For those of you who think that the Mac is still too exensive:

NOTE: Normally, after matching other hardware specs, keeping the hardware specs in line with each other includes making sure that if one system includes a display, the other system includes one as well. In this particular case, the price discrepancy was so great between the two systems that I made an exception.

As a result, the Apple system includes the $699 20[-)”. Cinema Display, while the Dell only includes the tower. For an alternate comparison, remove the Cinema Display, add Apple’s AppleCare warranty (3 years of both hardware & software support) for $249, and you’re still left with a $450 price advantage for the Mac Pro.

Follow the link to the page for a full comparison to see how it all stacks up.

I’m gettin’ one of these at work next week ]

Very cool.

From [Slashdot](http://slashdot.org/:) “lopy writes ‘Medialoper has noted that Zune’s highly touted wireless file sharing will infect otherwise unprotected audio files with proprietary DRM. In cases where users are sharing songs covered by any of the Creative Commons licenses, this would be a clear violation of those license. From the CC FAQ: ‘If a person uses DRM tools to restrict any of the rights granted in the license, that person violates the license.’ It’ll be interesting to see how and if the CC community responds.’ An anonymous reader wrote in mentioning a post to the Crave blog, relatedly exploring how the Zune stacks up to the iPod.”

This is supposed to be the iPod killer? Hasn’t any else figured it out yet? People want to OWN their music.

From [Think Secret](http://www.thinksecret.com/:) “Apple is working at a feverish pace to finish up its initial foray into the cellular phone market, but reliable sources report the new device will not be announced until Macworld Expo San Francisco in January 2007.”

Outstanding! I just hope I can use this with Verizon, but I doubt it. Verizon has its own agenda, and satisfying customers isn’t part of it.