New Apple notebooks

Wayne Morellini · May 19th, 2006, 10:13 AM

Dual Turion has not tested good, something about being like the old architecture.

Saw a Dual Opteron Mac OS compatible clone last week fro $499 (was news article somewhere) but as you can see:

http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/10895...Macintosh.html

Gone.

Try www.archive.org for history.

I would not mind buying one of these. But the drivers etc would need to be kept upto date for custom hardware, and coincidentally, Apple just announced they are closing their core all of a sudden for some reason.

Realistically, imagine running a Mac OSX on a four socket Opteron MB.

How much parallel can Mac-OS, applications, and games, get? I had a design idea for a case mechanism where I can fit in dozen little custom blade servers in a few hundred KW. I wish I new of somebody to implement it. Or, I could just get a PS3 and put Mac OSX on it :( .

Marco Wagner · May 19th, 2006, 01:41 PM

Another blow to the Apple camp

http://theinquirer.net/?article=31810

Evan C. King · May 19th, 2006, 05:41 PM

With the exception of Harrision it sounds like none of you have ever even used a mac recently, let alone a macbook.

Believe it or not a macbook with 1-2gb of ram runs final cut studio pretty damn amazing, the only program that is lacking is motion really.

This notebook is not over priced, build or find a notebook with the same specs and see how much it costs without considering stupid rebates or cupons(because they are not it's real price, hell even some apple rebates can be found out there) and you'll see a similar sony or what have isn't less expensive, certainly not by a margin worth compaining about that much.

Opening up OSX would be a terrible idea just like porting fcp. Use the two for more than 5 minutes (know a bit about what you are doing) and you'll understand why on a forum like this so many people use them.

Marco Wagner · May 19th, 2006, 05:53 PM

I have, but I am not really disagreeing with you either. Max have always been known to be superior to PC in the media area, that's a given. I was merely saying the lines are a bit blurred as the only real dif. now is the OS. I run premium high end i386 parts in my system, just as Mac does. So add the OS and viola --- (i know it's not THAT simple, but close) :)

Wayne Morellini · May 19th, 2006, 06:21 PM

Here is a piece of software that is supposed to enable your PC to become a Mac:

http://theinquirer.net/?article=31760
http://osx.portraitofakite.com/

How to build, a Mac PC:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1886910,00.asp

That Mac Clone I mentioned (you would not believe the trouble to find this again). Nice, picture, theoretically you could construct something similar with legal, bought, software:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/11/m...lable-for-499/

Marco Wagner · May 19th, 2006, 06:22 PM

Yeah don't they have a version PC users can buy?

Kevin Shaw · May 19th, 2006, 06:47 PM

Quote:

This notebook is not over priced, build or find a notebook with the same specs and see how much it costs...

Compared to the three basic MacBook computers at $1099, 1299 and 1499, you can get similarly configured Dell Inspiron E1405 laptops for $899, 1101 and 1129 respectively (with 1GB memory). After doing this exercise I'm puzzled why the most expensive MacBook costs $200 more than the middle one; does it cost that much to buy black plastic?

Quote:

Opening up OSX would be a terrible idea just like porting fcp.

Only because it would hurt Apple's profit margins by subjecting them to competition for selling hardware. But there are plenty of us who might consider using Apple software if it ran on standard PC hardware, so they could make up some of the lost revenue that way. It's almost inevitable now that someone will find a way to run the Mac OS on stock PCs unless Apple's lawyers are successful at preventing that, so why not just accept it and let it happen? It's time. :-)

Marco Wagner · May 19th, 2006, 07:32 PM

Are you referring to something like this off of both Dell and Mac's websites?

MAC:
$2,799.00
17-inch widescreen display
1680 x 1050 resolution
2.16GHz Intel Core Duo(1)
1GB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
120GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory
One FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, and three USB 2.0 ports
-----------------------------
DELL
Inspiron E1705 Qty 1

Inspiron E1705 Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2600 (2.16GHz/667MHz FSB)
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
LCD Panel 17 inch Wide Screen XGA+ Display
Memory 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS
Hard Drive 100GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Sound Options Integrated Audio
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps)
Primary Battery 80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Hardware Warranty 2Yr Ltd Warranty, 2Yr At-Home Service, and 2Yr HW Warranty Support
Wireless Personal Networking Card Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Internal(2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)

TOTAL:$2,687.88

You're paying for style, quality, and the OS on Max. The above shows you COULD POSSIBLY get much more from the Dell.

