Torn between a new MacTel and a... Thinkpad!

[dhsu800]

Given that AppleInsider (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1359) is indicating that the 12" PowerBook will not be continued, this has only increased my vacillation between a new PowerBook and a new Thinkpad, or trying to go with some hybrid strategy.

Unfortunately, I've recently developed a need to use technical software (that only runs on Windows) and a machine for arranging my thoughts (for which I use my Mac). But 5.5 pounds is going to be a lot to carry around day in, day out, for a machine that would still have to stand alongside a stupid Windows desktop.

That's why the Thinkpad X41 is so alluring... but of course, I'd be giving up everything that I love about my Mac, such as everything about it! This foolish heart of mine is hoping that the new MacTels can run both OS X and Windows, so I can try to run the technical software in Rosetta or Virtual PC.

Any other good suggestions on how not to make this compromise?

[alcimedes]

Either way you either have to wait or buy now, not sure what anyone can tell you that will change that.

Although if you're looking to buy a light PC notebook, check the Fujitsu lines or Toshiba lines. Consdiering IBM just sold their laptop manf. to another company, they're a big unknown quality wise right now in my book.

[ast3r3x]

I really like Toshiba laptops...from what I've seen at least, not sure of their quality though. I'd assume it's pretty good.

Didn't Apple say they aren't doing anything to stop Windows from running on these new Macs? Again, it's kinda stupid to debate which you should get before they come out, but theoretically shouldn't you be able to partition your drive, and boot either windows or OS X?

[Wyatt]

Just buy a new Mactel notebook when they come out. Dual boot Windows rather than running VPC. Don't sacrifice the elegance and simplicity of the Mac just to run a couple of Windows programs.

[torifile]

I wish the people who have the dev previews of the PM's that use intel chips could tell us how easy it is to install/run Windows. I know they can't because of NDA, but a leak would be nice. ;)

[badtzmaru]

I have Virtual PC (Windows XP OS) running on my 15" 1.25GHz PowerBook. I run Windows-only math and modeling software on it, MathCad most often as well as WordPerfect, and have had no issues except with the inability to run one Monte Carlo program that will hang Excel withing VPC. Amazingly I never got a blue screen with VPC.

Windows under VPC is certainly slower than say running Windows on a typical 3GHz Pentium PC, but it works, and in my case overall better to work with than my 3GHz Pentium PC at work that's bogged down by all kinds of Novell, Symantic and other administrative crapware (for example, a right-click open on my work PC takes about 3 seconds, under VPC on my PowerBook its virtually instantaneous).

It helps with VPC to modify the Windows XP options to turn off all the fancy GUI graphics and animated stuff, like my OS is XP but I adjusted the settings so it looks like an old school Windows 95 environment without all the bells and whistles.

I'm wondering now if the Intel Macs that Apple sells to consumers (not the dev kits) will be dual bootable, or will we need some sort of added software layer to run Windows on an Intel Mac?

[Yontsey]

I really like Toshiba laptops...from what I've seen at least

agreed. before i bought my powerbook back in may i was looking at a toshiba lappy with windows media center. the main thing that drew me towards them were their beautiful screens. i cant say for sure but i think they were HD and they were just so clear and bright...speechless...if only that screen was on a powerbook

[Franz Josef]

Do bear in mind:


You may well only have to wait until 10 Jan (5 weeks) for Intel Macs and very soon thereafter to find out how easily dual-bootable they are.
VPC is generally slow and therefore often not a good solution.
As alcimedes pointed out, since Lenovo bought Thinkpad, there's no guarantee the same high build standards will apply - they may just trade off the brand.

[chucker]

4. OSx86: I did some more research on the possibility of running OS X on an Intel machine. Found this useful list (http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL/Portables) of hardware in which people have succeeded in getting the developer builds of OS X to work on current Intel machines.

*cough* (http://forums.applenova.com/guidelines.shtml)

Posting requests or information about obtaining pirated or illegally-distributed software is prohibited. Any and all such posts may be removed without warning. If the offending member continues with such posts, he or she is subject to immediate suspension from the forums for any amount of time the administrators or moderators deem necessary. Furthermore, posts asking for technical support regarding pirated software, requesting or breaking serial numbers, or otherwise bypassing licensing schemes is also not allowed and will be treated in the same manner as posts that directly ask for pirated software.

Now, I know you're somewhat new to this board and all, but the rules still apply to you. You are openly speaking of considering to buy a laptop, then installing an operating system on it that requires you to 1) illegally obtain it to begin with, 2) break its EULA, 3) crack its protection scheme and finally 4) apply other patches to make it run on your laptop. IANAL but I think you're getting yourself into quite a mess here, and I don't want to be in your position if you ever have a hardware problem with your laptop and need to send it in, then forget to wipe the hard drive clean multiple times so nobody can see what naughty things you've been doing... :)

[dhsu800]

Hmm, sorry about that. We all have idle daydreams that shouldn't be shared. :\