Powerbook

The newer Apple PowerBook models come with excellent hardware and standard ports. You get the Mac OS X 10.3.4 operating system, otherwise known as the Tiger, and you can access an array of included software. You get creative digital wear, like iMovie, iTunes, and iPhoto, as well as Adobe Acrobat reader, a graphic converter, a text enhancing program, and many other interesting pieces.

The real drawback of the PowerBook is its cost. According to some price surveys, the PowerBook can cost $300 to $400 more than similarly appointed Windows notebooks. That being said, especially if go with the high-end 800 MHz Pentium M PowerBook G4, you get excellent performance across applications. The G4 looks great and comes with a comprehensive service plan, as well.

The Mac OS X system may not garner the stellar reviews that the Windows XP system seems to get. That said, the PowerBook can handle everyday tasks with ease. The G4 is also vastly superior in performance, design, and construction to the earlier G3 iBook. There's not much difference between the 667 MHz and 800 MHz processors, except when you run large-scale programs, like iMovie Export.

You can purchase an additional Bluetooth adapter to connect with a PAN, and you may want to grab an additional 256 MB of RAM just to be on the safe side. Apple's flat-panel display allows you to watch movies, surf the Web, and review business presentations in practically any environment. The PowerBook also features an easy-to-manipulate mouse and touchpad system for improved ergonomic control.