I’m finally done setting up my new MacBook Pro. I decided a long time ago to replace my previous workstation, consisting of one 20″ iMac G5 and a 15″ PowerBook G4, with one ultra-portable MacBook Pro and a Cinema Display. I must say that having only one computer makes for a far more “optimized” experience than constantly moving data between two, and with my 20″ Cinema Display, I can continue to work with the “comfort” of a desktop computer during those long hours at home.

I chose the middle-model 15.4″ MacBook Pro because it’s far more portable than the 17″ model and the included 2GB of DDR2 memory and 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor provide all the power that I need. I also chose the glossy screen. Why? Because it looks brighter, clearer and crisper than the matte screen (especially with the new LED backlight technology), and because I don’t have to worry about working next to any windows in any dimly lit rooms.

Of course, knowing Murphy and his laws, the move to the new workstation was not without its hiccups. Thanks to my reliance on the new Cinema Display, I failed to notice a massive backlight leak on the bottom-right side of the MacBook Pro’s display, and it didn’t come to my attention until an entire day after I had finished installing my favorite applications and moving all of my data (including documents, music, movies, etc.). So, with three days of work down the drain, it was off to the Rancho Cucamonga Apple Store for an exchange. Of course, they didn’t have any models left with the glossy screen, but were happy to exchange it for a model with the matte screen. “Now, why would I want that?” I asked, “Can I bring the matte screen back and exchange it for a glossy screen once they arrive?” “No,” was the salesman’s answer. So, off I went to the Pasadena Apple Store in the middle of the afternoon. It only took me forty-five minutes to get there and find parking. The staff there was very understanding, and even though their “geniuses” claimed the bright white backlight leak to be “within specs”, they agreed to exchange my defective MacBook Pro for the very same model, complete with a glossy screen. With that over, it was time for a late-afternoon drive home. It took an hour and a half. Yes, that’s ninety minutes. If you don’t believe me, ask Bryan. He lives somewhere in the middle of that mess.

With all of that behind me now, I finally have a MacBook Pro free of display defects and a super-powerful ultra-portable workstation which I expect to serve me well for at least five years.