Apple Macbook the Product\'s Name

Apple MacBook

The product's name is Apple MacBook, and this computer was designed to replace the popular iBook; it's design is super thin, and it is very lightweight, which Apple believes will give it an edge (as most Apple products have these days) over DELL and other PCs.

The Apple MacBook with the 17" display (Model: MB166LL/a SKU: 8764465) (2.5 GHz and 2GB of memory) is available from Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com) for $2,799.99; the Apple MacBook with a 15.4" display (Model: MB134LL SKU: 876447) (2.5 GHz and 2GB memory) can be purchased at Best Buy for $2,499.99. Meanwhile at www.macmall.comthe discounted Mac store, the MacBook with the 13.3" display screen (2GB/160GB/superdrive) is available for $1,219.00. Mac Mall has a number of different versions of the MacBook brand, ranging from $1,019.00 to $1,894.00.

At the official Mac Store the 13" MacBook with 1 GB of memory (and 1 GHz) goes for $1,099.00 and the 13" 2.4 GB (2.4 GHz) is a bit more at $1,299.00. And on Amazon.com, an Apple MacBook MA70LL/a with a 13.3" display screen and 2.0 GHz, 1 GB of ram, goes for $1,889.00. Amazon.com offers used MacBooks beginning at $1,115.97.

What are the computer experts saying - the geeks, the wired crowd - those who review new and improved technologies? Justin Jaffe and Michelle Thatcher, writing in CNet.com, among the respected technology publications, suggest that the "good" part of the MacBook is that it is "thin and light" (Jaffe, et al., 2006) and features a "robust software package," which includes Mac OS X Tiger. The DVD burner and built-in Webcam, the magnetic lid latch and scrollable touch pad, and the fact that the MacBook can run Windows XP (utilizing Apple's free Boot Camp utility), are all positives according to Jaffe and Thatcher.

The "bad" parts of the MacBook according to these reviewers / critics are, one: that "nonnative software" tends to run slowly on the Mac OS; two, that the computer lacks media card reader and other ports; three, "higher-end configurations are much more expensive than similarly configured Windows laptops; and four, Apple gives just 90 days of "toll-free tech support." Overall, however, the CNet.com review suggests that the MacBook is a pretty good replacement for the iBook; the MacBook corrects "a handful of the iBook's shortcomings," it comes at a "reasonable price point," and further, the MacBook white CNet reviewed in 2006 weighed in at 5.3 pounds - "a great compromise between size and portability" (Jaffee) - and is only an inch thick.

Anyone paying halfway close attention can see that the miniaturization of computer technology continues at a breakneck speed, which leads a curious mind to wonder what size a Mac laptop will be in 2018, ten years from now. Older people with serious eyesight issues might need binoculars just to locate the Mac in the future.)

The pair of reviewers notes that to buy an extended warranty for the MacBook a user has to fork over $249, but it seems well worth it when a person is making an investment of around $1,500 to $2,000 for a durable, reliable, leading edge computer. The MacBook uses magnets to hold the lid shut, something Jaffee et al. think is "a nice touch" (this writer has had minor problems opening the latch on a 2002 iBook); and once the lid is opened, a gray keyboard deck which "should hide dirt better than the iBook's pure white interior" (Jaffee et al.).

Another feature that should make schools happy - along with writers and office personnel who hit the keys thousands of times per hour - is that the keys are spaced farther apart than other Macs. The reason for this feature, according to Apple, is so that the keys won't pop off so easily as they may have on some models in the past. There are few things more discouraging and frustrating for a computer user than to have the key lids pop off.

The MacBook, according to CNet.com, has a faster processor (2GHz Intel Core Duo) than previous Macs, and moreover, for everyday Web surfing this machine "provides more than enough muscle," Jaffee continues. The MacBook is even faster when using the iTunes system than the more expensive MacBook Pro, according to this review; that said, the MacBook was slower when using PhotoShop and Sorenson Squeeze applications than previous Macs.

The MacBook, which came out five months after the MacBook Pro, is slightly smaller than the MacBook Pro, and the critic at MacWorld.com, Jason Snell, writes that the black MacBook has a matte finish and is "clearly preferred" over the classic white version. The MacBook that Snell reviewed has an "incredibly reflective" screen; is the reflective screen an improvement over the old style "anti-glare" screen? "Some people will love it, and others will hate it," Snell explains. When seen in the right conditions, Snell continues, the glossy screen "looks absolutely gorgeous"; however, it can also be distracting when you can constantly see your own face reflected back at you from your laptop's screen, Snell points out.

The keyboard, with its keys that are perfect squares, is appealing to MacWorld. But what is not appealing is the mouse button, which left Snell wanting "more tactile feedback" when he clicked the mouse. He figures to get used to it, and does see the utility in the MacBooks' trackpad, which "becomes a control-click/right-click button" which you can turn off or on.

The MacWorld reviewer appreciated the built-in iSight camera, and the standard AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth technologies always built in to MacBook models.

One thing missing from the MacBook that Snell would like to see in there is the ExpressCard slot, which is available on the MacBook Pro. The battery in the MacBook is "long and narrow" like the original iBook battery, and under the battery are two SO-DIMM slots which allow the user to add up to 2GB of RAM beyond what the computer comes with from the factory.

Another minor criticism of the MacBook comes from former Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who spoke in Sydney, Australia at the Broadband and Beyond Conference (Moses, 2008) on March 3. Wozniak, considered one of the geniuses at Apple - and he created the Apple 1 and Apple II computers in the mid-1970s - but is only a part time employee now, told his audience that he was disappointed the MacBook had no DVD drive. He also misses having an Ethernet networking port, and he regrets that on the MacBook there is no way to swap batteries. He said he likes to burn a lot of CDs for friends while he's flying around the world, and he loves watching movies when he's in the air, but doesn't thrill at the idea of carrying a separate DVD player, hence, his disappointment at the MacBook. "...But there's a pureness about it and really I like it," he added (Moses 2008).