Researching Macbook Pro

Instead of working on my music, I've taken the time and got to know Apple's operating system: Mac OSX Lion. Though my laptop will be here Tuesday, since I've never used a Mac computer I'm getting to know everything about it so that my experience will be about applying what I know, instead of learning by trial-and-error.

I don't like to post anything non-music related, but since I got this laptop specifically for music purposes, I want to elaborate on the newest piece of equipment I'll be using. This article will contain opinions and preferences to my new laptop that don't necessarily pertain to music. You've been warned.

• First, the most impressive feature I'm seeing in the operating system is the ability to create multiple desktops. What this does is I can have Ableton running in a full screen on one desktop, and switch over to another desktop that has something else on it. I plan on using this feature to swap between tutorial videos and Ableton, without doing so like on the start menu bar in Windows.

• In addition to having multiple desktops, I also use my laptop for other features. Having multiple accounts is standard, but while I'm working on projects with Creative Suite, I can again have multiple desktops running Photoshop, Premiere and other stuff, like internet and etc... The workspace flow is what is impressive to me. This is something I haven't seen specifically done in Windows.

• As far as screen size is concerned, I got the 13.3" screen. My previous laptop is a Dell with a 15.6" screen, and I think even that screen is sometimes small. However, another feature I will use is the ability to dock my macbook pro's monitor onto my 42" TV (or my current monitor) and be able to have my Akai APC40 controller side-by-side with my laptop. Due to space limitations in the computer room, my controller doesn't sit right next to me, but off to the side where it's quite inconvenient to use.

• Another key feature, is the e-mail system and how it organizes all the e-mails. I'm constantly running separate web browsers for e-mail, and it would be nice to have a streamlined program to run e-mails. Though this feature is in Windows, I never utilized it and I should've at least tried it out. Otherwise, this program looks pretty amazing.

• It will also be able to dual-boot into Windows. I don't really want the Macbook for leisure, and when I want to browse via Microsoft I can still do so (like the company standard Microsoft Word, Excel and etc...). I run quite a bit of strenuous applications that my laptop is starting to struggle with, so it'll be nice to have the power of the mac.

Finally, many people wonder why I'm switching to a Macbook, even I've said distasteful things about Apple in general.

• My first response in favor of a Macbook Pro is: I've never used one before. I'm really interested to see if it lives up to the hype, and I'm ready for a change. Apple is a company that does the majority of their computer designing in-house, whereas Windows will work on any computer built, ranging from (my personal favorite) Dell, to HP and eMachines (my least favorite).

• Second, for the last ten years I've used Windows XP. Every update to the Windows operating system, and respective programs, has felt like an upgrade to look and feel like an Apple OS. If I wanted it to look like Apple, I'd get one. I dislike Vista, I'm not a fan of 7 and I don't know why they can't focus on upgrading XP, instead of looking like an Apple OS as stated earlier.

• The program I use specifically for Ableton is better executed through an Apple OS. Many people will argue for and against this statement, but it's almost unanimous that Apple is the easier of the two. In Windows, you have to update sound drivers and install sound devices to keep from having latency issues, whereas a Mac it already works perfectly. Plug-and-play equipment works seamlessly better, as you don't have to restart the program to identify the device.

I've been met with much opposition on the change to Apple. I suppose this should come as no surprise, as I used to be one of those guys who opposed all things Apple; call it Karma. I'm not switching over to look cool in a coffeeshop, I'm switching because I want to perform music I create.