New Apple notebooks

[Paulo Teixeira]

Base MacBook Pro just been upgraded with a faster processor and a new glossy LCD screen option that shows more color saturation when watching photos and movies.

13.3 inch MacBook released with the glossy screen released. Choose either white or black.


http://www.apple.com

[Wayne Morellini]

A cheap model was expected ($799+). The price is too little for what you get, and I can wait to hear the chorus of "Integrated graphics again". Hopefully the next edition gets something like the 965 chipset with advanced GPU etc that I mentioned previously, even a Express graphics card slot (for graphics and other boards, like capture). Any machine without these is not really good enough as far as I am concerned. A good video solution to help with processing vision from the future $799 h264 cameras is really needed, otherwise people will get so frustrated they will feel like throwing it against a a wall. A good video solution is better then faster processor (though still keeping dual core). It is a good office machine though, and you probably could do cineform (when ever the Mac version comes out).

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Wayne Morellini

A cheap model was expected ($799+). The price is too little for what you get, and I can wait to hear the chorus of "Integrated graphics again". Hopefully the next edition gets something like the 965 chipset with advanced GPU etc that I mentioned previously, even a Express graphics card slot (for graphics and other boards, like capture). Any machine without these is not really good enough as far as I am concerned. A good video solution to help with processing vision from the future $799 h264 cameras is really needed, otherwise people will get so frustrated they will feel like throwing it against a a wall. A good video solution is better then faster processor (though still keeping dual core). It is a good office machine though, and you probably could do cineform (when ever the Mac version comes out).

It's my belief that Apple aims at the educational/student market with the lower end laptop computers. It's something they can take to college with them and get some serious college type homework done. It's not positioned to be a video editing system with the higher end pro apps. That's the purpose of the Macbook Pro laptops. The last piece of the Apple transistion will be the high end Powermac systems and it remains to be seen what will be included there.

-gb-

[Wayne Morellini]

Well, of course for students that is completely different, you definitely would want a honking great big discrete graphics GPU to play games with, or a $500 laptop to do word processing. The extra cost of a graphic circuit to outdo this system and provide better h264 functionality and GPU functions is not that great and can be covered int the price. But this is too close to an low cost off the reference plan design for me, if they wanted to charge this much they could have given a better GPU/graphics option, this machine will cost double of a cheap student machine. Being a duo core that is different, but still, for the price, a better GPU would have been better. This integrated graphics spec, is the sort of spec for the lowest spec Intel machines, and not worthy of a Mac, or a Duo core machine. Now I will have to decide where ever to buy this one, wait for the next version, or buy a Windows machine. Been waiting to convert to Mac fro a few years, this doesn't help.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Wayne Morellini

Been waiting to convert to Mac fro a few years, this doesn't help.

Heck Wayne, do what I did. After much coaching, I held my nose, closed my eyes, and jumped into the Mac pool. Now I'm swimming around in it pretty good. But I keep both types of systems in my house so that I can reap the benefit of both worlds.

-gb-

[Mike Tesh]

I agree Wayne I think for the price Apple could have done better. The fact that the base model doesn't even include a dual layer DVD burner by default just shows Apple was trying to cripple this machine. Heck my $600 Gateway laptop had one, it also had a bigger screen, bigger hard drive and a 6-1 media card reader. Something this consumer base macbook really should have included.

On the other hand I really like the new design and color choices. I also liked the aluminum design but it's starting a get old. Hopefully in one or two more revisions Apple also offers a black Macbook Pro choice.

It would also be nice if future versions of all Macs with slot load drives included support for 8cm discs. The new Nintendo Wii supports this with it's slot load design and it's a cheaper game system. This would be a smart move on Apples part especailly with all those DVD camcorders and soon to be AVCHD camcorders out there that use the smaller discs. I'm surprised they haven't done it so far.

For as enlightened as Apple is about some things, they seem to be clueless when it comes to other things.

[Marco Wagner]

Well becoming a PC with MAC OS doesn't seem like a good move. But PowerPC chips weren't going anywhere either. Seems like the line between PC and MAC is separated now only by an inflated price and increasingly buggy OS.

[Harrison Murchison]

Originally Posted by Marco Wagner

Well becoming a PC with MAC OS doesn't seem like a good move. But PowerPC chips weren't going anywhere either. Seems like the line between PC and MAC is separated now only by an inflated price and increasingly buggy OS.

?????

A Macbook or Macbook Pro is and excellent move. Not only do you run OS X Tiger at full speed but with Bootcamp you run WinXP at native speeds as well. If I want low cost virtualization then I get Parallels for $50. Now can I do that with a PC? No I can't if running OS X is what I need to do.

As for the increasingly buggy OS comment it's clear you have no idea what you're talking about. I run both XP and OS X and neither OS has given me much problem.

Another thing. Integrated graphics are STANDARD for most PC laptops in this range. From Sony to Toshiba to HP they all utilize GMA950 Intel IG. Why people think Apple can miraculously add in discrete graphics and the same Intel Core Duo chip and somehow end up cheaper.

Ask yourself this.

Why am I still buying PC laptops with VGA ports??? (Macbook has DVI out)
Why am I still buying PC laptops with 4-pin Firewire connectors?
Why doesn't Microsoft have something equivalent to iLife coming standard?

The truth is Apple's isn't going to waste your time adding in cheapo card readers or tossing in legacy analog video ports. You get the full powered Firewire not the "diet" stuff that's useless. iSight is integrated now so that you have instant video conferencing.