Andrew Khalil · May 19th, 2006, 09:44 PM

I wouldn't call the above "much" more from the Dell - the only thing you're getting is more ram. Also, with the Macbook, you're getting a higher resolution display, firewire 800, and you can upgrade to a 100gb/7200 rpm drive for nothing on the macbook - I'd say they're both equal with each one having little things the other doesn't have, but I wouldn't say the dell is any better.

Dave Perry · May 19th, 2006, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Khalil

I wouldn't call the above "much" more from the Dell - the only thing you're getting is more ram. Also, with the Macbook, you're getting a higher resolution display, firewire 800, and you can upgrade to a 100gb/7200 rpm drive for nothing on the macbook - I'd say they're both equal with each one having little things the other doesn't have, but I wouldn't say the dell is any better.

Actually Andrew, it's FW 400.

Any way, I think Evean and Harrison have good points. The "power" of a Mac has always been more about the tight integration of hardware and software creating very usable machines, not spec sheets and tech info.

The MacBook is not the entry level machine either. The iBook is still going to be in the line but reintroduced. It will be the entry level. There is also a Gamers Dream laptop in the works as well as a MacBook "Thin". With all of this and new iPods coming out soon, I can hardly wait to see wht the tower Macs will do when switched to Intel.

Performance wise, the new core duo Mac Minis will run EVERYTHING our dual 2ghz G5 runs, including Motion, and run it faster. It's quite amazing really.

Andrew Khalil · May 19th, 2006, 10:54 PM

Dave, no intent of arguing, but the Macbook discussed above is the 17 inch Macbook Pro which DOES have firewire 800 built in as well as firewire 400.

I do agree however, it is the integration of everything that is a big part of why Mac is what it is. It's more about the software in my opinion anyway and how everything is designed for and runs so smoothly under Mac OSX.

Kevin Shaw · May 19th, 2006, 11:33 PM

It's probably pointless to debate relative pricing, but Dell is currently offering a discount which produces the following. Note that the screen resolution on this configuration is 1920x1200...

Inspiron E1705 Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2600 (2.16GHz/667MHz FSB)
Operating System (Office software not included) Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
LCD Panel 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife™
Memory FREE!1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
Video Card 256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7800
Hard Drive 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Sound Options Integrated Audio
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps)
Office Software (not included in Windows XP) Microsoft Works Suite 2006- Includes MICROSOFT WORD plus much more!
Anti-Virus/Security Suite (Pre-installed) McAfee Security Center with VirusScan, Firewall, Spyware Removal, 15-months
Primary Battery 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Hardware Warranty 1Yr Ltd Warranty, 1Yr At-Home Service, and 1Yr HW Warranty Support
Dial-Up Internet Access 6 Months of America Online Membership Included
Wireless Personal Networking Card Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Internal(2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)
Miscellaneous Award Winning Service and Support
Mobile Broadband No Broadband Expresscard technology is available in the market now
Operating System Re-Installation CD PC Restore recovery system by Symantec
Dell Digital Entertainment Starter Entertainment Pack - Basic digital Music, Photo and Game experience

TOTAL:$2,104.44

P.S. Don't get me wrong, the new Macs are looking good. You still pay a premium though for Apple's pure monopoly on selling Mac OS-compatible computers.

Wayne Morellini · May 23rd, 2006, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Wagner

Are you referring to something like this off of both Dell and Mac's websites?

Wow, that DELL sounds good:
+ 1GB
+ Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS (instead of the Radeon 1600, which I heard is not as good as the large number would suggest).
+ Is that Mac super drive a dual layer recorder?

But seriously, it was about the price difference of the cheaper laptops, and for many laptops you actually get Black cheaper ;). Just take the cheapest similar 1 core machine, and realise all the extra is for one core and one Mac OS package ;).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Perry

The MacBook is not the entry level machine either. The iBook is still going to be in the line but reintroduced. It will be the entry level. There is also a Gamers Dream laptop in the works as well as a MacBook "Thin". With all of this and new iPods coming out soon, I can hardly wait to see what the tower Macs will do when switched to Intel.

Dave, this is good news, have you got links to where you have heard about these things, I have looked through the rumour sites, and can't find any mention of them? Is this cheaper laptop to be a solo or a Power PC core. As long as they have got 965, or a good for video GPU chip, and enough processing speed, I don't care too much ;).

Dave Perry · May 23rd, 2006, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne Morellini

Dave, this is good news, have you got links to where you have heard about these things, I have looked through the rumour sites, and can't find any mention of them? Is this cheaper laptop to be a solo or a Power PC core. As long as they have got 965, or a good for video GPU chip, and enough processing speed, I don't care too much ;).

