2 Mac’s, Is It Annoying Having To Sync?

I’ve helped a few people purchase new Mac’s recently. And the hard question to answer is always “Is it worth having a portable and desktop, or should I just get one?� It’s really a personal choice, but here’s my opinion.

2 months ago I had a plan to purchase a MacBook Pro and an Apple Cinema Display, and discard my iMac G5. I ended up walking away with a MacBook 1.83Ghz, and an iMac 1.83Ghz. But why? Would the original plan have been more productive?

One of the reasons I went I discarded that original plan was the way I could have one main machine, my “digital hub�. The iMac is used as my hub, with all my documents, sites, images, movies, and music on it, while the MacBook is used as a portable machine with nothing stored on it bar applications, it’s mainly used for web browsing and writing.

Indexfrontrow20060109

If I had gone with the MBP + ACD option it would have been a pain having to unplug the display each time I wanted portability. With two machines, if one dies I always have another I can use until the other is getting fixed. It’s also nice to be able to be working on one, while the other is downloading or converting video files for the iPod.

The issue I have with using two machines is not keeping files in sync, because I just use Apple Remote Desktop to grab files from the iMac when I need them, then copy them back to the iMac when I’m back in range. The problem was with my RSS reader of choice. NewsFire. NewsFire doesn’t have an option to keep in sync between two Mac’s via .Mac, so when I’m on the MacBook and want to catch up on my RSS feeds, I have to open ARD and access NewsFire from the iMac remotely. Quite an annoyance.

Techspecssidebyside20060516-1

.Mac is great for keeping my bookmarks and mail in sync on the two machines. I couldn’t be using two Mac’s without it, the sync and mail features are invaluable. If .Mac wasn’t sold by Apple I would be on the MacBook Pro + ACD setup, no doubt. But it’s so easy to keep all your vital information in sync with .Mac, I’ll be renewing when my 1 year subscription expires!

End the end, am I happy with my decision? Yes, I am, I’m very pleased with my current setup and will think it will suit me for at least another 18 months before I even need to think about upgrading or changing it.

Comments

  1. #1

    Chris McElligott

    I’m was in the same boat a few weeks ago but after some though, I’ve decided to stick with one portable machine.

  2. #2

    Brian Amerige

    I’ve lived in both worlds. Originally a PowerMac G5 w/Cinema Display + iBook G4, and now a MacBook Pro w/Cinema Display.

    For me, having two systems was definitely not the best option. Dot Mac is nice when you’ve got bits and pieces to sync between your macs, but when you deal with a lot of files, some of which are pretty huge, not only is dot mac not an option, but even alternative sync methods are essentially useless. I’m just not willing to take time out of my schedule to sync two machines together (not to mention the awkwardness of having to actually switch machines with different apps open, preferences, etc.), as opposed to just unplugging the display and going where I need.

    You seem to make unplugging a display sound like a big deal…where as in reality, switching to another machine, and loading back what you were doing is, in reality, far more painful.

  3. #3

    Kristiano

    Here, here.

  4. #4

    Kyle Nilson

    I personally own a 17in MacBook Pro and hope to purchase a cheap MacBook as my ultraportable for classes. The 17in is great as a desktop and is the most powerful Mac on the market right now. With an iCurve, a keyboard, and a mouse and pad, it’s great for typical use, design, editing, and gaming. It’s also good for presentations, both academic and commercial.

    However, the MacBook Pros are too big for most college lecture halls, not to mention too fragile in terms of dings. Synching files isn’t too terrible between my laptop and a mini I leave at work. I don’t bother much with bookmarks as I can access sites the same regardless. My mail is all available online through gmail, though my laptop has Mail.app.

    I would strongly advise most users who need a powerful system and portability get a basic MacBook and the “desktop” of your choosing.

  5. #5

    Caitlyn

    Brian, I have to agree. Unplugging a display is a lot easier than keeping two Macs in sync, in my opinion.

    I was planning on purchasing a souped up iMac Core Duo to accompany my current iBook setup. But after much thought, I realized how much easier it would be to get a maxed out MacBook. 2GHz 2GB RAM.

    I have an iCurve, Apple keyboard and mouse and plan to purchase an Apple Cinema Display down the road. This way, I can have an awesome desktop setup and then when I want to go out, I am not sacraficing any power by using my “portable setup” because it is the exact same machine. It’s a matter of unplugging a few things.

    You don’t have to worry about not having a file when you need quick access to it or anything that with this type of setup. I am really glad I have chosen this route. =)

  6. #6

    Patrick → www.schreiblogade.de

    Hi Glenn,

    I know that you are using NewsFire but to solve your problem with synching your RSS Feeds you should have a look at NetNewsWire with a Newsgator online account.

    You can sync your NetNewsWire without a hassle with Newsgator and if you install it on both macs your sync problem would be solved.

    Greetings

  7. #7

    Tucker MacDonald → www.tuckermacdonald.com

    Ya, .Mac syncing in NewsFire would be really nice.

  8. #8

    Shreedhan → appleication.com

    Lol, 2 macs, very nice

  9. #9

    Tucker MacDonald → www.tuckermacdonald.com

    @ Shreedhan: I have 3 :) All super fast and state o the art :)!

  10. #10

    Blair Beckwith

    Haha, looking back, it’s funny seeing as you did a MAJOR upgrade in almost 18 months.

Your Comment