So, I finally have enough $$$ to buy a laptop...

[jaguar]

Except when you drop them and get a dent in the case and Apple wants to charge you $750 to repair it.

This is true. However you don't really need to get it repaired. It took two drops from 1m+ onto concrete, more than 20 flights in a soft bag being kicked around, beng dropped onto chairs, hit with hard objects, one memorable time skidding off the desk discus-style into a wall because someone stepped on the powercord HARD and being crushed between big heavy books on a regluar basis before I needed to replace the case and then it was only because the HDD had died.

You want half a gig of memory min really, OSX loves the stuff and Tiger is no exception. Also if you do get one, pm me if you need any software.