Check out macrumors.com and macosrumors.com. The first one is better.

Greg Boston · May 23rd, 2006, 07:29 AM

As I mentioned to Wayne earlier in this thread, I run both OS platforms here at my home. This message is coming in from my Compaq laptop. Last year, I purchased an Apple system after bad mouthing them for twenty years. The hardware is nice, and that synergy is there as has been mentioned. But the one glaring difference I see between unpacking a new Apple and my Compaq (also 1 year old and purchased after the iMac) with Win XP is the bundled software. There is real value in the iLife suite of applications if you do anything media related. The quality of instrument loops and sound effects offered with the latest version of Garage Band are nothing short of stellar. iWeb builds nice websites too.

This is software I would have to buy to get equivalent functionality from my Windows based system. So, yeah I look at the few hundred dollars more as going towards having very robust user applications right out of the box. Apple is not a roll your own company. They build tightly integrated, turnkey systems that come out of the box ready to rock. And then, Final Cut Studio is the icing on the cake after you buy it.

OSX isn't without flaws and hiccups and you can crash a Mac too. But OSX is a GUI for the BSD Unix it sits on top of. And that's why I really like it. Knowing I am running Unix is what gives me peace of mind, not the fact that I am using an Apple branded system. It's much like Windows95/98/Me in that you could open a DOS window and drop to command line stuff whenever you wanted. Just open the terminal app in OSX and you are staring at a Unix command line interface.

Please, don't label me as one of those 'mac afficiandos' because I don't praise every move they make. But with Windows hardware being as affordable as it is, I sunk the extra cash into the iMac and now I have the best of both worlds.

-gb-

May 19th, 2006, 01:41 PM	#17
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	Another blow to the Apple camp http://theinquirer.net/?article=31810 __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

May 19th, 2006, 05:53 PM	#19
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	I have, but I am not really disagreeing with you either. Max have always been known to be superior to PC in the media area, that's a given. I was merely saying the lines are a bit blurred as the only real dif. now is the OS. I run premium high end i386 parts in my system, just as Mac does. So add the OS and viola --- (i know it's not THAT simple, but close) :) __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

May 19th, 2006, 06:22 PM	#21
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	Yeah don't they have a version PC users can buy? __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

May 19th, 2006, 07:32 PM	#23
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	Are you referring to something like this off of both Dell and Mac's websites? MAC: $2,799.00 17-inch widescreen display 1680 x 1050 resolution 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo(1) 1GB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM 120GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive 8x double-layer SuperDrive ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory One FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, and three USB 2.0 ports ----------------------------- DELL Inspiron E1705 Qty 1 Inspiron E1705 Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2600 (2.16GHz/667MHz FSB) Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition LCD Panel 17 inch Wide Screen XGA+ Display Memory 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS Hard Drive 100GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability Sound Options Integrated Audio Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps) Primary Battery 80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery Hardware Warranty 2Yr Ltd Warranty, 2Yr At-Home Service, and 2Yr HW Warranty Support Wireless Personal Networking Card Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Internal(2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate) TOTAL:$2,687.88 You're paying for style, quality, and the OS on Max. The above shows you COULD POSSIBLY get much more from the Dell. __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

May 19th, 2006, 10:13 AM	#16
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Dual Turion has not tested good, something about being like the old architecture. Saw a Dual Opteron Mac OS compatible clone last week fro $499 (was news article somewhere) but as you can see: http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/10895...Macintosh.html Gone. Try www.archive.org for history. I would not mind buying one of these. But the drivers etc would need to be kept upto date for custom hardware, and coincidentally, Apple just announced they are closing their core all of a sudden for some reason. Realistically, imagine running a Mac OSX on a four socket Opteron MB. How much parallel can Mac-OS, applications, and games, get? I had a design idea for a case mechanism where I can fit in dozen little custom blade servers in a few hundred KW. I wish I new of somebody to implement it. Or, I could just get a PS3 and put Mac OSX on it :( .

May 19th, 2006, 05:41 PM	#18
Evan C. King Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 532	With the exception of Harrision it sounds like none of you have ever even used a mac recently, let alone a macbook. Believe it or not a macbook with 1-2gb of ram runs final cut studio pretty damn amazing, the only program that is lacking is motion really. This notebook is not over priced, build or find a notebook with the same specs and see how much it costs without considering stupid rebates or cupons(because they are not it's real price, hell even some apple rebates can be found out there) and you'll see a similar sony or what have isn't less expensive, certainly not by a margin worth compaining about that much. Opening up OSX would be a terrible idea just like porting fcp. Use the two for more than 5 minutes (know a bit about what you are doing) and you'll understand why on a forum like this so many people use them.

