Perfect Laptop for cross platform Phone App development – iOS, Android, WP7
I want to get into **mobile phone app development**, I want to learn and hit all platforms releasing some apps this year. Am currently a C# .Net developer, done some basic WP7, did Java at university so should pick up Android ok, no experience with Macs/iOS other than owning an iPhone.

* I’m asking the question here as I want answers from developers, not the other stackoverflow network of sites, **this is the audience I want to address**.

Requirements

- **Laptop only**, need to be portable so I can be productive anywhere, I travel a lot, 
want to attend **Hackathon type events** and use all my own kit

- Isolated development environments for **Windows/WP7, Mac/iOS, Linux/Android** (help me learn some Linux) – Most likely run each in it’s own virtual machine
- Fast, stable, reliable
- **Nightly backups**, want to do a full clone of the laptop as a nightly or regular backup to a local NAS.
- Docking – at home will plug into 26” monitor + full size keyboard and mouse. 
- **Keyboard** – I code a lot, I use **keyboard shortcuts** a lot. Want to maintain keyboard layout as close as possible between the laptop and a full keyboard when I have it docked. Avoid context switch of buttons in different places.

I imagine myself carrying this laptop around along with 3 cables, 3 phones: iPhone (already own), WP7 Phone (Samsung Focus, already own), Android (to buy). I can then build and test anything, anywhere.

Looking for:

 - Advice on **best hardware to buy** 
 - Advice on **best software to buy**, **configuration**

Thoughts:

-	SSD hard drive, 128GB enough?
-	8GB+ ram – for the virtual machines
-	i5/i7 processor
-	Hi res screen/non glossy
-	Decent graphics – not sure how much a priority this is, maybe for Photoshop/Illustrator design etc

First idea is **MacBook pro, 13” or 15” ?** 15” quite a bit heavier to lug around but it does get a higher resolution screen and dedicated graphics card, is the keyboard layout the same between 13” vs 15” ? can I get a dedicated keyboard for at home with the matching layout?
Perfect Laptop for cross platform Phone App development – iOS, Android, WP7
===

I want to get into **mobile phone app development**, I want to learn and hit all platforms releasing some apps this year. Am currently a C# .Net developer, done some basic WP7, did Java at university so should pick up Android ok, no experience with Macs/iOS other than owning an iPhone.

* I’m asking the question here as I want answers from developers, not the other stackoverflow network of sites, **this is the audience I want to address**.

Requirements

- **Laptop only**, need to be portable so I can be productive anywhere, I travel a lot, 
want to attend **Hackathon type events** and use all my own kit

- Isolated development environments for **Windows/WP7, Mac/iOS, Linux/Android** (help me learn some Linux) – Most likely run each in it’s own virtual machine
- Fast, stable, reliable
- **Nightly backups**, want to do a full clone of the laptop as a nightly or regular backup to a local NAS.
- Docking – at home will plug into 26” monitor + full size keyboard and mouse. 
- **Keyboard** – I code a lot, I use **keyboard shortcuts** a lot. Want to maintain keyboard layout as close as possible between the laptop and a full keyboard when I have it docked. Avoid context switch of buttons in different places.

I imagine myself carrying this laptop around along with 3 cables, 3 phones: iPhone (already own), WP7 Phone (Samsung Focus, already own), Android (to buy). I can then build and test anything, anywhere.

Looking for:

 - Advice on **best hardware to buy** 
 - Advice on **best software to buy**, **configuration**

Thoughts:

-	SSD hard drive, 128GB enough?
-	8GB+ ram – for the virtual machines
-	i5/i7 processor
-	Hi res screen/non glossy
-	Decent graphics – not sure how much a priority this is, maybe for Photoshop/Illustrator design etc

First idea is **MacBook pro, 13” or 15” ?** 15” quite a bit heavier to lug around but it does get a higher resolution screen and dedicated graphics card, is the keyboard layout the same between 13” vs 15” ? can I get a dedicated keyboard for at home with the matching layout?