[Mark Young]

I saw Apple unleashed a bevy of new products yesterday gearing up for this fall's venture into iCloud/iOS5. As an author and self-publisher, I have relieved on the applications, software of the PC users to meet publishing needs. However, my current PC is reaching its maximum limits and I need to peer into the future to see what I should be purchasing now.

Why should I consider switching to Apple products? Publisher's Weekly said: iCoud is a digital media lock on steroids, syncing all users digital content, especially the content brought from Apple--music, e=Books, apps, documents, even user-created photos.... All of this content is stored in the cloud, available for re-downloading at any time."

My first novel is selling reasonably well through Amazon, followed by Barnes & Noble. Apple has generated almost no sales of my novel, although it is listed their iBookstore. Would I still be able to publish through Amazon if I switch to Apple computing devices?

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

My first novel is selling reasonably well through Amazon, followed by Barnes & Noble. Apple has generated almost no sales of my novel, although it is listed their iBookstore. Would I still be able to publish through Amazon if I switch to Apple computing devices?

Of course. You can publish through anyone you wish. Amazon is still the place to go for ebooks.

As far as the Mac/PC decision, I've been using and programming both since around 1985, and the Mac meets 90% of my computing needs. If I need to run a Windows program when I'm out and about, I run it on the Parallels virtual machine (it can run every non-game Windows program I've ever tried on it. Including Autocad). I use a Mac laptop and have a Windows desktop - which gets used mostly for flight sims. PC World magazine (a Windows-oriented mag) has repeatedly said that Mac laptops run Windows better than most PC laptops. You can buy a Mac and run only Windows on it if you wish. You get a high-quality piece of hardware that can run Windows, Mac, and Linux apps (Linux require an inexpensive piece of software called a virtual machine. Windows may or may not need this, depending on how you set things up).

Honestly, the only Windows things that don't run well on my Mac laptop are games. Macs may seem to be more expensive than PCs, but if you look at comparable machines such as HP, Toshiba, IBM (Lenovo), etc, they are about the same price (comparably equipped). Dell and the like are always going to be less expensive, but I think you get what you pay for.

Apple's announcements this week are pretty compelling. The syncing between devices is pretty good now, and it should be fabulous when iCloud gets cranked up.

What software have you been using to create your ebooks? You may be better off staying with a Windows system.

Mike

 

[Mark Young]

What software have you been using to create your ebooks? You may be better off staying with a Windows system.

Mike: Thanks for this great information. On my last novel, I farmed out the eBook formating for Kindle and ePub format for B&N's Nook, and used Smashwords formating to get to the iBookstore and other vendors. However, I just picked up Adobe Indesign CSF.5 for both my pdf formats and to create eBooks in the future.

 

[Terrence OBrien]

Apple Pages creates ePub.

 

[Retired]

Some accounting software won't run on a Mac either, unless you use Bootcamp or Parallels.

 

[J.R.Mooneyham]

Mark, I was a Mac user until around 2001, when I switched to Windows, because of various incompatibilities and costlier (or completely unavailable for certain functions) software on the Mac. I was self-employed, and needed maximum power and flexibility for minimum cost.

So far as I can tell today, nothing much has changed regarding those issues. Except that the Mac world might be getting even MORE closed in years to come, as many expect Jobs to soon turn the Macs from full-fledged computers into just bigger iPads. Yuck!

Don't get me wrong: iPads are pretty good for what they do: expensive toys for kids and adults. But for many real world work tasks you need a full powered computer, and an iPad ain't it.

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

iPads are pretty good for what they do: expensive toys for kids and adults.

Tell that to all my pilot friends who use iPads instead of lugging around 50 lbs. of paper on their flights.

Mike

 

[J.R.Mooneyham]

Well Mike, researching, writing, organizing, and illustrating all those manuals and documents is a lot different from merely reading them on an iPad.

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

Well Mike, researching, writing, organizing, and illustrating all those manuals and documents is a lot different from merely reading them on an iPad.

The iPad was designed as a media "consumption" device, not a creator. I think it's unfair to slam it for being exactly what was intended.

Mike

 

[KindleChickie]

I have an Android phone.  I love it.  I cannot get an iPhone because I need Sprint network due to my working conditions.  Today I noticed some of my apps were no where to be found on my phone.  I downloaded them from Amazons appstore.  I can see them if I open the appstore app (LOL), but other than that they are not on my phone that I can see. 

Now herein lies the problem.  I have a phone by one company, running software from another company, and buying apps from a whole different company.  Who do I call?

With Apple, they are the hardware/software/appstore all rolled into one.  Anything goes wrong, I go to them.  Period.  I recall my father having issues with a new top of the line HP desktop.  He kept gettting shuffled from HP to Microsoft and back again.  Neither one wanted to say it was their problem and help him.  So I sent him an old iMac I had in the garage and asked him to just give it a try.  That was 4 years ago and he is still plugging away on the little G3 iMac. 

