Taking the dive

[BlackBerry Guy]

So I think I've finally convinced myself to dive into the Mac world...this after 20+ years of Microsoft with DOS/Windows and building my own PCs. I'll likely pickup an Air with the i7 and 8GB memory sometime in the next week. Been doing some reading on the transition and I understand I'll need to download a 3rd party driver from Paragon in order to write to the external drive and USB sticks I have stuff on that are NTFS formatted. I may also dual boot Windows 8 with Boot Camp as well for work purposes, the few apps I need, and for messing around on my BlackBerry and Android devices.

Are there any other suggestions or tips you guys and gals out in iMore may have...especially those who have made the same transition?

 

[tigerinexile]

When you install Windows, if you are going the Boot Camp route (which I highly recommend), you can install it using ISOs written to a USB key, using Boot Camp Assistant to create them, with the Boot Camp drivers on the same USB key.

If you do that, it installs like a dream. Easy as pie.

[Well, easy as pie with Windows 7 Home Premium. Windows 8, who knows. Imagine it should go fine.]

My Air is my first Mac (13-inch entry-level -- i5, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD), and I use it more often with Windows (school/work stuff). It's gone very nicely so far.

 

[Alli]

If you're getting the Air, and install Bootcamp, you will run out of room before you install much of anything else.

When you make the transition, just go. Leave Windows behind.

 

[Trees]

I made the transition ~ 2.5 years ago. Parallels is what I've used for the Windows 7 VM that I keep around for those "just in case" moments, or for Odin and Android root related tools. But don't use those tools now that I've transitioned to iOS. The VM also serves as a backup to backups and data migrations from one older Windows system to the next. Even though I've copied over everything I can think of to my MacBook, like to be on the safe side.

As for the Mac, whichever you choose I suggest maxing out the RAM to as much as the chipset and BIOS support, or getting a system that allows future RAM upgrades. Have to say I'm happy with the seamless iOS, iCloud, and OS X experience

 

[TurboTiger]

If you're getting the MBA get the max ram, (which is 8GB).
And that's it. You can't add RAM after you order it.
Good Luck

 

[eastbayrae]

I did the same and made the partition to small. I did 32gig and now have 9gig left. Oddly enough I rarely log into Windows so it's not that much of an issue.

 

[BlackBerry Guy]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I ended up maxing out the CPU and RAM on my build along with 256GB storage. Should be here on Friday!