Hm. Been a while since I’ve written one of these, between not having regular ‘net access and my standing rule that despondence is not a good state from which to be blogging.
Anyhow. My laptop sucks.
Don’t get me wrong: it’s a fine machine, and was a time when it was the coolest thing on wheels, without actually being on wheels. It was just that cool. The problem is that this was some years ago, and while the technology is still current enough to run the most recent version of the OS (not that I have the most recent version of the OS…) I’m running into distinct issues regarding processor speed. And resolution. And battery life. And memory. Oh, memory, you’ll be the death of me someday.
So: it’s new computer time, since it’s actually becoming difficult to get decent work done on la machine. Given my current predilections, I’ve essentially got two choices for a suitable notebook, and they begin with “i” and “Power”. The first of these choices is probably the less satisfying, since I have every intention of using the machine for reasonably heavy computational stuff, and so I’m leaning toward a PowerBook.
But.
All the rumour sites agree: now is not the time to buy a PowerBook. Revisions are on the way; wait just a week or three more, voices whisper, and all will be revealed. On the other side of the time pressure is the Special Kewl Offer of a sort-of free iPod Mini that I, as a faculty member of good standing at an institute of higher education, am qualified to receive.
So: if I’m lucky, the new PB release comes in the next month, and my way is clear unless they also jack the prices on the things. But if I’m not lucky, then I can either get a Shiny New PowerBook, or else get a free MP3 player and be one of the chumps who orders from the Dregs of the Old PowerBooks.
There’s got to be a mathematical model here that’ll help…