Apple, Amazon offering Snow Leopard discounts

Mac OS X Snow Leopard arrives Friday and will cost $29 for those who already use Mac OS X Leopard. However, there are some deals out there.

(Credit: Apple)

The best of the deals comes from Apple. With its Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date Program, users can get the new operating system for $9.95. To qualify for that price, they must have purchased a qualifying Mac on or after June 8.

Apple is pretty open with the number of computers that qualify for this offer. Everything from iMacs to its MacBook notebooks is included. Specific model numbers are listed on Apple's Web site.

Apple's deal ends December 26.

For those who don't qualify for that deal, Amazon.com has an alternative one. Amazon is selling Snow Leopard for $25 for upgrades from Leopard. Apple said that Amazon also has reduced pricing--$149--on the Snow Leopard Box Set, which includes iLife '09 and iWork '09, for those upgrading from Mac OS X Tiger. (Amazon specifies that the box set is for those upgrading from Leopard. But Apple's site and an Apple rep said only Tiger users need the box set.)

Here are CNET's full review of Snow Leopard and hands-on look at the OS.

[roonster09]

what's up with apple's obsession with naming their os's after endangered jungle cats? i found a funny post on the subject, here: http://onthebutton.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/apple-snow-leopard/

worth a read.

[mavfan2]

not nearly as odd as ubuntu and their Jaunty Jackalope, Karmic Koala, Intrepid Ibex etc.

[GEdwards69]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a mac, but there's not need to conjure such hatred because of one bad experience and tar all their products and the company with the same brush.

Many of us are very happy with our macs, and I can tell you mine outperform similarly equipped vista PC's quite easily. There's obviously something very wrong with the one you have.

[plee86]

Where's the cheapest money saving tip: Tiger users can buy and use the $30 upgrade!

Walt Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal has actually done his job as a reviewer and discovered the Snow Leopard upgrade installs just fine for Tiger users. He confirmed with Apple that it's allowed. Apple prefers Tiger users pay $170 but there's nothing technical or in the fine print of the software license preventing Tiger users from using the $30 upgrade.

Please stop regurgitating Apple's marketing line and directing readers to unnecessarily give Apple an extra 140 bucks.

[ITDph]

That makes sense that you can buy the upgrade without having Leopard. Apple doesn't require that their OS be activated and I've never had a prior upgrade of the OS software check for a prior version before it is installed.

I'm sure Walt thought of that when he decided to give the install a try. Most savvy Mac user's will already know this and skip buying the full version other than their desire to reward Apple for their work on providing a fast running and stable OS.

[Perry_Clease]

By all accounts the upgrade to Snow Leopard is well worth the money, the question remains is which version should I get:

Snow Leopard Premium Home Edition
Snow Leopard Professional
Snow Leopard Ultimate

[Markus2008]

Nice...

[man_w_balls]

I will opt for the Ultimate edition, since it's only $29.

[Renegade Knight]

Go with Snow Leopard Basic. They kick in the Ultimate for free.

[ClintDPilot]

Best Buy is also offering the upgrade for $25. I bought the upgrade online, and opted for the in-store pickup. When I went to pick it up, they gave me the 5-user family pack! Not a bad deal for $25.

[dk12rk]

Damn it. I got a good deal for a MAC Mini, so I went for it.
So much for MAC never hanging.....These MAC-holes are liars...
In three days, it has already got hanged three times requiring hard shut off.
1. My USB mouse/wireless keyboard was not connected. I guess there is a setting if there is no mouse/keyboard then the blue tooth assistant starts up trying to find it. In the mean time I connect my USB mouse and key board, but I cannot get it to stop the blue tooth assistant. Even the force quit wouldn't work. Waited 10 minutes, everything slows to a crawl. I had to reboot (not through apple menu, but power key)
2. I was trying to delete my complete photo library (4.9 GB). So I drag it to the trash folder, and by accident leave the key before reaching the the trash. So it tries to copy all the files instead. No problem, I should be able to cancel it like in XP. Nope, first it taked about 5-6 min to prepare to copy which you cannot cancel, then it starts to copy, but I cannot do anything else. Now even the Force quit won't start. Wait for about 8-10 minutes, just see the color disk spinning (already hating it). After about 15-20 minutes I had to do a hard reboot, just to cancel.
3. I reboot and i t is still hung, now I am tired of waiting.....so here I am. If there are any buyers for this new mini mac (purchased last week and updated to snow leopard) contact me.

As for the Mac-holes who take pride & advertise in how there precious MAC never hangs, take it and shove it up your you know what. I have had more problems with this Mini in one week than I had with my VAIO XP in the last year.

[cozmikmiff]

hese stupid