What’s great about the new MacBooks (and MacBookPros):
- Totally awesome new “slits” for the breathing “sleep” light and IR ports. Though you’d think Apple would have the technology to add a Cylon/K.I.T.T. sensor sweep motion by now.
- New multi-touch trackpad. The trackpad has no button, but it does click down when you press it. The feeling was indistinguishable from my previous laptop button. I always turn on “tap to click” with trackpads, but now it’s even better because of new gestures like “three finger swipe to go forward or back” in Safari and iPhoto. Gestures kick ass. BTW, the trackpad is glass, but it doesn’t feel any different, and it doesn’t really look especially glossy.
- Easy access for replacing hard drive, battery, and RAM. If you’ve read my guide to upgrading a MacBookPro hard drive you know what how scary/painful it used to be.
- New “Chicklet” keyboard. Didn’t really like the chicklet keyboard on MacBooks before, but it feels more solid now. Maybe I’m just falling for it because the industrial design is so beautiful.
- Magnetic latch. The latch button on my current MacBookPro still works fine, but it shows signs of wear. It’s the only part of my laptop that doesn’t look brand new. It’s nice not to have to find a button to stick my fingernail into.
- Glass panel screen. I’m mildly torn on this one, but the glass LCD comes down on the side of “awesome”. Matte (non glossy) LCDs are usually superior because the color stays true and you don’t have to deal with reflections. Previously the “glossy” LCDs just had a glossy finish on plastic, and they looked a bit rippled instead of glassy smooth. Anyway, these new LED LCDs are much brighter than the old LCDs, which mitigates the reflection problem, and with glass you get much better scratch protection. When some office jackass or toddler puts their fingers all over your screen it will be easier to clean. Long term, all monitors will be glass anyway because iPhone-style multi-touch is going to be everywhere. You heard it here first.
What sucks about the new MacBooks
Bottom line, to differentiate (i.e. segment for maximum profit) their laptop line, Apple is crippling them in nefarious ways.
- No Firewire. This means no target disk mode, though supposedly there’s a migration assistant that works over USB. Lots of people are upset about it. It’s just such an obvious screw to users. The MacBook is such a compelling machine that it has to be crippled in a way that makes it useless to music and video pros, and IT-ish types who tend to buy Firewire hard drives. Otherwise why buy the “Pro” model?
- No backlit keyboard on $1299 MacBook. Not really a big deal, but still, kind of lame. Just throw it in, you know? Also, the clerk I talked to about it had no idea that the lower end MB doesn’t have a backlit keyboard. It’s always fun to go to a store when you know more about the products than the sales clerks. Note: the way to indentify the lower end MacBook is that it doesn’t have controls for keyboard brightness on the function keys.
- They both use a new mini external monitor port, and no adapter is included. An “outrageous cash grab” according to APCMag, and I agree. It will cost you $50 to get a DVI adapter so you can use an external monitor. I love Apple products, but the NUMBER ONE THING I HATE ABOUT APPLE is that they are TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF LEAVING ANY MONEY ON THE TABLE. It’s almost abusive how they make you re-buy iPod docks, cables, connectors, and accessories. They even tried this with the 1st gen iPhone audio jack. Dicks.
Pictures and a movie
front of macbook showing new light and latch
close up of new macbook sleep light and IR port
closed front of new aluminum macbook showing magnetic latch
new macbook aluminum magnetic latch close up
close up of new macbook keyboard
bottom of new macbook showing hard drive and battery access panel and new rubber feet
hand showing size of new aluminum macbook
new pink 4th generation ipod nano
Couldn’t resist showing the “hot pink is the new black” nano.
I watched the release on Gizmodo’s blog (http://gizmodo.com/) and was drooling on my own Macbook chiclets before the end.
My current Macbook has the magnetic latch and it’s damn cool.
It’s just awesome, but I agree with your sticking points. I have another:
Touchscreen: I just saw an HP touch screen commercial last night. You’re kidding? *HP* has touchscreen monitors on their laptops before Apple? YOU GUYS MAKE THE IPHONE!!!!! This one has me dumbfounded.
Firewire: OK, I understand that eventually things get phased out and at some point you gotta cut the cord. I wouldn’t expect a Zip drive on a Mac anymore, right? In this case, it’s just too soon. Like you said, too many people are using these devices. They’re still being made and sold. Stoopid, Apple.
DVI: I just bought a frickin’ DVI adapter for my Macbook. You gotta be kidding me here. If I want shiny newness I have to buy a NEW DVI adapter. So the old adapter goes… where? Landfill? I guess I could make some techy jewelry out of it (I could couple it with a Firewire cable, heh), but jeez.
Hidden costs are never welcomed, even in products I love. In the past with Apple products I’ve always sucked it up because I just love ‘em so damn much. I’m a sucker and I admit it and Apple knows it and they have me by the balls. Wirelessly, of course.
BTW – PDX Apple store “expert” didn’t know the trackpad clicked. Heh.
Yeah, the ommission of FireWire has me steamed. It’s just such a transparent artificial segmentation move, and so much is useful about FireWire like target disk mode. Also, USB sucks for data transfer because it uses CPU for heavy lifting and firewire doesn’t.
Two things:
1. No firewire is jackass lame. The end.
2. It is a major-gigundus turnon when a guy is down with pink as a fashion/style choice. I shot a film once with a guy who was straight as an arrow, and had in his wardrobe a particular shell-pink Lacoste shirt. He saw my eyebrow go up when he held it up and assured me that it got him laid all. the. time.
Jam for the ladies, you know.
@ communicatrix, right? Pink is fantastic. Lately I’m loving it with slate. Fantastic accent color because it’s so unexpected.