Anyone Buying a New Macbook?

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Evening,
On and off over the past couple of years, I've toyed around with getting a Macbook.  The new designs Apple unveiled last week make me more interested to try them out than ever before!

Anyone here own one, or have one on the way?  Anyone considering it?

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[erikfsn]

I've been thinking about replacing my 12" powerbook g4 with one. I was just at the Apple store today looking at them and they are very nice indeed. I really wouldn't even consider anything else when I do replace my powerbook.

The problem is the powerbook still works fine after 5 1/2 years and I'm not sure I can justify replacing it yet because I have my desktop for anything besides email and web surfing. Wish it would break already . . . .

 

[tenfingers]

I , too, was at the Apple store today, and those new MacBooks are pretty sleek and nice. I think most mac hardware does well over time. I was at the store to get my wife's 4 year old imac looked at - i think the power supply is bad. I've offered to get her a new one, but she says it does everything she wants it to, so not worth getting new one (yet). My father still uses a 9 year old Mac (half basketball imac) for surfing and email and wouldnt have it any other way.

In the next year or so, I think I may get my wife a MacBook Pro and then the new 24 inch LED monitor so that it'll be like having a desktop replacement with the ability to be portable. Pretty expensive tho. I have to get my Festools first, however.

 

[fidelfs]

I have a MacBook Pro and it is great. The new Macbook is based in the aluminum case same as the pro's.

They are great computers.  I had a conversation with a friend lately about this notebook.  I told him the difference between the other laptops and apple laptops is that after 3 years the other laptops are obsolete and you have to replace them.  With the apple, they still in good shape and you can keep working with it.  Erikfsn comments confirmed as well.

If you buy it you won't regret it. 

The operating system offers a lot, just as a sample.  I am a consultant that travels and moves between networks (clients, personal, etc.) when I setup my printers, the OS identify the network and switch automatically to the correct printer.  Let's say I am working this weekend at home using my home printer, then Monday I go to my client site and connect to their network.  When I try to print, I don't have to switch to the other printer.  The OS has identified that I am in a different network so a different printer is selected.  This is just a minor thing but just imagine what other things are better with OSX.

Another good thing is the keyboard is a full size keyboard that you don't have to compromise.

Have fun a try it.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Morning,
Hey, thanks everyone for your opinions!  Even though this is not a computer forum, I trust the sensibility of people here on all matters!
I visited my local Apple store a couple of time recently to give the new Macbook a run-through.

For the most part, it is a really amazing system.  There are a couple of things that Apple needs to still address, like a weird "jumping" of the track pad.  Also, they need to fix their marketing material, which claims that the entire track pad is "clickable," when actually it is only clickable in the lower half.  This may sound like a nit-pick, and for me, I prefer lower-half-only clicking, but a lot of people may be misled by Apple's claim.

Also, there seems to be an issue with the wireless N: when I checked out the store model, the network settings say it's running "Wireless a/b/g."  I checked the Apple discussion boards, and this seems to be a common issue.  The question is, does the Macbook actually run on wireless N but it just has a display error, or is it not reaching wireless N capacity?  I read something on a technical site about how aluminum affects the wireless signal more than plastic, and that the new Macbooks may actually have worse wireless reception than the older plastic models.  I have no idea if this is true.

Because this would be a big switch for me, moving from PC to MAC, perhaps I am tending to be overly picky!  But I don't want to buy this machine, only to see Apple fix these problems a few weeks after my purchase.

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear more from people here.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[fidelfs]

Also, they need to fix their marketing material, which claims that the entire track pad is "clickable," when actually it is only clickable in the lower half.  This may sound like a nit-pick, and for me, I prefer lower-half-only clicking, but a lot of people may be misled by Apple's claim.

Matt,

Based on my experienced most of the computers at the store don't have all the setups "done".  I just tried in my notebook and I can click anywhere in the track pac, corners, middle, top, bottom , anywhere.

This is from the apple website.

