This new MacBook looks nice. But it has strange specifications:
- just 4 plugs: power, USB, headphones, µ-DVI.
- no optical drive
- no user-replaceable everything
- backlit keyboard <3 – sweet nonsense
- optional SSD drive…finally!
- 1,36 kg (10 iPhones, or a kilogramm lighter than a MacBook)
Still, I’m thinking about getting one later this year. And I want an SSD (that’s a non-mechanical hard drive – die, HDD!), which is currently just too expensive (900 $ extra!) Am I crazy? Let me explain.
The Epitome of Simplicity
No optical drive? Remote disk? What a daring idea! I love you, Apple ;-) I have counts 5 running CD/DVD drives around my desk here, and I certainly don’t need another one. How often do I use them anyway? Once a week? And why buy one today anyway, with this HD DVD/BluRay war going on.
I also don’t care about the missing Firewire (just swapped the connection to my external backup disk from Firewire 400 to USB 2 for testing – no problem. What do I need Firewire for? I don’t have a camera.)
Only one USB port? Well, I don’t need a mouse. And there were few cases when I ever used both of my MacBook’s USB ports together.
But I’m not sure how to go without Ethernet though…I’m still a cable guy (wireless mice suck). How would I connect to the internet and make a private LAN?
The Plan
- Wait for the SSD option to become cheaper (let’s say, 2nd generation MacBook Air with 1.8GHz and the 64GB SSD for 2000 € in May?)
- Stick to my non-wifi backup disk (heck, I’ve spent a lot of money for this!), and Firewire-plug it into…
- …an iMac which I plan to buy. Maybe a 20" will do, I’ve never been into large displays. I need 2GB RAM for sure, but any hard disk will do.
- I set up a wireless network with the iMac serving optical drive, backup drive access. I get rid of most of my cables (the other PC – Hikari – will stay. I like it and it has a 7.1 sound card ^_^)
Voilà! That would be about 3200 €.
And what do I get?
- Two quite good computers to give to other people:
- Rico, my MacBook (renamed after Henrietta died – HD crash snif I hate you, HDDs!) – to my mum
- Seras, my old Athlon 2200+ PC – to one of my aunts
- A beautiful, light, durable notebook with no mechanical parts except for the CPU fan, but with the same speed as Rico.
- A desktop that I may really work with…after using mostly my laptops at home for 5 years.
- (and play StarCraft2 on…if it is out in May, that is ^^)
- Two new names to choose. Maybe Fumie (from Dennou Coil) for the iMac and Kuu (from Haibane Renmei) for the MacBook Air. I love to give names.
- Probably a lot of mockery from other people (Du hast dir wirklich so ein Teil gekauft? Du bist doch verrückt.)
And now?
I actually bought Simon’s iMac for 900 €, while he baught the newest model. Wow, 24", and it’s quite fast :) The bluetooth moues and keyboard also work better than expected. But there’s one thing I hate: all connectors are on the back! Why do I have to stand up to get my headphones in? Anyway, it’s got a Firewire 800 port.
But I got my home cinema now. A 23" Cinema display alone would have cost me 800€ at least, and now I have a complete desktop computer with a graphics card that should be ready for SC2.
I called it Batou, honoring Simon’s wish that to get her a boy’s name.
I also heard SSDs are getting cheaper…if I can get a 128 GB (2.5") for less than 400 €, I’m probably in to buy one for Triella, my new MacBook.