<p>My husband and I are both PC users, but we have decided to get my daughter a MacBook Air for college. However, I need help figuring out what software she needs. Mainly she will be using it for word processing, surfing the web, email, facebook and doing Powerpoint (or whatever the equivalent Apple software is). </p>
<p>She will be majoring in Communication Disorders and minoring in Spanish. Does she need any other apps then? </p>
<p>She used Google Docs a lot in high school. </p>
<p>So, what software do you recommend?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi - it’s possible the college your daughter will be attending either has an on-campus computer store so purchasing the computer from them (if they have it) would save you money and the computer would be configured for them. I’m sure there’s someplace on the college’s website that talks about technology and what applications are recommended and they likely sell apps at a discounted price. Check with her college and also find out if they have a supported software list.</p>
<p>A MacBook Air is lovely - light and portable - but has limitations in terms of size of hard drive. She may need a computer with larger capacity so check that as well. Also, the MB Air has no internal CD/DVD drive. She may not need that (and you can purchase an external CD/DVD drive for around $80) but it’s important to mention. The Air only has two USB ports and one firewire port. It also has no built-in ethernet port although you can buy an adapter for ethernet should you need it.</p>
<p>I’d recommend AppleCare or an equivalent that extends the computer’s warranty from one to three years total. AppleCare does NOT cover anything accidental. The college where I work in IT is now offering warranty coverage from a different company that does cover everything that AppleCare covers, and also includes accidental damages. Knowing how hard students can be on their equipment, it’s likely worth it. </p>
<p>There is a version of Microsoft Office for the Mac and it’s mostly compatible with Office for Windows. As tk suggested above, if her school uses Office, you can purchase a student version for a lot less money. </p>
<p>I’d also suggest purchasing an external hard drive - a minimum 1 tb drive - so that she can use the time machine program that’s built into the Mac for backups. And have her use it - ha ha. We call this time of year “kleenix time” when students who don’t back-up lose their work or something happens to their computer. </p>
<p>When I bought my MacBook Air, I bought MS Office, and it came with 2 free downloads. So now it’s on my laptop, and I can install it at no extra cost on 2 other laptops.</p>
<p>If you got the 13 inch, an SD card for additional storage.</p>
<p>A backup solution such as an external disk drive or cloud backup service.</p>
<p>Does she need Windows? If so, VM Software (I use VirtualBox; Parallels and VMWare are the other two main products), and a Windows 7 license. She could then get MS Office for Windows.</p>
<p>I use LibreOffice for Documents - free version on Mac OS X.</p>
<p>Growly Notes - a note-taking application similar to Microsoft One-Note (included in MS Office on Windows only). Note-taking applications are really useful for students and professionals as you can keep your assignments, projects, notes and project status there. Growly Notes is a free software package that only runs on Mac OS X.</p>
<p>For the past few years, Apple has done some kind of special offer geared to students purchasing macs in June. It has ranged from a free iPod to a $100 credit at the App Store (which can be used for software). Don’t know if they will repeat this but you may want to wait a bit or inquire before you purchase. </p>
<p>Our d received the student discount at our local Apple store. We bought her Macbook in June so she could become familiar with it before school started (had used a pc in high school). Especially the process of backing up to an external hard drive using Time Machine (not difficult, but you want to get her in the habit of doing that so if her Mac is stolen her work is not gone!).</p>
<p>If you choose a Macbook Air, do get the dongle that allows Ethernet connection (and a long Ethernet cable). It is usually faster than wireless at my d’s school. Don’t forget a good surge protector power strip (and maybe an additional one for her to keep in her backpack to use in class or at the library).</p>
<p>Our d was able to download MS Office for Mac from her school at no charge, so check your d’s school website before you buy any software.</p>
<p>The nice thing about Time Machine is that you just have to plug the external disk into the USB port and it does the backup stuff for you in the background.</p>
<p>Seconding the usefulness of Apple Care. I have used it more times than I care to think with my 27 inch iMac. My son had Apple Care on his last Mac Book Pro and even though the milk spilled on the keyboard essentially voided everything, I felt that the Genius Bar was more shall we say flexible with pricing for service issues that were not covered under Apple Care (shattered screen, for example). This may be my imagination, but Apple Care has saved us far more than it has cost us on five Apple computers.</p>
<p>I agree with the comments about limited computing power of the Air. It may not be an issue if she isn’t gaming or creating iMovie projects. Also advise MS Office. It just makes life easier, at least for me. The kids can figure out workarounds, so you may want to ask her first. I believe both of my boys are fond of Pages, which comes with the computer.</p>
<p>Student discount program has been offered the past several summers, usually June 10th through Sept 10th, give or take a week. In addition to a slight discount on the price of the computer, a $100 App/iTunes store GC was offered last summer. They may have discontinued the free printer offer ($99 toward the purchase of a printer but they always had a $99 ink jet as an option). Three years ago they gave $229 toward the purchase of an iPod plus the free printer but the promos have become less attractive.</p>
<p>AppleCare, AppleCare, AppleCare. We are a multi mac/iPhone/AppleTV household. We’ve found this extra coverage to be indispensable. H has spent literally 50+ hours on the phone with them recently when he undertook the projects of converting all of our old negatives into digital images/digitizing all of our movies, and integrating iTunes to every single streaming/WiFi’d/Etherneted thingy in the house. The point being, AppleCare is not just for physical repairs. They WILL spend the time with you on the phone to trouble shoot just about any problem. And, you usually get a live and well informed agent within 5 minutes.</p>
<p>We only have AppleCare on one computer and we haven’t used it. We also have a spare MacBook Pro so that someone could just use that if theirs was in the shop for service. Our local Apple Store can turn around repairs very fast (overnight).</p>
<p>I don’t recommend the Air for college. It does not come with an ethernet port, and wireless can be spotty in dorms. Block walls may be great for sound deadening and insulation, but they also inhibit wireless.</p>
<p>The Pro is almost as light and what I recommend for Frosh. AppleCare for sure.</p>
<p>Definitely check out the college IT that she will be attending. My D’s school had a site license for MS products, so MS Office was no ‘free’ to students. They just logged in – by ethernet – and downloaded the sw.</p>
<p>Some colleges also have bundles which includes the discount price and 3 year AppleCare.</p>
<p>MS office has better formatting features that Pages for Mac. I’ve found that out when trying to change the numbering of a long paper( will not go into details). Had to buy Office for Mac just to finish my senior research project. If you have not bought it already make sure of what she needs before buying. Air is a great product,but intended mostly as a traveling computer. If this is going to be her main computer she might be better of with a Mac book pro. Either way MS office might also be offered free at her school. I do not know about Mac products but at my son schools all software free of charge ( ok is a private school so we technically paying for it). Call the school IT department first. Also ask for the price of the computer at the school. They have special configurations and special discounts just available for colleges.</p>
<p>We bought D a MacBook Air last summer. It came with a gift card for $100 I think - which she used towards the purchase of MS Office for Mac. Her school had a list of things to download from their IT site, free for students.</p>
<p>She didn’t get a backup drive, but was in the habit (from high school) of saving and emailing docs to herself so they are saved somewhere besides the computer and she could access them from other computers if necessary.</p>
<p>She had a warranty which wasn’t used. She also had student dorm insurance which would have covered accidental damage to her computer, iPod, camera, etc. Luckily, also not used.</p>
<p>She had an Ethernet adapter and long Ethernet cable but never used them. The wireless worked out fine for her in her dorm from the 15th floor.</p>
<p>Her mac was the first in our family too. H and I are still wishing for the day we can ditch our pcs and go all mac. It’s been a really great machine.</p>