I upgraded to a new Vista laptop last year, and have been unhappy and frustrated with it from the start. When my daughter's laptop died a horrible death, I really didn't want to go through the same Vista pains with her, so I decided to replace it with a Mac (it's going to be a Christmas present, so shhh!). As designated tech support for my family and friends, I started learning everything I could about Mac before she started asking questions. The more I learned about it, the more I wanted one for myself, and now that I have one, I am really kicking myself for not switching last year.
It's simply beautiful. I know it sounds like I drank the apple-flavored Kool-Aid, but the Macbook really is a marvel of elegant form and function. It feels solid and substantial, without being bulky and heavy. the aluminum design is a work of art, and I really appreciate all of the eco-friendly choices that were made regarding the components.
The LED screen is brighter and clearer than my old laptop's LCD screen. Looking at them side by side, the difference is amazing (and my old laptop was marketed as a portable entertainment PC, with an upgraded screen). I don't know what kind of LCD screens some of the other users have, but the Macbook screen is far superior to any notebook screen I've ever seen.
The back-lit keyboard is great no more keyboard light needed. The keys have a solid feel to them, they're not mushy or noisy like some keyboards can be, they're just right, and the key layout is just like a full-size keyboard no more hunting to figure out where the heck the backslash key is hidden or hitting the wrong key because your pinky slipped off of an undersized shift key.
I'll admit that I couldn't figure out the trackpad at first, but I felt like a dork once I realized how simple it is. I did change the settings so that I can tap to click in addition to pressing down on the trackpad (since that's what I'm used to). It's just incredibly easy once you get going. Swipe two fingers down the pad to scroll, swipe four for expose, tap with two fingers for secondary-click... it does more straight out of the box than my old highly-programed touch-pad. And after about an hour, the gestures become second-nature.
As far as the built-in speakers go, they're nicer than I expected, especially since I can't figure out how the heck they fit any speakers into such a tiny case. Seriously, it's like the whole case is the speaker. As I type this review, I'm listening to the album Paradise Lost by Symphony X and It sounds pretty good to me. of course, it sounds even better played through my Klipsch Room Groove, but um.. hey... they're integrated laptop speakers though they are very nice ones.
There are only two USB ports, but since the keyboard and trackpad are so functional, you won't need external input devices (though a number pad is a must for me when doing a lot of data-entry). I only use USB for external storage and synching my iPod, so it's not a problem for me (my iPod touch has a program that lets it act like a number pad when I need one). If I ever need more devices at once, I'll get a USB hub.
Now, it's confession time: As a Windows-centric IT Professional, I never liked Apple much, and I spent many years making fun of Mac and Mac users. When OS X came out, I couldn't justify further ridicule, so I just ignored Mac whenever the subject came up. After using Leopard for a short time, I can tell you that I don't have the appetite to eat the big heaping serving of humble pie that I'm owed. Leopard is slick and smooth and oh so fast. I'm truly enamored with iLife and iWork, and Time Machine is just about perfect (better than shadow copies, for the Windows guys and gals). It's packed with a lot of little things (like Spotlight and Preview) that are unobtrusive and helpful, which is a vast improvement over Vista's annoying and unhelpful features.
So, now I'm a happy convert. I still have two programs that are Windows-only (until I find replacements), and I still go back to my old (1 year old) laptop occasionally (for just the two, I don't want to bother with Boot Camp or Parallels). I hate going back to Vista after using my Macbook. Even though that laptop technically has higher RAM and processor specs than the Macbook, it's slow and clunky in comparison. I always sigh in relief when I can put it away again.
Bottom line: I love my Macbook and I wish I hadn't waited so long to make the switch. If you're worried about switching to Mac, visit an Apple Store even if you have to make a day trip to get there, it will be worth it. Spend a little hands on time with the Macbook, and check out all the free classes the store offers. If you buy from the store, they will move your files from your old PC for you (for free). If all of that doesn't convince you, then come see me, and I'll offer you a tall, refreshing glass of Apple-flavored Kool-Aid. :-)
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Pros: GREAT OS
Lightning fast
Light-weight, sturdy unibody design
Attractive design
Dashboard
Incredible screen
Great trackpad
Good battery life
Keyboard is excellent
Magsafe adapter
Excellent iSight Camera
Boot camp available
Cons: Glossy screen quite reflective
Screen is fingerprint prone
No FireWire
Small amount of game functionality
Battery not as good as advertised
Distant longing for physical trackpad button
Multi-touch gestures not entirely spot-on
Summary: The new Macbook. It's incredible. With faults. That's all I'm going to say for my introduction. Read on.
