REVIEW: THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO

REVIEW: THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO

The Apple MacBook Pro - the collective mind is conditioned to perceive the combination of optimum functionality with sleek and stylish packaging as an improbability when it comes to portable computers and laptop PCs. Add to an intuitive modern piece of portable artistry a graphical user interface with unparalleled visual features, and the improbability turns into a straight up impossibility for most laptop enthusiasts within the portable computing populace. But this is the exact point in the technological spectrum of the world that the Apple MacBook Pro breaks barriers and stuns the world as yet another visual and technical portable masterpiece from Apple.

Bundled with the latest technology when it comes to processing power, the Apple MacBook Pro gives justice to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor when it comes to a sleek combination of functionality and style. The Intel Core 2 Duo is a processing chip that packs twice the punch you could get from a single core processor. This tiny chip can provide the Apple MacBook Pro users of the world more than 2.4GHz of processing power bundled with L2 cache features necessary to share the power between the Intel Cores whenever necessary together with 4MB of Smart Cache functionality.



Built for the purpose of graphical 3D and 2D viewing amongst its many uses, the Apple MacBook Pro can also act as a complete portable tool for your online and offline video viewing and editing needs. In addition, the Apple MacBook Pro can also provide you with a means to access state-of-the-art music viewing and editing functions while on the road that can only be found in a laptop Mac. After all, with the Apple MacBook Pro's support for 250GB digital data storage disks together with an 800MHz front-side bus compatibility feature that allows faster data processing, the Apple MacBook Pro's DDR2 memory features worth a blazing 667MHz of up to 4GB physical RAM can be seen as icing on a portable piece of modern laptop ingenuity that can only be the Apple MacBook Pro.

With the steady rise of 3d computer video games when it comes to overall visual quality and functionality, the Apple MacBook Pro assures that it will not be left behind with all the modern visual treats by incorporating the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics controller on the core of the Apple MacBook Pro's graphical processing capabilities. With an option to enjoy downright larger than 15-inch visual quality through the Apple MacBook Pro versions that come with a power-efficient and mercury-free 17-inch display optionally packed with 1920-by-1200 pixel display features, all you would get is prime visual entertainment and functionality at its finest while on the road. Being packaged in a stylish casing that measures an inch thin and weighs 5.4 to 6.8 lbs., the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi device is built into the connectivity core of the Apple MacBook Pro laptop in order to serve its purpose as the final touches on the Apple MacBook Pro when it comes to wire-free online connectivity.

FASTEST WINDOWS VISTA LAPTOP

FASTEST WINDOWS VISTA LAPTOP
Apple has made a laptop which does not only impress me this laptop is also the fastest windows vista laptop on the market present the 17-inch MacBook Pro.

This laptop got a wonderful and luxury design, with a backlit keyboard and a slot-fed DVD drive. This MacBook Pro offers an amazing performance equipped with a 2,4 GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, 4GB Ram, 160 GB hard disk and the new Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT. All these parts got a stunning performance and other high end laptops like the latest from Dell and Toshiba will have no chance of comparing with it. When this Laptop got tested it outran it competitors very easy even though the laptops it was up against like Dell and Toshiba are tuned to run Vista (something MacBook Pro is not) they didn’t stand and chance.

When Farcry got tested on the MacBook Pro it ran on 141 FPS and at world bench 6 beta 2 it got a score of 88 points which is really good. I also have to mention that MacBook Pro is also the lightest 17-inch notebook available right now, and its just 1 inch thick. This laptop got it all a tasty design, impressive performance and you just get a good feeling when you use it.

The laptop only got three USB ports and no memory card which is something we miss. The battery life also disappoints me, only 2 hours and 45 minutes but I guess you can get everything perfect. On the other hand it got blue tooth and 802,11n Wi-Fi which is very useful these days.

However the MacBook Pro work like the wind with an amazing performance and a stylish design, wouldn't it be the perfect time to switch for a Mac?

APPLE MACBOOK PRO REVIEW - 17-INCH 2.4 GHZ

APPLE MACBOOK PRO REVIEW - 17-INCH 2.4 GHZ

Introduction
This is a fine laptop with a backlit keyboard, a slot-fed DVD drive and a high quality 17-inch screen. This machine is also available to run Windows Vista very well and could almost be the ultimate notebook of 2007.