May 19th, 2006, 06:21 PM	#20
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Here is a piece of software that is supposed to enable your PC to become a Mac: http://theinquirer.net/?article=31760 http://osx.portraitofakite.com/ How to build, a Mac PC: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1886910,00.asp That Mac Clone I mentioned (you would not believe the trouble to find this again). Nice, picture, theoretically you could construct something similar with legal, bought, software: http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/11/m...lable-for-499/

May 19th, 2006, 09:44 PM	#24
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	I wouldn't call the above "much" more from the Dell - the only thing you're getting is more ram. Also, with the Macbook, you're getting a higher resolution display, firewire 800, and you can upgrade to a 100gb/7200 rpm drive for nothing on the macbook - I'd say they're both equal with each one having little things the other doesn't have, but I wouldn't say the dell is any better.

May 19th, 2006, 10:54 PM	#26
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	Dave, no intent of arguing, but the Macbook discussed above is the 17 inch Macbook Pro which DOES have firewire 800 built in as well as firewire 400. I do agree however, it is the integration of everything that is a big part of why Mac is what it is. It's more about the software in my opinion anyway and how everything is designed for and runs so smoothly under Mac OSX.

May 19th, 2006, 11:33 PM	#27
Kevin Shaw Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,488	It's probably pointless to debate relative pricing, but Dell is currently offering a discount which produces the following. Note that the screen resolution on this configuration is 1920x1200... Inspiron E1705 Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2600 (2.16GHz/667MHz FSB) Operating System (Office software not included) Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 LCD Panel 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife™ Memory FREE!1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz Video Card 256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7800 Hard Drive 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0 Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability Sound Options Integrated Audio Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps) Office Software (not included in Windows XP) Microsoft Works Suite 2006- Includes MICROSOFT WORD plus much more! Anti-Virus/Security Suite (Pre-installed) McAfee Security Center with VirusScan, Firewall, Spyware Removal, 15-months Primary Battery 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery Hardware Warranty 1Yr Ltd Warranty, 1Yr At-Home Service, and 1Yr HW Warranty Support Dial-Up Internet Access 6 Months of America Online Membership Included Wireless Personal Networking Card Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Internal(2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate) Miscellaneous Award Winning Service and Support Mobile Broadband No Broadband Expresscard technology is available in the market now Operating System Re-Installation CD PC Restore recovery system by Symantec Dell Digital Entertainment Starter Entertainment Pack - Basic digital Music, Photo and Game experience TOTAL:$2,104.44 P.S. Don't get me wrong, the new Macs are looking good. You still pay a premium though for Apple's pure monopoly on selling Mac OS-compatible computers.

May 23rd, 2006, 07:29 AM	#30
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	As I mentioned to Wayne earlier in this thread, I run both OS platforms here at my home. This message is coming in from my Compaq laptop. Last year, I purchased an Apple system after bad mouthing them for twenty years. The hardware is nice, and that synergy is there as has been mentioned. But the one glaring difference I see between unpacking a new Apple and my Compaq (also 1 year old and purchased after the iMac) with Win XP is the bundled software. There is real value in the iLife suite of applications if you do anything media related. The quality of instrument loops and sound effects offered with the latest version of Garage Band are nothing short of stellar. iWeb builds nice websites too. This is software I would have to buy to get equivalent functionality from my Windows based system. So, yeah I look at the few hundred dollars more as going towards having very robust user applications right out of the box. Apple is not a roll your own company. They build tightly integrated, turnkey systems that come out of the box ready to rock. And then, Final Cut Studio is the icing on the cake after you buy it. OSX isn't without flaws and hiccups and you can crash a Mac too. But OSX is a GUI for the BSD Unix it sits on top of. And that's why I really like it. Knowing I am running Unix is what gives me peace of mind, not the fact that I am using an Apple branded system. It's much like Windows95/98/Me in that you could open a DOS window and drop to command line stuff whenever you wanted. Just open the terminal app in OSX and you are staring at a Unix command line interface. Please, don't label me as one of those 'mac afficiandos' because I don't praise every move they make. But with Windows hardware being as affordable as it is, I sunk the extra cash into the iMac and now I have the best of both worlds. -gb-