Physical Specs
The product physically is very sturdy, thanks to the unibody construction. Normally the chassis would normally consist of various small parts. So instead of taking a small piece of aluminum and adding more aluminum, Apple has taking a big piece of aluminum and subtracted from it. Thus creating a sturdy, yet light laptop. I have heard that the aluminum interferes with internet connectivity issues. I do have to say, unfortunately, it is true. I put the Macbook and my old PC laptop side by side, and the PC was able to pick up better frequency and more networks.
Now for the multi-touch trackpad. It is made from glass, but it feels like there is a covering on it that doesn't nearly have the friction of glass. Clicking and moving the cursor is very easy and enjoyable, with the very large surface. Right-clicking can be done with by clicking with two fingers or by clicking one of the bottom corners after being manually set. It should also be noted that only the bottom 3/4 of the trackpad is clickable.
The multi-touch gestures are fun to use, but are truly unneeded gimmicks that could be done easier with a click.
I'll just go through the gestures now.
There are 2 finger gestures:
The first is scrolling with using two fingers by swiping your fingers vertically or horizontally depending on the page.
Secondly you can rotate a picture using two fingers apart and rotating.
The third gesture is holding the control button and scrolling vertically to zoom in on a page.
And there is one 3-finger gesture:
Swipe with three fingers to navigate. You can do this to go forward or back on a page, or changing a picture.
Lastly there are 4-finger gestures:
Swiping vertically upwards allows you to clear everything off your desktop.
Swiping vertically down launches Expose.
Swiping horizontally in any direction lets you change and view your running applications, which can also be done with command+tab.
On the bottom of the MacBook there is a panel that allows for easy access to your battery and hard drive. This will be handy to many people.
The keyboard is just like the Air, with the spaces between the keys. This creates a very nice typing experience, and are backlit if you purchase the 2.4GHz model.
A major letdown by Apple is the omission of a FireWire port. This is very disappointing to many people, but doesn't affect me at all. Nowadays the average users don't use FireWire too much. Although I do see this as a major problem for professional applications.
There is also a battery life indicator on the side of the base that glows green to show the rounded percentage of your battery.
Software and Performance
Of course the MacBook has the great Mac OS X Leopard software.
It is very fast, and has good security.
The battery life is advertised to have 5 hours of battery life, but Apple obviously means not being connected to the Internet, and having no applications running. You'll probably get about 4 and a half hours with Safari and other apps running. Unless you have a lot of apps on like me, then you'll maybe have 3 and a half to 4 hours.
With the NVidia graphics card, the screen looks pretty good, as do games. I do have to admit, though, the new MacBook Pro screen looks better, especially with blacks. Still, games really pop on the gorgeous glossy screen, unless you are in a bright area. The glossy screen of course attracts bad glares and many noticeable fingerprints. Still, if you are indoors or someplace with low light, the glossy screen is perfect. I mostly use it inside, so I wouldn't trade the beautiful glossy screen. Although for those coffee-shop typing folks, this could be a deal-breaker.
Other than these things, Mac OS X is the same, really.
Conclusion
If you have purchased a MacBook anytime soon, then I would not suggest you purchase this one. Most of the differences are the physical attributes, and the software is pretty much the same.
If you are new to Macs like me, then I would DEFINITELY suggest this phenomenal notebook computer. Of course it does have it's faults, truly I have never used such a simple, enjoyable computer.
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(Disclaimers: I am not an IT professional so I cannot judge the Macbook's performance based on any technical standards such as benchmark CPU tests, etc. Also, I got the machine, AppleCare and full software suite at a student discount from my university's laptop program, which I take for granted.)
