Mossberg's advice, wait until 2008 for a laptop?

[sir42]

Mossberg's article today suggested waiting until late 2007/early 2008 before purchasing a new laptop. His advice was mainly geared towards Windows machines, but suggests that certain technologies on the horizon may be worth the wait. They are (and quite liberally quoted from his column):

1. solid-state drives, or SSD, which replaces the traditional hard disk with a faster drive made of memory chips like those used in digital cameras. Another is a “hybrid hard drive,” or HHD, which combines memory chips with a standard hard disk, for faster start-ups.

2. Also, more and more laptops will be using light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, to light up their screens — a method that promises to be both brighter and less power-hungry.

I for one would love to see this on the MBPs and hopefully in June.

3. You also may want to wait for laptops with a new type of Wi-Fi wireless networking built-in. It’s called “N,” and promises to be faster and to have longer range.

Thankfully we don't have to wait for this one!

4. Even if you don’t wait, there are some features to know about that aren’t available on most desktops. One is a built-in Web camera and microphone, highly useful for making video calls and recording videos to be posted online.

Again, check.

To tell the truth, I can live without the HHD or SSD. If apple releases a santa rosa MBP in June with an LED backlit screen I'm in.

 

[flopticalcube]

The next incarnation of the MB/MBP should be revolutionary in its underpinnings but evolutionary if anything at all in the CPU department. The revision in early 08 may be the reverse. HDDs will be cheaper and bigger than SSD for many years yet. You may even be able to buy a replacement SSD for your HDD. LED backlit screens would be nice. I could also use a third USB port. Even though I am not in the market for a new laptop (mine is 5 months old), I can't wait to see what does with SR.

 

[jng]

I have #3 and #4 now in my MBP and I'm happy. I'm also no longer in the market for a new laptop.

If costs is an issue re: SSD, then I'd take the HHD. I would love better battery life though. I'm keeping my 12" powerbook because I can get nearly 2 hours more from that machine than my MBP. So I'm satisfied for now.

Now I just need a desktop....

 

[Dimwhit]

I have #3 and #4 now in my MBP and I'm happy. I'm also no longer in the market for a new laptop.

Pretty much where I am. Would faster startup be nice? Sure, but my MBP is pretty damned quick right now. The new displays sound real nice, but mine is very nice right now, and battery life isn't too much of a concern for me.

So while #1 and #2 would be nice, I can live without them for another few years.

 

[Andrew D.]

Out of the four you listed, it seems about half of them are already present in Apple laptops. I guess PC laptops are just a little late in the game.. Oh well, nonetheless I will still pull the trigger for a MacBook once I am financially ready. Cheers!

 

[QCassidy352]

the LED screens will be very nice because they will cut down on power consumption and increase battery life. The SSDs will probably do the same, but I doubt if by quite as much.

I might well be in the market for a new laptop once at least one of those innovations makes it in to a MBP. Both would just be gravy, but I don't think I'll wait for the SSD.

 

[netdog]

Walt must have been talking to Multimedia