Design
This laptop is simply 1 inch thick and weight only 6.6 pounds. This is very good for a 17-inch laptop actually it is the lightest 17-inch laptop available at the market. However you will only get three USB ports and the laptop offers no memory card slots. This laptop also comes with an ExpressCard/34 instead of the better ExpressCard/54 slot and the battery life is poor, it only lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes. However you will also get good features like two FireWire ports, Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a very good design.

Performance
The design on the Apple MacBook Pro is very good and it’s the best laptop for Windows Vista. This laptop even runs Windows Vista better then the best laptops from Dell, HP Toshiba and the rest of the famous brands. The funny thing is that this is a MacBook and it is not even optimized for Windows Vista. Equipped with a 2.4-GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, the maximum 4GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and nVidia's GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, the machine did excellent at benchmarks and game tests. In Far Cry we got an average 141 average FPS and on WorldBench 6 beta 2 we got a score of 88 points which beats all the other competitors.

Overall
The MacBook Pro really shows an amazing performance and is well suited to be one of the best laptops of 2007. It is the lightest and fastest 17-inch laptop to run Windows Vista. This laptop can be used by the hardcore gamer, the student or the average man.
With MacBook Pro you get everything in one high quality package.

Pros
+ Very light
+ Excellent performance
+ Overall high quality

Cons
- Only 3 USB ports
- Uses a ExpressCard/34 and not ExpressCard/54

 

APPLE MACBOOK BLACK ( SANTA ROSA ) REVIEW

APPLE MACBOOK BLACK ( SANTA ROSA ) REVIEW

A magnificent combination, that of Apple's Leopard OS, attractive design and Intel's power platform, Santa Rosa, this notebook has attracted our interest. Is it worth the attention? Lets check it out.

Design
Superb design, the words escape me even before I can detail you with it. Covered in a full black cloak,with only 1” thickness and weighing a little over 2 kgs, this is the most portable notebook I have come across recently. The product has 2 USB ports, 1 Firewire, and Bluetooth 2.0, and WiFi of course. The absence of memory-card slots and Express-slots is a drawback though. A 13.3” screen resides under its hood, which is good in presenting color contrasts and quality, and supports a large range of viewing angles. A 1.3MP webcam, which is integrated into the laptop, makes a good option for video conferencing. The keyboard layout is trademark Apple style, very ergonomically designed and a boon for touch-typists.

Performance
The laptop comes with a 2/2.2 Ghz Intel Core-2-Duo processor, 1 GB RAM, 80/120/160GB of storage space and a combo-drive/DVD-writer depending on the model. The notebook scored a decent score of 3527 in PCMark 05 which can be labeled as good for the notebooks of this category. Multi-tasking sessions did not see a problem at all, owing to the ample memory, storage and good processor power. However, its performance in the visual department was not very encouraging. It scored a meagre 1752 3DMarks, which can be blamed on to the old generation Intel onboard graphics processor. The battery performance is excellent for the notebooks of this category, with the machine lasting nearly 4 and a half hours on near-full load.

Conclusion
The laptop has its share of good and bad, but the good triumphs over the bad. Artistic design, good performance, flawless Leopard OS make this as a viable option, even for those who are planning to shift to Mac from PC, but are reluctant due to the learning curve involved.

Pros
+ Great design
+ Good performance
+ Great battery backup

Cons
- Poor graphics performance
- Not enough USB, card reader slots

MAC BOOK MB 881 LL/ A QUICK REVIEW

MAC BOOK MB 881 LL/ A QUICK REVIEW 
One of the latest product offering from the Apple’s laptops stable, this white piece; is a true example of apples’ technological advancement. This sleek and light stylish notebook offers multiple user options to its users; making it a must have product especially for users who are constantly on the move.

The Intel Core 2 Duo processor in Mac Book MB 881 LL/ A ensures that the user does not face any problem while opening multiple applications simultaneously. The laptop comes with standard preloaded Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system. The use of this operating system ensures that the user enjoys a hassle free navigation, a clutter free desktop and most importantly it’s easy to use back up options.

As a part of the standard accessories comes the ‘Magsafe’ power adaptor. The innovative adaptor works on the technology of a magnetic connection rather than a physical connection when used. It also has an inbuilt web camera, also known as the ‘iSight’. One can use the advanced features of the ‘iSight’ for easy and effective video conferencing tasks. It has a very easy to use and functional track pad, which can be operated with the help of a couple of fingers.