My first college laptop was a Dell Latitude D610. It was a fantastic machine for its price, doing everything I needed it to do. But recently I heard that PC laptops are only expected to last around 4 years before giving out, so I decided to take advantage of my school's discount program and buy a new laptop before I graduated. A tech supervisor I talked to sold me on the superior quality and durability of the Macbook, and when I saw the new line of Aluminum Macbooks on the Apple site I decided after a lot of research and thought to go for it. It arrived December 1 and I've been using it ever since.
All I can say is that switching from PC to Mac has been a revelation. The new Macbook is the most impressive laptop I have ever seen. It is supremely easy to use, with a much more attractive, centralized software handling experience than Windows. Below I give a brief summary of how my computing experience has changed for the better since making the switch to Mac.
-Portability: my Dell laptop was portable, but it was also bulky, heavy, and seemed fragile when I carried it in one hand. The new Macbook is slim, light and incredibly sturdy. For the first time I feel comfortable with taking my laptop everywhere, from taking notes in class to working on a paper at the library or dining hall. I bought a Kensington Contour Cargo Notebook Messenger to carry it in and it has enough space for everything I need to carry during my school day, including my laptop. I now have the complete portable college computing experience.
-Speed: I didn't take my Dell laptop out of my room very often because it was very slow to 'wake up' from sleep mode. The new Macbook both sleeps and wakes on the drop of a dime, making it a true notebook, i.e. a machine that you can jot something down on whenever you feel the need. That combined with its portability makes it the perfect mobile computing platform.
-Operating System: the Mac OS X Version 10.5.4 Leopardis a much, more more attractive, efficient operating system than Windows. The user interface is more intuitive, more customizable and more centralized. Even though I've used Windows all my life (I can remember all the way back to Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 2000 and XP) I already much prefer the Dock to the Start icon, the Finder to Windows Explorer and the automatic appearance of peripherals on the Desktop instead of the bubble 'New Hardware Found' option in Windows. Everything about the Mac OS X just works better. And now that the Mac is becoming increasingly compatible with Windows suites such as Office and Adobe, there's no excuse to hold on to Windows.
-Trackpad: I don't own an iPhone or iPod touch, so I only just discovered the magic of multi-finger gestures with the new Macbook's trackpad, and I am hooked. I just love the two-finger scroll option, and the four-finger Eclipse function is something from the future. I use it all the time when working on a paper and I need to quickly look up an article or dictionary online, while at the same time checking my email or playing albums on Youtube or iTunes. I don't use a conventional mouse anymore, except for playing RPGs. Trust me. The new trackpad is just that awesome.
-Screen: my Dell had a matte screen with good resolution for what it had to do. But the new Macbook glossy screen is absolutely gorgeous for watching movies or any other multi-media function. The picture is brighter, sharper and clearer. Users perhaps have a point that the viewing angle is small, but the only problem I've had when watching movies or using other applications is when I put my face down on the desk as I'm working, and I doubt many people use a laptop from that position. The picture is sharp and clear even from 'over-the-shoulder' angles from quite far away. Where the screen really shines, though, is with HD video. I watched remastered Star Trek episodes on CBS and it was a dream, along with HD trailers from the Apple website. If you're thinking of getting a Macbook, don't listen to people who say that the screen is terrible. It's not terrible. It might not satisfy the ultra-purists but for ordinary users the difference in quality is probably not noticeable. What IS noticeable is the difference in quality between a PC matte screen and the new Apple LED-backlit glossy screen that adjusts for ambient light. A final word about reflectiveness: the glossy screen is quite reflective, it's true. But the screen is bright enough to overshadow the reflections in all circumstances I've used it in, including outdoors in bright sunlight. Also, for me at least the reflections are like gestalt psychology: I can focus on the screen or on the reflections but not both at the same time.
-Keyboard: this will vary with people's preference, but I just love Apple's chicklet keyboard. I'm a fast typer and the easy depression and the crisp 'click' sound the keys make somehow just feels right. I feel more productive when I'm using a chicklet, don't ask me why. For me at least the advertisements were right: it is a better typing experience than the standard PC keyboard.
