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Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:06 GMT)

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Apple MacBook Pro - Core Duo 2.16 GHz - RAM 1 GB - HDD 100 GB - DVD?RW - Mobility Radeon X1600 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR - MacOS X 10.4 - 15.4
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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Product Description

You've seen improvements in notebook performance before - but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two processors built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to four times higher than the PowerBook G4. With this awesome power, it's a breeze to render complex 3D models, enjoy smooth playback of HD video, or host a four-way video conference.Intel Core Duo is the first chip built using Intel's groundbreaking 65-nanometer process - resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two processors designed to share resources and conserve power, Intel Core Duo achieves higher levels of performance as it uses fewer watts. Which is what makes it possible to design a super-powerful MacBook Pro that's only one inch thin.When Mac technology makes something easy, it's hardly news. So here's more non-news for MacBook Pro owners: software just works. If you see the Universal logo on a new application, that means it will run on Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac computers. For most existing applications, you simply do what you've always done: double-click them. Thanks to the Rosetta technology in Mac OS X, they look and feel just like they did before.

Product Details

  • Resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell.
  • With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two processors designed to share resources and conserve power

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Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:07 GMT)

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Apple MB060G/A VESA Mount Adapter Kit for 24" iMac
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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Product Description

Use this kit to attach your 24" iMac 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme to a wall mount, articulating arm or other VESA-compliant mounting solution. This VESA Mount Adapter Kit allows your 24" iMac computer to be used with a variety of alternate mounting solutions such as wall mounts and zero footprint articulating arms based on the VESA Flat Panel Mounting Interface (FPMI). Using the tool included in this kit, you can remove the iMac stand and attach the VESA Mount Adapter to the computer. Then connect any VESA-compliant mounting solution with a 100mm x 100mm attachment. With the VESA Mount Adapter attached, the 24" iMac complies with the VESA MIS-D, 100 & C version specifications.

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Customer Reviews

Apple imac VESA Mount
 
Review Date: January 16, 2008
Reviewer: G. Compton, Auburn, Al USA
Solid construction, easy to assemble and install. People have said that it doesn't fit the attachment when installed on a 24" imac but just don't tighten all of the screws down until the mount has actually been attached. Probably throughly reading the instructions would avoid this problem. The adapter fit perfectly onto my VESA mount and was easy to level once placed on the wall. Excellent product, I wish Apple would make the 20" imac stand removable so more people could use this product.
Simple solution
 
Review Date: February 11, 2008
Reviewer: J. Uphoff, Madison, Wi
This item is a simple answer for mounting your imac. It takes a little precision to get the screws to line up but it does not take long and the thing is solid as a rock. (hint: make sure you screw down the middle screw as tight as you can before you try the side ones.) once this mount is on it is easly attached to a VESA mount and looks great! (I used the Peerless wall mount arm so i could swing it around and it is amazing!)
Does the job, but a PAIN to install
 
Review Date: March 17, 2009
Reviewer: MasterTech4523, Cambridge, MA
I have installed many many vesa mounts - this is by far the most annoying to install. Normally it takes a good 5 minutes to unscrew the mount, and pop the mount on. This took 8 screws, a release, and a very time consuming dual bolt that you must perfectly align (and I mean perfectly) to get the final bolts to thread. I was surprised, but it appears this is because the metal is so specifically engineered, aligning the dual bolts is a serious luck of the draw. Total install time, a shocking 45 minutes. How annoying.

After that, it's just a mount. Does the job.
Well made, but difficult to install
 
Review Date: January 20, 2009
Reviewer: Seth Sokol,
The parts are all of very high quality, and it is very secure once you have the mount installed. Having said that, getting the thing installed is not easy.

The installation begins with inserting a plastic card (about the size of a credit card) into the back of your iMac 24"(what I was using; but it also works with an Apple LED Cinema Display). This is very satisfying, as it magically reveals 8 hidden torx screws. You remove these screws to remove the original base, then attach a (beautifully-machined aluminum) flange. All easy.

Here's where it gets harder: You then attach the mount adapter to the flange. A single torx screw is attached first before 2 more bolts are inserted. The instructions have a note indicating "[u]sing a high torque screwdriver may make it easier to tighten the center screw". That screw, as it is tightened, pulls the flange away from the back of the iMac allowing the 2 side bolts to align properly with the mount adapter. The center screw must be screwed quite far before the bolts will align properly, but this is complicated by the rather cheap torx tool provided, hence the note. I highly recommend obtaining a better torx screwdriver in order to drive the screw in far enough without stripping it. If you do this, it will eventual be aligned so that the side bolts go in rather easily.

Once installed, the base feels very secure and matches the style of the recent aluminum iMacs perfectly.

Amazon.com Price: $1,999.99 (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:09 GMT)

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Apple iMac MB420LL/A 24-Inch Desktop
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $2,199.00
Sale Price: $1,999.99
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Product Description

Speedier than ever with the latest Intel dual-core processor, the Apple iMac all-in-one desktop PC packs a complete, high-performance computer into its all-in-one design, sporting a sleek, professional aluminum enclosure that's joined precisely to a 24-inch glass cover to create a virtually seamless front surface. It's powered by a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which includes an amazingly fast 1066 MHz front-side bus speed and super-sized 6 MB L2 cache. This dual-core processor also provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multitasking, video, and gaming performance. And this iMac also gets a boost in video processing power from the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 graphics processor with 512 MB of DDR3 SDRAM of discrete video memory.



Designed with a recyclable anodized aluminum frame and glass cover, the iMac is friendlier to the environment.
The iMac also features an ultra-thin aluminum Apple Keyboard--with dedicated keys for Mac features such as brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, and Exposé--as well as the wired Mighty Mouse. It's pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which enables easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter. It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications--including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes--and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser.

Hardware features include a 1 TB hard drive, 4 GB of RAM (with an 8 GB maximum capacity), 8x SuperDrive for burning movies to DVD and music mixes to CD, integrated 802.11n wireless LAN, Gigabit Ethernet wired networking, and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR connectivity.

Power on a Pedestal
With its anodized aluminum frame set upon a sleek pedestal, the new iMac instantly transforms your workspace from cluttered desktop to brilliant display podium. Because the iMac's housing is made from a single sheet of aluminum, you won't see any seams or screws except for a single compartment on the bottom that provides easy access to the memory slots. The glossy widescreen 24-inch glass display makes photos and movies come alive with rich color. And the built-in iSight camera and microphone are integrated so neatly you barely notice they're there. Aside from the design details, the iMac is also friendlier to the environment with highly recyclable and durable materials including scratch-resistant glass and professional grade aluminum.



The compact keyboard's ultrathin anodized aluminum enclosure features low-profile keys that provide a crisp, responsive feel.
With its elegant anodized aluminum enclosure, the new Apple Keyboard looks equally at home in your living room or on your desk. Just connect it to the USB port on your iMac and start enjoying the crisp, responsive feel of its low-profile keys. This compact keyboard also includes special function keys for Mac features such as brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, Exposé, and more. Two USB 2.0 ports provide high-speed connectivity for your iPod, Mighty Mouse, digital camera, and other USB-based electronic devices.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience faster, more nimble application performance and improved energy efficiency with this 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Its hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--helps to reduce power consumption while delivering. powerful processing speeds. This 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo processor is aided by a 1066 front-side bus speed and a super-sized 6 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The Intel Core 2 Duo's 128-bit SSE3 vector engine handles 128-bit computations in a single clock cycle, accelerating data manipulation by simultaneously applying a single instruction to multiple data. And its two execution cores are designed to share resources and conserve power, helping it to achieve higher levels of performance since it uses fewer watts.

