...and I'm so in love with it!
A few days back on the 14th of October, Apple unveiled their latest new product to hit the market – the ‘new’ Macbook.
I’m not sure why I’m paranoid enough to do a post on every single product they come up with, but I guess it has to do with the fact that Apple just keeps doing things in a completely different way…and the macbook is one thing that’s caught my attention for a real long time.
In case you’re wondering what this is all about, I strongly suggest you see the video on it.
It still uses the same (old?) Mac OS-X leopard and runs on Intel Core2Duo, but I guess the most beautiful changes you on it are in the looks and what it’s made of; literally!
The first thing that’s completely different about it from everything else is that it moves away from Apple’s signature white (or black) polycarbonate body to precision machine-cut aluminum.
What really blew my mind is the fact that they decided to manu facture the whole body as a single piece – as opposed to virtually every other notebook on the planet (that I figure uses at least a couple of dozen parts for the main body); and the only way they could do that was to machine the whole thing from a solid block of aluminum!
Yes, every new Macbook out there comes from a separate, single, solid block of aluminum. Wonder what they do with all the little pieces?
The next thing big thing is the all-glass-and-LED screen that extends all the way to the edges. I guess glass and LED are the best things that go with shiny metal, and the new macbook beautifully eliminates the frame around the screen; lending a seamless appearance to the screen.
The new trackpad (also made of glass) eliminates the click-button…and instead the whole thing is clickable anywhere you want – you can even configure a “right-click-zone” anyplace on it in case you need one (remember, macs don’t require a right-click by default).
The trackpad also features the famous multi-touch as used on the iPhones and earlier generation Macbook-Pros.
Other interesting features noteworthy are the tiny row of green LEDs on the side that indicate battery status and the invisible sleep indicator light (that’s made by shaving off the side of the aluminum from the inside and perforating microscopic holes into the surface, so you only see the light when its on)
All said and done at the end of the day however and jumping back to reality, this thing is priced at over €1,500…and that’s WAY off my budget for a long time!
Guess the only place I’m gonna see it is at the nearest Apple store.
14 comments:
Yea I am seriously thinking of getting the new macbook !
I think I've used my IBM to the fullest and it really needs a Viking funeral !
But again price is the issue
The Macbook is $1400 here in Canada but with taxes, it'll cost me $1600
I'll have to wait just a bit.
Well, I don't like Apple products (maybe because there are some better products available or maybe because of its high costs than others). And Macbook is one of them.
I wish I could write something about gadgets too! I am still living in the Nokia brick-age and a PC with a 25mbps RAM (barring my office laptop).
I've never used an Apple product except for a couple of times when my friend brought it to the class!
@jaffer
Bro, you still using that ancient Thinkpad you told me abt 5years ago?
:)
And judging by the way you seem to tweak and twist your system, I'd think you're better off with a PC (as opposed to a mac).
Macs are for people who want to work straight outta the box without the hassles of configuring things. Lemme know what you decide to buy.
@saurabh
Agree with you on the price part but that's not a reason to hate the Mac I guess?
After all, if you look at it, all of Apple's stuff are about setting the standard and not merging with the crowd.
The class above the rest...and the cost is the premium you pay for that exclusive lot!
@faiza
Well, you could too...its not like I own a Mac you know :)
And 25megs of RAM?? Amazing how you still manage to work on it...you must have a lot of patience.
@ARN - LOL ! Yes I am still using that very same Thinkpad. Here's a picture.
I need to use a faster OS and a faster Desktop Environment because it's ageing. And yea like what the Open Source community has to offer.
Right now I need atleast one robust computer to work on. And I promise - no tweaking for the first 3 years.
Sure - I'll blog about what ever computer I decide to get ! :o)
No way....u r trying to push me into bankrupcy!
@jaffer
LOL!! Amazing how you still manage to squeeze the juice out of that thing.
@ela
yup...I can't buy it so i'm pushing for someone who can. Lemme know after you get it.
:)
Just Curious - How much does the new Macbook cost in India ? (Value in Rupees is OK)
And how much would a typical Dell notebook cost ? Is it still affoardable to middle-class wage earners ?
Haaahhhh...u think u cannot afford it while a struggling, poor grad student like me can afford it?! anyway my bank gives me credit...that's why all that hope that i can push myself closer to that 1500 Euro stuff if i find it irresistable...
i've always had the feeling that macs dupe people into thinking that they're somehow elite. but that's just me. when it comes to vendor lock-in and proprietary-ness (not just software but also hardware) nothing beats apple. OS X is nothing but a polished version of BSD called Darwin btw. when i was out looking for a laptop, i did go over a couple of macbooks but none seemed compelling enough. eventually bought myself a Dell inspiron 1525.
@jaffer
i've always felt that when it comes to notebooks nothing beats the robustness of thinkpads and i guess you've proven it yourself :). as for Dell's prices, when i bought my thing it cost like a good 7000RS costlier in India when compared to the Middle East and then again the Middle East itself was about 10000RS costlier than Best Buy! But you know what, when the rupee crashed, my 7000RS savings transformed into a 7000RS loss as Dell hadn't updated their prices on their websites soon enough! if you're looking for a laptop, i say stay as far away from vendor lock-in as possible! better yet choose a brand that is showing some signs of cross-platform initiative (eg. http://linux.dell.com/). don't forget to check out notebookreview.com ...the inspiron 1525 is the 2nd most popular on their list btw! me very happy :D ...as for linux on laptops atm the situation with power management seems so hotch potch ..don't expect too much from it...just hope it matures a lot more...
~ Firas
Macs definitely have taken on the "cool" title these days. If you own one, you're somehow "better" than the rest of the PC-owning world. All Apple products have taken on this air of elitism and are a huge part of today's pop culture.
Given all that, I don't think that's reason enough to hate a product without giving it a proper chance. I *love* Apple products. They can give themselves any image they want (pricey, trendy, whatever) but that won't stop my love for my Apple products. I am forever addicted to my trusty iPod and my good ol' Mac PowerBook (which I've had for the last 5 years without ANY problems, at all... touch wood!).
I am thinking of upgrading my laptop at some point, and WOW, after reading your post on the new Macbook, I'm totally hooked. Hahah. I'll have to go check it out. I'm always afraid to go to the Apple store because there is always something that will catch my eye and beg to be bought!
Anyway, I'm rambling. Enjoyed reading your descriptiob of the Macbook! :)
@Firas
Aw, c'mon dude...macs definitely do NOT dupe people.
You know that OS-X is a version of BSD because you tinker with oses all the time. Ordinary people like a computer that's ready to use right outta the box and doesn't need looking under the hood. That's the reason Macs are popular.
And besides, the new Macbook does look elite.
The inspiron's a good book too...but I'd prefer the XPS :D
@Ela
Seriously; you need to stop over at the nearest Saturn or MediaMarkt and check it out!
@sindhu
You've been having a PowerBook for over 5years?
Wow (I can't find any wood nearby :D)
The only Apple I managed to buy is a Nano pod.
there's an interesting article up on a blog i follow on usability and OSes particularly comparing for the dumb junta out there (typical mac people)http://blogs.computerworld.com/real_life_linux_the_asus_eee_pc_1000 . the author thinks stuff like Asus EEE's Xandros or the Acer Aspire One's Linpus Lite are the way to go for dumb people rather than Macs :) . i know many mac guys like doing photoshop and other techy stuff too, but let's just face the facts here...most people who are bewitched by macs are not the type who dream about using the likes of CAD or Mathematica on their machines! what do you think?
~Firas
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