-Peripherals: I don't use any Firewire devices so the lack of a Firewire port has never been a problem for me. I never use more than two USB devices at a time anyway so the Macbook's two USB ports is just right for me. The only problem I have with the new Macbook as far as peripherals are concerned (and one of the only problems I have with the new Macbook period) is the lack of any way to connect with a standard AV/Composite input TV. The only media output peripheral is the new MiniDisplay port which with the right adapter can link with DVI, HDMI or digital VGA but not S-video. There's NO way to get around this, believe me I've tried. No combination of adapters will do the trick. This is kind of a bummer because I've become accustomed to watching Netflix Instant Viewing titles on an old Acer 27" TV I bought for 50 bucks. Those days are gone. But I'm selling the TV when I graduate in the spring, and by the time I get a new one it will probably an HDTV like Samsung LNS3251D 32-Inch LCD HDTV, so it won't matter anyway.
-Software: I can pretty much guarantee you that for any kind of application available in Windows, the Apple version is better. Safari is a far better web browser than Internet Explorer (although the free Mozilla Firefox is better than Safari), Apple Mail along with iCal beats Outlook by a country mile, iTunes is much better than Windows Media Player, etc. I even prefer the Apple version of Microsoft Office to the Windows version for its ease of use, appealing graphic user interface, etc. That combined with the overall superior Mac operating system makes for a much more sophisticated, delightful computing experience. It's fast and reliable. And when you think of other Apple applications with no obvious counterpart in Windows like iWeb, there's really no good reason not to switch to the Macbook.
-Compatibility: so far the only compatibility issue I've had with PC vs Mac is Netflix Instant Viewing. For a long time you had to have Internet Explorer to watch their catalog online. All that has changed now with Netflix's adoption of their new Silverlight based Instant Viewing player. Now Intel Mac users (and the new Macbook has an Intel Duo processor, see the tech specs) can watch the whole Netflix catalog online, and it's faster and more efficient than before. The picture seems to be a bit grainier than with the other player, but I imagine that will change. Printers, USB cameras, flash drives, etc. all work just fine with the new Macbook.
I could go on about all the reasons I love my new Macbook, such as the ability to link up with the iTunes playlists of other Macbooks and listen to other people's music, the long battery life, etc. but for now I'll conclude by saying that I am completely satisfied with my new toy. It does everything I need it to do and more. Ignore the naysayers, there's no such thing as a perfect product. Everyone will find something to gripe about. I think it was worth every penny and will serve you very well for years to come.
P.S. If you're making the switch from PC to Mac I strongly suggest buying or borrowing David Pogue's Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition. It will make the transition smooth and quick and you'll instantly have all the formidable potential of your new Macbook at your fingertips.
Honest reviews on Apple MacBook MB467LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
I work as an IT manager, overseeing about 4000+ client computers. About one-fourth of them are Macs. I myself am a long-time Mac user, currently using a dual-quad Mac Pro and a 1st gen white MacBook, which I love both of them.
Full disclosure: I do not own this new MacBook (although I had planned to upgrade), but we bought several for evaluation purposes to determine whether they would be purchased in larger quantities. I have used one for almost a week now and have developed a love / hate relationship with them.
The Good:
The unibody is a beautiful design, and makes for a rigid and solid feeling notebook. I like the fact they've make it easier to perform hard drive and memory upgrades. The battery indicator on the side is a nice touch, instead of on the bottom, but I admit, I never used it that much, since I tend to check the battery life when it's on and I check it on the menu bar.
Once you get used to it, the new trackpad, it's a delight to use, and the new finger gestures are useful. The new DisplayPort also seems to work well enough, although once again, new adapters will have to purchased. Some people have complained about the lack of HDMI, but if you read the specs for the DisplayPort standard, it really takes us into the next generation of video display and is a better standard, IMHO.
Finally, the new graphics update is much welcomed. Graphics performance has substantially been increased, and the 2.0 GHz machines we're testing are pretty snappy when using graphics intensive tasks. We don't play games with these, but I'm sure gamers will welcome the change. Our Pro Apps are noticeably faster.
