Tuesday, October 17, 2006
My Next Windows Laptop
I like my MacBook, and running Windows in Parallels has been acceptable. But it's not ideal. There are three big problems with doing Windows software development this way:
- It's slower than a real PC (not too bad, but enough to be annoying when you're doing nothing but Windows eight hours per day).
- It uses 20 GB of my already-small 60 GB hard drive
- People often refuse to help me resolve issues because "We don't support Macs."
So, I've decided I need a new Windows laptop. I want one that's fast enough to serve as my primary development machine, but small enough and light enough that carrying it around won't be a burden.
I'm also pretty sure I want a Tablet PC. I miss my Newton and my Handspring Visor. I'm also learning how to draw, so having a tablet will let me do some doodling in my spare time. Also, I think tablet-oriented application software development may be a niche where I can have some fun.
Right now, I have my eye on the Toshiba Tecra M7, but I'm open to other suggestions.
[Update: Toshiba says my customized machine will be shipped November 8.]
[Update #2: Toshiba says it has been shipped. It may be waiting for me when I get home from NYC next weekend.]