Hard Drive and Memory
The humungous 1 TB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 4 GB of DDR3 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 2 GB) have an industry leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 8 GB.

Graphics and Video
The 24-inch widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD offers a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels. It has a brightness rating of 385 cd/m2 (candela per square meter), a contrast ratio of 750:1, and a viewing angle of 160 degrees (both horizontal and vertical). Offering 512 MB of discrete DDR3 SDRAM video memory, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 is ideal for 3D graphics-intensive games or pro applications like Aperture and Motion.

This iMac also enables you to connect a second display in either extended desktop mode or video mirroring mode. The Mini DisplayPort port offers support for DVI, dual-link DVI, and VGA video connections via an optional adapter.

Wired and Wireless Connectivity
The iMac gives you plenty of room to grow, accommodating as many as six peripherals at a time thanks to its four USB 2.0 ports and the two USB 2.0 ports on the Apple Keyboard. It also includes a single powered FireWire 800 port (one of the fastest peripheral standards available)--enabling you to quickly transfer content from compatible digital video cameras, hard drives, and other high-speed devices.

Share files around your house with built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet as well as the next-generation high-speed wireless 802.11n technology, which is integrated into the latest Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. The iMac is also Wi-Fi Certified to work with base stations and routers that use industry-standard 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g wireless technologies.



You get a full complement of ports on the back of the iMac, including four USB 2.0 and one Firewire 800.
The integrated Bluetooth wireless connectivity--version 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)--allows you to use a wireless keyboard or mouse, and synchronize peripherals such as cell phones and PDAs. Enjoy high-quality sound on almost any speaker system with double-duty analog/digital audio. Record digital and analog sources through audio line in, perfect for your latest podcast in GarageBand.

SuperDrive
Integrated neatly into the iMac is a slot-loading SuperDrive that lets you play and burn your own CDs and DVDs--including double-layer DVDs. And there's no disc tray--just slide the disc right in. It offers the following speeds:

  • Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 4x speed
  • Writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes DVD-RW at up to 6x speed and DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed
  • Reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed
  • Writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed
  • Reads CDs at up to 24x speed

Other Features

  • Built-in stereo speakers with internal 24-watt digital amplifier
  • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to a 30-inch display (2560 by 1600 pixels) on an external display
  • Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
  • Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)
  • Built-in microphone
  • Dimensions: 22.4 x 20.5 x 8.1 inches (WxHxD)
  • Weight: 25.4 pounds

The Greenest iMac Yet
The energy-efficient hardware components in the iMac work hand in hand with Mac OS X to create a system that can dynamically adjust power consumption to reduce the energy used overall. The iMac uses an advanced power management system leveraged from the technology that makes the most of battery life in Apple's MacBook family. To reduce energy consumption, the iMac hard drive spins down automatically when inactive, and it also decides which processor--CPU or GPU--is best suited to perform a task efficiently. That means when iMac is idle, it's using as little power as possible.

Apple engineers have worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of desktop computer manufacturing, such as choosing arsenic-free display glass for iMac. They have also removed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more. And the entire iMac computer is integrated into an enclosure made from a single, solid piece of recyclable aluminum, while the display is made of recyclable glass.

The Mac mini meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR certification. In addition, Mac mini meets the latest efficiency requirements of ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Specification for Computers before its July 2009 effective date. It has also earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it's designed and manufactured.



Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).
Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '09
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:
  • Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
  • A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
  • Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
  • Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
  • A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
  • Major enhancements to Mail and iChat
Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.

Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.

It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your MacBook and share it on the web in one click with iWeb.

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools); iLife '09 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)

What's in the Box
iMac, Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse, cleaning cloth, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Product Details

  • All-in-one Mac desktop with 24-inch glossy screen and sleek anodized aluminum enclosure
  • 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1 TB hard drive, 4 GB RAM (8 GB max), 8x multi-format/dual-layer SuperDrive
  • Draft-N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n); Gigabit Ethernet; Bluetooth 2.1; NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 graphics with 512 MB of discrete memory
  • Four USB 2.0, one FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort output (with optional adapters for DVI and VGA), audio line in/optical digital audio input
  • Pre-loaded with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and iLife '09; includes Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse

Video Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Great home/media alternative, a review from a PC user - 4 1/2 stars
 
Review Date: March 26, 2009
Reviewer: Adam,
This review is intended mainly for PC users who are new to the Mac. I'm not a huge computer person, I've always had PCs, and frankly I've always thought Macs were for hippies with ponytails. I pretty much have to use a PC for my job functions, but over the last few years I've been underwhelmed by both my home and work desktop (both dells) and my home notebook (HP). I'm fed up with the windows BS - freezing for no reason, slowing down for no reason, taking forever to shutdown/startup, constantly nagging to update virus software etc. I'm ok putting up with this for my work PC, but when it was time to replace my home desktop I decided to take a look at the Mac. I'm glad I did. I went with the 2.66ghz iMac with 24" monitor and 640gig HD.


First Impressions: Coming from a Dell, the iMac was pretty damn impressive right out of the box. The single box was smaller than I expected, and Amazon packed it pretty good (important because Amazon has dropped the ball on this before on other items). The 24" screen is HUGE and looks great. Setup is a breeze - it took much longer to disconnect my PC than to set this up. Just plug it in, connect to router, connect keyboard and you are ready. No, I don't miss the gigantic bundle of wires that used to be next to my desk. I was connected and playing around with this within 5 minutes of opening the box.

Pros: Beautiful screen, fast, easy to get set up and start using. The display is impressive compared to a windows PC. No dealing with virus software nagging for updates. The Time Machine feature makes it extremely easy to back up. Great overall design w/ few wires and nice touches like 2 USB inputs on the keyboard, camera built into monitor etc.

Cons: No Bluray player option (why not?). No numeric pad on keyboard (but I can't knock them for this since it is an option if you order from Apple's website). Built in speakers in monitor are pretty weak for music (I'll upgrade). I do think the "it's so intuitive to use" hype of Macs is a bit overhyped today - I think the user interface on a windows machine is just as intuitive, albeit much less visually impressive.

Where to buy: I purchased this from Amazon and I'm glad I did, as I saved about $150 vs. the Apple store. The downside to ordering on Amazon is the apple store gives you a few choices (like a numeric pad on the keyboard and wireless mouse) that Amazon does not. I initially started to purchase this from the Apple website because I wanted the numeric keypad, but as I was checking out I noticed they slapped me with sales tax of about $100 - you normally don't pay sales tax when you buy on the internet and the vendor is out of state. When I saw that I immediately cancelled my order and purchased from Amazon (plus Amazon was a bit cheaper to begin with in addition to no sales tax). Amazon also shipped it to me faster (though I have Amazon Prime), and did a good job packaging it. If you go w/ the apple store online, pay attention to sales tax your results may vary depending on your state.

Bottom line: I'm glad I got this. It's a great alternative for a home computer which I mostly use for internet and media purposes (I won't be installing excel on this machine!). It is a bit pricey compared to a PC, but it's worth it if you appreciate the impressive design, nice asthetics, great monitor, and less headache vs. a PC.

Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:13 GMT)

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Apple MacBook MC240LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $999.00
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Product Description

Stylishly and intelligently designed for your on-the-go digital lifestyle, Apple's MacBook is the perfect confluence of affordability, innovation, and powerful computing. This latest iteration of the affordable "white" MacBook line (model MC240LL/A) gets a boost in processing power thanks to the 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor as well as storage space with a 160 GB hard drive--plenty of room for music, photos, videos, and more.

