Microsoft outlook on macbook pro

Benincasa

I have never used a mac before but I have become interested in switching over since acquiring an iPhone. If such a small phone/handheld computer does what it does so elegantly then a real apple computer muct be a dream.

I have a dell inspiron that is almost 3 years old. It still works fine, but it is getting slow and this is annoying to me. The occasional delays in doing things can really frustrate me.

Even though I don't do any programming or work with graphics or specialist software, I am still open to spending more for a macbook pro than for a pc based laptop because, from word of mouth, I should expect the mac to last longer than the pc based laptop.

I have some questions though, and the first one is a dealbreaker.

I work a lot from home (about 50% of the time), so my work will be split between a mac environment (at home if i get a macbook pro) and a windows environment at work. I use Microsoft Outlook for my email needs. Each time I switch from work to home or vice versa I save all of my emails as a .pst file on a memory key and upload them to whichever computer I am working on.

Is it possible to get Microsoft Office operating on a Mac in exactly the same way as on a PC? Will I still be able to save my files as .pst files and upload them quicky as I do now (the process takes 30 seconds max). I have searched online in various locations for this information and I have come across references to Entourage. I don't know what this is. I want my email environment to be the same at work and at home. Any advice is welcome on this.

Secondly, I shall be visiting Canada in the new year. It looks as if I can get a 15" macbook pro for about €300 cheaper over there. Are there any reasons (warrantly etc) that I shouldn't buy a mac in Canada?

Sad Professor

Benincasa wrote: »

have some questions though, and the first one is a dealbreaker.

I work a lot from home (about 50% of the time), so my work will be split between a mac environment (at home if i get a macbook pro) and a windows environment at work. I use Microsoft Outlook for my email needs. Each time I switch from work to home or vice versa I save all of my emails as a .pst file on a memory key and upload them to whichever computer I am working on.

Is it possible to get Microsoft Office operating on a Mac in exactly the same way as on a PC? Will I still be able to save my files as .pst files and upload them quicky as I do now (the process takes 30 seconds max).

Have you considered using an IMAP account or some sort of online syncing as an easier way to do this? It's a bit pricey but Apple's Mobileme service can keep emails, everything, etc synced for you. Or if your work email doesn't support IMAP you could just redirect it through one that does.

Apple notebooks have an international warranty and universal power supply, so there shouldn't be any problem buying abroad.

Talisman

Outlook 2 Mac is a utility which will allow you to export Outlook mail items on a Windows PC for use on a Mac. It costs $10. I'm not aware of any such utility for migrating the data in the opposite direction.

The only differences between the hardware purchased here and across the Atlantic is the power plug and the keyboard. The North American keyboard has only the @ symbol above the 2, and the # above the 3. The Irish keyboard has @ and € above the 2, and the £ above the 3.