The Bad:
Naturally, this new manufacturing process has to cost Apple more, but we didn't except to pay so much more for a computer with worst [basic] specs than what we were getting in our purchase of the white and black MacBooks. Except for graphics performance, our CPU benchmarks are very lackluster in comparison. Our IT budget is very tight right now, and it's going to be hard to justify a purchase with so little difference in performance. Respectively, each model, compared to the MacBook model it replaced, is only 6% and 12% faster. These benchmarks have been independently verified by many Mac-related websites.
Several of our early testers are complaining about the ultra-glossy (or glassy) screen and the quality of the display itself. Our offices are brightly-lit and it takes quite a bit of adjustment to properly see the screen without severe glare. This isn't as noticeable in low-light environments, but we also see poor side-to-side viewing, meaning you almost have to look at these dead-on straight to see a good image. Comparing it to earlier MacBooks and MBP's, these new models are much worse. Fingerprints are much more noticeable also, and the glass front bezel seems to be a fingerprint magnet. That's not a big deal, but they complained that calibration doesn't help the color flaws in this new display. These use LED displays, as opposed to TFT displays that the previous MacBook had. I think it's just a cheaper panel, because other reviews have had no major complaints with LED displays in the new MacBook Pros.
Lastly, and most important to me as a technician, is the lack of a FireWire port. Many of my peripherals are FW and also I frequently use the Target Disk Mode (TDM) in my job of diagnosing, repairing, saving and migrating data from other Macs. Even though I had planned to upgrade, I now have no choice but to keep what I have. Also, our Media department will not be getting upgrades. They also use video and audio FW devices that cannot be substituted or re-purchased simply because Apple choose to leave FW out on this model. Not only is cost an issue to go to a MacBook Pro, but many of us liked the smaller footprint of the 13" model.
I find it ironic that Apple increased the graphics performance to use their Pro Apps more effectively, but left out the very port that is used to import the video and audio files for those Pro Apps to work with? Many of us would have even traded the ethernet port for the FW port, since you can get a USB to Ethernet dongle.
Also, since our department uses cloning software to quickly install drive images for our clients, this will affect us dramatically. USB, is not only much, MUCH slower, but less reliable. You have to turn off any software that may execute during the clone. In our tests, we found something as small as "Little Snitch" coming on during a clone install, is enough to choke a USB drive to almost stopping the clone process. It's a much slower and more unreliable process.
I know some people have stated that FW is dead, but no, it isn't. It is continuing to be developed into a faster standard. And USB-3 isn't a reality yet, so saying that USB-3 is coming anyway, doesn't do anyone any good at the present since only USB-2 ports exists on these models. And yes, I realize some people have never heard of FW and to them, this is no big deal. Although, part of the power, and reliability of a Mac, is the fact you can make an exact, bootable clone of your hard drive, and within minutes of a major hardware failure, be up and running, and continue to do your work, while your hard drive is being replaced. This is a powerful feature that some people will never know until it's too late. Granted, you can basically do the same from a USB drive, but if anyone has ever had to do so, they know how excruciatingly slow it is. And of course USB cannot duplicate the functions of TDM.
These new MacBooks will find buyers, there's no doubt that for many people they will be just what they need, and again, they are gorgeous and probably very durable. But people that depended on FW and have an investment in FW devices, will need to think long and hard about this upgrade. Also, I would recommend anyone wanting to purchase, to visit the Apple store and examine the LCD display for themselves.
Although a minor complaint, I don't like the fact Apple makes you purchase the $1600 upgrade in order to get a lighted keyboard, that's as bad as the "black" tax (the black MacBooks costing more). Using three stars as an "average" upgrade, I'm only giving this upgrade two stars because I feel Apple took too much away in relation for the price they are charging. This is unusual for me, since Apple products usually get my highest praise. If this were a new product line, without anything to compare it to, perhaps it would be different. But, the plastic MacBook continues to be the better deal for us at this point, although we will continue to evaluate them and see if perhaps Apple decides to release another revision with some improvements.