This go-anywhere notebook also features a 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display, excellent video processing power from the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics chip, 2 GB of installed RAM (with a 4 GB maximum capacity), and an integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi LAN that provides compatibility with older 802.11b/g routers as well as the faster throughput of Apple's Airport Extreme. It also includes an 8x combo Superdrive for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs.



Measuring 1.08 inches thin and weighing only 5.0 pounds, the MacBook cuts a slim profile on any desk (or in any backpack or briefcase). See a larger version of this image
Measuring a mere 1.08 inches thin and weighing in at only 5.0 pounds, the MacBook cuts a slim profile on any desk (or in any backpack or briefcase). A durable polycarbonate shell in white keeps it ready for the rough and tumble of everyday life. It also offers a unique keyboard design that sits flush against the bed for a sleeker, lower profile--which means you experience a firm, responsive touch when typing. Other standard Apple "extras" includes a built-in iSight video camera and Apple's magnetically connected MagSafe power adapter, which safely disconnects when under strain.

It's pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which enables easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter. It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications--including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes--and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser.

Other hardware features include a built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), two USB ports, a FireWire 400 port, and Mini-DVI video output.

Apple Innovations
One of Apple's most celebrated innovations is the MagSafe power adapter connector with offers a magnetic connection instead of a physical one. So, if you happen to trip over a power cord, you won't send MacBook flying off a table or desk--the cord simply disconnects, without damage to either the cord or the system. As an added nicety, this means less wear on the connectors.

Cleverly integrated above your MacBook display is an iSight camera, providing easy video chat capability when using iChat. You can also snap photos in Photo Booth to send via email, as well as record videos and then edit them in iMovie before uploading them to web sites.



The magnetically connected MagSafe power adapter breaks cleanly away, without damage to either the cord or the MacBook, if you trip over the cord.


With two-finger scrolling, the trackpad becomes a fast track to wherever you want to go.
The trackpad can tell if you've got one finger on the pedal, or two. With two, you can easily scroll around your documents or open contextual menus. When you need right-click functionality, simply open "Keyboard and Mouse" in System Preferences and enable the secondary click preference. Opening and closing your MacBook is also a pleasure, thanks to a magnetic latch that catches without a catch. And because it's a magnet, there are no moving parts to snag, jam, or break.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the workhorse Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a 2.13 GHz processor speed, ultra-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With a substantial 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.

Hard Drive and Memory
The 160 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 2 GB of DDR2 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 512 MB) have an 800 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 4 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.

Display and Graphics
Whether you're working on a Keynote presentation or watching a movie before you catch a flight, every document, video, and photo on your MacBook will look sharp on the glossy 13.3-inch widescreen display. With pixel-perfect 1280-by-800 resolution, it's great for viewing and working with media. Video is powered by the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor, which shares 256 MB of DDR2 SDRAM with main memory. Graphics-intensive features in iPhoto and iMovie are smoother and 3D game play--from Spore to Call of Duty--is faster and more responsive. You'll get extended desktop and video mirroring, with simultaneous support of full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 1920 by 1200 pixels on an external display--both at millions of colors

Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the display bezel is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.

Other Features



Connect to your network, a desktop monitor and all your peripherals with two USB 2.0, one FireWire, one Mini-DVI video output, and one Gigabit Ethernet.

  • Slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW): Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 4x speed, writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed, writes DVD±RW discs at up to 4x speed; writes CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 24x speed; reads DVDs at up to 8x speed; reads CDs at up to 24x speed
  • Mini-DVI port for video output (VGA adapter and mini-DVI to DVI adapter sold separately)
  • Built-in stereo speakers and omnidirectional microphone
  • Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in
  • Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out
  • Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 400 port
  • Built-in full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement), and embedded numeric keypad
  • Solid-state scrolling trackpad for precise cursor control; supports two-finger scrolling, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
  • Kensington cable lock slot
  • Meets ENERGY STAR requirements
  • Measures 12.78 x 8.92 x 1.08 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 5 pounds



Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).
Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '09
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:

  • Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
  • A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
  • Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
  • Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
  • A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
  • Major enhancements to Mail and iChat
Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.

Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.

The MacBook also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your MacBook and share it on the web in one click with iWeb.

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools); iLife '08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand); Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive; iWork '08 (30-day trial)

Designed with the Environment in Mind
Apple has worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of computer manufacturing. Apple engineers removed the majority of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more in the MacBook.

Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for the MacBook, they're designed to work together to produce a smarter product that uses less electricity. For instance, to reduce energy consumption, the MacBook hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. The MacBook also decides which processor--CPU or GPU--is best suited to efficiently perform a task. The processor even throttles down to save power between keystrokes as you type. Together, these adjustments make the MacBook much more energy efficient and result in fewer CO2 emissions.

The MacBook meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR certification. MacBook also meets the latest efficiency requirements of ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Specification for Computers before its July 2009 effective date.

The MacBook has also earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it’s designed and manufactured.

What's in the Box
MacBook (model MC240LL/A), 60W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord, lithium-polymer battery, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Product Details

  • 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
  • 2 GB of 800MHz DDR2 RAM
  • 160 GB 5400RPM Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive
  • Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard Operating System
  • Advanced GeForce 9400M NVidia Graphics, 13.3 Inch Glossy Display

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Amazon.com Price: $2,179.45 (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:16 GMT)

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APPLE iMAC All-in-one - 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3, 1TB SATA HD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with sup
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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Product Description

APPLE iMAC All-in-one - 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3, 1TB SATA HD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit), Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

Product Details

  • 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3, 1TB SATA HD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 120
  • SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera
  • mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit),
  • Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

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Apple MacBook Pro MA600LL/A 15.4
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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List Price: $1,699.99
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Product Description

Presenting the world's most advanced 1-inch-thin notebook. MacBook Pro is the first Mac notebook built on the Intel Core Duo processor, which delivers the power of two processors on a single chip--for blistering performance with high-end creative applications.(1) Front Row and the Apple Remote let you summon your photos, movies, music, and presentations from anywhere in the room. The built-in iSight camera gives you effortless, high-quality video conferencing using iChat AV.(2) The spacious 15.4-inch screen is a full 67 percent brighter than the 15-inch PowerBook G4 display. Yet with all of its advances, MacBook Pro is just 1 inch thin and weighs only 5.6 pounds.(3) So it's a joy to handle as well as to use. (1)Based on estimated results of industry-standard SPECint and SPECfp rate tests. (2)Requires broadband Internet connection; fees may apply. (3)Weight varies depending on configuration and manufacturing process.

Product Details

  • 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor with 2 MB shared L2 Cache
  • 512 MB (single SODIMM) 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300); 80 GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA/100 hard drive; slot-load 4x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • One FireWire 400, two USB 2.0 ports, and ExpressCard/34 slot; no FireWire 800 slots
  • Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit); built-in 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme (802.11g); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
  • 15.4-inch TFT widescreen display with 1440 x 900 resolution

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Amazon.com Price: $2,299.00 (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:19 GMT)

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APPLE iMAC All-in-one - 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB SATA HD, ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with s
 
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APPLE iMAC All-in-one - 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB SATA HD, ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit), Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

Product Details

  • 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB SATA HD, ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO
  • SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),24-inch glossy widescreen LCD,AirPort Extreme
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Built-in iSight camera
  • mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit),
  • Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

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Apple MacBook Pro MA464LL/A 15.4
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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You've seen improvements in notebook performance before - but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two processors built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to four times higher than the PowerBook G4. With this awesome power, it's a breeze to render complex 3D models, enjoy smooth playback of HD video, or host a four-way video conference.Intel Core Duo is the first chip built using Intel's groundbreaking 65-nanometer process - resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two processors designed to share resources and conserve power, Intel Core Duo achieves higher levels of performance as it uses fewer watts. Which is what makes it possible to design a super-powerful MacBook Pro that's only one inch thin.When Mac technology makes something easy, it's hardly news. So here's more non-news for MacBook Pro owners: software just works. If you see the Universal logo on a new application, that means it will run on Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac computers. For most existing applications, you simply do what you've always done: double-click them. Thanks to the Rosetta technology in Mac OS X, they look and feel just like they did before.