The system runs on Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which offers improved connectivity, fast processing speed and an exceptional extended battery life. It’s built in wireless connectivity system, churns out 5 times more speed for improved connectivity solutions for the users. The 13.3’ display screen, provides immaculate crisp images for the viewers providing best in class experience. It also uses a graphic processor, which helps it in utilizing space in a much improved and effective way under its hood.


It has a 120 GB hard drive, enabling the user to store loads of data on the system without worrying about the space constraints. Apart from these the Mac book has standard hardware features of 24x combo DVD ROM/ CD –RW drive giving multiple usability options to the users.

This thin multi utility machine weigh just over 5 pounds and is only 1.08’ thin, making it very comfortable and easy to maneuver and carry around. It has a unique polycarbonate outer case, which makes it more combative to rough handling and use without the worry of getting damaged. It presents a very unique and user friendly key board design to the users giving an unparalleled experience.


Price: Approx. $1500

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 17-INCH REVIEW

The Macbook Pro has long defined itself as the premier notebook in style features and performance. And while it has not been one of the cheapest notebooks, it still gets high praise for its keen adherence to design and performance.

Design & Performance

The design of the new Unibody MacBook Pro is one more of refinement then innovation.

For starters the system is now housed in a shell made from a single sheet of aluminum (hence the name unibody). According to Apple this allows the system to be more environmental friendly (a big issue with Apple these days) as well as providing easier access to parts and components.

The screen has now been embellished with a new edge to edge glass screen which results in significant glare in highly lit rooms. Ironically Apple offers an anti-glare option for a cool $50. (yeah we know). Clearly Apple is aiming this laptop at photographers and graphics designers as it touts the high color gamet of the screen (something regular users would not be interested in).

The keyboard has also been reworked and has been given the spaced click-it keyboard that has been in the MacBook 13-inch for years. We have noticed that while they look the same, the feel is above average for the MacBook Pro and feels a lot more refined.

The touch pad has also been reworked. In all the single button has been removed and instead has been replaced with a multi-touch pad that can accept one, two and four finger gestures. The whole thing has been turned into a giant click pad which does get some getting used to but is totally worth it.

You've probably heard about the integrated battery. This has been our major problem with the new system. Although it does perform nicely (and lasts for 1000 charges according to Apple) it still falls short for those who would be tempted to use this computer for more then six hours without charging it or an extended battery.

In terms of specs: the system can take up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM (equivalent to 16GB of DDR2), up to 500GB HDD and or 128GB SSD, NVIDIA integrated and discrete graphics as well as 3 USB ports Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n.

We just wish Apple would have given a little thought to putting a card reader into the thing and a Blu-Ray option.

Performance
Performance was a little disappointing to us. Mainly because we had tested the MacBook Pro 15-inch and was expecting a little more for $3400.

Although the system did not disappoint performance wise, it was not a great step up from the 15-inch model.

As we said before, this system is mainly intended for those who want a 15-inch system with a little more screen real estate.

The system was able to do basic tasks such as word processing and web surfing just as good as the MacBook but totally blew it away when it comes to graphic performance.

We'll just note that this is not a gaming system so if you're looking to play Crysis or COD4 you should probably look else ware. But it can handle most mid range games with decent graphics.

The SSD option really boosts hard drive performance and if you have the money its something you should invest in.
Conclusion
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro is a prize winner (just not in price), and if you have the dough you will not be disappointed. However we cannot justify the premium price for such a little upgrade over the 15-inch model. But if you want the best of the best, then this is your call.

RUMORS CLAIM THE ARRIVAL OF A $700 MACBOOK

 RUMORS CLAIM THE ARRIVAL OF A $700 MACBOOK
Rumours of a less expensive MacBook have started doing the rounds. Some stories published by AppleInsider two weeks ago stated that Apple plans to revamp the design and specs of its 13 inch white MacBook.

The 13 inch white MacBook currently sells for $999. It is the only model remaining in this line. In June this year, Apple moved its two unibody MacBooks into the MacBook Pro lineup. The MacBook Pros have a starting price of $1,199. If Apple does release a MacBook with a price tag of $700, it will be able to claim its share in the netbook market.

