Ask Jacob

There are two common ways of capturing your screen. First you can use the keyboard shortcuts bellow

• Shift-Command-3 = Capture the screen to a file
• Shift-Control-Command-3 = Capture the screen to the Clipboard
• Shift-Command-4 = Capture a selection to a file
• Shift-Control-Command-4 = Capture a selection to the Clipboard

Be sure to check out Apple’s full list of Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.

The other way to capture your screen is with the Grab utility in your Applications/Utilities folder. This application is included with every Mac and it gives you more options when trying to get exactly the screen image you want than you have with the keyboard shortcuts.

Hope that helps,
- Jacob

The MacBook is a fine choice for a entry level Mac laptop, and in general it can do almost all that you would do with desktop Apple computers. If you are new to the Mac OS, and have been using Windows, consider this book – “Switching to the Mac” – as a reference guide.

Apple has also put together some helpful information and videos about Getting a Mac.

- Jacob

You can have any size 3.5″ SATA hard drive installed in the Intel iMacs. Your only limit it in what size drives are being made. You are limited to just one drive installed inside the iMacs. Apple computers can support many more drives externally via USB 2.0, FireWire 800, and Gigabit ethernet.

- Jacob

I think a basic iMac would be a good choice for you. That is the kind of Mac my wife and I share and it makes a good home computer. This 20″ iMac model is excellent, it was recently replaced with a slightly different version of the same computer, so it is on sale. Any of the newer iMacs will give you power and performance to last many years. You can look at all the 24″ iMac as well.

The nice feature of the iMac is that it has the display and computer combined together in a single unit. So you really only need to worry about connecting the Keyboard/mouse and Power to get it running. If you have a high-speed internet connection at home, the iMac will have no trouble connecting. If you use dial-up internet, then you need to buy USB modem, like this Apple external modem.

- Jacob

The iMac is a good solution for a kid’s desktop system. Because of the requirements of Spore, I would suggest that you focus on used Intel-based iMacs.

I would also recommend that you at least look at the new iMacs as they have many of the features that your son would need for the game, without having to buy those features later. Also, because of the child’s age, you should have this computer in a public space with a separate “Parental Controlled” account setup. Here is a link to an older article I wrote about kids and computers.

It is a little outdated but the methodology in the article is applicable and the Parental Controls are similar in Leopard as they were in Tiger. Keeping the computer in a public space will also allow you to double task this system as a general family computer, that will help soften the initial expense of the computer.

Hope this helps
Jacob

The processor speeds are not going to impact your graphics performance like the MacBook’s integrated GeForce 9400M video chipset will. This is a substantial improvement over the previous generation MacBook’s video capabilities but may fall short of the 3D rendering power most games demand. If you are at all interested in the previous generation of MacBook Pro, then you should look at this 2.4GHz MacBook Pro for $1,599.

This may not have the sexy and rugged design of the new Unibody Mac laptops, but this is at its heart the power you need for gaming and graphic design. If though, you are after the latest and greatest then the 2.4GHz Unibody MacBook is in your budget.

Use your money to buy the best processor-equipped laptop now, and upgrade the hard drive and RAM later. You can always upgrade those things later but it is almost impossible to upgrade a processor in a MacBook after you get it home.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

This is a good time to buy a used Black MacBook because they have recently been discontinued. That means that they are cheaper than a new Aluminum Unibody MacBook, but still are fast and can be bought with an Apple warranty.

A Black MacBook would “make” any teenager’s Christmas. They can come “fully loaded” with 2 GB RAM and a 250 GB hard drive. If a fully loaded model is over the collective budget of the family there may be some other pre-owned options that you can look at. You may also find a few open-box Black MacBooks in our special value Mac section. I would also suggest you call our PowerMax sales team to find the best deal on possible incoming trades.

Focus on an Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook with at least 1 GB of RAM. Make sure you tell them that you need a Black MacBook, as that immediately limits the search to a small selection of computers.

Hope that helps,

Jacob

There are some third party insurance services for computers but the best method of protection comes from your Home Owners or Renters insurance. If you contact your insurance provider, they can talk to you about adding a Computer Rider to your policy. It often has very little additional cost and you can specify an appropriate deductible.

I hope this helps, sorry to hear about the accident.
Jacob

Welcome to the Mac community, we are happy to have you. The 24″ Aluminum iMac that you are looking at is a good choice and should last you many years. I share a similar model with my wife in our home office and it is a great central family computer.

I love the “The Missing Manual” series from Pogue/O’Reilly press and think it would be a good series for you to read. Start with “Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual – Leopard Edition.” Then after you become comfortable with the differences between Mac and Windows, you can move on to “Mac OSX Leopard: The Missing Manual.”

If you are interested in reading some online sources, you can try this switchers site that has some basic info to get you started: www.switchtoamac.com.

Hope this helps,
Jacob

To change the “Start Page” in Safari you will need to go the “Preferences…” under the Safari menu. In preferences select the General tab on the top bar of the Apple Mac window. You can then type your preferred start page address in the in the address box to the right of “Home Page:” If you were already on the web page you want to see on starting Safari, then you just need to click on the Set to Current Page button under the Home Page address box.