Product Details

  • 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor with 2 MB shared L2 Cache
  • 1 GB (single SODIMM) 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300); 100 GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA hard drive; slot-load SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • One FireWire 400, two USB 2.0 ports, and ExpressCard/34 slot; no FireWire 800 slots
  • Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit); built-in 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme (802.11g); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
  • 15.4-inch TFT widescreen display with 1440 x 900 resolution

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The Fastest Mac Notebook Ever
 
Review Date: March 8, 2006
Reviewer: Stephen Hall, USA
It's the most stunning idea, isn't it? This top of the line MacBook Pro is the fastest Mac Notebook ever, and probably one of the fastest Macs period.

When Steve Jobs announced the new Macs, with Intel Core Duo processors I was almost certain I wanted to buy one. Why? Macs are well known for ease of use and capabilities, but they have managed all that for years, with processors that are not always top-notch. That all changed in January 2006.

Processor in the new MacBook Pro

The Intel Core Duo processor in the new MacBook Pro is an amazing chip. What have I noticed about the speed of the machine featuring this chip? It is incredibly fast. You'd be surprised by how much faster even web browsing is, when you have a processor as powerful as the Core Duo. However, what I've really been impressed by is doing things such as video encoding. I've encoded videos in H264 as much as eight times faster than my Powerbook G4. Furthermore, the iLife applications that are included on the MacBook Pro fly, with the speed. iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and Garageband perform like never before. I've really been impressed by the speed.

The Core Duo is a great processor. It offers exceptional desktop PC performance, in a design that can fit in small computers and notebooks. It features two cores on a single die, which effectively gives you the performance of two processors. Don't let the 2 GHZ clock speed fool you. This Core Duo Chip will outperform 3+ GHZ Pentium 4 processors. It really is an amazing breakthrough, from Intel.

Video Card

The new MacBook Pro 2 GHZ model features an ATI Radeon X1600 graphics processor using PCI Express 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory. This is the best graphic card Apple has *ever* included in a notebook. This graphic processor will work well for most gaming, and it is great for viewing back complex H264 movies, including high definition videos. You can enjoy high definition H264 videos, without drop frames.

Ports -

The MacBook Pro features 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Firewire 400 port, Gigabit Ethernet, audio in/out, and Expresscard (34 slot).

Display - Apple touts the display on the new MacBook Pro as bright as the cinema displays, and there is no question: these displays are bright! Depending on your lighting condition, you'll almost certainly not turn the display to full brightness. I had to turn down the brightness, for it was hard on my eyes. However, it is nice to know the brightness is there, when needed. The native resolution is 1440x900 giving you plenty of screen real estate, to keep the applications you need visible.

Video out - The new MacBook Pro has a DVI video output. An adapter is also included to output VGA. There is an optional adapter available to output S-Video and composite video. Furthermore, the DVI video out supports up to a 30-inch Apple Cinema Display (or other comparable display). This gives you great possibilities. You can easily use your MacBook Pro on the road, but plug it into a keyboard, mouse, and huge display, when at your desk. The perfect all around system.

Memory - This Mac is a powerhouse and 1 GB of memory (thats included) will get you started nicely. However, you may consider adding even more memory at some point. The MacBook Pro supports up to 2 GB of memory. It uses PC5300 DDR2 - SODIMM modules.

Applications -

Apple includes iLife '06, which has iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, iDVD, and Garageband. There is the Safari web browser, the always useful iCal, AddressBook, iChat, etc. Overall, I was pleased with the included software.

iLife 06 is particularly great. I love the new full-screen photo editing, photo comparing, etc. You can now also order calendars and greeting cards made with your photos, direct from Apple, by using the iPhoto software. iMovie has new themes, which helps make professional-looking home movies, and iDVD now supports widescreen DVDs. iWeb is a brand-new applications, which makes it easy to create professional quality webpages, quickly. I can't wait to rebuild by site using iWeb. Apple continues to make it easy to create music, manage your digital images, make movies, and create web sites.

A trial (30 day) of iWork '06 is also included, which includes the page layout program Pages, and the presentation program Keynote (which makes presentations that blow away presentations made by rival Powerpoint).

Hard Drive -

This model of the MacBook Pro includes a 100 GB 5400 RPM hard drive. This is going to be sufficient for most people to hold their photographs, music, and some videos. However, others will need more space, so you can always use an external drive, when at your desk. It is also important that you remember to backup your important files to either another external hard drive, or DVDs. I only point this out because today with great machines like the MacBook Pro we're storing more of our great memories on computers than ever before, so make sure you don't lose them, if something happens to your machine. Apple includes a great backup program called Backup 3, if you subscribe to the .mac service. I use it all the time, and it simple interface helps me keep peace of mind.

Superdrive-

The optical drive included with the new MacBook Pro allows you to watch DVDs, listen to music, burn DVDs, and burn CDs. It is a slot-loading drive, so the disks slide magically in and out of the computer's right side. There are no drawers to break off. Note - The drive does *not* burn dual layer DVDs.

Front Row Experience - Apple has included a new software title that at this time is only available on the iMac, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pro. Front Row. Front Row comes with your MacBook Pro, and a remote control is also included. Front row allows you to watch and listen to media items, on your computer, from across the room. Click one button on the remote, and bring up Front Row, for quick access to your music, movies, podcasts, DVD, and more. I like this feature, but I wonder how useful it is, since I'm usually sitting right in front of the computer and can just use a mouse, to access this content.

PowerPC Applications on Intel Machine

If you own a lot of software for Mac, then most of it is probably compiled for PowerPC. Developers are working hard to make titles run natively on both Intel and PowerPC, but many titles are not yet ready. However, many titles you can use on an Intel Mac because Apple has included Rosetta, which translates the PowerPC code into something the Intel machine can read. However, you never see Rosetta for it works quietly in the background and makes running PowerPC applications seamless. Microsoft Office, for example, works perfect under Rosetta. Intensive applications such as Photoshop will run under Rosetta, but it will be slower until Adobe has an Intel compiled version of Photoshop. Rosetta does work and if you add memory to your iMac, you may find such application somewhat equal to how it would perform on a 1GHZ PowerPC G4, from my experience.

Two titles I use EyeTV and Toast 7 are not yet compiled for Intel, but they run fine on my Intel Mac, under Rosetta. Again, you don't have to open anything special to use Rosetta. Your Mac knows when it needs it and uses it.

Wireless- The MacBook Pro can still connect wirelessly to networks using its included Airport Card. Furthermore, it features a Bluetooth module to connect wirelessly to devices.

Design - This MacBook Pro is beautiful, and you notice the quality as soon as you begin to open the box. It is packaged with care, in beautiful packaging. The MacBook Pro is thin, and the display is beautiful. The Mag Safe Power Connector is another amazing design feature on this machine. If someone or something pulls on the power cord connected to your notebook, instead of the notebook flying, the magnet on the connector releases, leaving your MacBook Pro safe.