The Original MacBook carried a price tag of $1,049. It was equipped with a 1.83 GHz Core Duo Intel processor, 512GB of RAM and a 60GB hard drive.

MACBOOK GETS UNIBODY CHASSIS

MACBOOK GETS UNIBODY CHASSIS

Apple has finally equipped its MacBook with a unibody chassis, although it is still made of plastic. Other features of the device have also been upgraded.

The new and improved MacBook has a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 250GB hard disk drive and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics. RAM is upgradable to 4GB. Another nice feature is the new glass multi-touch keypad. The 13 inch glossy LED-backlit display has 1280x800 pixels.

The connectivity options include a Mini DisplayPort, WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth and 2 USB ports. The audio in/out port supports both optical digital out and analog in/out. The built-in battery is expected to give up to 7 hours of up time.

Pricing and availability
The new MacBook is now available for purchase for $999.
 

Apple iBook 12-inch 1.2GHz

 Apple iBook 12-inch 1.2GHz

Apple Computers are known for their elegant design, innovation, and relative ease-of-use. But with those competencies, it comes at a cost. The cheapest PowerBook starts at $1,599 for the 12-inch model. While that may be steep to most consumers considering the aggressive lower price offerings from a PC laptop, Apple managed to stay competitive in the budget end with the iBook line.

+ Pros
Small, compact, and portable
Elegant design: case is solid and durable
Easy: very intuitive and simple to use
Great built-in features: CD-RW/DVD, Wi-Fi, USB, FireWire
Operates silently and runs cool
Long battery operating time
Good value: affordable

- Cons
Keyboard feels flimsy and cheap
Keyboard and touchpad button makes loud noise
Loud CD/DVD read access
Mediocre performance
Lacks DVI and PC Card slot (PCMCIA)
Lacks screen-spanning
Poor sound quality from built-in speakers
Small standard storage capacity
Short warranty

System Configurations:
iBook 12-inch
PowerBook 15-inch

OS
Mac OS X Panther 10.3.7
Mac OS X Panther 10.3.7

CPU
1.2GHz PowerPC G4
1.25GHz PowerPC G4

Bus
133 MHz
167 MHz

RAM
256MB DDR266
PC2700
512MB DDR333
PC2700

Hard Drive
Fujitsu 30GB 4200RPM
Hitachi 80GB 5400RPM

Video
ATI M-RADEON 9200 32MB
ATI M-RADEON 9600 64MB

Battery
50-watt Lithium-Ion
46-watt Lithium-ion

Apple MacBook 13-inch

Apple MacBook 13-inch

The new 13-inch widescreen Apple MacBook is the powerful new value laptop, replacing the Apple iBook. Available in both white and black colors, the MacBook is Apple's first completely redesigned Intel-based laptop in the thin and light spectrum. Although this laptop is meant to be thin-and-light, weighing 5.2 pounds is relatively heavy for its size. But built to last, the MacBook is composed of a durable polycarbonate shell that provides a unique solid feel. The brightly lit, glossy widescreen display is breathtaking, and the keyboard is top notch in comfort and tactile feedback.

+ Pros
Stylish design
Fast processor
Can run Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows XP, and Linux natively
Competitively priced
MagSafe AC adaptor
Fantastic keyboard
Vibrant 13.3-inch Glossy widescreen
Built-in iSight camera
Excellent software package
Digital Audio-input

- Cons
Intel integrated graphics
Ships with only 512MB of RAM
Heavy for 13.3" widescreen
Runs warm

Configurations
Specifications MacBook 13-inch PowerBook G4
Processor
Intel Core Duo 2.0GHz
G4 1.67GHz
Bus
667MHz
167MHz
LCD 13.3-inch Widescreen Display 15.2-inch Widescreen Display
Hard Drive 80GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache SATA 100GB Seagate 7200RPM 8MB Cache
Memory
512MB DDR2 667 PC5300 SDRAM (1 x 512MB)
1.5GB DDR2 PC2-4200
Graphics
Intel GMA 950 integrated
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 128MB
Optical Drive SuperDrive SuperDrive
Weight 5.2 pounds
5.6 pounds
Operating System Mac OS X 10.4.5 Mac OS X 10.4.5
Battery
55-watt
50-watt

Apple MacBook Air

Apple MacBook Air 

Apple’s much anticipated and much talked about ultra-portable notebook computer has arrived and it’s definitely a looker. This incredibly razor-thin computer is quite possibly the sexiest little laptop to come around. Ever. With a height of just 0.76 inches at its thickest (0.16” at the tip), the MacBook Air is the thinnest notebook on the market. And with looks that Paris Hilton will certainly love, the MBA is going to attract attention wherever you tote this 3 lb. aluminum beauty around…even inside a manila folder!

