Time 4 an update

Really...nothg new or serious or exciting coming from the Gundam world (my favorite). UC Climax (PS2) is just "another" Gundam v-game. Man, I'm sorta excited 'coz it has the CCA's theme in it, but then again, that's only PART of the game, so I ain't gonna spend >6000 yen to buy it. When will Bandai release a PS2 v-game JUST FOR the CCA saga. Can wait to pilot my own RX-93 Nu Gundam :) What do I want? Well, how 'bou a PG Nu Gundam (with HWS) and a MG RX-93-2 Hi-Nu?

Fullmetal Alchemist is gearing toward the end @ Cartoon Network; I just hope that this is the season for CN to go to the end (showing ep.44...or is it ep.45 on 1/21). OTOH, it'll probably be a long time b4 the Movie version will be available on DVD :( Bootleg seems to be what I'll be getting (more correctly: Japanese or Chinese authentic version).

Let me switch gear a little bit:

Has anyone bought a new MacIntel (or IntelMac) yet? No, I haven't, and I ain't planning to 'til much later (probably next year). Currently, I'm using a G4 Dual 500MHz that I purchased back in 2001. It fits me well, but the processor speed has started to show its age (I'm an computer/software engineer, remember). My philosophy on computer (processor) speed is simple:

"Unless you are working as a multimedia professional (or student) with graphics/videos heavy project or a computer/software engineering professional (or student) that does a lot of software analysis/compiling (but not as processor performance hungry as the former), why the heck do you need to chase after the ever improving processor speed?"

Anyhow, I'm...WAS...planning to upgrade to a refurb. G5 Dual during the holiday, and a new Mac laptop sometime in the summer of 2006, but seeing the newly released MacIntel really scared me (on the purchase; my total budget 'bou $2000). There are basically way more cons than pros on buying a PPC G5 (Dual) right now no matter what "version" it is:

Pros:
•Still very fast
•Many more applications (usable) in the old PPC (Rosetta doesn't translate all apps., and performance is much slower)

Cons:
•Old technology but still new release selling price (no price drop even on the refurb after the announcement)
•Software concern - many SW companies will start working on apps based on the NEW model, so basically RIP for many current apps on the PPC line up
•Spending ~$1500 and be able to use apps for (I believe) at most 2 years ('til 2008) - VERY VERY BAD investment (my current G4 lasts 5 years)
•NO BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY (i.e. use almost all G5 apps on G4 - even the early G4's - are fine) b/n MacIntel and MacPPC
•Whatever software/apps that I'm using now won't be able to use on the new Intel ones, meaning that I'll have to dig deep into my wallet for all the new software purchase
(The above 5 cons essentially tie together)
•(This is for the laptop) Despite the significant speed increases (but read my philosophy although the performance of the low end G4 really sucks), there are less features (no FW800, lower screen resolution, SuperDrive is less powerful than the older G4 laptop, etc.), yet the $ stays pretty much identical! Hello? Better chips really shouldn't cost the manufacturer much since processors are really...well, relatively...cheap (than the rest of the laptop).
•(Again for the laptop) When people thinks 'bou Intel, they think CHEAP laptops (thx to Dell). Yeah, I know, different (and better) chip b/n those cheapy Dell and the MacBook Pro, but unless you are someone who knows 'bou computer, the majority of the consumers can't really tell the difference! A family of mine just purchased a Dell - which I helped them to pick despite the fact that I'm a Mac guy - 'coz their budget is b/n $300-$400! Nope, no macs there at this range. If I'm going for the $1000+ laptops, Sony & Toshiba offer better laptops than Mac; at least they have compact flash memory card slots (like Memory Stick) and a much brighter/crystal clear screens. To tell u the truth, I wonder when Mac will provide a <$500 laptop to its users (like the Mac mini) in order to gain hugh market share.

See all these cons? They tell me that the new MacIntel, though faster - yet not as fast as Apple has claimed, and even much slower when using apps through Rosetta - isn't a good purchase at the moment! OTOH, I'm struggling to spend $2000 on thgs that I know will go obsolete in just a couple of years, esp. when my current G4 is still "OK." This can probably explain the recent report on why Mac sales have stalled (on both old PPC and new Intel Macs). Bad move, Apple. Should have waited until u have enough software support to justify the new purchase, and should have started with the lower end Mac products (like the mini or ibook) instead of the middle and top. And no price drop on the old PPC models? What gives? It's like asking "who would spend top $$$ to buy a soon-to-be-replaced car when the consumer knows that the new model is now available?"