"Overview
Please read this entire page before purchasing and installing this software.

Many Mac computers with an Intel Core 2 Duo and all Mac Pro computers with AirPort Extreme can be enabled to access 802.11n-based wireless networks. If you purchased one of these Macs, you can use the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Enabler software to activate this advanced wireless capability.

Important note: The Enabler is included free with the new AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n. If you purchase a new AirPort Extreme Base Station, you do not need to purchase the Enabler separately.
These Macs have the 802.11n hardware built-in:

    * MacBook Pro with Intel Core 2 Duo
    * MacBook with Intel Core 2 Duo
    * Mac Pro with AirPort Extreme option
    * iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo (except the 17-inch, 1.83GHz iMac)

Please make sure you have one of these Mac computers before purchasing the 802.11n Enabler software. It is not compatible with other Mac models.

Do you need the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Enabler?
Before purchasing the 802.11n Enabler software, please check to make sure that your Mac does not already have the 802.11n enabler already installed.

    * Open Network Utility (found in the Applications > Utilities folder)
    * Under the Info Tab, choose Network Interface (en1)
    * In the section "Model: Wireless Network Adapter," if it says (802.11a/b/g/n), you already have the 802.11n enabler installed. If it says (802.11a/b/g), you do not have the 802.11n enabler installed."  [attachimg=1]

I am understand you are worry to go into the "light"  8), it is understandable, but when you have one you won't get back.

 

[builderbob]

i have a macbook from '06 that i can't justify replacing....but...my wife has shown interest in needing a notebook...if i could persuade her that my macbook is worth her taking over, then i would certainly purchase the new macbook.  i think it is a great machine for my needs...i never have a problem with my mac which is why i switched from trouble ridden pc's.  long & short is that i will buy one if the opportunity presents itself.

bob

 

[tenfingers]

I brought my wife's Apple IMac G5 to the Apple store in Charlotte, NC last Sunday. They confirmed that it had a bad power supply. Apparently, there was some problems with the power supply for my serial number of my computer, so the repair apparently will be free. Just my time and gas money to drive 2 hours there and back. Anyway, for a 3 1/2 year old computer, not too shabby customer support.

 

[Cannuck]

I currently have a 2-year old MacBook Pro, and a MacBook Air for my wife.  I just hired a new employee, so I'm planning on getting the new generation of MacBook Pro in the next week.  I will let you know what my impressions are of the new machine when I get it - but I expect to be very pleased with it.  My entire business has been mac-based for 5 years now - since OS X.

I would stay away from the MacBook Air if I were you.  While my wife likes the portability, I don't like the limited ports and fact that you can't have a second battery.

I often present to clients without a projector, so the 15 inch MacBook Pro is a must for me.  If I was buying it for personal use however, I'd be inclined to go with the new aluminum MacBook (13 inch) and buy  the 24inch led screen.  For most people, the specs of the MacBook will be sufficient, and are better value for money in my opinion.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Afternoon,
It seems there are some kinks in the new Macbook design, which I am sure will be ironed out in the next release of the hardware.  I'll wait until then to jump in.  Usually, I am fine being on the bleeding edge with technology, but since I use my laptop professionally I can't take too many chances on frustrations with it.

I definitely like the look of the new Macbook, and look forward to an improved version soon!

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[nclemmons]

I bought the new 13 inch Macbook and find it to be excellent. 

It runs cooler than earlier models, the fit and finish are excellent, and it is quite fast for basic productivity and photo work.  There was a software release to fix the network 'n' enablement.  The fact that they machined the unit out of a solid block of aluminum resulted in losing 1/2 pound in weight.  The tolerances on the unit are quite impressive when compared to older Macbooks or Macbook pros.

I'd recommend it highly.  I did get the VGA adapter for connecting an external monitor.  It works great with a projector for presentations and an external monitor. 

