DPS 4-14: Top reasons not to buy a new computer (yet)
As digital photographers we're all always looking forward to our next computer as a way to get our work done faster and more effectively. With the holidays coming up it's especially tempting to plunge in and purchase one. And of course if you really need a new computer, go for it. But in this issue of DigitalPro Shooter we'll give you some of the best reasons to consider waiting.
We also want to let you know that there are still openings for our January trip to Burma and Cambodia. Two destinations where the work we've done to scout the sites and prepare for the trip will make your experience much more productive than any other way we know of to explore two of the most colorful destinations on the planet--both of which are best explored sooner rather than later as they are changing quickly. The first safari to Alaska in July 07 for grizzly bears is sold out, but we still have openings for the second week. We've also just announced price and availability for our 2007 Africa safaris for wildlife photography in Botswana. The May trip is extra-special as we'll be including a stay at Mombo, perhaps the best wildlife destination in the world. More information and pricing for all these events is available on our Cardinal Photo Events website.
Why not to buy a new computer right now:
Reason #1) Vista: For Windows users Vista represents an impressive update to Windows XP. Featuring lots of glitz and a much more reliable underlying operating system it is a great offering if your computer has the horsepower to run it. But with all that change there are a couple other gotchas. First, it won't be available at retail until after the holiday season. Microsoft is providing coupons for upgrades, but if you buy a PC now you'd need to do the upgrade yourself. And that is tricky at best and downright error-prone. Vista is not compatible with all current applications and many vendors don't have Vista compatible replacements yet. The same is true for drivers. So attempting to upgrade an existing Windows install is quite an effort. I've done it three times and in two cases had to give up and do a clean install of Vista--then re-install all my applications. It isn't impossible, but you may have better things to do with your time. If you wait until January you can get Vista pre-installed and save yourself the hassle. eWeek concurs with the advice to do a clean install. Of course Microsoft disagrees with the advice to wait, so you can also read their side of the story.
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We hope you can join us for our travel & nature photo safari to Burma (Myanmar) and Cambodia in January. We'll see some of the most historic locations in the world, including Angkor Wat, and spend time with some of incredibly welcoming and authentic cultures anywhere in Asia. Non-photographers also |
Reason #2) Core 2 Duo: The much awaited Core 2 Duo chips are out in a variety of Mac and Windows laptops. As predicted they do increase performance--mostly on media-related tasks--but they also turn out to consume a noticeable amount more power; about 20% more than the Core Duo chips they are replacing. The result is decreased battery time. Through clever power management innovations the loss in battery life has been minimized but the Core 2 introduction reverses the overall trend to lower power and lower battery life. Personally that's got me thinking it's worth waiting until the designs shake out and either there is a lower power version of the Core 2 Duo or some other breakthrough that increases battery life. The bright side is that the rush to Core 2 Duo laptops is providing some good short-term deals on laptops based on the slightly older Core Duo chips.