1/31/09 Update:
For those on a budget, and those who can live without the unibody design, but still wants / needs a MacBook, I encourage you to check out the newest refresh of the white MacBook. They have made some substantial upgrades but have still kept the price down to what is, I think, a very affordable, but high-quality laptop from Apple. We recently purchased ten of these and have been very happy with them. The performance upgrade is very noticeable, and we can still use our FireWire peripherals and display adapters. Since we are still using our original evaluation units together with our older models, we have also noticed better Wi-Fi reception on the polycarbonate models, as have other users. But, in fairness, I will say, other than a couple of issues (mainly with DisplayPort adapters and the trackpad), the new MacBooks have performed well for us, and we have not had any major issues with them.
You can find more info here:Display update:5/29/09
As I noted, the screen on the MacBook is just terrible. It appears Apple has updated the MacBook's display because of complaints.
From ARS: "Apple looks to have quietly replaced the LCD screen it was using on the unibody MacBook with an improved part. The updated screens began showing up in MacBooks made since the end of April, according to a report from Computerworld."
June 8th 09 update: In spite of those who criticized my review for my opinion on Firewire and the display. Today, WWDC announced the MacBook PRO 13", which replaces this model. It has the better display, same type as used in the 15", AND, now includes Firewire 800. With even more features, and at a cheaper price, we'll be purchasing some for evaluation, and I think it's now time for me to upgrade from my 1st Gen White Macbook that has served me very well. I hope to write a new review on this much needed upgrade.
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My husband decided a laptop computer would be my anniversary/Christmas gift this year and he suggested I take a look at the Macbook because of all the photography and other artistic things I like to do on the computer.
I read the reviews on Amazon and it seemed to me either the reviewer loved it and made no mention of "firewire" something I had never heard of or the reviewer gave negative reviews and was mentioning "firewire" or the lack thereof in the new MacBook.
After my online research we went to our local Apple store to talk to a MacNerd in person and see the MacBook live and in action. The techy was super knowledgeable, didn't talk techy, and helped me figure out exactly what I needed from my computer. He didn't upsell me at all. I asked him about this "firewire" and essentially it boiled down to the fact that I didn't care or need firewire as all it was is that previous Macs had it so that you could hook your computer up to another Mac with this technology and basically move files/applications from one computer to another without a hitch. Given that I didn't have another Mac nor had I ever executed such a task, I wasn't worried about the lack of firewire.
I ended up with what I called the "entry level" Macbook...the one with 160GB, as I already have a 500 GB external hard drive that is fortunately compatible with both my PC desktop and my new Mac (a MyBook). I got a free printer/scanner all-in-one (after rebate), and I also purchased the Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel software as I just couldn't let go of that. I felt that the iPhoto software that comes with the MacBook was sufficient and if for some reason I needed more I could just use the photo imaging software that I have on my desktop (or always upgrade to Aperature if I felt the need). I also got a cool, snazzy little laptop bag. I was nervous that I would not acclimate to the touchpad, so we also purchased a wireless mouse. After everything was said in done, we spent $1800, but will be getting a $100 rebate check in the mail for the printer/scanner, so it will end up being $1700.
Since yesterday I've fiddled around and played with the new features and have been exploring in my MacBook. I haven't even opened my wireless mouse packaging yet --my first frustration was not properly figuring out how to scroll with my touchpad or "right click" a quick search on Apple's website under the Support menu helped me figure those out. I might end up returning the wireless mouse after all.
The battery so far is good and the first charge went pretty fast!
I've had zero problems with the display being too reflective. I've used it with a dark wall behind me as well as a big sliding glass door with lots of natural light and again, there was no problem at all. I haven't had to adjust my color/contrast settings at all, so whatever it was set to "out of the box" has been perfect. The only time there is a glare from the natural light was when I stopped using the MacBook a few minutes and it went "idle" as the screen darkens a bit which reflected the light a lot. As soon as I began using it again, though, the brightness went right back to normal and I saw perfectly.
My guilty pleasure right now is playing with the built in camera and putting funky backgrounds behind me where I get to pretend I'm at a beach, in Paris, or up floating with some clouds in the sky! My kids get a kick out of sitting on my lap in front of the MacBook and turning the background into a roller coaster. The background actually moves so it appears we're sitting in a roller coaster seat!
Granted I've had my new toy for less than 24 hours, but I couldn't be happier with the purchase!
