MacBook Pro

I went from an 18.4" 1080p PC laptop running Windows 7 to a 15" MacBook Pro i7 running OSX.  The new machine also has a high definition no glare screen.  I'll never go back.

I'm running a full copy of OSX and Windows 7 side by side on the same machine using a program called VMWare Fusion.  This is so I can still use some of the higher end development tools needed for my Windows based server.  The software has a cool feature called "Unity", which makes all of the running Windows apps appear to be running seamlessly in OSX.  If I didn't have $$$$ invested in my windows based development and graphics software, I would ditch all of it today.

I could go on and on about how much better this operating system and the hardware it is wrapped in truly is.  From a user, development, programmer standpoint, it's incredible and I can't believe I waited so long.

Out of the box (I never touched a Mac before), it took less than one hour to set up and install...

I've spent twice that amount of time stripping all the junk installed on a new PC!

The second hour I figured out how to tether my HTC Fuze via BlueTooth for internet sharing, which works flawlessly.  Installed a Motorola BlueTooth stereo headset and tested it with the dvd version of "Avatar".  Just awesome.

So... I think Apple should have a tag line similar to the PS3; "It just does everything... better".

Right now I'm configuring an external BlueRay drive to work via Fusion since Apple doesn't offer any native BlueRay support.  Should be sick-

desktops:

Performa 6220

Performa 6400

PowerMac 6100

iMac BlueBerry

eMac

iMac current generation

Laptops:

Powerbook Duo 230

Powerbook G4 Titanium

Powerbook Aluminum 

and my current lover:

MacBook Pro 2.93 Intel Core Duo, 320 HD@7200, 4GB Ram, NVIDIA GeForce 9400 + 9600 GT

what a lot of people fail to realize is that although there's plenty of power in macs these days, the real beauty lies in the user experience, (hence MS's great efforts to plagiarize it as much as possible).  OS X is a highly stable and highly refined OS that keeps getting better and better with each release.  I've had this macbook for a year at least now and haven't had any HW or SW issues.  Not even a crash serious enough to restart it.  

and ur right, out of the box, for most users they're up and running much faster than that.  you had extra stuff to put in but within minutes of booting up I was using my mac and surfing in under 15 minutes if not sooner (this including registration and preferences).

the more u use it J, the more you'll find yourself using the osx environment for pleasure and will resist using windows unless absolutely necessary.  when you configure expose and spaces I'm sure you'll think to yourself... wow that's cool (you'll be saying that a lot for the first six months as you discover all the little thoughtful things that went into the design -- like ur battery indicator on the side of your machine.. u know it's cool.. admit it.  how about the magsafe adapter?  that alone is worth 50 bucks right there.  no more flying lap tops lol.  

If you haven't tried it already, get yourself an ipod/iphone/touch and see how easy it all works.  hook up ur current digicam or HD cam and see how it works right off the bat.  heck.. go buy virtually any printer and if you don't have the driver  already it will download it (sometimes in the background).  I just bought a new printer to go along with my fiancee's new mac book and set it up wirelessly.  it was a freakin cinch.  love how easy it was.  the less time you spend trying to figure things out or wrestling with things the more time you have to do the things you like.  it's like what they're saying about the ipad.  it's not about what it does but HOW it does it.  when people play around with it long enough they will see why ipad will become the defacto standard in portable computing.

the software update is great so you'll always have the lastest SW.  it will tell you when it's available and will download it quickly and painlessly. 

Wait till you use iLife.  once you discover iphoto and itunes in depth you will see and understand why everyone else is trying very hard to duplicate or catch up to what apple has done.  if ur lucky it may auto categorize ur photo collection by event and you'll be surprised just how intuitive it is.  

Enjoy ur new baby J.  She will give you many years of fun and productivy without all the drama.

btw, since mine was just before that update you get to enjoy that new 10 hour battery.  I"m a bit jealous about that lol.  

The effin monitor was a monster and everything ran so smoothly.  A lil expansive, but im sure it worth it.

sounds good.  always take the pulse of upcoming products at places like appleinsider.com to ensure you don't by prior to an upcoming release.  I could almost shoot myself for buying my macbook pro weeks before the model with the extended battery came out lol.