Windows Vista Laptop Decisions

Windows Vista is finally shipping, which means it might be time to reassess the state of your existing computer. I know I've been holding off on getting anything new for at least a year longer than I wanted to, simply because I wanted to wait for hardware that would perform well with Microsoft's latest operating system.

My biggest decision at the moment is how I want to replace my current laptop. It's much slower than I'd like for doing things like video editing. I'm leaning heavily toward getting a MacBook Pro and running both Windows Vista and Windows XP via Parallels. That would get me many of the things I loved about having a Mac laptop back when OS X first came on the scene, without giving up all the things that are familiar to me about Windows.

The only thing holding me back on choosing the MacBook Pro is size. Part of me wants to get back to the small form factor of that Fujitsu Lifebook P1510D I toted around for several months. I loved the size. I loved having Tablet PC functionality combined with the size. But it was definitely not the machine for editing video on the go because the screen was just too small. Maybe Dell, Sony or HP will wow me with something in the near future - somehow I doubt it.

In the meantime, I'll still be posting regular tips for Windows XP for the foreseeable future. At the same time, I'll be looking to the future more often and posting additional tips and tutorials for those making the transition to Vista - especially in light of all the changes to Windows Movie Maker since version 2.1 arrived two plus years ago. I'm planning to do another book dedicated to the new version. Of course, if you're still using Windows XP, my first book on Windows Movie Maker, Easy Digital Home Movies, still applies.