Last summer, notebook (or laptop, if you prefer) computer sales exceeded sales of desktop computers for the first time in history. Obviously, people like the idea of carrying their digital lives around with them. And there’s a laptop computer for every use. For people who just need (or want) to do email, web browsing, and occasionally watch a DVD, there are ultra-light computers with smaller (12 inches diagonal, for example) displays. For those that need the extra screen space to handle “light” photo and home video editing, there’s a second tier of laptops with displays in the 15 inch diagonal range.

Many creative and media professionals want a computer that doesn’t really fit into these first two categories. You can’t really call what they want a “laptop” because it wont fit on the lap of any but the “stoutest” of creative and media professionals. These pros are looking for a “portable” version of the powerful computers and large, brilliant displays that adorn their desktops.

Apple was one of the first to market with a wide-screen (17 inches diagonal) portable computer for professionals hungry for screen space. This week, quite fittingly at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, Apple introduced a new version of their 17-inch portable (now called the MacBook Pro) running Intel’s Core Duo processor. Here’s the specs: 2.16 GHz dual-core processor with an improved architecture, which gives it (according to Apple’s benchmarks) up to five times the “speed” of the previous G4-equipped models. One gigabyte of RAM standard. An ATI Mobility Radeon graphics processing unit with 256 MB of dedicated memory. A 120 GB Serial ATA (faster interface) hard drive. An 8X Dual-Layer DVD/CD-burning Superdrive. All in an aluminum casing that’s just one inch thick weighing only 6.8 pounds.

Of course, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro comes with all of Apple’s other laptop goodies. A keyboard with a built-in backlight that lets you see the keys in low ambient light environments. Apple’s MagSafe power adapter with a cord that’s held in place magnetically that can disconnect smoothly and safely if someone else trips over it. A built-in iSight web camera for teleconferencing. And, built-in wireless networking, Bluetooth, and Gigabit Ethernet.

The new 17-incher, which ships in about two weeks, lists for $2799. Which is $750 LESS than a similarly equipped offering from Dell, which also weighs in close to two pounds heavier.

© 2006 Peter F. Zimowski