Why do people love MAC computers? Are they really the best choice for your home business? To answer that question you need to understand the basic difference between MACs and PCs. A P.C., the acronym for “Personal Computer”, is the machine that most of the computing world owns. That actually should be the acronym for “Popular Computer”. You’re likely reading this from a PC.

How can you tell? Well MAC computers, manufactured by Apple, run on their own operating system, versus the PC which all run on the Microsoft Windows operating system, i.e. Windows Vista, XP, etc. That’s it…that’s the defining difference between the two types of computers. If you’re running a computer with a Microsoft operating system, then you have a PC.

Bill Gates actually ripped off the original Apple operating system, but that’s a whole other article.

Most media and creative professionals, who work in design or in the film and music industries, only use these computers. That’s the foundation of their business. But other than that, you don’t find them too much in many business settings.

Now I’ve never owned one, but I’ve worked with other business owners who have and I actually fiddled around with one a few times. Here’s what I can tell you….

MAC users LOVE MACs!!!!!! They’re generally like cult followers, they worship them and would drink a vial of arsenic before switching to a PC.

That in itself does say a lot! You don’t generally see PC users feeling the same way. I admit they are really hot machines, but since I’ve worked with PC’s for over 15 years I am admittedly biased. It’s really just a “comfort”, “familiarity”, “feels like a good ol’ shoe” kind of thing.

The truth is MACs are essentially better-made. Apple tends to “over-engineer” their computers, so that you can get by without an upgrade for a much longer time. It’s about eight to ten years, as opposed to the PC’s three to five year span.

Their operating system is superior to Windows and they have far fewer technical issues, especially relating to viruses. Macs only make up about 2% of all computers out there, so hackers don’t think it’s worthwhile to develop viruses that affect their operating system; hence computer viruses on MACs are virtually non-existent.

Not to mention computer hackers hate the fact that Microsoft has created a monopoly. Viruses are their way of creating a massive migraine for them…and unfortunately us as well.

Now on the other side, since there are fewer Macs in the world, not all software, especially specialty software, is available to run on their operating system. So you have to look into that before you decide to purchase one.

So if they’re so great, then why doesn’t everyone own one? Simple…they are more expensive than PC’s. That’s the main reason why PC’s are more “popular”…period! You see “Popular Computer”…oh never mind!

Most businesses, especially small businesses, don’t need to spend the extra bucks on a computer just to run simple word processing and database programs…it’s really not a necessary cost. That’s an important concern when starting a small business.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider one. They’re really great machines and will certainly keep your business running at peek efficiency. And the upfront price may be worth the cost, because it may actually save you money on the back-end. The savings from not having to upgrade hardware every couple of years or having to update virus protection software will save you lots over the long-term.

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The Trend

Video delivered directly to your TV screen over high-speed internet through a dedicated set-top box. A few devices have been providing niche video this way, but new entrants like Sony and Apple could bring more mainstream offerings into play.

Why Now?

With broadband connections in most homes and the explosion of interest in homemade video, the times is ripe to move new viewing options from the sit-and-click- computer to the turn on, tune in, zone out TV environment.

How You’ll Benefit

The only thing better than TV is more TV. Cable can send only so many channels down the wire before it starts jamming up like traffic on your way to work. But, like the Web itself, Internet TV options are virtually limitless. An all-Christopher Walken channel? No problem.

The Web-Ready TV

Starting this summer, Sony will deliver free internet video through an optional box mounted on the back of it’s high-end Bravia sets. Announced pickings are slim — mostly video from AOL, Yahoo and Grouper, plus the movie trailers and music videos — but the entertainment giant could expand it’s offerings if the service is a hit. Although the adapter has no storage, Sony says the box can stream HD content live without hiccups.

The Everything Box

Diego, a software supplier for cable boxes, unveils its own device later this year, combining high-def cable TV with broadband programming. The box has a digital video recorder (DVR) and can play back CDs, DVDs, music files and photos, and it connects to the receivers over component cables to stream HD video from one set to the other.

The iTunes Connection

Apple TV doesn’t completely free you from your computer, but it brings a huge source of popular TV shows and movies — the iTunes store — to your living room. think of the box as a pipelinepumping your iTunes library (Mac or Pc; music, photos and video) to your TV. Apple has been characteristically secretive about the final features, but we know it will give you the option of connecting to your computer by Ethernet or next-gen 802.11n Wi-Fi, will buffer content on its internal 40-gigabyte hard drive rather than stream it (for smoother playback), and will support high-definition video.

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