The new trackpad with the entire pad as a button takes a little getting used to.  I found after 2-3 days that it became second nature.  You have the option of enabling a tap as a click, or you can press the entire pad to offer a mechanical click.  The gestures are useful for manipulating photos in iPhoto - shrinking or enlarging, rotating, etc.  You lose firewire on this unit, which may be an issue for those with older hard drives or video cameras.  But the performance benchmarks on the unit show it to be very respectable.  There are rumors the graphics chips may offer other acceleration for processing with the next release of OSX.

I think Apple has a winner with it.  It is easily their highest volume product and I expect they'll gain share in a challenging market.

neil

 

[jaegerhund]

The new trackpad with the entire pad as a button takes a little getting used to.  I found after 2-3 days that it became second nature.  You have the option of enabling a tap as a click, or you can press the entire pad to offer a mechanical click.  The gestures are useful for manipulating photos in iPhoto - shrinking or enlarging, rotating, etc.  You lose firewire on this unit, which may be an issue for those with older hard drives or video cameras.  But the performance benchmarks on the unit show it to be very respectable.  There are rumors the graphics chips may offer other acceleration for processing with the next release of OSX.

I think Apple has a winner with it.  It is easily their highest volume product and I expect they'll gain share in a challenging market.

neil

I've been out of the computer loop for a while,--- is firewire getting faded out? 

Justin

 

[nclemmons]

Apple still has firewire on the MacBook Pro - FW800, with backwards compatibility to FW400 via an adapter cable.  I think they abandoned it on the Macbook due to space considerations, potentially cost considerations, and a desire to differentiate versus the higher end model.

USB2 is a bit slower in sustained throughput, but with the broad industry backing from all the Intel machines with USB rather than FW, I wonder if Apple didn't concede to high volume, lower cost technology even at the expense of a bit of performance.

Apple invented FW, so they could certainly continue it.

neil

 

[jaegerhund]

Thanks for the info Neil.  It seems that pros with certain needs tend to like the performance benefits of Firewire.  Music recording (ie., multitrack recording) is one I'm familiar with.

Justin

 

[extiger]

My wife has last year's MacBook Pro. I have a Mac G4 tower. I watched the  introduction presentation of the new Macbooks by Steve Jobs last week. Having lived with Macintosh computers since 1987, I would caution you to wait on a purchase. The new Intel chip models running Unix systems open a new world. But there are birthpangs with the new Leopard OS. And the hardware of laptops is so new it might take time to work out the bugs. That glass trackpad alone is a major leap, so I would explect glitches in the early models.

One of the weak links in laptops is the battery. We all so the massive recall by Sony last week. These new dual processor models, with a massive graphic chip, have to use big chunks of power. Wait a bit and watch. I admire the new CNC-milled alloy chassis and the edge-to-edge LED screen. Great stuff in a very sturdy package.

Gary Curtis
Northern California

 

[Matthew Schenker]

My wife has last year's MacBook Pro. I have a Mac G4 tower. I watched the  introduction presentation of the new Macbooks by Steve Jobs last week. Having lived with Macintosh computers since 1987, I would caution you to wait on a purchase. The new Intel chip models running Unix systems open a new world. But there are birthpangs with the new Leopard OS. And the hardware of laptops is so new it might take time to work out the bugs. That glass trackpad alone is a major leap, so I would explect glitches in the early models.

Wise words!  I have gone to my local Apple stores and played with the new Macbook computers.  They are very nice, for the most part, and I feel that one of them is in my future.  However, every single model I tried had a problem with the trackpad.

It's not straight from Apple, but as evidence that there is a real problem with the trackpad hardware or software, look at these links:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/05/apple_readying_software_patch_for_quirky_macbook_trackpads.html
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/11/05/software-fix-for-macbook-pro-trackpad-issue-coming-soon/

If the problem is just software, then I suppose it's safe to buy a new Macbook now and get the update.  If the problem has to do with hardware, then it would be a bad idea to purchase one now.  I'm having a hard time knowing which one it is.  I don't want to be one of those people who buys the newest thing, then complains when there are problems.

