Who is excited for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air that will be announce at 1pm Eastern?
I am. :churn:
I am. :churn:
New Apple Products
- Thread starter MM
- Start date
I think within the next year, I'm going to jump back over to a mac. Probably a macbook. I havent used one in years, and I do like them. I'll need to comparing prices soon.
Somewhat dissapointing
I was expecting something more revolutionary, given the amount of chatter beforehand. I wonder if the one-piece cases have any functional benefit. Sure, it looks cool, but is it more durable or cheaper to manufacture or something? The old cases already looked cool.
I was expecting something more revolutionary, given the amount of chatter beforehand. I wonder if the one-piece cases have any functional benefit. Sure, it looks cool, but is it more durable or cheaper to manufacture or something? The old cases already looked cool.
I think they are pretty cool. But people are already finding differences in the 2 versions of the MacBook. The $1299 doesn't not have backlit keyboard, but the $1499 does. It si promoted on Apple's website incorrectly.
I'll stick with my BlackBook for now.
I'll stick with my BlackBook for now.
They told me the same thing.
Official reply to backlit keyboards on 1299 from Sales team. - Mac Forums
I guess I'll have to go to the store for myself (leaving the wallet in the car, too).
Damn It! Why do they do this crap! This thing looks sweet. I read all the info and watched the video which shows the MacBook during the manufacturing process. WOW
Precision Unibody Enclosure
Ultra Thin LED Backlit Display
5x Faster nVidia Graphics
Smooth Glass Multip Touch Pad
Starting at $1299 for a 2.0GHz, 2GB Memory 160GB Hard Drive
Okay Apple you have my attention!
Precision Unibody Enclosure
Ultra Thin LED Backlit Display
5x Faster nVidia Graphics
Smooth Glass Multip Touch Pad
Starting at $1299 for a 2.0GHz, 2GB Memory 160GB Hard Drive
Okay Apple you have my attention!
Well for 200 more dollars you get the 2.4GHz vs 2.0 GHz, plus 250GB Hard drive vs 160GB hard drive, and perhaps the backlit keyboard, which is what I'd love to have. I use mine in my bedroom a lot late at night and that would be a real plus.
Still I think it would have been smart to include this on the $1299 version as well.
Update, I was just playing around on Apples web site and added the $1299 version to the check out cart. It clearly says it includes the backlit keyboard.
I'll be curious to see what you can find out MM when you go to the Apple Store. By the way the $1249.00 price you see is because I selected La state government contractor price, which I am eligible for.
I'll be curious to see what you can find out MM when you go to the Apple Store. By the way the $1249.00 price you see is because I selected La state government contractor price, which I am eligible for.
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Update, I was just playing around on Apples web site and added the $1299 version to the check out cart. It clearly says it includes the backlit keyboard.
I'll be curious to see what you can find out MM when you go to the Apple Store. By the way the $1249.00 price you see is because I selected La state government contractor price, which I am eligible for.
Not anymore.....
Apple Store (U.S.) - Configure
Here is an interesting review that takes issue with the display. Just wondering if DaJoker has found the same thing on his new McBook, or was he getting a MacBook Pro?
Very Poor Display (Beware), October 18, 2008
By Charles (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews
I just got my new Aluminum MacBook last night, and it's going right back for refund this morning. The LCD is far inferior to my 1st generation MacBook display, and it's actually one of the worst displays I've seen on a modern notebook computer. I've been an Apple owner since I bought an SE/30, but Apple has screwed up badly here, and I find the new MacBook nearly unusable. (Please note, my current MacBook has a glossy screen; that level of glossiness is not the issue here.)
UPDATE: I just got back from the Apple Store, and one of the staff at the store (a photographer) helped me compare my old MacBook with this new Aluminum MacBook and the new MacBook Pro. All of the new MacBooks on display had the same issues: blacks not really black, colors not vibrant, and overall screen contrast lower than the old MacBook. The new MacBook Pro, however, does not have these issues (although the screen is still more blue than the old MacBook). The Apple Store staffer agreed that the new MacBook screen is not great. He also much preferred the old one (or the new MacBook Pro). An online review at gizmodo dot com (gizmodo.com/5063492/macbook-and-macbook-pro-dual-review) clearly shows the same problems that I describe here.
The issues:
1. The whole screen has an icky blue cast, and nothing in the display calibration settings will fix this. My old MacBook has a much more pure and natural looking white. I think Apple needs to work more on the LED back-lighting (or maybe they cheaped out on the MacBook LEDs).
2. The blacks on the new display are washed out (this used to be a problem with LCD televisions and can still occur with cheap LCDs). This is obvious on the start-up animation (with the multi-lingual "welcome" animations against the Leopard nebulae in space). It's not just an issue with solid black images, however: this propagates to everything looking less crisp. And it's not an issue of adjusting brightness or screen angle. In fact, if you try to adjust the screen angle to get some reasonably good blacks, you get parts of the screen where you have a metallic or posterized effect. I saw this in the store displays as well, but I didn't realize that it would occur under normal viewing angles vs. extreme situations.
