Opinions solicited please...

[anonymouse1]

+1

Black wrote:
I chose this one over that one:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/G0JM0L...TkwOTc0MTQ
500 GB has not been enough for about 2 years . . . it benchmarks higher than the newer one on most everyday tasks. And it doesn't have a useless hole for which nothing is made . . .

[graylocks]

cbelt3 wrote:
I second the desktop approach. A laptop becomes a 'toy' for a child of that age, and WILL become broken.

i emphatically agree. just because a tween/teen may prefer a laptop does not mean it's the best thing for them. also want to throw in that at this age (and through the teen years as far as i'm concerned) the computer needs to be in a common room so that his activity can be monitored. a laptop makes doing this much more complicated. that's why my 17 year old son doesn't have one. (i'll lighten up on this when he leaves for college in 2012. maybe. :oldfogey

as for the computer itself, what a great gift!

[Wailer]

haikuman wrote:
I am thinking about getting Ethan this computer. It will be his 1st computer and he is approaching 9 years old in November. It will be used for school work and communicating with me. He is in Hawaii/Maui and I am in the RPI. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

edit: It will be a long time before I can afford another for him. I do realize there are less expensive

Here's my wet blanket opinion:

Is there a reason why a used core 2 duo wouldn't be good enough for a 9-year old? I'm not sure you want him play WoW or any other game that a new imac would be optimal for.

For the cost difference between a used c2d and a new imac you could buy it and fly it yourself. Not sure where the RPI is? Rennselaer?

I'm using a 2.0ghz C2D and it's plenty fast for what I need to do. My kids use a 1.83ghz CD and they have no problems with their flash-based websites, netflix instant watch, streaming 720p mp4s over our LAN, ichat video, etc.

[Wailer]

And my 3 year old has pulled the 17" imac to the ground twice while trying to swivel it! Luckily it's on a low table and a carpeted room. It survived (and so did my daughter). Since it was a $150 purchase, I didn't freak out. If it had been a $1200 21.5" imac I'm not sure either would have survived and I'd be very unhappy.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

Jimmypoo wrote:
Dual core 3.6 over a quad core 2.7?

If that hole you're talking about is ThunderHole - its time will come.

It will take two or three years to prove that, want to give actual odds on it turning out like ADC? It has been 5 months of waiting for even one product to go on sale, and Apple just announced it wants to kill off desktops in favor of everybody using iPads and iCloud.

[RAMd®d]

And it doesn't have a useless hole for which nothing is made . . .

Isn't there a monitor that plugs into that "hole"?


It will take two or three years to prove that

I don't think so. It may take that long to prove whether or not it's time has gone, but I think there will be a decent assortment of peripherals soon enough.


want to give actual odds on it turning out like ADC?

That seems like it would be up to you.


It has been 5 months of waiting for even one product to go on sale

So shame on Apple for making a move so "early"?


Apple just announced it wants to kill off desktops in favor of everybody using iPads and iCloud.

Wow, I missed that one. Apple may as well cancel Lion altogether.

[jmbuzeta]

Those pc specs are actually too high for a 9 year old but as you said, it will take some time for you to get him another one, it should be a good choice.