The Macification of my Mother


My mother is a big fan of the iPad my wife and I bought her for mother’s day, and it’s completely changed the way she does things. She hasn’t been in Barnes & Noble in over four months, and she used to spend a good portion of her free time at the bookstore. For her, it’s now all about iBooks and the instant gratification of the iPad. It’s changed the way she reads, and now, she’s considering buying a Mac and, as she calls it, “Getting fully Macified.”

The problem started when her i7-equipped Dell decided to stop connecting to her printer, even though it worked the previous day. Then she started having problems with her picture library, and that was the end of it. My father has been pushing for her to switch over for a bit, but they’ve had some reservations about how the Mac handles files and what-not. I’ve assuaged their fears, and now I think that it’s time to start picking out computers.

I know they don’t want to spend a ton of money on an Apple product right now, but I’ve been mulling over the options and trying to figure out the best solution. I think the laptop line is out of the question, because the portability isn’t really a need for her. What’s left is the iMac and the Mac Mini, and between the two of them, I’m leaning towards the iMac.

It’s really the full Mac experience in one package, as opposed to the Mini where she would be using her old Dell keyboard and mouse. Plus the 21.5-inch model is pretty well priced at $1199, and it’s a well built machine.

But I could be wrong, which is why I’m taking it to the streets. Any suggestions on an Apple for my mom?


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

7 Comments

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  1. My Dell i7 xps is a year old. In that time Ive had 2 gpu’s fail, and my HDD fail, which is now failing again. Piece o garbage. Usually I get a few years out of pcs. Well after seeing apples genius in its ios devices we bought iphones and and ipad.

    Yesterday we were macified as we bought the 27 inch iMac i7 2.93ghz with 8gb of ram. Got the applecare and the one to one training. We love it so far but know it will be a learning experience. We live in Seattle in MS’s backyard so I feel a bit rebellious 🙂

  2. I would recommend the iMac option. They will be thrilled with the size of the screen (which for most people *is* the computer). Your folks already have the iPad so they have a portable option if they ever go on trips.

    Mac Mini is an interesting option, but it won’t last as long as a primary computer as it just doesn’t have the horsepower to keep-up with new developments. iMac has the graphics and CPU to be good for virtually anything your folks will need to do for the next several years without worry.

  3. Sometimes you can get a really good deal on the Apple site with a refurbished machine. These machines come with a full warranty. The last two iMacs I bought were refurbs and have had no problems

  4. I agree with Hans about your mother liking the iMac. I disagree with his position on the Mac Mini.

    The Mini will handle anything your Mom and Dad throw at it. Maybe if they were running a business of a couple dozen people and using full blown accounting packages along with iWorks it might impact on the Minis ability to keep up. Short of that I don’t see a problem. It also lets them use all the Dell stuff that still works, keyboard, mouse and monitor.

  5. I would leave the Mac Mini alone for this situation. Its a great headless management system for a server room or a media box for an entertainment center.

    You want a computer for your Mother (parents) who seem about average when it comes to general computer knowledge. You may need to sit with them for a bit an explain how the finder works or how pages works (unless they get word for mac) and a few things like that. If you put in a little time at time of purchase, soon she will be helping others as they toss their old computers to switch to a Mac. I have helped my wife and mother-in-law make the switch and I don’t think either of them would ever think of going back.

  6. iMac, for sure. And save yourself some $$ by going to the section of the Apple Store Online that sells refurbished products. You still get the full Apple warranty, and -sometimes- you will get a machine with even more goodies inside than is noted on the bill of sale, like extra RAM, larger hard drive, etc…. not a promise, just a possibility.