Now having said all that, you could go out and spend $2,000 on a nice new iMac and when something goes wrong, you will get in line with every other Tom, Dick and Harry with their little iPods and iPhones (which are prolific and problematic).  I really, really hate how popular Apple has become with their peripheral devices.  The customer service for the computer users has suffered.  It is still marginally better than some, but I am beginning to wonder whether it is good enough for the prices they charge.  Before the iPhone boom, I really didnt mind paying top dollar because I got top dollar customer service.  Now I am starting to mind.

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

The customer service for the computer users has suffered. It is still marginally better than some, but I am beginning to wonder whether it is good enough for the prices they charge. Before the iPhone boom, I really didnt mind paying top dollar because I got top dollar customer service. Now I am starting to mind.

My experience has been quite different. A year ago, the hard drive on my MacBook crashed after two years of use. I logged onto the Apple Store web site and made an appointment for 10:30 the next morning. I walked in at 10:30, and within a few minutes got shuffled to a tech guy, who concurred that it was the hard drive. He took it into the back work area, replaced the hard drive, brought it back out front, put the latest system software on it, and I was out the door in 25 minutes. At no charge.

I'd call that excellent service.

Mike

 

[KindleChickie]

I couldn't be happier that you got excellent service.  You should, you paid top dollar for your laptop.

I recently purchased a $1600 MacBook air.  I quickly found it did not meet my needs because of how Apples mail and iTunes software works.  So I returned it to the Apple store where I purchased it.  It took over three months to get a refund.  And they treated me very badly when I tried to complain.  Three months.

And this was just the latest issue.  I cannot even begin to remember how many times I have made an appointment, went to the store and sat for over an hour past my appointment time all the time watching the iPod and iPhone customers come and go.  In all the years, and over 15 iPods to date, I have only needed a genius appointment once for an iPod.  I have needed them quite often for my computers.  Yet each time I go in, I am stuck with my high dollar laptop or desktop.

It is what it is, and it is getting worse.  Apple is no longer the boutique computer company they once were and they just don't care.

 

[KindleChickie]

The most recent issue was with my new $829 iPad.  My sync cord sheathing came apart exposing wires.  So I called Apple.  First thing out of their mouths without even seeing the cord was "user error, not covered".  I explained to them that I have had iPods/iPads since they came out and have never had an issue with my sync cable.  This one is obviously defective from manufacture if they could only see it. 

Their solution was I could drive through hideous road construction to get to an Apple store, or they would charge me $30 and ship a new one with a later promise to refund the charge after they receive the defective one back.  Contrast that with Amazon who will ship me a Kindle without charging my credit card.

I get treated like a thief for a charging cord and have to argue it was defective, not great customer service.  Especially when you consider at this point I was still waiting on my $1600 refund.

 

[arshield]

I switched to a Macbook air a couple months ago and have been very happy with it.  A few changes to software.  I have to use vmware for a few things that I still need windows on, but in general very happy.

 

[Mark Young]

Everyone: Thanks for  your input. I see that everyone seems to have varying experiences and thoughts about this product. I guess that is why I am sitting back here trying to decide. Maybe a representative from Apple should be taking notes and sending this information back to the decision makers.

 

[mooshie78]

Macs are very good hardware, but one problem for many is that they are all pretty high end spec wise which is why they cost a lot.  Fine if you need the power as similarly spec'd pcs cost about the same.  But for people with simple computing needs they end up paying more for power they don't need.

The OS has historically been more stable and less prone to viruses and spyware, which is a plus.

A downside is a lot of business and other specialty software is PC only, be it some accounting software, statistical analysis software or individual proprietary software housed by corporations etc.  You can boot windows on a Mac now, but that kind of defeats the purpose.

So if you're like me and need PC only programs for work, and/or work collaboratively with people on PCs, its best to just stick with PCs IMO.  Not worth hasslling with boot camp and file compatibility issues etc.

If you need the power (or just don't mind paying the high price regardless) and don't need PC specific software, then Apple is a good option as it is quality hardware and tends to have fewer problems than PCs and are easier to maintain (fewer virus risks etc.).

 

[Jerri Kay Lincoln]

Hi Mark,  I have a Mac, and have published several books through Amazon.  No problem.  No one has mentioned one of the obvious advantages of a Mac over a PC . . . no virus issues . . . at this time, that is.  There are viruses for Macs out there, but you really have to "invite them in" to be affected.  So, whatever the cost of the PC is, add anti-virus software . . . and then compare it to the Mac.  I'm an ex-PC person and I LOVE Macs.

 

[LunaraSeries]

I was a PC guy, still am in many respects, but the best reason to get an apple is that the hardware is consistant, therefore the software runs better.  All the programs and apps run the same to me, from ms office to the web.  Apples only downfall, hardcore games, like ghost recon or siThe mcity.

The Kindle app runs great on a ipad or iphone.

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

Apples only downfall, hardcore games, like ghost recon or siThe mcity.

Don't both of those have Mac versions?

Mike

 

[LunaraSeries]

Mac versions of games aren't good.  Read a few reviews and you will see a litany of complaints about PC games moved onto the Mac.  It is an afterthought and usually tries to run on win emulators for mac.  Win emulators are garbage.