Also, with retail sales plummeting, I wonder if Apple will offer some kind of deals on the notebooks closer to the holiday season.  At that time, they might iron out a couple of the problems as well.

So, I'm watching the news and will wait it out a bit.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[extiger]

Since you are on the cusp of leaving Windows to go to Mac, some of the following may help you. When I was in the Flight Ops division of FedEx, the pilots overwhelmingly leaned towards Macintosh. But the head of corporate technology (I guess that would be the IT division) came out to speak to us and said they needed to settle on a corporate standard as more and more work was transitioning from Mainframes and dumb terminals over to desktop PCs.

She was rather timid about the whole controversy and said, in so many words, she didn't want to weigh on the issue and start a "religious war". FedEx made the decision for PCs running Windows. The decisive factor was the slight advantage in handling data transfer. ie, the Internet.

I would agree with that assessment. While currently running the second most-recent OS on my Mac (OS Tiger), I don't see many problems. But just this morning my friend sent me a link and his password to use a New Yorker Magazine archive site. Their site sends your browser an Applet that kind of resembles Adobe Acrobat. It replicates navigating pages in a magazine. My Mac was shut out of some of the features. You will see that from time to time online.

On the other hand I come from Hollywood. My wife was in management at Warner Brothers Studios for 20 years. In the world of entertainment/advertising/music, Macintosh computers rule. I could spend 15 minutes enumerating the advantages. I can run Windows, but it never feels quite as intuitive. Now, it would seem, Apple has further compounded the public confusion by offering some genuine technological advantages. And with Unix as the operating system, the software gap is fast receding. Macs run a little behind, but every once in awhile, they make a quantum leap ahead of Windows. Oh, and for about 2 years I was whining to myself ( no one else will listen, any longer) about not finding a Macintosh shareware version of CutList for my WWing shop. Two months ago an Australian software enterprise released their new Mac product for making cutlists from sheet goods. For $58. Talk about obscure software. It's called CabinetCut.
With graphics as good, if not better, than CutList Pro.

Hope this gives you some perspective.

Gary Curtis

Hope that gives you some perspective.

 

[fidelfs]

And with Unix as the operating system, the software gap is fast receding. Macs run a little behind, but every once in awhile, they make a quantum leap ahead of Windows.

I don't understand what are you trying to say.  Apple runs in Unix BSD.  the graphic version is just written in top of UNIX.  That means the operating system is Unix and the user interface is MAC OSX Leopard.

Sometimes I don't use Leopard, I just use the unix prompt.  If I misunderstood your point sorry.

Like I said before all the macbooks at the store don't have all the setups complete (or at least user setups like you wish to run your computer) I have macbok pro and my trackpad is working 100%.  The OS is the same and the user interface MAC OSX between the macbooks and the pros.

Fidel

 

[extiger]

It is probable that my mental trackpad has skipped a beat. I don't know much about computers. I was trying to imply that now that Mac's have switched to a Unix-based OS, they aren't as "quaint" as they were for a long time. Thus more software for them is available.

For us woodworkers, just take www.cabinetcut.com , for example. For three years I longed to use CutList Pro, but couldn't because of my Macintosh. That represents a sea change, to me.

Gary

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Afternoon,
I've been experimenting with various "flavors" of Linux for the past couple of years, installing them on my laptop and seeing how they work.  The whole world of Linux is very exciting, and I think the potential is there to change the near-monopoly status of MS products.

I was happy to recognize some of the same Linux-like elements in the recent versions of the MAC OS.  In addition to Ubunu, Kubuntu, PCLinuxOS, OpenSUSE, Mint, and others, I also gave BSD a try at one point, which I understand is the basis for the MAC OS.

What I wonder about is how Apple worked out the commercial arrangements that allow them to develop a closed-source operating system (MAC OS) on top of open-source material (BSD).

Thanks,
Matthew