Mac Marvel What do you get when you combine one exceptional Intel chip; one sexy, slim Mac PowerBook; a super-stealth video camera; a teeny-tiny remote control; 15 inches of brilliant display; and a couple feet of magnetic attraction? Every computer geek's ultimate fantasy.
Apple's MacBook Pro is the first Mac laptop with Intel's new Core Duo chip buried deep inside, and frankly, it's got both Mac and PC people using the L word.
When the decision was first made to switch from IBM and Freescale chips to an Intel chip, many speculated that Apple was preparing to take over the world. And that may be exactly what it did, integrating the groundbreaking Core Duo chip into the iMac and Mac Mini and now the MacBook Pro.
Due to Intel's inventive 65-nanometer process, which involves reducing the size of the transistors in chips, the new chip is able to attain higher performance levels while conserving power. As such, the MacBook Pro boasts some major muscle in a package that's supermodel skinny (approximately one inch thick).
The new and improved machine, weighing a mere 5.6 pounds and starting out at an affordable $2,000, has already been dubbed "the finest laptop in the world" by Apple itself, probably because it combines standard Apple favorites (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, stereo speakers, DVD burner, light-up keys, batteries with illuminated gauges, etc.) with five fresh new features and, oddly enough, the potential to run Windows.
Included on the fresh list is its 1,440-by-900-pixel screen that is dazzling in its brightness and a minuscule, almost hidden, iSight camera located above it, perfect for snapping pics and making videos.
In conjunction with the MacBook's iChat program, owners can use the tiny camera to hold four-way Internet conferences with colleagues. Although the MacBook is the first laptop with the power to start these cyber conferences, other laptop users can tag along by linking up afterward and using external cameras. iChat makes it possible for users to have one-on-one chats with family and friends; one-way chats with those poor, unfortunate souls who don't have iSight cameras; and audio chats with up to 10 people.
The MacBook also comes with a very small, very slim remote control, giving owners full command of their machines from across the room with only the slightest touch of a button, and an innovative magnetic "MagSafe" power cord that detaches easily if it's, say, tripped over, a feature sure to produce sighs of relief among laptop users.
Still, the cord does have its critics, and they are fairly quick to point out that the new connector is no longer interchangeable with other Mac laptops and features a somewhat larger power block in the middle.
Rounding out the list of new features is the MacBook's dynamic speed. Whether you're catching up on season one of Lost, jamming to the new Strokes album, or surfing the Internet, this laptop runs like a dream. The Intel chip, which is actually two processors in one, allows the MacBook to perform much more efficiently than the PowerBook G4.
Its speed, however, is best when running "Universal" programs or programs that have been rewritten for Intel compatibility, including Mac OS X, iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto, Web browser, email, calendar, address book, and more than 900 other programs from different companies. Apple's professional programs aren't far behind.
Other software that comes standard with the MacBook includes Front Row, a program that allows owners the ability to view and control their digital media with the Apple remote, and iLife '06, a suite of programs for creating postcards, calendars, websites, and podcasts. With iLife, video blogs, indie flicks, and fun snapshots are only a few clicks away.
On the downside—yes, there's a downside—programs such as Microsoft Office, Adobe, and Photoshop still run adequately but a little slowly and won't be made Intel compatible for a while; programs such as Microsoft Virtual PC and Microsoft Word will require work to get rid of problems; and some old-school PowerBook features are missing completely.
Characteristics that have gone M.I.A. include the S-video connector, the FireWire 800 connector, and the dial-up modem. The DVD burner is also slower, and current PC expansion cards don't fit in the new ExpressCard slot. In order to pacify its fans, Apple does offer an external modem for $50, and the S-video jack can be restored by purchasing a $20 accessory cable.
Also, even though the benefits of switching to the new chip are extraordinary, it's important to keep in mind that it's not easy. The entire process of rewriting programs to be Intel compatible could take a while, considering that it takes weeks or even months to rewrite just one; but most in the Mac community and beyond agree that it's well worth the wait.
Because time always passes faster when you're thinking about other things, here's something to ponder during the interval: With the building of a bridge between the Mac and PC worlds, will the rivalry between the two finally be put to rest? And if so, where the heck will we go from here?
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