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Last month I told you about my horrendous experience with Alienware and my switch to Apple. The Alienware laptop literally fell apart within a year: the hard drive crashed, the display's hinges busted off, and it lasted 30 minutes on battery life. In this follow-up to my first post, I'll tell you a little more about how and why I became a "switcher."

My Alienware laptop left me bruised and battered, and when its time finally came, I was down for the count. I had homework to finish, freelance projects to close, and Internets to surf. I needed a new laptop and I took what happened with the Alienware as a learning experience.

Apple wasn't the only option I considered when I went looking for my new laptop. Anything was up for grabs at that point, save Alienware. Having endured that experience once already, I made a list of must-haves in a new laptop:

1. Weigh less than 7lbs (half that of the Alienware)
2. Well designed and durable to last throughout its lifetime
3. An extensive warranty that would include free parts and labor
4. Customer support that I can get face-to-face
5. Prolific performance with long-lasting hardware and software

Each list item was something I learned from the Alienware. I needed a lighter, faster machine that would last well into the next few years with customer support I could love and trust. I needed a platform for my work that wouldn't crash every chance it got. After I wasted nearly $3,000 on the Alienware, I needed a good great buying decision.

Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others had some affordable laptops, but all of them felt awkward and poorly designed. Coming from a profession where great design, functionality, and aesthetics are very important, none of those companies' laptops could satisfy my must-have list. With Apple, however, design, function, and aesthetics were not an issue. The MacBook Pro, a sleek powerhouse of a laptop, offered all that and more. I had found the laptop that satisfied my list.

I had read all sorts of reviews, following Apple rumor sites for news on their aluminum beauties. Even with a few loose ends to tie up after their initial launch, Apple's levelheaded strategy of addressing those problems (through free repairs and replacements) left me grinning like an idiot. I found a company that heard customer perils and addressed them reasonably.

With quality assurance and a product that was just too good looking to pass up, I purchased a 15" MacBook Pro. Sure I had to give up my ritual hardware upgrades, numerous blue screens, and poor customer support, but it was a step I was ready to make.

As it turns out, that step was one of the best decisions I'd made in a long time. Apple was everything I thought it would be and more. From the fantastic customer support I've received since then to the handful of products I purchased after the MacBook Pro, I'm a happy customer.

Apple was able to effectively turn my bad experience with a competitor into a great one with them. As a result, I became a repeat customer, eventually succumbing to the Apple Kool-Aid and becoming an Apple evangelist.