I'm not yet a mac user, but i've been doing a lot of research on them similar to what you need with a view to switching during the summer. Apple is commiting to making a full transition to intel chips, so with the exception of the powerbook, expected to be fully replaced with higher-end MacBook pros, i'd expect all those others you've listed to be released with intel chips before the end of the year, and most likely higher specs than the existing models for a similar price. New iBooks are expected to be announced as early as in March, possibly April, and they're expected to be standard 13" widescreen. The resolution should be being upgraded to, as previously it was only up to 1024x768. Less is known of a release of the mini, but rumours have been circulating about it being used as a full "media hub". I'd recommend waiting until at least April. By then a full range of laptops should be released with the intel chips, and you can see if they match the specs you need. If portability is a bigger issue than performance then you'd be better off going without the mini, I wouldn't predict radically different specs between the existing model of mini and the new laptops, or major price differences. Best places to start would be mac rumour's buyers guide, as it lists average times between releases in product lines, it gives a simple way of checking if a new release is likely soon. It also links to reports and rumours of new products, IMO it's the best way to keep up to date with predictions of just what the new line'll feature. Off topic, but it's nice to see the Saul signature.
Wow, thank you so much. I'll definitely keep an eye on that website. I thought about it last night, and if the specs on the iBook get bumped up, I think I might go for that instead. The one thing that I really wish it had was a bigger harddrive, but I guess I can always buy an external one when I use it at home. Plus, I can always buy a bigger screen and use it like a Mac Mini at home. And yeah, I'll definitely be waiting until at least April, probably May. Seeing as how I won't have enough money until then, most likely, and my birthday is in May, so maybe that'll help out. and the signature comment just made you one of my new favorite people here. Again, thanks, and if anyone else has other input, it'd be appreciated as well.
Todd, I have a question specifically for you, seeing as how you own a Mac and you're pretty for P2P from what I've seen. Is it pretty easy to download software for the Mac? Because I know for sure that I'm not going to have a lot of money left over, and I know I'm going to at least need Photoshop/ImageReady, Illustrator, Flash, and I'd like to get SoundTrack. Would it be pretty easy to get that?