After saying I would eventually get one, for more years than I care to count, I pulled the trigger tonight and bought my first Mac: the 15″ MacBook Pro.

Isn’t it lovely? This is the newly announced version with the Multi-Touch trackpad, an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor (256MB of video memory), and the new Penryn processor.

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Here are my MBP’s specs:

• Processor 065-7730 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• Display 065-7449 MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy WS
• Memory 065-7443 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2×1GB
• Hard Drive 065-7451 250GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
• Optical Drive 065-7453 SuperDrive 8x DL
• Modem 065-7456 None
• REMOTE 065-7463 None
• Apple Software - iWork 065-7672 No iWork Preinstalled
• Apple Software - Final Cut Exp 065-7674 No Final Cut Exp Preinstalled
• Apple Software - Aperture 065-7673 No Aperture Preinstalled
• Apple Software - Logic Express 065-7675 No Logic Exp Preinstalled
• Keyboard/Mac OS Language 065-7459 BkLit Keyboard/Mac OS
• Country Kit/AEX 065-7241 Country Kit

According to the information I’ve been given, my MBP will ship by March 3 - March 5, and it will deliver by March 5 - March 10.

I would like to thank Alison, Mitchell, Vincent and Jerry for all of the coaxing and hand-holding…why do I sound as if I am accepting an award? ;-)

I may install Windows, but I want to really give the Mac side a chance. I haven’t used a Mac since…the 80s! I am, for all intents and purposes, a complete and utter newbie. I am totally prepared to ask stupid questions that make those not-so-new to the platform cringe. :mrgreen:

I am a little bit worried about the glossy screen, but Mitchell told me to just get it and shut up. Yessir! ;-)

Vincent traded his Mac Book Air for the 15″ MBP, and he tells me that he’s getting a solid five hours of battery life, possibly because of the new Penryn processor. This is a huge(!!) improvement over the 1.5 - 3 hours Mitchell and Chris Spera have reported with their MBPs.

I will upgrade the RAM following the steps outlined in Wayne’s money saving article, and other than that? I’ll figure it out as I go along.

And yes, I am well aware that I broke my own rule and bought a Mac without being able to do so at a local Mac store. Hopefully I will not have any service issues. :neutral:

In the meantime, watch for a very gently used Toshiba X205 to make its appearance on eBay. I’ll miss it, but there just isn’t enough room on my desk for both…and I have to help pay for this thing somehow. ;-)

Update 03/03/08: It shipped today and I will have it on the 6th! :-D