Desktop, laptop, tablet?

Madmeg

I was born stingy by some peoples' standards cos I simply cannot justify the cost of Apple products just to brag about having an iphone! My eldest DD has a senior position in IT and has always had Samsung phones and Windows laptops for all the family. As have over the last umpteen years. More than happy with them in addition to the good value for money. All these systems change at times and have good and bad points but to me my non-Apple stuff is perfectly fine. I use them for all manner of things other than watching films and tv.

Some people buy apple products for a reason: security.
They are the safest device you could use ( unless you worked at GCHQ)
My daughter tests systems for the largest professional services network by revenue and number of employees in the world. They are also one of the big 4 accounting companies in the world.
All they use are apple products.

I have an A4 size iPad aged 10 years. I thought it was dying recently but a new charger (well a very old charger found in a drawer) had it good as new.
I’ve been looking at the a5 size iPad which now I’m not working is big enough. The key pads are expensive but a friend gave me a link to a cheap one on the evil empire. I like apple, love the way my iPhone communicates with my iPad. One of the best things about Apple is the tech support on line or in a store. I’m sure they train all those clever young genius people to be very patient with hopeless old non techies like me,

Never had or used Apple or Mac stuff. I have a Dell laptop and a Kindle Fire tablet, and am happy with both. Use my Kindle Fire for most everyday stuff (like Gransnet and emails) and my laptop for banking, photos, documents and printing.
Also have an Android phone, a Google Pixel.

On my MacBook you have to use the keyboard and they stay on the screen until put in a file.
On mine a screenshot stays on the screen for a few seconds to give you time to do something with it if you want to, then it sits on the desktop (not on the screen) from where you can attach it to a document or a SM post. Basically it’s automatically filed under ‘desktop’ in Finder until you delete it.

It’s a very useful features of a Mac, particularly as you don’t have to capture the whole screen, but just the picture or area you want. It’s many years since I used Windows but I don’t think it has that feature - it definitely didn’t when I switched to Mac.

I have an iPad but android phone. They aren't really compatible but my phone is really easy to use. If I'd had iphones I'd have apple products like the watch as all compatible. Good luck

I have two iPads, an iPhone and a much older MacBook which I hardly ever use. I love Apple. I don’t buy extra security as I was told by Apple that I shouldn’t. My iPads are one that is the largest they do and the other the normal size. What I find really useful is that I take a lot of screen shots and they go straight into Photos. On my MacBook you have to use the keyboard and they stay on the screen until put in a file. I used to have a PC (Windows 7 and probably 8). Never again. My iPad Pros are anything but a toy. You can file things if you wish and do anything that a lap top can do with a lot less trouble.

wibblywobblywobblebottom

I have an Apple MacBook Air laptop and have done for some years, different models of course. Luckily I have a brother who works for Apple, so I get my laptops at a discount. I have had Apple equipment for some years and have not had a single fault. My brother tells me that in all Apple computers there is a switch which after a certain amount of time will switch off the computer, an encouragement he says to buy a new one. Apple products are expensive but they are top of the range.Personally I prefer a laptop, so I don't need a desktop and most certainly don't need a tablet.

That chimes with my experience. My last one was working well, and I passed it to my daughter who was starting an HE course at the same time as I was doing the same, and bought a new one. Within weeks it died - I think it must have been ready to go. It must have been about eight years old though, which is not bad by today's standards of planned obsolescence.

I have an ancient Dell laptop which I use at home for online banking and all finance stuff. Everything else I do on my iPhone, but I also have a Kindle Fire which I use mainly when travelling.

Ouch. I feel your pain.

My iPad was on its last legs last week and I decided that I needed a reliable one (I use it for work as well as for leisure). I did some research and decided on the one I wanted and bought it from my nearest large branch of Currys.
While I was there, I quizzed their Apple specialist on replacement laptops, as my MacBook Pro is the mid 2012 model…and beginning to show its age…
I was Impressed as the very first question he asked me was “What do you use your MacBook for?” And based on the answer, we had a useful conversation about the ones which were most suitable for my needs and my budget.
I bought a MacBook Air, with a decent amount of memory, which was less expensive than a MacBook Pro. Currys had them at £150 less than the Apple store which was a decent saving as Apple almost never discount their products.
I’m a happy Apple user. For me, it just works.

I have an Apple MacBook Air laptop and have done for some years, different models of course. Luckily I have a brother who works for Apple, so I get my laptops at a discount. I have had Apple equipment for some years and have not had a single fault. My brother tells me that in all Apple computers there is a switch which after a certain amount of time will switch off the computer, an encouragement he says to buy a new one. Apple products are expensive but they are top of the range.Personally I prefer a laptop, so I don't need a desktop and most certainly don't need a tablet.

ps I hate mobile phones so only have one for Whats app, close friends and emergency!

dalyrimple 23 my mate!! lol I have had a desktop for over 20 years, since I retired,, and my son fixed a desktop up for me and maintains it,, knew nothing of computers,, he said here y`ar mum, get on with it... I have only just found out since skimming down these posts that my desktop, Windows, 10 I think, is different to my aged and too small computer wise Apple is a different system.. ho hum!

