First impressions of the ZX7
When I bought my PowerBook, it was at a disadvantage because all of my comparisons where not only Laptop vs. Desktop, but also OS X vs. Windows XP. With this laptop, it's really just Laptop vs. Laptop. First impression of this thing - it's HUGE! The screen is awesome and it's tough to watch TV and work on this at the same time. I was expecting better resolution (1400 x 900 max), but it's good enough. The keyboard rocks - it's actually a full size keyboard! I keep making typing mistakes because I'm used to the (smaller) PowerBook's keyboard. Even better - it's got a keypad! I really like the plastic piece where my wrists sit. On the PowerBook, this is metal - and it quickly got scratched up from my watch. The speakers are great (the PowerBooks sucked) and I dig the webcam at the top of the monitor (though it's a bit dark - maybe it's just cause it's night time). I like Hypersonic's setup - very minimal as far as packaging. All the CDs are on the hard drive as well as in a small bag, which was enclosed in a leather (or maybe it's pleather?) carrying case.
Now for the cons. It's heavy and hot - both which I expected. You gotta install Java - both OS X and Linux come with it installed. The embedded wireless card only seems to work when I'm 5 feet from my access point. I have a couple of wireless cards, so I plugged one in and now I'm able to write this from my living room. Hopefully Hypersonic will be able to fix that. I kinda like the CD drive on the PowerBook better - though it can be a real pain when you can't get a CD out. The power cord has a humongous adapter-thingy on it - makes me long for the rather small PowerBook's cord. No NetNewsWire - good thing I still have a PowerBook. There are two folders on my C-Drive (with GUID-like names) that I can't delete. That sucks - I've been here before and never found a way to delete them (save re-installing Windows). Also, the lit-up keyboard on the new PowerBooks is a nice feature that I could really use right now.
Lastly, the performance numbers for opening Photoshop and Eclipse:
- Opening Photoshop 7.0: 5 seconds
- Opening Eclipse 3.0 M2: 5 seconds
Damn, not the performance jump I was hoping for. I'll post AppFuse and Roller compilation numbers when I get everything setup. Here are numbers to compare against the 2 GHz desktop I have at work. Am I happy with my decision? You bet - it's a wicked laptop.
Today shouldn't be as bad as the day I received my PowerBook. It was January 2002 and there was an Apple conference where Steve Jobs was giving his keynote. I was worried that he would announce new PowerBooks, and I was going to return it if he did. So I had to sit there for hours with the un-opened box saying "OPEN ME". At least today, I'm stuck at work and I've got plans for most of the evening. Then an interview first thing tomorrow morning. The anxiety might be around for quite some time.
Some Bugs are hard to kill. After a brief reprieve, the Volkswagen Beetle, the original version, faces extinction today. Volkswagen's plant in Mexico -- the only one in the world that still makes the old-style Beetle -- finishes one last gussied-up retro edition of the plucky, curvacious little car, ending the model's 70-year run. [