Netbooks Laptop

I've had my Macbook (MB) for about two weeks now and I have to say I love it, and I'll tell you why:

1) Ease of use. After you get over the PC to Mac unfamiliarity (it took me a day or so), you'll realize that everything on this MB is so much more user friendly than any PC/Notebook I've ever used. For example, deleting items/programs off the computer. There is no need to uninstall...just drag the item to the trash and bingo, the program is gone. There is no registry in OS X to deal with. Wireless connectivity is a breeze - just walk into a hotspot and a little window pops up asking if you want to connect. That simple! My previous laptop - Dell Insipiron - took some windows configuration which if you're new to wireless connectivity could take awhile to get used to. Bluetooth comes standard and any device is automatically detected. I have a BT mouse that I just turned on and the MB took care of the rest. It was that easy -- so far I haven't had to deal with drivers and updating and the like.

2. Security -- I am still a litle wary about this aspect of the MB, but no anti-virus software! I have not yet (knock on wood) encountered any spyware/viruses whereas in PC, that is the first thing you have to contend with. That is not to say Macs are not vunerable, but much less so than PCs from what I've read.

3. It is sleek, light, and great looking. Aesthetics aren't too important to me, but it is a plus. The MB looks great and works well. Not to mention its 1" all around size. It is slightly heavy, a little over 5lbs with the adapter. Fits nicely in my school bag -- not much heavier
than a 5 star notebook with about the same dimensions.

4. Little things. So you can probably get more functionality/customizibality from a Dell for at or just under the price of this MB. But what the Dell probably won't offer is the little things. For example, the AC adapter comes in two parts - one much like the IPod adapter with two prongs for travel and then a three pronged extension when using at home. The fast connectivity of this MB - I never have to turn it off/restart, I just close the lid and the its goes to sleep. When I open the lid, the computer starts right up and picks up where I left off in seconds. On that note, the use of magnets for the lid closure and power cord connector -- that is ingenious! No latch to break, no hard cable connection to send your MB flying from the careless, unaware college kid. Installing applications -- just download app, an icon appears on your desktop, drag it to your applications folder and you are done. There are many more little things that I could mention, but this review is turning out too long as it is.

Bottom line: I am very happy with this MB. It is my first Apple Computer, and when my Dell XPS dies, I intend on replacing it with an Apple PC. They just seem so much more user friendly. I am not a computer whiz and the Mac seems to target the average user like me. I love every aspect about this MB from the size, weight, design, to its functionality. Switching from PC to MAC is really not that difficult and if you get stuck, just google whatever it is you need and someone somewhere has probably had the same question. Most of the stuff is common sense. Unlike some other users, I don't think the MB gets overly hot on my lap after many hours of usage. The keyboard is flat and takes a bit of getting used to, but I love it.

All in all, well worth the price. I bought mine off the Apple store, used the student discount ($100 off), got a free IPOD. Granted you cannot upgrade much on this machine (I got a larger HDD), so it won't replace a regular computer for gaming or serious graphic design. If you want more value for your money - you're probably better off with something like a Dell. But if you have the money (although it's not overpriced for compared to other notebooks in its class), and want a well thought out, nicely built machine - with very little headaches that are associated with PCs, you should get this MB. You won't be disappointed!

Well after dealing with Vista for the past few months I gave in and purchased a Mac for the 1st time ever.

Wow!!! What a difference. I will not go back to VISTA which is the worst OS that MS has ever sold. I had nothing but issues with running VISTA on my 2 desktops and 1 laptop. Apple knows how to do it right an it shows.

Well worth the money. I will keep this for years to come.

I've been using the Macintosh on and off for about 20 years but left for over 10 years to be a devoted Windows user. Recent issues with Vista and increasing problems with run-time bloat, incredibly long startup times, malware, and endless updates with their associated mandatory and automatic reboots began to get me thinking about checking out the Mac again. Particularly with my iPod and iPhone showing me how superior Apple products could be compared to the competition.

So I bit the bullet and purchased my first Macintosh laptop, the new MacBook with glossy screen, dual core Intel processor, and a gig of RAM. For the most part, the laptop has been a pure joy to use, is built with amazing solidity, and does what it's advertised to do. However, since I use computers of all kinds all day, I have racked up a number of pros and cons for this mostly stellar new laptop product as I've used this MacBook (in gorgeous matte executive black) the last three weeks on a daily basis.

PROS:

- Amazingly fast boot time, about 20-30 seconds in my tests. Wayyy better than Windows.
- Extremely solid construction and feel.
- Elegant and compact power cord setup with the famous magnetic detach system to prevent annoying and damaging cord yanks.
- Comes with lots of software and apps that really work.
- Roomy storage and good overall performance.
- Does not run too hot, even when performance settings are turned up.
- Supports Bluetooth 2.0 and a lot of the newer, sexier Bluetooth profiles including A2DP and stereo headsets.
- Big, bright, clear screen.
- The built-in camera takes decent video and it works well with Skype.
- With Parallels, runs Windows Vista Ultimate flawlessly so far, even with old apps, simultaneously with the Mac OS.
- The feel of the latest Mac desktop seems brawny yet nimble with lots of seductive graphics, morphing windows, flip screens and more. Makes it a joy visually.
- Battery life is acceptable, not finding myself wanting a lot more juice frequently (though occasionally I do.)
- Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection works surprisingly well to control and use Windows PC's remotely, a genuine pleasure since I usually work with 2-4 computers at a time, and I can just Alt-Tab between them from the MacBook.

CONS:

- User interaction often seems weirdly sluggish with a brief, unexplained pause when many common actions are initiated in applications. Not significantly off putting, but strange for a system with two powerful CPU cores.
- WiFi seems slow and inconsistent. Not a lot of dropped connections, but slower for sure than my PC laptops.
- Bluetooth stereo support is crude, with no automatic switching between internal and wireless speakers/mics.
- The leading Mac apps (iLife, iWork, Mac Office) just aren't as stable as their Windows counterparts. Not a lot less stable, but definitely noticeable and sometimes frustrating.
- The trackpad and associated button feels heavy and ponderous and is tedious to use for long periods. Definitely invest in the wireless Mac mouse for serious work, it works well.
- Irritating sharp beveled edge on front of the case where your wrists rest. All edges on the MacBook are smooth except for the one which you rest your wrists. Careful placement and angling of MacBook can help, but seems inexplicable in terms of good design.
- Screen has slightly uneven lighting, not enough to bother but Sony laptops run rings around the MacBook in terms of mind-blowing clarity and lighting consistency.
- No extended battery available from Apple (that I know of), not good for serious business users.
- No built-in WWAN support, had to buy something from Verizon that hangs off the side, another knock on business use of this product.
- 1 GB RAM is not enough for serious daily use, I had to upgrade to 2GB to get things to work right, particularly with Parallels.

For lighter family use, the current MacBook is more than ready for almost any computing task. For serious business use, the MacBook is just barely there and requires some additional investment (mouse, WWAN, extra battery, Parallels) but that's true of many Windows laptops as well.

One star is subtracted from a perfect score for the strange design shortfalls (average Bluetooth support, sharp edge on the front of the case, so-so trackpad, less than great app stability, less than zippy response of apps.)

I would recommend this product to almost anyone however, the Macintosh has re-arrived on the personal computing scene for sure. I hope you enjoy it!