People choose Apple because they want a workable solution. There's a synergy to Macs that PC users just don't quite understand yet.

[Wayne Morellini]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

Heck Wayne, do what I did. After much coaching, I held my nose, closed my eyes, and jumped into the Mac pool. Now I'm swimming around in it pretty good. But I keep both types of systems in my house so that I can reap the benefit of both worlds.

-gb-

I agree, but I can't afford two systems, the new camera, the display, the equipment costs etc, something has to give. If I had that sort of money I would just buy a Pro and lump it, and buy the next version, or go and buy the Sharp with 3D LCD, now there is a worthy product type for Apple to sell.

Mike,

Yes, it's all Black and White to me now ;)

Yes, there are many details missed, cute design, cute color, but there are other details such as you mentioned that are necessary for a luxury top tier brand. You have to show up the cheap Bottom tier Taiwanese brands. Metal casing is a nice idea.

Marco,

The Power based Cell is good, well, the best for the moment, and the latest Power processor is heading to 5Ghz in multi configuration. I suspect that Intel showed Steve something extra special though, and that is why they choose to go with them (apart from low power issues, and neglect by Power processor).

Harrison, integrated is common on cheaper machines, sure some more expensive machines also use it (and no doubt it is now more common because the 950 was supposed to be a lot better then it has turned out) but not the ones I'll buy. For a more expensive machine better graphic solutions were common, I will have to check this years crop, because of the 950 issue I mentioned above though. This is not a $500 machine, sure the dual core adds a, bit, but in real life there is much more to processing, and for the sort of office/student processing that does not require GPU power, it does not require dual core either. To think, I turned down a 3Ghz+, Radeon 9700 Toshiba to wait for this machine at a similar price, and that machine would significantly perform better than this machine in software that mattered.

There has been low rung laptops with video cameras since at least last year.

Do you think a Macbook is a workstation, it is not the Pro, it is the cheap one.

But yes Synergy, I agree, so many empires running around mad around one giant empire, instead of interpolating together.

[Marco Wagner]

I still feel they should have stayed with the PowerPC chips. You already have hacks blurring the lines between PC and MAX



Harrison

I've had mac before iNTEL came along and it was much sweeter then. The iIN everything is just iMarketing. Legacy parts will always be a part of PC, it's just a sad fact that PC users have to deal with due to noobs. Macs were great at their peak, now it's just the OS that runs the show. Sure you get higher end parts, but if you spend a little -extra PCs have the iSame parts.

The thing that burns me is the TV commercials where Max don't get viri, PLEASE! MAC/OS was never a big target, NOW it is, and just wait for more viri/mal. I agree it is still a superior OS though, XP bites in comparison. :) I just don't feel it was a good move on Apple's part. If they could have had Intel AT LEAST not have the same chip model named, maybe something like "by Intel" rather that "The same P4 chip as that POS $499 PC you have" they'd be better off, know what I mean?

[Harrison Murchison]

Marco ..no worries man.

I think we all realize that we're more of Power Users and that while the Macbooks and minis are nice what we really want are the powerful machines.

I'm curious ...how's that Pentium D system of yours working? I think my next homebuilt will be either a Intel Conroe or Athlon. Haven't decided yet really.

Regards.

[Wayne Morellini]

Here's an article on the next generation 965 chipset graphics, I gather that things will be way better then the 950, but according to this it will be still way bad:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31239

Here we see a comparison between the 950 and the 965, and see how much is not supported, or software emulated, on the 950.

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/attachments...LQbpsUkQOf.jpg

The 965 may not be a gaming dream, but it looks better for video. What do you think?

Time will tell.

[Marco Wagner]

Nice! (chipsets)

The dual-core is working amazingly. I started late last year with a Pentium D 830 and a couple months ago a situation came up where the 830 was needed for a system build, the only replacement available at the time was the 930. Granted both are the same clock speed, the 930 is 65nm and 4MB cache though. I noticed a HUGE difference in response and temp. The 930 runs nice and cool and is snappy fast, it also overclocks close to 4GHz on air cooling (i just need faster ram).

Before all that I had the P4 3.06GHz, 1MB cache. My wife now has it. The biggest thing for me was the multitasking. I can run so many things at once without so much as a hiccup. 2GB ram helps. Premiere runs great, especially when I set the priortiy to HIGH or REALTIME. BF2 runs quite fast as well.

If you have the money, give AMD's duo a try, they're a couple steps ahead of intel's duo.

[Mike Tesh]

I think maybe Apple should just open their OS to all PC's.
Sure they can't support all the hardware out there like Windows can, but at least those who want to run it can build machines to fit the bill. And over time more hardware vendors will build drivers for MacOS.

I think those who like Apple hardware will always buy Apple hardware because of it's style and build quality.
But it would open up applications like Final Cut pro to a lot more people. And let those who are weary get a taste of MacOS without the price tag of totally new hardware.

I know people say "but Apple is a hardware company"
I think the only reason they are a hardware company is because you need their hardware to run their software. They've never given themselves a big chance to be a software company for other hardware. But I think if they did they'd do well. Look how popular itunes and quicktime is on Windows.

[Marco Wagner]

Yes that would be wonderful! I would love to legitimately run OSX on my current rig, I'm sure it would be lightning fast. It's too bad they don't do that. Gates would probably not like that direct competition, who knows. I think apple is just as much software as hardware, like you said they need that hardware to run their OS, but now that intel is in the picture, those lines are blurring...