Overall, I am very excited about the MacBook Pro. It is incredibly fast on Intel-native applications, and it does a very good job running PowerPC applications. If you're upgrading from a G4 Mac like myself, this machine will seem to fly. If you're upgrading from a G5 based Mac, it will be faster on native applications, but the increase in performance will be less significant to you. The Intel machines are the future of Apple, so there is no question this is a good machine, and it is powerful enough to be a good computer, for quite some time. I'm happy with my purchase, and I look forward to continue exploring my Intel Mac in the coming days
Totally Blown Away!!!
 
Review Date: March 15, 2006
Reviewer: Bikin' Brian, Bellevue, WA
Before I begin this review I'd like you the reader to know that this is my first Mac - I've been set free from the PC world for the most part now and it is awesome! I brag to my co-workers about how nice it is to use the MAC OS over Windows. I can see now what everyone before me has talked about in their reviews of Apple's computers. It take a little patience to learn the Apple OS, but in no more than one week you should be feeling confident while moving around in the Apple world.

The MacBook Pro has essentially everything you could want in one, well-designed package. To say this is a really great computer is an understatement. I highly recommend it. I enjoy all the little additions that apple has put into it the design that make it so user friendly.

Major features of this computer are the illuminated keyboard, the built-in iSight camera (which is really fun especially with kids), built-in Bluetooth, and its ultra-sharp LCD screen make it very attractive to someone looking to buy a new computer. I am also amazed at how slim it is, especially when you consider how much it has inside it. When it's connected to my Logitech 2.1 speaker system, I find that the sound quality I get when using iTunes is outstanding!

There are two areas of improvement that I am eager to see overcome. One is that I wish there was more available native software that works on the Intel-native MacBook Pro. I've been reading that there are software companies working on updating/revising their products to work on the new system so I don't really see this as being a long-term problem, rather just a minor annoyance (all the old software works, but the speed is much slower than when using a native Intel app). Second observation is this machine can get very hot. I had to buy a notebook-cooling pad so it doesn't overheat. I have a ThinkPad I use for work (not by choice), and when comparing the heat it generates compared with the MacBook Pro I realize how hot the MacBook Pro can get compared to other computers.

In the end, I looked at a lot of other computers and decided to get this one. I am glad I did.
Thoroughly impressed
 
Review Date: March 16, 2006
Reviewer: Ty Bair, Pacific NW
I've had my MacBook for about twenty-four hours now. What has struck me most is how polished everything is. The keyboard feels more substantial than my old iBook. The headphone jack sounds better, both with external speakers and iPod earbuds. The built in camera has surprisingly high resolution and a great refresh rate. The LCD is simply stunning. I've yet to find anything about this machine that isn't extraordinary. The performance difference compared to my 1.2 Ghz iBook is subtle in most applications, largely because most of those I'm using aren't available in Universal versions yet. The Intel-native applications like iCal and iTunes just scream. I'm bowled over by the quality of this product.
What a beautiful machine!
 
Review Date: April 2, 2006
Reviewer: MacDrone, New York City
I was on the fence for so long when it came to deciding on a laptop. Used, new, refurbished? I went with new, [...]

i love the backlit keybard. the "m" key looks like an inverted "w" because of the unsual font on the keyboard letters. This machine is super fast. I have already encoded 2/3 of my cd collection with itunes 6. It didnt take but a couple of hrs to encode 65 cds.

I, too, wish the screen went back a bit more for contorted computing but it should go back enough for most people.

This is my first date with os X so I am still trying to learn all the extensions like dmg, gz, tgz, and all that unixy stuff. But the system seems very stable running with a gig of ram. I have the 2.0ghz model.

The 2finger scolling feature (for horiz and vertical) on the trackpad is an awesome innovation. I do wish the trackpad prefs included sensitivity adjustment capability to go along with the speed.

Yes, the machine does get warm to hot but not dangerously so and it also depends on how long you use and what you are doing. I use a sweatshirt on my lap if I use it on my lap.

The camera which is built in is a nice touch, but i never use a webcam. I do wonder, however, if someone on the wireless network can look at me remotely with this thing. The reason I wonder is because it was so effortless to connect to the internet and when clicking on the airport icon, I see all kind of strange name and router device names, some with email addys. I don't even know if I am gaining or sharing access to the internet thru my wireless dsl modem or from someone elses but my surfing speed and download speed are lightning fast. The imovie hd update took about a minute and a half to download wirelessly (a 52Mb file).

Well, I am overall impressed with the machine and even more impressed that I knuckled down the cash to get it. It comes very well stocked with software so you save a ton right there. And, I know the are plenty of nice pc laptops for a fraction of the price out there but I have been a mac user my whole life. I am greatful for not having to suffer the bumpy transition of early os X incarnations. Tiger seems to on the right track but i do miss the quaintness of pre os X systems. I feel more grown up using this new system.

The mag plug for power is another great innovation. I don't intend on testing its limits ;) but I am confident it will do its job if I ever get careless after a night of heavy drinking. ;)

For most mac users this would be a great step up from whatever you owned prior especially when you compare to older laptop models. 5 stars is my personal opinion. If you decide to invest in one of these macbooks, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. Happy 30th, APPLE!
Blown away into the stratosphere!
 
Review Date: March 17, 2006
Reviewer: U. Weigl,
I received my stock MacBook Pro with 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo processor and 100GB hard drive last night, and this thing has completely blown me away. It is extremely fast, and that is not an overstatement in any way.

I also love the build quality, iSight camera, lit keyboard and the "wide" trackpad, which perfectly matches the wide screen. Not to mention it is extremely silent; all I can hear is the hard drive, and I haven't yet noticed the fans, even with playing Unreal Tournament 2004 at 1600x1200 (hooked up an external Dell display). It should also handle Doom 3 well, so I will test that once I get my hands on a copy. It seems like this thing is even a good gaming machine because it comes with a very good graphics card.

All that being said, I am not a gamer, but I do enjoy playing games occasionally, so it is important to me that I can do that well.

Amazon.com Price: $2,399.45 (as of 2010-07-31 09:59:21 GMT)

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APPLE iMAC All-in-one - Intel 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB DDR3, 500GB SATA HD, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, AirPort Extreme, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, Bluetooth 2.1 +
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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APPLE iMAC All-in-one - Intel 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB DDR3, 500GB SATA HD, SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),NVIDIA GeForce 9400M,AirPort Extreme, Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 20-inch glossy widescreen LCD, Mac OS X v10.5

Product Details

  • Intel 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB DDR3, 500GB SATA HD
  • 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW),NVIDIA GeForce 9400M,AirPort Extreme
  • Built-in iSight camera; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 20-inch glossy widescreen LCD
  • Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

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Amazon.com Price: $2,635.83 (as of 2010-07-31 09:52:41 GMT)

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Apple MacBook Pro MA895LL/A 15.4
 
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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List Price: $1,699.00
Sale Price: $2,635.83
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Product Description

Stylishly and intelligently designed for mobile professionals, Apple's MacBook Pro gets a serious speed bump with the new, powerful Intel chipset (dubbed Santa Rosa), which provides a faster Core 2 Duo processor, longer battery life, and native support for 802.11n wireless connectivity. This model (MA895LL/A) also includes a new mercury-free, power-efficient LED-backlit display measuring 15.4 inches and a state-of-the art NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT video card for more realistic graphics for animation and gaming. This MacBook Pro is powered by the new 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo T7500 processor and 2 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 memory--the fastest portable computer memory currently on the market (June 2007). But some things haven't changed: the trademark stunning aluminum enclosure that's is just one-inch thin, built-in iSight video camera, and Apple's magnetically connected MagSafe power adapter, which safely disconnects when under strain.



