Two questions remain:
What?
When?
Here's what I want in a computer:
Mostly, I want a portable computer that I can use for lighter things (email, word processing, reading PDFs, doing presentations, and some graphic editing). I want a large harddrive because my only problem with my current computer is the harddrive space (processor wise, it still works beautiful After two years, my HP is great. Okay, the fan also sounds like an air craft carrier, and I won't miss that).
All the mac afficionados are now saying "12 inch ibook. Duh."
Here's the catch: I want to convert a bunch of old VHS to DVD. Therefore, I need a superdrive.
So, do I go for the 14 inch ibook or the 12 inch powerbook? I don't think I want the 15 inch PB; my computer is 15 inches or so, and I'd like something a little smaller. April and my brother both have the 12 inch, and it's a perfectly fine size. However, there are performance issues. Supposedly, the powerbook doesn't get as good an airport signal as the ibook, and I want to go all wireless when possible. Also, I've heard that the ibook is more durable than the powerbook; something about polycarbonate plastic being able to take damn near anything. I'm pretty careful, but it'd be nice to not have to worry about my computer, since I will most likely be tossing it in and out of my backpack (yes, I will get some sort of case -- I might make one out of padded fleece, but buying one would work too. That's a whole 'nother headache).
Also, do I wait until after the macworld expo to see what's going on? I'd like to get one with the current processor so I can use photoshop and all that jazz; mumblings at the big mac sites (macworld, unofficial apple weblog, etc) say something to the effect of the programming basis being different, so these programs would only work in an emulator. I don't want to get too complicated with this stuff. I don't *think* I'll need to upgrade to any new programs, but that's hard to predict.
Thoughts? Right at this moment, I'm leaning toward a pimped out 14 inch ibook. It'll be cheaper than the powerbook, which will give me money to buy a VHS to digital convertor and a firewire harddrive. But I'm open to suggestion, and I know I have several readers who are mac fiends.