searching the internet for a new car though. I suppose one thing at a time, huh?
I like that I still get the education discount on all apple and microsoft products. If I ever I do decide to bite the bullet with WLW. I doubt I will though. Too lazy to learn something new right now.
“I like that I still get the education discount on all apple and microsoft products”– jealous!
I could have saved $100s on software just the past 60 days with that!
Is there not a WLW equivalent for Macs? It seems like such a pain to have something like that – especially since Macs ARE better, yet here we have to convert to Windows…somewhat. I’m just wondering if there’s any other options, because I also use only Macs.
I do back-up my comp (especially after I had a misfortunate accident a few years ago where my macbook crashed the weekend before I had a 20 page paper due. Let’s just say they couldn’t recover anything, I was crying in the mac store and had to rewrite my whole paper all over again – this included finding ALL the research papers I had used for referencing). My back-up drive is completely full though (I just backed up a few days ago), so I’ll have to buy a new one ASAP!
Your mac is beautiful, I love the big, bright screen! I really want to get a mac, I’ll probably get one when I graduate….1 year…..
The best thing I ate this weekend were raspberry chocolate coconut cups!
Nice one! I’m not too techy, and I don’t always need to get the latest of everything, but I must admit I do enjoy my iphone!
I’m drooling over your new mac…I want it. Chances are, I will buy one too :) I don’t like to skimp when it comes to making my life and work more enjoyable, more convenient, and less frustrating (darn pinwheel!).
One thing I can’t get past…Macs are so freakin’ amazing, and apple is so on top of things…why is there nothing comparable to WLW for mac? I just don’t get that at all.
Yay! Your new computer is beautiful! :)
Best thing I did this weekend: Girls’ night out in New York!
YAY for new IMAC!! I love macs :D