This MacBook Pro measures just 1 inch thin and weighs 5.4 pounds.
Other hardware features include a 120 GB hard drive, 8x SuperDrive for burning multiple disc formats, built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), a FireWire 800 and a FireWire 400 port, an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot for expansion solutions such as 3G wireless networking, and a DVI video output.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
The Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor has a 2.2 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an enormous 4 MB of Smart Cache, an L2 cache that can be shared between the cores as needed. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The Intel Core 2 Duo's 128-bit SSE3 vector engine handles 128-bit computations in a single clock cycle, accelerating data manipulation by simultaneously applying a single instruction to multiple data. And its two execution cores are designed to share resources and conserve power, helping it to achieve higher levels of performance since it uses fewer watts



The new 15-inch MacBook Pro offers a new mercury-free, power-efficient LED-backlit display with an antiglare finish that's perfect for color-minded professionals.
Display and Graphics
The 15.4-inch widescreen TFT (non-glossy) display offers a native resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels and an antiglare widescreen display that's perfect for color-minded professionals. The new MacBook Pro display is backlit by light emitting diodes (LEDs), which gives it a lighter weight and more power efficiency than the cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) which most notebooks employ. It's also better for the environment, thanks to its new mercury-free display.

Video and graphics are powered by the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT card, which is boosted by 128 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM. GDDR3 (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3) is a graphics card-specific memory technology that's better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications. The GeForce 8600M GT brings a new level of realism to the MacBook Pro with its 16-lane PCI Express architecture, 16x full screen anti-aliasing, 128-bit High Dynamic Range rendering, and a texture fill rate of up to 8.2 billion per second.

Hard Drive and Memory
The 120 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) provides more than enough space to store business-related documents and presentations, as well as offers space for a large digital audio and video library. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 2 GB of PC5300 DDR2 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1 GB) have an industry-leading 667 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to a whopping 4 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.

Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the display bezel is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.

Apple Innovations



The magnetically connected MagSafe power adapter breaks cleanly away, without damage to either the cord or the MacBook Pro, if you trip over the cord..
The MacBook Pro is the culmination of years of refining hardware and software design to an integrated art. One of Apple's most celebrated innovations is the MagSafe power adapter connector with offers a magnetic connection instead of a physical one. So, if you happen to trip over a power cord, you won't send MacBook Pro flying off a table or desk--the cord simply disconnects, without damage to either the cord or the system. As an added nicety, this means less wear on the connectors.



Using two-fingered scrolling, you can easily scroll around your documents or open contextual menus with one hand.
The trackpad can tell if you've got one finger on the pedal, or two. With two, you can easily scroll around your documents or open contextual menus. When you need right-click functionality, simply open ÒKeyboard and MouseÓ in System Preferences and enable the secondary click preference.

The MacBook Pro has battery life that rivals most notebooks in its class. If you'd like to make that battery last even longer, Mac OS X has a few tricks up its sleeve. Go to System Preferences, click Energy Saver, and change battery optimization from Normal to Better Battery Life. Or tell MacBook Pro to reduce its screen brightness and give yourself a little more time untethered.

And with the included Apple Remote and Front Row software, you can show off your latest photos and access your iTunes music and playlists from across the room. You can also use it to watch downloaded movies and TV episodes as well as control playback of DVD movies. The Apple Remote features a minimalist six buttons--just press the Menu button to activate Front Row and begin to navigate through your media. You can even use the remote to control Keynote presentations in iWork '06.

Other Features

  • Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, ExpressCard/34 slot
  • DVI output port; VGA output using included DVI to VGA adapter
  • 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with the following write speeds: 8x DVD-R, DVD+R; 4x DVD-R DL (double layer), DVD+R DL (double layer), DVD-RW, DVD+RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW
  • Backlit keyboard with ambient light sensors for automatic adjustment of keyboard illumination and screen brightness
  • Internal omnidirectional microphone and built-in speakers
  • Combined optical digital output/headphone out (minijack)
  • Combined optical digital input/audio line in (minijack)
  • 60-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery (with integrated charge indicator LEDs) providing up to 6 hours of battery life
  • Kensington cable lock slot
  • Measures 14.1 x 9.6 x 1 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 5.4 pounds (including battery)

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Xcode Developer Tools), iLife '06 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand), Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive, a 30-day trial of iWork '06, Comic Life, FileMaker Pro Trial, OmniOutliner, Photo Booth, and Front Row.

What's in the Box
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.2 GHz); 85W MagSafe power adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord; lithium-polymer battery; Apple Remote; DVI to VGA adapter; install/restore DVDs; printed and electronic documentation. It's backed by 90 days of telephone support and a one-year limited warranty.

Product Details

  • 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4 MB shared L2 cache, Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
  • 2 GB RAM (two SO-DIMM) 677 MHz DDR2 SD-RAM (PC2-5300), 120 GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA hard drive, slot load 8x Super Drive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW
  • 1 FireWire 400 port, 1 FireWire 800 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, ExpressCard/34 slot, DVI output with support for VGA
  • Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit); built-in 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme (802.11n); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
  • 15.4-inch (diagonal), 1440 by 900 resolution, Matte TFT LED widescreen display with NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 128MB graphics processor

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

A very nice update to the MacBook Pro
 
Review Date: June 5, 2007
Reviewer: Richard Aubin, Dallas, Texas USA
I had been wanting to switch to Mac for a little while now and was just waiting for the best timing for me. When Apple updated the MacBook Pros with a better processor, better graphics, more system ram and led-backlighting, shortly after the birth of our daughter (the selling point to my wife was that I would be better able to edit videos and whatnot of the kiddo), the timing was just right. I've been a longtime DOS/Windows user - and now I feel like some kind of refugee - fleeing PC for a Mac OS X world and I couldn't be happier - although it's not without its adjustments.

I originally wrote this review for the 15", 2.4 gHz, middle of the line MacBook Pro. However, Amazon has set this review to appear for all three models in the line, which can make it confusing. I've tried to edit it some to make it clear what the differences are between the models. Also, now that Amazon has actually added extensive product information for the MBP, I'll try to take out some of my initial information on specs that is now redundant.

There remain three models in the line and the price points for each of those models has remained the same from the previous generation.

- 15" models now have an LED backlit screen, 17" models do NOT (as of yet). Some folks think you have a better rendition of black in the screen - I'm not sure if it is better or not, but it is gorgeous. In the store, it appeared to me that the new screen (as viewed on the 15") was brighter than the older screen type (which is still on the 17"). The LED screen initially appeared washed out in the lighting of the Apple store, but I then realized that at full brightness, it can have that effect - turning down the brightness (who ever heard of that) - took away the washed out look.

- Apple says that using LED's (instead of flourescent tubes) uses less power, generates less heat, provides more range of brightness and more even lighting. This would appear to be true in practice as well as theory. Battery life is good and the lighting of the screen (as noted above) is quite bright and appears to be very even. As for heat, I really haven't checked the screen temps, but the computer itself does not run as hot as I thought it would (based on reviews of prior generations). It is warm, but not at all uncomfortable to have on my lap (with the caveat that I have not done a lot of processor intensive work as of yet). Oddly enough, Apple states above that the display is mercury-free, but the box label says that the screen contains mercury - it may well just be a label update glitch.

- These models are MATTE screen. If you want GLOSSY you'll need to order from Apple or pick one up at their store (I did). I have heard that the glossy is actually more readable outdoors than the matte, but I have yet to confirm this for myself. That said, I've had no viewability issues in widely varied lighting conditions of my office (which is pretty bright, with overhead lighting and lots of exterior light) and my house (which is largely the opposite).

- The system runs well (or so it seems) with 2 GB, but I am upgrading to 4 GB (the sticks are on their way - but not from Apple - way overpriced).