+ Pros
Incredibly thin and light
Incredibly sexy
Multi-touch trackpad
Multi-finger scrolling for web browsing
Illuminated keyboard
Gorgeous widescreen screen
Impeccable build quality
- Cons
Incredibly expensive
External optical drive is an optional purchase
Only 1 USB port - doesn't fit all devices
No additional ports nor expandiblility
So-so battery life
So-so performance - slower than MacBook
No stereo sound (mono speaker)
Large for a ultra-portable class laptop
Did I mention it's incredibly expensive?


Performance
wise, the MacBook Air is decent at best. It works wonderfully like any Mac would, with the excellent and swift Leopard OS X, but it lags behind the considerably cheaper MacBooks and upmarket MacBook Pros. 3D performance is a non-starter of course, with integrated graphics. Worse, the fixed battery only manages a disappointing 3-4 hours of juice under normal usage. Specs MacBook Air iMac PowerBook 12"

Specs
Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM, 1.8" 4200rpm HDD, GMA X3100 graphics, OSX 10.5.2
Core Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM, 3.5" 7200rpm HDD, ATi Radeon X1600 128MB, OSX 10.5.2
PowerPC 1.33GHz, 512MB RAM, 2.5" 5400rpm HDD, NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5200 64MB, OSX 10.4.10
CPU Test
85.14
85.97
54.39
Memory Test
139.41
134.26
33.80
Quartz Graphics Test
97.63
137.66
65.97
OpenGL Graphics Test
17.15
145.39
67.33
Disk Test
26.29
78.73
20.28


As you can see from the table above, the Intel processor platform has a significant processing advantage over the old PowerPC days. Even more interesting is the fact that despite being higher clocked, the Core Duo is about as fast as the lower clocked Core 2 Duo.

Apple MacBook 2008

Apple MacBook 2008

It's big news whenever Apple announces new products and now Apple’s bestselling consumer notebook receives the long rumored major redesign that is no doubt, another stunner. Just when you thought Apple couldn’t make the previous generation MacBook any better, they come around and offer this aluminum and glass beauty that is even thinner, lighter, and more powerful than before. Now that Apple has brought its renewed MacBooks ($1299 starting) and MacBook Pros ($1999 starting) even closer together by offering the same design, engineering, and -for the first time on the MacBook - aluminum body to both notebook lines, the once straightforward consumer and pro-line product differentiation is slowly fading away. Is this the best MacBook to date? Is it safe to call the MacBook, the MacBook Pro "mini"? Read on.

+ Pros
- Aluminum enclosure
- Dedicated nVidia GPU
- Buttonless glass trackpad with Multi-Touch
- Revolutionary unibody construction
- Light and thin
- Stunning design


- Cons
- No FireWire
- Somewhat pricey
- No external monitor-out adapter included
- Buttonless trackpad takes some getting used to
- No digital media card reader


Performance

We've ran the awesome xbench scoring system for the Mac OSX system. The following xbench file has been generated:


Results 166.40
System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.5.5 (9F2088)
Physical RAM 2048 MB
Model MacBook5,1
Drive Type FUJITSU MHZ2160BH FFS G1
CPU Test 130.27
GCD Loop 231.33 12.19 Mops/sec
Floating Point Basic 110.01 2.61 Gflop/sec
vecLib FFT 89.98 2.97 Gflop/sec
Floating Point Library 161.79 28.17 Mops/sec
Thread Test 223.78
Computation 394.19 7.99 Mops/sec, 4 threads
Lock Contention 156.24 6.72 Mlocks/sec, 4 threads
Memory Test 169.95
System 187.15
Allocate 219.84 807.34 Kalloc/sec
Fill 160.39 7798.53 MB/sec
Copy 190.62 3937.16 MB/sec
Stream 155.64
Copy 148.05 3057.84 MB/sec
Scale 147.50 3047.36 MB/sec
Add 165.94 3534.84 MB/sec
Triad 162.89 3484.61 MB/sec
Quartz Graphics Test 156.66
Line 144.27 9.60 Klines/sec [50% alpha]
Rectangle 187.28 55.91 Krects/sec [50% alpha]
Circle 153.22 12.49 Kcircles/sec [50% alpha]
Bezier 151.91 3.83 Kbeziers/sec [50% alpha]
Text 152.99 9.57 Kchars/sec
OpenGL Graphics Test 137.40
Spinning Squares 137.40 174.30 frames/sec
User Interface Test 263.01
Elements 263.01 1.21 Krefresh/sec
Disk Test 34.41
Sequential 40.08
Uncached Write 60.79 37.32 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 24.75 14.00 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 29.32 8.58 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 113.16 56.87 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 30.14
Uncached Write 11.14 1.18 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 65.17 20.86 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 58.06 0.41 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 96.87 17.97 MB/sec [256K blocks]