3. Colors are not vibrant (nothing compared to my 1st generation MacBook). By not vibrant, I mean that different hues of blue, for example, are not distinct from one another. When I open Word, the splash screen has four different blue colors in the "feather" shape at the top right. On the old MacBook the blues are distinctly different and colorful, on the new MacBook they are much closer in hue and more dull. I think this is a result primarily of issues one and two above, but it may also have to do with other aspects of the inferior LCD on the Aluminum MacBook.
4. The new MacBook screen should be called "mirrored" not "glossy". My 1st generation MacBook has a glossy screen. It's good. I rarely have an issue with visible reflections from it. The new MacBook is a constant battle. One major problem is that the screen needs to be pushed farther back to get reasonable contrast, but this angle directly reflects ceiling lights at the user. It's also so significantly more reflective than the previous glossy screen that it picks up windows and floor lamps and everything else a lot more easily. It's a mess.
I hope this helps other folks avoid my mistake in seeking to upgrade from an existing MacBook. The new one is not any faster in day to day use (3D rendering excepted), and it has crippling issues with the display. I would strongly encourage anyone with a current MacBook to take it to the store with you and check out the Aluminum MacBook display for yourself before buying.
Very Poor Display (Beware), October 18, 2008
By Charles (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews
I just got my new Aluminum MacBook last night, and it's going right back for refund this morning. The LCD is far inferior to my 1st generation MacBook display, and it's actually one of the worst displays I've seen on a modern notebook computer. I've been an Apple owner since I bought an SE/30, but Apple has screwed up badly here, and I find the new MacBook nearly unusable. (Please note, my current MacBook has a glossy screen; that level of glossiness is not the issue here.)
UPDATE: I just got back from the Apple Store, and one of the staff at the store (a photographer) helped me compare my old MacBook with this new Aluminum MacBook and the new MacBook Pro. All of the new MacBooks on display had the same issues: blacks not really black, colors not vibrant, and overall screen contrast lower than the old MacBook. The new MacBook Pro, however, does not have these issues (although the screen is still more blue than the old MacBook). The Apple Store staffer agreed that the new MacBook screen is not great. He also much preferred the old one (or the new MacBook Pro). An online review at gizmodo dot com (gizmodo.com/5063492/macbook-and-macbook-pro-dual-review) clearly shows the same problems that I describe here.
The issues:
1. The whole screen has an icky blue cast, and nothing in the display calibration settings will fix this. My old MacBook has a much more pure and natural looking white. I think Apple needs to work more on the LED back-lighting (or maybe they cheaped out on the MacBook LEDs).
2. The blacks on the new display are washed out (this used to be a problem with LCD televisions and can still occur with cheap LCDs). This is obvious on the start-up animation (with the multi-lingual "welcome" animations against the Leopard nebulae in space). It's not just an issue with solid black images, however: this propagates to everything looking less crisp. And it's not an issue of adjusting brightness or screen angle. In fact, if you try to adjust the screen angle to get some reasonably good blacks, you get parts of the screen where you have a metallic or posterized effect. I saw this in the store displays as well, but I didn't realize that it would occur under normal viewing angles vs. extreme situations.
3. Colors are not vibrant (nothing compared to my 1st generation MacBook). By not vibrant, I mean that different hues of blue, for example, are not distinct from one another. When I open Word, the splash screen has four different blue colors in the "feather" shape at the top right. On the old MacBook the blues are distinctly different and colorful, on the new MacBook they are much closer in hue and more dull. I think this is a result primarily of issues one and two above, but it may also have to do with other aspects of the inferior LCD on the Aluminum MacBook.
4. The new MacBook screen should be called "mirrored" not "glossy". My 1st generation MacBook has a glossy screen. It's good. I rarely have an issue with visible reflections from it. The new MacBook is a constant battle. One major problem is that the screen needs to be pushed farther back to get reasonable contrast, but this angle directly reflects ceiling lights at the user. It's also so significantly more reflective than the previous glossy screen that it picks up windows and floor lamps and everything else a lot more easily. It's a mess.
I hope this helps other folks avoid my mistake in seeking to upgrade from an existing MacBook. The new one is not any faster in day to day use (3D rendering excepted), and it has crippling issues with the display. I would strongly encourage anyone with a current MacBook to take it to the store with you and check out the Aluminum MacBook display for yourself before buying.
I went to the Apple Store today to check both notebooks out. They are sweet as hell and the trackpad is all kinds of awesome!! I didn't notice any color issues like the review DAB copied and pasted above though.
My MacBook Pro is only 2 years old and still kicking, so right now there's no need to upgrade...maybe next year when the AppleCare warranty runs out on the notebook.
My MacBook Pro is only 2 years old and still kicking, so right now there's no need to upgrade...maybe next year when the AppleCare warranty runs out on the notebook.