either way it's Intel Inside!

 

Either. Whatever your preference is. You can dual boot the Mac. Actually, you can parrallel the two. I hear it is pretty awesome.

 

Leo is right. I think the benefit of getting a Mac is that if you have problems, you can just go to the nearest Apple store and have support right there.

 

Oh yea, dual booting. Boot Camp FTW. The new OSX is coming out soon and it'll come with Boot Camp.

 

and your point....?

IBM has been backing out of consumer markets for quite some time now, they are more into inventing and then selling technology

 

quality is not the same anymore... unfortunately... I used to love IBM too. my first laptop back in 99 was an IBM. My second and third laptops were IBM. In fact, two of them are still running. I started working full-time at Intel using IBM as well. After IBM sold Thinkpad, Intel still buy from Lenovo due to contract I believe. But guess what our next refresh laptop going to be? Not Lenovo I tell you that much.

 

I dunno, I have a lenovo and its just like my old one, just with a different badge. I've already dropped it with no harm, to say the quality is shat without even seeing one.....

Do you think IBM really just sold the Thinkpad name...then closed down their factory/production ties?

 

I don't know what to tell you... I think Intel is pretty big... I've seen my share of Lenovo at work. Even if factory/production lines are still the same, doesn't mean the standards/people/materials are still the same.

even the later IBM models are not as good as the older ones as far as durability and built quality. My A22M is still running next to me (extremely and painfully slow). But I am already on my third T40 and my co-workers are on their 2 and even third T60s.

I can't give you cold hard facts on the materials they used, workmanship, etc. I can only tell you more of these newer laptops have to go back to IT for replacement. (I also used to work at IT when I was in college so I have first hand experience on the quality on the older laptops)

Now lets take a step back... I am not saying DON'T BUY Lenovo! I've seen worst with Dell laptops. All I am saying is that it's not the same as it used to be, unfortunately.

 

should i wait for the leopard? if i wait, i dont get teh student discount =X

 

how come? Shouldn't student discount be year round? BTW, do you know someone that works in a large corporation? You might be able to get some nice discount there as well. But my past experience shows the student discount is better. Good luck!

 

student discount ends sept 16. i am interning at pg&e right now, i wonder if ill get a discount. so should i wait for leopard or go for what they have now? can i upgrade later? how does it work?

 

No, the student discount doesn't end Sept 16, you just don't get a free iPod nano anymore... ya you can upgrade to leopard later.

 

ITS ALL BOUT THE LEOOPARRRDDD

 

sorry, don't know enough about leopard to tell ya. Look up how much they usually go for on the upgrade versions. Then see how much you get to save if you buy now. Then it's just simple math. do you plan on working on campus during school time? University staff also gets great discount! (I know, I used to get them. )

is the September 16 deadline from your school or apple store?

 

If you know other people who have a Mac and planning to get Leopard. Just borrow it from them and install it. Apple already has your money through hardware, so they don't have serial #'s for their OS's.