How Do I Know Which Laptop to Purchase?
The School of Education strongly recommends Apple Macintosh laptops for the following reasons:
- Full support for all SOE software and hardware standards (bundles from the SOE custom store include Microsoft Office and Inspiration);
- Bundled software that lets you create movies (iMovie), play tunes (iTunes), catalog and edit digital photos (iPhoto), create web pages (iWeb), create and burn DVDs (iDVD), and create and record music, podcasts, and movie scores (Garageband). All are tightly integrated allowing easy creation of multimedia projects;
- Lack of susceptability to viruses and spyware;
- Solid laptop construction that requires fewer repairs;
- Excellent warranty support and coverage;
- Compatibility with local Fairbanks schools (standardized on Macintosh for all faculty and student computers) and with SOE faculty and staff.
Additionally, owners of Macintosh laptops will be able to receive extensive support from SOE staff and warrantly support can be provided locally. We cannot guarantee the same level of support for Windows patforms.
Having said that, any laptop that meets the following standards for hardware and software is acceptable.
Carefully consider the following when deciding which laptop to purchase:
| SOE Standard | Requirement | Recommended Bundles | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software | Every laptop, regardless of platform, must have Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Inspiration installed. | Included | MS Office, Student Edition: $149.95 Inspiration: $69.00 (both UAF Tech Center) |
| Digital Video | You will be required to create digital videos at various points during your enrollment | iMovie included | Windows Movie Maker (included with Windows XP) will meet the SOE standards for creating digital videos but is limited compared to iMovie on a Mac. Windows users may want to purchase a digital video editor separately. We recommend Adobe Premiere Elements ($79 at the UAF Tech Center). |
| Wireless Networking | Wireless connectivity is required for SOE classroom use. | Included | Check your laptop specifications to make sure a wireless card is included. Wireless cards that fit into your laptop's PC card slot cost around $50. |
| Warranty | Laptops are very expensive to fix if something goes wrong. We STRONGLY recommend an extended warranty for your laptop. | 3-year warranty included; warranty repairs can be handled locally. | An added cost for Windows machines. Check carefully the specific warranty terms. |
In addition, consider the following:
Viruses and Spyware
UAF provides anti-virus software for student computers for both Macs and Windows. Spyware, a major problem on Windows, is not a significant issue on Macs. While Macs can pass along some viruses, they are generally immune from viral infection.
Compatibility with Internship Year
Consider where you might spend your internship year. Does the school/district use Macs or Windows? While each platform can function on networks composed predominantly of the other, finding support for a Windows computer in a Mac environment (or vice versa) may be difficult.
All FNSBSD teachers and SOE faculty use Macs. All FNSBSD middle schools and three of the four high schools use Macs.
What's Included in the Recommended System Bundles?
All SOE requirements for hardware and software are included, along with a built-in iSight camera that can be used for videoconferencing or to record movies.
What's NOT included?
Modems are no longer included. See "Will I be able to connect to the Internet at home?" below.
Should I get more RAM?
While the standard 1 GB of RAM is adequate for everything that you will need to do, many applications benefit from additional RAM. If you are going to do a lot of digital movie editing or routinely run many applications at once, or if you want the maximum speed possible in your system, adding more RAM is a good idea. If you add it when you purchase your laptop, it will be covered under the computer's warranty.
If you plan to run the Windows operating system on your Macintosh laptop (MacBooks and MacBooks Pros will run Windows), you should definitely increase the RAM to at least 2 GB.
Wait--I can run Windows on my Mac?
Both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro laptops will run the Windows operating system natively using free software from Apple called Boot Camp or from Sun Microsystems called VirtualBox. Installing Boot Camp or VirtualBox allows you to install Windows and either choose your system at startup or run Windows inside of the Mac OS. You must supply your own copy of Windows. The staff at the SOE lab can help you with this process.
Should I get a larger hard drive?
The hard drive that came with your laptop can store thousands of music files and digital photos with lots of space left over. If you are planning to shoot (and store) a lot of digital video, consider getting an external FireWire or USB drive instead of upgrading your internal hard drive.
If you plan to run Windows on your Mac laptop and you plan to install a lot of Windows software, you might consider increasing the size of your hard drive to accommodate the increased disk space needed.
Will I be able to use my laptop to connect to the Internet at home?
All three of the recommended systems are capable of connecting to any type of network, including dial-up connections. However, you will need to add a modem to your laptop if you want to use it for a dial-up connection as Apple no longer builds modems into their laptops. As long as you have an Internet Service Provider, you will be able to connect.