Battery Life: 187 minutes Recharge Time: 122 minutes

Powerbook G4

    Powerbook G4

    The Apple Powebook G4 is a series of notebook computers manufactured by Apple Computers. It was powered by the PowerPC G4 processor hence named as "G4", initially produced by the companies like Motorola and later by Freescale, a Motorola spin-off. The PowerBook G4 had two different designs enclosed in a titanium body with a black keyboard and a 15" screen, and the other in an aluminum body with an aluminum-colored keyboard in 12", 15" and 17" sizes.

    Between the years 2001-2003, Apple produced the Titanium PowerBook G4, and during 2003-2006 the Aluminum models were produced. Both models have come from their modern design, long battery life and processing power. When the Aluminum PowerBook G4s were first released, however, only 12 and 17 inch models were available, so the Titanium PowerBook G4 remained available until the 15" PowerBook G4 was released in September 2003. The PowerBook G4 sequel was the last generation of the PowerBook, and was phased out in favor of various Intel-powered MacBook and MacBook Pro models in the first half of 2006.

    Titanium Powerbook G4 :

    The first generation of PowerBook G4’s was announced by Steve Jobs at MacWorld Expo in January 2001. They featured a PowerPC G4 processor running at either 400 or 500 MHz. They were just 1 inch thick, 0.7 inches thinner than it's predecessor, the PowerBook G3. The PowerBook G4 Titanium also featured a front-mounted slot-loading optical drive into which optical discs could be inserted. The nickname "TiBook" was given to the notebook, derived from the chemical symbol of the element titanium, Ti, from which the computer's case is made from, and the brand name iBook.


Specifications
Processor     512mb of pc2700 ddr SDRAM
Memory     256 MB
512MB
Operating System     MacOS
Display     12 inch
15 inch
17 inch
System Graphics     ATI Mobility Radeon 1150 Graphics
Hard Disk Drive     60 GB
80GB UATA
Optical Drive     Combo Drive
4x SuperDrive
Bluetooth     Bluetooth 1.1
Dimensions     13.7 x 9.5 x 1.1 inches
Weight     5.7 lbs
Power     2 FireWire
2 USB 2.0
DVI
S-Video
Ethernet
I/O Ports     two USB 2.0 ports and Firewire 400
 

IBook

iBook

The iBook was a new genre of laptop computers introduced by Apple Computer in 1999. It was mainly targeted towards the consumer and educational markets, with lower prices than that of PowerBook. It was less expandable and had less number of ports than the PowerBook and MacBook Pro lines. The last generation of iBooks included two types, A 12-inch model and a 14-inch model, with higher specifications for the latter, these were few of the modifications which took place in MacBook and unveiled in May 2006.

After a long wait, Steve Jobs the CEO of Apple unveiled the consumer-targeted iBook laptop computer during the keynote presentation of Macworld Conference & Expo, held in New York on July 21, 1999. The design philosophy was influenced by Apple's consumer desktop, iMac, with a large distinctive shape, and translucent clear and coloured plastics, these were some of the key factors integrated by the Apple to woo the consumers.

Apple guaranteed the durability of the casing by demonstrating someone holding the iBook and jumping off a height. Like the iMac, the iBook ran a PowerPC G3 chip, and didn't include the legacy of Apple interfaces. USB, Ethernet, and modem ports were standard, as an optical drive. The ports were placed uncovered on the side, as a cover was thought to be fragile. To increase sales in the schools, the iBooks had power connectors on the underside of the machine that allowed multiple iBooks to be easily charged on a custom-made rack. In addition, it had no latches, so instead it opened and closed like a clamshell mobile phone.