Hope that helps,
Jacob

This is a wonderful question, one I wish more people would ask. I have found that many parents put little thought into their children’s computer usage. Often the result of this structureless approach is one of two extremes. Some parents choose to keep their kids completely away from computers altogether. Which causes the child to be unskilled with, what has become, a basic tool of our American lives. When the child is final introduced to computing they make judgment mistakes that their more computer savvy peers have already learned to avoid. For instance giving out personal information to stranger online.

The other extreme is the parents that choose to give full access to a computer to a child with absolutely no oversight or support. The best-case scenario for this child is if they destroy the computer before getting into massive amounts of trouble online.

The reason that Parents have these problems is due to the absence of computers from their own childhood. For better or worse we parents tend to draw from our own childhood to guide us in our parenting. Most parents today did not have computers until much later in life and possibly have yet to develop a functional understanding of computers. This is not an option for children living in the industrialized world. So parents need help with the digital side of raising their children. If you are willing to be that person for your nephew’s sake then I would say you are not stupid at all for wanting to get him a computer.

Getting a computer is only the first step. You need to be willing to be the administrator of the computer, or teach the parents. I would recommend sending a computer with Leopard on it so that you can screen share over iChat and make changes from across state lines. Also I would have you make one Administrator account that you use for his parents and your remote administration. Your nephew will have his own user account that you will put the Apple built-in parental controls on. Start with very few privileges. As the child to demonstrate proficiency with the Mac, you can slowly start to open the privileges up on his user account.

It would be best if you could configure the computer completely before sending down south. Test it out logged in as your nephew and make sure that it looks simple and secure. Remember to set the auto login account as his account and make sure his parents do not give him the Administrator user account password.

When it comes to finding a proper computer for him I would discourage you from choosing a laptop. Cheap Mac laptops are great for older children that are allowed to have computers in their rooms. This is because you have to confiscate the computer from time-to-time and this is easy with a laptop. My teenage daughter has a G4 iBook and I have to take it away when she breaks the rules. Younger children need computers with replaceable mice and keyboards. They will get trashed and smaller hands need smaller mice and keys. There are many small input devices available that work well for young children. Any computer given to a young child needs to be kept in a public space, so there can always be adult supervision. An iMac or Mac Mini would be a good choice. A used G5 iMac is close to your price range and the G4 iMac 1GHz would also work for you on the lower end of your budget.

There is much more to think about in regards to rules and instruction for your nephew but this should get you started.

It’s true that Mac computers are far less prone to viruses and other junk that makes for a frustrating experience on Windows machines. This is not to say that Macs are impervious to attack, but it rarely happens. Macintosh computers are great for any user who has no interest in becoming a computer security expert or continuing to invest in repairing and reconfiguring a computer.

Macs are refurbished for a legion of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with anything having gone wrong with the machine. A computer could have been refurbished simply because it was returned by a customer who found it not the right fit. Maybe it was a display machine or a loaner system. Those are often refurbished too.

It is also just as likely, however, that a refurbished Mac had some problem, real or perceived, and was returned. Those systems are repaired and re-boxed as refurbished by Apple. Be aware that computers are really modular, so if a component goes bad, simply replacing that component will restore the machine to factory-level conditions. However, it is always a good idea to include AppleCare with a Mac purchase, which gives you three years of hardware protection and worldwide service coverage (you know, for that trip to Spain you always wanted). If a computer has any lingering issues they’ll become evident within those three years and you should be able to get it fixed at no cost.

For your specific needs, if you’re looking for mobility, I think a MacBook laptop with 2GB of RAM will work perfectly and is a quality starting point – and they’re stunning little notebooks. If you want a bigger screen and don’t plan to take your computer out of the house, then the iMac is my favorite choice.

When my daughter started 6th grade I bought her a new G4 iBook 12". It was probably a little too nice for her but I had given her an older computer as a training laptop for a year. It survived, so I figured she had the experience to keep a new Mac in good condition. If this is the first computer you are giving your child, then I would recommend a pre-owned unit. The iBook series has been the best kid-resistant computer ever to come from Apple. Even with my daughter’s successful laptop training, she has dropped her iBook. It did survive without any problems but it taught me a lesson. In the home, the regular location of any young child’s computer should be in a public place. The mess factor is my first reason for not allowing a computer in a young child’s room. Drinks magically spill, things are stacked on top of anything, and level surfaces are often scarce. Another problem with letting a child have a computer in their room has to do with online activities. The scary things that happen to our kids online are far less likely to happen if we can look over the child’s shoulder and see what’s going on. But the most important reason to keep this new computer out of your daughter’s room is so you can see her. Even though my daughter wants to hide in her room at this age, I still want to see her whenever possible. She maybe glued to that iBook for as long as we let her stay online, but I have the ability to interact with her during those times because the computer is in a public place. The computer is on a special desk right next to the kitchen and when I cook, she can chat to her friends online and tell me what happened in her day at the same time.

OK, now to your actual question. I would have you look at an iBook G4 for your daughter. You could also go with a MacBook, which has many of the same features as an iBook and will support future software upgrades better than an iBook.

The refurbished iBook we have is also a great option.

Microsoft makes a student version of their Office application suite of software. You can install one copy on up to three computers.