Wow, I don't know about you, but watching this ad by Microsoft just made my Mac ego shot through the roof:
March 2009 Archives
Another year, another bundle. Macheist probably offers the most affordable Mac software bundle out there. This time with 12 apps for US$39, or 13 if you're one for the first 25,000 people to place an order. It's US$10 cheaper than last year's bundle; recession-friendly prices, perhaps.
Even if you're not interested, just visiting the site will reward you with EventBox. Here are the rest of the bunch: iSale, Picturesque, SousChef, World of Goo, PhoneView, LittleSnapper, Acorn, Kinemac, WireTap Studio, BoinxTV, The Hit List, Espresso and Big Bang Board Games.
The best thing about software bundles is that even if you already own some of the software in the bundle, or that you're not interested in most of the them, just finding one or two that you do want will already pay for itself, and you can consider the rest as bonuses, to explore further. Who know? You might like them, too.
It's nearly two weeks, and I'm still waiting for my new 24-inch iMac to arrive. I hope it comes soon.
[Update: 25 March 2009] Just received a call this morning that the new iMacs are in stock, and mine will be delivered tomorrow afternoon. Yay! Now I just have to clear a big space for it on my desk.
The new iPod shuffle is slick, without controls of any kind on the surface; everything is done on the earbuds. Plus, it talks back, so finally it makes sense to not have a screen. I wonder what will happen when it encounters Chinese songs? I'm guessing it turns back to the old iPod shuffle.
[Update: 16 March 2009] Just learned from SCMP (subscription required) that the new shuffle does speak Chinese--in Putonghua, with a Beijing female accent.
I finally took the plunge and ordered the newly upgraded 24-inch iMac. I chose the base model, the 2.66GHz with 4GB RAM and 640GB hard drive, which is plenty powerful. About the only downside is its integrated graphics card. But at HK$2,400 less than one with dedicated memory, I think I can do without it. Besides, I'm not a gamer, so I shouldn't notice that big of a difference in performance with everyday tasks.
I said finally, because the last time I had an iMac was when it first came out in 1998, the Bondi Blue. After that, I replaced it with a couple of PowerBooks and never used a desktop again, until now.
The lower price point (HK$11,700) of the upgraded iMac (2.66GHz) is just too good to pass up. Plus, I'm getting a 6 percent off from the shop I'm ordering from, not to mention there's no sales tax in Hong Kong, so I'm saving at least another 5 percent. Also, I was planning to buy a retail copy of iLife '09, but is now bundled with the iMac. So I'm getting quite the bargain through and through.
Even though the new iMacs are already in stock, I'm upgrading to the wireless keyboard (HK$220) and mouse (HK$150), so I have to wait around two weeks for delivery.
All the reviews are assuring me I'm getting a good deal, even when compared to similarly configured PCs.
