MacBook Pro

[Zech Marquis]

I'm going to buy a 15 inch MacBook Pro :bounce: Not just yet, for my birthday in October. I could get a refub form the Apple Store--which wont be a bad deal at all. The refub I can buy in September. OR I can take my fall vacation week in September and buy a NEW MacBook Pro on my birthday--hopefully the local Apple Store will be open then. And I don't want that glossy screen, I don't liek it. Naturally I'll get Applecare extended coverage, plus the Pro card too so I wont have to sign up on a waiting list.Any DUers happen to have one? I'll get a new dsl modem form Verizon that has both wired and wireless networking--I'll keep my iMacG5 wired, and have the macBook Pro and 360 wireless. What else? a good backpack desined for the Book, speakers, a cooling pad (maybe)...?

[targetpractice]

1. Should be new models by October...

... It's expected that the new models will use Intel's Core 2 Duo processors which will be significantly faster and with better battery life.

[politicat]

2. Do you need the bigger screen and PCMCIA card?

Because I went down this route - there's no reason to get the Pro. We're finding that the glossy screen is really better for delicate image work, and there are overlays that will make it matte. If your only reason to get the Pro is the matte screen and the PCMCIA card, you're really wasting almost a grand.

I have a white Macbook with the 2.0 dual core and a 120 gb hard drive and 2 gb ram. The only thing I don't have that a pro has is the larger screen (but I have an external LCD monitor that gives me the dual head, so no problems there) and a very slightly slower video card and no pcmcia slot (which no one uses anyway. I never used the one on my G4 TiBook.) I'm really happy with the macbook; it's far more robust than the MBPs, runs cooler and is handling kitty fur better (sealed keyboard!!) I upgraded the ram and hard drive myself. Get an external hard drive enclosure from Other World computing and a faster RPM drive from them (I recommend the 5400 120 GB or the 7200 100 GB as highly reliable and seriously good for improving performance. Apple still uses 4200 hard drives, and it shows....)

Best backback out there for a Mac is the iPack from, of all places, Target. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/601-6861284-7561753?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000EEQ51K (Says she who has a kensington saddle bag, a TiBag, and about 20 others and has designed three of her own.)

Definitely get a cooling pad. If you can get one that is USB powered and works as a USB hub and a multimedia card reader, all the better. Who doesn't need more ports?

I've had my macbook for over a month now, and every day I'm a little happier that I didn't just get another powerbook/MBP.

[Zech Marquis]

3. the glossy screen

Is actually harder for me to iew than the 15 inch Pro screen is. :-( Which is a shame because I'd buy a MacBook in a heartbeat....overlays? Where can I find one?

[politicat]

4. I got mine here:

http://www.safecomputing.com/laptop_screen_protector.html

It goes on really easily and doesn't gap (though I am using the leftovers from my 15" TiBook and cut it down.) It's nice and matte. We use the See Clear towelettes from Costco as a screen cleaner.

The one I put on my Tibook is still fine (it's been on for about 6 months).