The first iBook was the first mainstream computer to ever be sold with an internal wireless networking and with an antenna built around the display bezel, although it still required an optional wireless card installed under the keyboard. Apple partnered with Lucent for the creation of the iBook's wireless capabilities, setting an industry standard. Apple released the AirPort wireless base station at the same time.

The iBook was heftier than the PowerBook at that time, with lower specifications. Much talked features of touch-screens and ultra-long battery life were absent. Despite its drawbacks, the iBook was a commercial success. The line continually received processor, memory and hard disk upgrades. A revision to the iBook brought new colors, directly from the mid-2000 iMac.

The five "flavors" of the original iBook are available in five different colors. They are:

Tangerine
Blueberry
Graphite
Indigo and
Key Lime

iBook Specifications:

12.1-inch Active-matrix TFT Display (800x600 max resolution)
PowerPC G3 300 MHz
66 MHz bus
32 MB RAM (soldered to Logic Board)
Expandable to 544 MB (288 MB specified by Apple)
4 MB ATI Rage Mobility AGP 2x
3.2 GB Hard Disk (ATA-33 Controller)
CD-ROM
USB, Ethernet
Airport (802.11b, optional)
Mac OS 8.6.

Apple MacBook

Full review of Apple MacBook

For starters, a fair share of the new MacBook's circuitry comes from Nvidia instead of Intel. Most notably the 9400M integrated graphics, which is a big step up from the Intel X3100 found in the white MacBook. Apple claims it has five times the performance over the Intel IGP, but in the real world the difference is actually even more significant - the 9400M lets you to play some recent games whereas the old and tired Intel X3100 certainly does not.
Design

As far as the new design goes, this is arguably the best looking laptop since the Osborne 1. The no-doubt well paid broilers at Apple's design department have done an awesome job with the new "unibody" construction, allegedly made from a single piece of aluminum.

To get completely in line with an otherwise minimalistic design, they also decided to let go of the trackpad button altogether, opting for one built into the glass trackpad itself. Thanks to the multi-touch functionality, this works very well - actually there's no need to use the built-in button at all. The new four-finger gestures to bring down Expose and Spaces are also well implemented.
Connectivity

Unfortunately, they didn't bother to drill a lot of holes in that single piece of aluminum. There's not a single FireWire port to be found, which is bound to feel like a betrayal to many diehard Mac users with a room full of FireWire accessories. On top of that it only has a measly two USB ports and Apple's proprietary Mini DisplayPort, so forget about using your external monitor unless you fork over an additional $29 for a standard VGA or DVI adapter, or $99 (!) for the dual-link DVI adapter.

The new MacBook is available in two varieties (so far): one 2.0GHz version (our review sample) and a more expensive 2.4GHz model with a larger hard drive and backlit keyboard. Both models come with the same Nvidia chipset, a LED-backlit screen, and 2 gigs of top-of-the-line 1066MHz DDR3 RAM. It's worth mentioning that the hard drives that ship with the new MacBooks are very well isolated and silent. When the laptop is idle or doing light tasks like web browsing, it's almost inaudible.
Performance and Games

Thanks to the DDR3 memory, a 1066MHz front side bus, and the Nvidia chipset, the new MacBooks are faster than older models at the same CPU clock speed. Our 2.0GHz MacBook generated an Xbench score of 166.40. It is also perfectly capable of playing some games - WoW delivered fully playable framerates (50-60 fps) at high settings, which is to be expected from an aging game, but even Call of Duty 4 was playable with the settings tuned down a little. Apple promised five hours of battery life, which we found to be a little too optimistic, but the 4.5 hours we managed to squeeze out of it is still very good.

Overall, the aluminum MacBook is an excellent laptop. Although it's somewhat more expensive than we had hoped, you get a solid and great-looking laptop, and some features that you'll never find in a similar PC.
Apple MacBook Technical Specifications

    * Processor 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
    * Memory 2GB DDR3
    * Harddrive 160GB
    * OS Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
    * Weight 5.0 lbs
    * Screen 13.3
    * Screen resolution 1280 x 800
    * Graphic Card Nvidia 9400M
    * Battery Life 4,5 hours