- the 17" and higher-end 15" get 256 MB of video ram, 128 MB in the lower-end 15" model - most folks are probably fine with 128 MB as it is the change in the graphics processor here that is truly the big news in performance. On the other hand, the extra video ram may give you the feeling of being a little bit more future-proofed and may be more helpful for hardcore gamers and people who are driving large external displays. I opted for the 256 MB.

- hard drive is a very nice 160GB, 5400 RPM Fujitsu drive in the 17" and higher-end 15". The lower-end MacBook Pro hard drive is a 120GB, 5400RPM Drive - this, oddly, is smaller than the 160 GB drive that is in the top line MacBook that is several hundred dollars less. I'll probably add an external Firewire 800 drive for the video work I want to do.

- processor speed gets a minor upgrade to 2.4 gHz (from 2.33, or to 2.2 from 2.16 for the lower-end 15" model - but this is the new Santa Rosa processor - with a faster bus speed of 800 mHz (although the memory speed remains at a max of 667 mHz).

For $500 less, the lower-end 15" model has 128 MB of video ram (instead of 256), a 2.2 gHz Santa Rosa processor (.2 slower) and a 120 GB hard drive. However, it still retains the other upgrades, including the 4 GB maximum system memory and the LED backlit screen and seems to be an excellent bargain as most of the differences appear reasonably nominal. That said, I chose to go with the higher end 15" version - I probably don't need it, but I plan to do a fair amount of video editing and perhaps some high resolution projection - warranting the slightly faster processor and more video ram) - and I'm also somewhat neurotic and unlikely to second guess having made the higher end choice. At least I can admit it.

A friend of mine asked why I didn't get the MacBook for a thousand dollars less. For me, the screen-size was not so much an issue, but I feel that twice the maximum ram, the separate graphics processing unit, the Firewire 800, the ExpressCard slot (if I wanted to add a CDMA or GSM-based wireless connection card) and the LED screen was well worth the difference.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but the computer itself seems well-built and well-engineered - but it's all relative and it's not hard to be a better, more integrated product than most windows-based pc's. The MBP replaces an older Toshiba laptop for me - and there's really no point in even trying to make a comparison, it's a joke. The Mac O/S is a bit of a learning curve for me - but more like I am trying to unlearn "bad habits" from Windows - things now make sense in an operational and functional manner. Overall, it's an attention to detail that I really appreciate on both the hardware and the software side - little things like a backlit, auto-dimming keyboard or the magnetic power connector. I have to admit though, that after initially being impressed by the light-sensing, auto-dimming screen - I am annoyed by the fact that the sensor is apparently in the keyboard and, in a bright room, certain hand movements cause the screen brightness to change back and forth. I'll probably turn off the feature because of this.
Great product, only tiny flaws
 
Review Date: June 25, 2007
Reviewer: C. Franz, Zurich, ZH Switzerland
My previous (non-Windows) laptop was a trusty 12" G4 ("titanium"). I loved it, as it was (and still is) of an almost perfect size, and capable to do almost everything I needed to do on the road. But it *was* getting old, and when Apple came out with the slightly speedbumped MacBook Pro (a name I still don't like), I ordered it. I'm reviewing the 15", 2.4 GHz, 2 GB, 200 GB hard drive version.

The first thing that strikes you is how thin it is. My good old G4 was already slim, and the envy of almost every other passenger next to me. However, due to the increased screen size, the new MacBook Pro seems even slimmer (it actually *is* slightly slimmer than the G4 in case you wonder). What is really impressive is that the 12" G4 weights nearly the same as the much larger (and newer) 15" - that's progress! And the 12" G4 is a lot lighter than my Wintel laptop.

The next thing you notice is when you turn it on: the screen's brightness. I've purchased the matte screen, as I'm not really fond of glossy screens (reflections). Still, the (now LED backlit) screen is astonishingly bright, and bright enough to use outdoors on almost any occasion (except in direct sunlight on a sunny summer day). Contrast is good (even exceptional compared to my G4). The screen's resolution (1440x900) is great, and more than enough for most presentation, spreadsheet and word processing work. Since it's 16:9 aspect ratio, it is also great for most image processing (lots of space for your palettes). It is less well suited for coding, as it is not wide enough for two 'real' code windows side by side. Then again, the MacBook Pro comes with a graphics card that can drive an external (additional) 21" monitor without breaking a sweat, and that *is* enough for most coding needs. I should note that Apple chose to make the video connector DVI (luckily a standard connector this time, unlike in my G4, where it is a proprietary connector), and omits a standard 'VGA' style connector. This means that, if you plan on giving a presentation, you should always bring along the DVI to VGA adapter (that Apple thankfully includes in the box).

What I really enjoy about the MacBook Pro is it's selection interfaces. I have rather large amounts of data that I have to move in and out of it (from our production machines that do most of the heavy lifting), and having a FireWire 800 port is a godsend. Using Firewire networking, I can move gigabytes in minutes (limited, it seems, more by the laptop's hard drive than bandwidth). In addition to that, it sports a USB 2.0 (for connecting all those Wintel things, plus iPods), a FireWire 400 port (can be used with older Macs, and many HandyCams), and 802.11 ("Airport") connectivity (b/g/n). Since the 'n' part of the 802.11 is not yet officially ratified, there aren't many hotspots that support it (unless you are lucky enough to be close to a new Apple Basestation).

Sadly, it does not have a slot for memory cards (CF, SD, whatever), but since readers are really cheap today, that's not an issue. On the upside, it also comes with self-sensing Gigabit Ethernet, wich is something that is really important when you want to quickly connect the laptop to a wired high-speed network.

The MacBook Pro also comes with a front-loading trayless DVD (DL) writer. It's not really fast, but it integrates nicely into the laptop, and is decidedly much, much cooler than those flimsy contraptions that I see sliding out of so many other laptops (my Dell included). I know that there are faster writers, but then again, if I want to write large amounts of data, I usually transfer them to a big box that can write at four times the speed.

Temperature-wise the MacBook Pro shares the same problem as most recent laptops: it gets uncomfortably warm for something that is supposedly be used on your lap. I didn't get burned, but did not enjoy the sensation either. So, whenever possible, use a surface you can put it on instead of using it directly on your lap. Speaking of using it - the keyboard is very similar to the one built into my G4. It's OK, but nothing much to write home about (sorry, couldn't resist that pun). The keys are, however, backlit, which is a definite improvement (and looks really, really great). I still have mimxed feelings with regard to the trackpad. It supports the 'two-finger clicks' to simulate a two-button mouse and to implement scrolling, but I havn't much used it, opting for a small two-button mouse instead (purchased separately, and not from Apple).

There are some other things that come with the MacBook, most notably the built-in iSight (which can't be physically disabled short of voiding your warranty), and a tiny remote. I don't plan to use either. Looking for some freebies on the disk, I discovered that Apple, too, had succumbed to pre-installing demo versions of (thankfully few) applications: MS Office, Aperture and iWork (Keynote and Pages). Freebies are Comic Life, iLife (iMovie, iTunes, iDVD, iWeb, Garageband), and Omni Outliner.

It took me roughly 2 hours to completely configure the new laptop the way I wanted it (most of the time taken up by installing Parallels (with Windows XP taking 45 minutes), Final Cut Studio, XCode, Office, Aperture, Freeway, and iWork). I did not take advantage of the 'transfer from other Mac' feature (which I know to work well), because I wanted a freshly set up Mac. Still, compared to the time it took me to install and configure my last (Wintel) laptop, that is next to nothing. Network and Internet setup was a snap, and didn't require much more beyond adding it to our Firewall's 'good guy' list. I then took it on a road trip over the week-end.