I’m impressed and inspired by all the recommendations here.

My desktop computer is Windows 95, and really only used if I need to look back at the old emails on Outook Express.

The two laptops were my daughters’ cast-offs, running Windows 7 and 8. The HP with Windows 8 keeps telling me it should be upgraded but I can’t see how to get Windows 10 for free. It uses Chrome, which I like less than the older one with Firefox. The older one had several years of emails in MS Outlook but one day it simply lost the lot. Now I’m using Gmail so I can access it on any device, usually my iPhone. I have never used an iPad.

The prospect of setting up a new laptop is utterly daunting. Bad enough getting a newer iPhone last week, the Apple ID did move all my apps to the new one but oh, the palaver of having to get every bank account authorised again, and logging in again to just about every app. I wonder if the Apple Store can help with the setup if I ever do afford a new laptop?

I was born stingy by some peoples' standards cos I simply cannot justify the cost of Apple products just to brag about having an iphone! My eldest DD has a senior position in IT and has always had Samsung phones and Windows laptops for all the family. As have over the last umpteen years. More than happy with them in addition to the good value for money. All these systems change at times and have good and bad points but to me my non-Apple stuff is perfectly fine. I use them for all manner of things other than watching films and tv.

I switched to a Mac last year because there is less of the ridiculous wiring that you seem to need with a PC. I keep it on a table that is very visible in my flat and it just looks so much better.
I'd previously had a PC for over 30 years. Personally I would never go back to a PC, they keep updating Windows but not giving me anything new that I needed, simply more complications and different layouts. Windows also takes up more and more space, as northerngardener said above.

Is everyone talking in Serbo Croat? Not the foggiest what is going on here. Surely an apple was shot from someone's head? An Ipad goes on after cataract surgery and a tablet is something which y9ou take when unwell. What am I missing? (Brain excluded please!)

The Apple store want you to buy a new one. Apple are a horrible company. Get an independent repairer to take a look at it.

Apple I pad every time.

My first one packed up after seven years use.

Bought another one which I’ve now had for two years, but the stress of changing over from old to new nearly drove me mad.

Such a lot of security etc, which I suppose is a good thing.

I sometimes think that’s it’s a bit too technical for me as I don’t understand the ins and outs of the internet, but I do the basics which I’m thankful for.

I must say it drives me crazy when something goes wrong with it which I don’t understand.

I have used laptops for 20 years now, but every time one dies on me, I wounder if I would not rather go back to a stationary PC, as, as I remember, my posture while working was so much better when I was looking directly ahead at a screen rather than bending my neck to look downwards!

I have never used Apple, but I imagine that anyone who has would go raving mad quickly, if forced to use Microsoft, which must surely be the most inefficient company ever to corner a world-wide market.

In Denmark, we have reliable (Danish) firms selling re-conditioned computers of every kind with guarantees and the lastest programs already installed.

Surely, there must be similar firms in the UK? You can save half the price, at least, of a new computer by buying a re-conditioned one.

I have tried tablets, but gave them up as a bad job very quickly indeed. I should simply hate to try banking on one, or contacting my GP!

Good hunting - our secondhand computer sellers can be found online, British firms offering a similar service will, I assume, be online too.

My MacBook Pro was on the blink after 13 years. . I got a second hand MacBook from Facebook marketplace that was still under guarantee. It’s much lighter to carry around. The Apple shop transferred everything seamlessly on to the newer one. I also have a relatively new iPhone. Technology that works well is a joy. There are always laptops for sale on Facebook marketplace but be very careful. I suspect some of them are stolen goods . Always ask to see the receipt from when it was bought. It’s the first question to ask if you do go down that route. Ebay has some good secondhand tech sellers as well.

We love Apple, I had a MacBook Pro which I replaced with a MacBook Air and love it. The MacBook Pro is still going and it’s years old.

Gave up desktop years ago.Use a laptop and phone for basically aame tasks you mention. Also have an ipad but it's used mainly by GC for playing games when they visit.Never had an Apple, husband had Apple phone but its stuck in a drawer since he died.

My MacBook was too old to update so I decided I just buy a cheaper laptop with MS. I was used to using MS before I retired so thought it would be fine. No! I hate it. I can’t get it to link with my emails or anything useful. I only use it for the odd letter and my Christmas labels.
I have recently purchased a new iPad but I wish I’d just bought another MacBook too - expensive but intuitive so worth it.

I replaced my Apple Mac desktop with a large iPad, keyboard, pencil and case. Dear, but absolutely worth it. Love being able to type and to use the pencil. I use it for the same purposes you do, as well as reading sheet music saved in the Books App.

if you have an ipad already then why not buy a laptop but not a chromebook. the latter is not that intuitive