I start a new job this week and their systems are all Apple based, Macs and iphones. I have always been a pc and blackberry user. Is there anything i should know on how to make the transition to apple as seamless as possible?

On a related note, i need to beef up my ipod capacity and am thinking about investing in a ipod classic 160gb – to get all of my music (approx 400 albums) on one portable device (the nano 8gb has no where near enough space). Will the iphone make an ipod classic redundant or do i need both?

Short answer is yes.

There are a few quirks of each operating system which take a bit of getting used to, some of which will feel right after a week or two and some you’ll wonder why on earth they do things this way for ever more but overall the differences are fairly minor and you’ll make the transition just fine. Not knowing the new keyboard shortcuts will make things feel a little slow initially but again it’s nothing you won’t pick up after a few weeks. It’s good to know both operating systems.

For me the worst thing about the apple systems are the mice, I find the shape of the magic mouse to be the second most uncomfortable mouse i’ve ever used (the first was an earlier apple mouse), see how you get on with it but if you start to find it uncomfortable you might want to switch back to a less slick looking but more ergonomic mouse.

As for the phone and the music, depending on what else you have on the phone the 32GB should hold all your music at a decent bit rate. If you get given the 16GB model then I doubt you’ll have enough space. So i’d hold off buying the iPod and wait and see what capacity phone you get given first.

Good luck in your new job.

Use both and MW is on the money. I find the apple technology to be slicker and more fun, but probably the same in terms of productivity.

I made the switch about 7 years ago and never looked back. Your main benefit for day to day use will be stability. Apple have built their software and hardware to co-exist making them work much better in tandem.
People moan about being restricted to certain so called ‘Limitations’ of apple systems (restricted software, different interfaces etc) stick with Windows, and then have to endure never ending system failures, incompatibility issues and a labour intensive system for their ‘freedom’
I’d prefer not to complicate things and work with things that just do what I need them to do.
That’s why I am %100 happy with my switch and why I believe that unless you are into programming or gaming or viruses, after a few months in your new job you’ll be pining for macs at home.

I’ll prob get die hard windows fans stepping onto a soapbox here. But the mac works for me, and for countless friends who have made the same switch.

Macs and pc’s both work, and work well. The only significant difference is in the shape of the box and the colour of the icons. It’ll be fine, as long as you can find the on button.

I first started using Mac’s at university and hated them as everything i knew how to do I had to relearn. They seemed complicated and deliberately confusing. I had to stick with them and now find the Apple way of doing things the better. You will be fine, good luck in your new job and congratulations.

Apple have built their software and hardware to co-exist making them work much better in tandem.

lol

Thanks folks

As I am now redoing about twenty minutes worth of work I can testify that software still crashes regardless of the operating system.

As I am now redoing about twenty minutes worth of work I can testify that software still crashes regardless of the operating system.

In which case, you’ll find the ‘save’ function is now “cmd+s”, not “ctrl+s”.

Having now been using a mac for 3 days, I’m already an expert see 🙂

In which case, you’ll find the ‘save’ function is now “cmd+s”, not “ctrl+s”.

Helpfully, OS 10.7 is supposed to have an autosave feature that allows you to go back through revisions of your document. Pity it doesn’t work with Office yet…

Andy

I have an 80Gb 5G iPod, which is almost full, and a 32Gb iPhone, which is what I tend to use most, as I have it with me all the time, my Shure SE215 ‘phones are used as ear protection and I need to receive calls from another work unit. The ‘Pod will probably be sent to the States for a battery and HDD transplant to take it up to 230Gb. I’ve used Macs since ’95, had a PowerBook since 2003, and today had a Mac Mini modified by my local dealer so it now has two HDD’s, 350Gb and 750Gb, and an extra 2Gb of RAM, up to 4Gb. The optical drive will be replaced with an external USB multidrive, and it’ll be hooked up to my 40″ Bravia. It’s costing me £530, plus I’ll use a Magic Trackpad as well as a BT Mac Mouse, and I’ll be using an app on my phone to access the desktop when I’m away from home. It’s had Lion installed too.