I'm happy to say that it passed the trip-test easily. The 'mag-safe' power adapter is definitely more than just a gadget, but also definitely less than revolutionary. It came off twice during the week-end, but both times a normal power adapter would not have snapped. The second time it came off I only noticed because the screen dimmed immediately (to conserve power, as per energy settings).
I never worked with it off the normal power for longer than two hours, so I don't know how realistic Apple's figures are. The battery pack does come with one of those cool green LED charge meters, and after two hours they indicated about 50% charge left (as did the on-screen meter). Working with the MacBook Pro was always good, with all applications being very responsive (except, of course MS Office, as my version is not Universal. It was responsive enough for serious work, though). The wireless antenna seems slightly more sensitive than that from my old G4, but still can't hold a candle against reception in most PC laptops with low-cost (and sometimes drop-dead ugly) WiFi adapters. This may be caused by the metallic casing. BlueTooth reception, on the other hand, is good, and proved no problem with any of the bluetooth devices I tried (well -- I only have two: my phone, and my car).

All in all I'm very happy with my new laptop, prefer it immensely over my Windows-based laptop (which, now that I have an Intel-based Mac, I can safely store in the attic and return it for the regular company-sponsored upgrades), and only feel slightly guilty of purchasing over my old (but still working) G4. The screen size and brightness, the connectivity, and the incredible slickness of the form factor make this a great laptop. It's really a hot laptop. The only downside is that it is also literally a hot laptop, but not more than my Windows-based laptop from Dell. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a slick, high-end laptop.
beautiful and sexy, with brains
 
Review Date: July 29, 2007
Reviewer: James W. Picht, Louisiana, USA
Let me stress at the beginning that I am not a Mac fanatic. I work with PCs and find them much less annoying now than I did 10 and 20 years ago. I've owned an iMac for four years and find it nice but imperfect. Macs and PCs are converging when it comes to reliability and ease of use, but Apple products are much more elegantly designed than most other computer products, and the Mac OS is still cleaner and more stable than Microsoft's product. I doubt the price premium makes Macs worth it for everyone, and in some ways Apple computers are like luxury cars that aren't designed either for stellar performance or to make things easy for the home mechanic, but rather to make driving as easy and comfortable as possible for people who don't much care to change their own spark plugs. They aren't for everyone, but they're definitely for those of us who want things easy and want our toys to have some style.

I like my new MacBook very, very much. It's thin, light, clean, and oh, so simple to use. The screen is brilliant, the keyboard feels nice (and I love the back-lit keys). Without subscribing to a service or dealing with any settings, I turned it on and had immediate wireless access to the Internet. I plugged my camera into it and immediately downloaded pictures - no mess, no software to install. The included software that loads and edits pictures, music, and video is all nicely integrated and very easy to use, and also more than adequate for the casual user. I'm a little more than a casual user of photo software and will install Photoshop, but for most of my pictures I'll probably stick with iphoto. I popped in the disc for my four-year-old version of Office for the Mac and in a few minutes had smoothly functioning word-processing and spreadsheet software running the files I brought in from my office PC. Easy, easy, easy.

(This does lead me to note a negative that isn't minor: Apple computers used to come with a decent word processing and spreadsheet package, AppleWorks. That's no longer included. If you want to do word processing, you must buy some other software to do it. The absence of AppleWorks is unfortunate.)

I bought this computer for my wife (yes, I called it mine - she may have to pry it from my hands) and opted for the MacBook Pro over the regular MacBook. She plans to use it on her sabbatical this year, toting it around to various libraries and archives and writing a book. I tried out my brother's MacBook and liked it very much, but I think the MacBook's chicklet keyboard would be annoying and uncomfortable if I had to type long or quickly on it. If this computer weren't destined to be used for long keyboard sessions away from home, I'd have been happy with the MacBook. If it were destined to be used mostly at home, I'd have saved a few hundred dollars and just bought a plug-in keyboard. But for our purposes the better keyboard and brighter screen really matter, so I spent the extra money on the Pro. If you don't plan to do a lot of typing, or if you plan to use it mostly at home, I don't think the extra expenditure would really be worth it.

As another reviewer pointed out, this thing gets hot. Very hot. I've always found laptop computers to be a bit warm for laptops, but this one would be painful on unprotected flesh. The magnetic connection for the power cable is very nice. The battery life isn't bad, nor is it great - surfing the net and word processing, I've managed a bit over four hours. I haven't watched an entire DVD on it, but that seems to drain the battery more quickly. The kids have already videoconferenced with their grandparents, and the built-in camera is very nice for that.

Overall, this computer reminds me of my iPod - sleek, sexy, uncomplicated but sophisticated, fun to be with. How much extra expense that's worth to you will decide whether this is the computer for you.
Best laptop in the market. Finally a trouble free machine that i like to use it everyday.
 
Review Date: June 29, 2007
Reviewer: H. Bux,
I bought this laptop on the 2nd day after it release. I am happy user until now although it cost more than other PC laptop. But there are many advantages that makes Macbook Pro be the top machine today.

Pro:
Fast Speed - I am a photoshop user. This machine runs very fast. Almost as good as the mac pro. I run WindowXP and OS X at the same time, very smooth. Some people complaint heat of the old MBP, I haven't experience heat problem at all. I believe Apple fix the problem in this new MBP.


Beautiful screen - I have the Matte screen, very bright, nice color. Very good view angle.

Operating System
OS X - very stable and user friendly. Can't wait for the Leopard release.

Battery life
last upto 5-6 hours depends on how you used it. For movies, expect 3 -4 hours.

Parallels support
I didn't miss the Window at all. SupportXP/Vista. Window Xp runs even faster and stable on MBP than the PC.

Slim design, weight
Only 5.3lbs, lighter than another 15.4 laptop.

Web cam, bluetooth, Isync, build in Mic. Apple just make very thing user friendly, they know what user looking for.

At the end, I Iike the touch of the keyboard.

Con: Pricey. But worth every penny
Wow This is one Nice piece of Hardware
 
Review Date: August 31, 2007
Reviewer: R. Kon From CT., CT, USA
In another review someone wrote "PCs are made for tech people". I could not agree more. However, I am a tech guy and I don't have the time any more to fuss with a dell running xp. I could not bring myself to spending money on a new laptop and running Vista on it. Microsoft if you are reading this than you better get your stick together because this machine combined with Max OS X is awesome. With Leopard coming out next month I can only say bye - bye XP and Vista.

I have had this for less than 1 day. I bought 4gb of memory from newegg for $250 and upgraded this puppy. Upgrading the memory is strait forward and the only challenge I had was loosing the screw that secure the panel protecting the memory slots. I had a real struggle and used a jewlers phillips head crew driver and after a few minuyes of some angst I was able to loosen them. I soon dicovered they had that blue "loctite" substance which explaind the diffculty. There is a video on youtube that shows how it is done. Just search on Mac Book Pro and memory.

It is fast and the screen resolution at 1920 x 1200 is astonishing. I have the Serene aquarium installed and the graphics are breathtaking. It is almost too good because the fonts on some of the programs are very small. In firefox the links or the toolbar are very small and I have yet figured out how to make them larger. There must be a way to make them larger but I have not figured it out.

The keyboard has a nice responsive touch to it and it does not have ay clackity clack in it. The keyboard is set back and there is plenty of room to rest your palms on it.

The wireless works great and I was able to connect to my Dlink gamer with no problemo. I do not have the Draft 11n access point so I was not taking full advantage of the wifi this machine has to offer.

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