Since I am retiring later this month, yesterday I bought a new laptop for my personal use. The laptop I’ve been using for the last two years is very nice but it belongs to my employer and I will be returning it. My employer gives all administrators a new laptop about every three years and mine has gotten very heavy use. I knew the replacement laptop would have to be a Mac because it has been my preferred platform since 1986. The downside is that Macs tend to be pricier than many PCs, but my computer is one of my most important tools I use and I wanted one I know how to use well.
My new laptop is the same model as my old one… a MacBook Pro. It has an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (it’s fast!!), and more memory than the old one (2 GB RAM and a HD w/ 200 GB). I can really tell the difference in how quickly it processes. The best deal I found was at the bookstore of DH’s university. They gave us an educator’s discount ($250 off the price), a free iPod Touch ($299), a free printer ($185), and 3 years of Apple Care for $183 (regular $349). I also bought the right to use MS Office for $25, so I am all set.
I had budgeted $2500 for the new laptop and came in well under... and I also now have a free printer and iPod. The iPod is going to be given to my DSS and the printer will be donated to my previous school as we do not need another one.
On another note, I am accepting a part-time job working for the university one day a week, just enough to keep me out of trouble. My job will be to supervise student teachers and I am delighted that I’ll stay connected to my field (education). The position is temporary, for the fall semester and possibly the spring. As long as DH continues to teach, it means we will have the same calendar so we will be able to coordinate all our days off.
Great Laptop Deal and Free iPod Touch
August 6th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
August 6th, 2008 at 11:32 pm 1218065565
August 6th, 2008 at 11:47 pm 1218066432
August 7th, 2008 at 01:54 am 1218074059
August 7th, 2008 at 12:31 pm 1218112273
Wow, you've been a Mac fan since 1986? Now that is commitment!
So about this free iPod Touch that you don't need....
August 7th, 2008 at 02:20 pm 1218118843
August 7th, 2008 at 02:46 pm 1218120390
BA - Yep, in 1986 I bought my first Mac... it was an SE 20 that had 1MB of RAM and a 20MB HD. The salesman said that I would never fill up the HD in my lifetime. Boy, have things changed! My current laptop has more speed and capacity than the servers I used to install in my school's computer lab to network a string of Mac Plus desktops back in the ancient days.