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Although I'm a total fanboi, I still think that anyone who pays extra just for the black model sucks.

Initially, i got all excited about the BlackBook, until I realized a) it's more expensive just for the color; b) just about every other laptop on the market is black.

i'd pay the extra dough for black, but alas, the screen is too small for my work needs.

i really dont understand charging 150 more for the black macbook, this is a really unacceptable move from apple, boycott it - until its sensibly priced (maybe they plan to discontinue it - making it one of those collectable macs.

Is anyone trying to explain or at least asking why the black cost $150 more?
Message threads don't count.

Did they fix the blistering overheating problem they are having with the Pro version. If they didn't, sales are likely to disappoint until this very fundamental problem is solved.

Again, Apple launches something that is not ready. Won't they ever learn?

Oh, maybe the extra heater feature is why is cost too much. Only thing... it's almost summertime, you nutsos!

$20 or $40 more I can see if it really cost more to manufacture, but $150?!?!?!

I just bought the high-end white Macbook. I couldn't justify paying $150 for a black Macbook with just a slightly larger hard drive. For nearly the same price I got the white Macbook with the 80GB hard drive plus 1GB of RAM.

With "We'll See" that is.

If the thing overheats like the Pro version, instead of blistering your lap, the plastic "consumer" version of Apple's laptop will simply melt.

inferno10:

Does it run hot like these guys are saying? Have you tried it with anything graphic - iPhoto, iMovie, etc?

Quick, I'm looking for a parking place now at the local Apple Store.

I seriously doubt that the black costs any more to produce than the white ones. Its just a way to make up some profit from the existing R&D;.

In the realm of pianos - polished white costs more than polished ebony (polyester finish).

Why more for black? Remember the nano? Black, would outsell the white model at the same price point. This balances demand with supply, while keeping black exclusive, and allows Apple to make more profits.

Personally I'd prefer other colours.

black dissipates heat better, so the whole computer gives off heat, reducing the amount concentrated on the bottom of a normal white computer. this reduces pain and having to buy one of those serving pads that your mom uses at thanksgiving under hot dishes. this is worth $150.

my mw was "a". just "a". i think i win the minimalist prize unless some one else has had "i" for a mw.

hmm, that was interesting. i think there is a bug in the mw code. it wouldn't accept just "a" as a magic word, tried it several times. now my mw is "control", as in we are out of that stuff right now!

Elscir, please check the tech specs of the 3 models before saying something stupid, like "anyone who pays extra JUST FOR THE BLACK MODEL sucks.". Because, there is another difference between the white and the black model, namely the size of the hard-disk, 60 vs. 80 Gb. I'm not really sure if that justifies the difference of about 150$, but at least the color is not the only issue!!! and I just love the black model... but I do not think of me as a sucker, looser, or whatever... THINK DIFFERENCE!

my MW is "letters" as if your letters aren't working right..

ABQ Peter:

heh. good one. that's about as good an explanation as any ($150 for 20GB? yeah, right) rationalization others try to make.

I agree. I mean, who would buy iPod mini when you can buy iPod with 5 times the storage for just $50 more.

Give me $150 and I will gladly paint your MacBook black for you.

Hell, make it $100. I'm such a nice guy.

ABQ Peter. Doesn't black hold heat better? White should dissipate it.

Regardless, I'm sure the difference in this case is minimal.

Hmmmmm
[I agree. I mean, who would buy iPod mini when you can buy iPod with 5 times the storage for just $50 more.]

I would and did because I didn't need the 5x storage but really needed a smaller and lighter device when running or working out. The 5x storage also didn't appeal to me since I wasn't trying to put my whole collection on the iPod(500gb of music). I probably would have bought the shuffle had it been available at that time for the same reasons; i rarely look at the screen even when working out.

I don't know. I liked the black model until a guy from IT at work, said it looked like a Dell. If that's the case, I want it to cost $150 less than the white one.

ill just get the white one and send it off to be painted paisley at colorware
or red or blue or purple or,,,,,,

black is hot, but what about standing out? everything is black these days! I guess this is what is best, because apple is always about giving the customer what they want, and I know black will sell well, especially with the idea of status.

Do you care what color your shirt is? then why do you care what color your computer is?

What the hell are you talking about? why would the colour of the case have any effect on how heat dissipates through? it's the type of molecular bonding that affects stuff like that and they're both made from the same plastic so it'd make no difference. Maaaaybe you're referring to the fact that black objects absorb more energy from light because they don't reflect it, but that's not the same type of heat as is produced by the processor

Hey, MDN, the black MacBook has an 80GB hard drive, so it's not identical....

Suicidal Gingerbread Man -

You are confusing the issue of "color" with retaining heat. There is no correllation. White and light colors _reflect_ light, and since light is engery, it reflects the energy too. Black/dark colors absorb light energy, so they get hotter faster. White also absorbs light energy, just less than black, but colors do nothing to retain or disburse heat.

I have not seen these models in person, but from the photos, the black does NOT look to me like a DELL laptop.

The black is slick and polished...looks like a large black iPod. I think the back to school crowd will enjoy toating that MacBook around.

Plus, the dark edges on the screen would make full screen video watching more enjoyable.

RS:

As far as my science and discernment of ABQ Peter's writing goes... I am almost positively sure he was just JOKING about the black color dissipating heat better.

Calm down people, and don't start getting out your chemistry books to prove him wrong!

The big thing here is that the MacBook is out well before Edu spending season and ready for sale straight away. There is going to be a lot of pent up demand for this - I wouldn't be surprised that apple sell a 100K of these this quarter. Come next quarter when production is ramped up and they'll see close to 400K.

Just with the iPod, once the vloume picks up, we'll see Apple price more aggressively because they'll be able to get lower component prices. Plus Intel will drop their prices for their current chips once they start producing faster chips.

OK, I'm in the parking lot now, like for an hour or so.

Do I get an answer, do I just go home empty handed, or take a chance, buy the new thing and hope for the best.

Apple says that if you want a laptop that looks like everyone else's, you will have to pay extra.

If you don't like the price---don't buy it. Stop pissing and moaning.

The black matte paint scratches very easily. Looks cool but NOT WORTH IT.

Yes, that's right. I said PAINT.

Doesn't seem to scratch that easily. Tried on an inconspicuous spot on the bottom.

Damn sweet so far. Screen is WAY brighter than before, and noticeably brighter than the 12" PowerBook.

Back to playing with my new toy.

Thanks for nothing. I'm out of here.

You don't know the history of black, I do.

Apple always over-charges initially and then gives you a better value 6-12 months later with a revision that is the same price or lower.

Tom Cruise...I love it when you chime in. I must be a sucker cause I get a good laugh everytime. You just sneak in and WHAM!

Keep up the good work.

Turano

A lot of science misconceptions here. It is a fact that heat behaves in much the same way as light and a large proportion of heat is in the IR light spectrum. This is radiant heat. The heat generated by the laptop will transfer to your lap through both conduction and radiation, but it is true that a black or dark object both absorbs and radiates heat more efficiently than a white or light coloured object. This may explain why some arabs wear black. Try it. a wet black shirt on a hot day will cause the fabric to draw the heat from your body as the moisture evaporates. Theoretically the darker fabric will cause the moisture to evaporate more quickly than a white fabric. Although if it is not hot enough to cause you to sweat profusely I would favour a white shirt.
It is also why emergency blankets are metallic silver.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirchhoff's_law_(thermodynamics)

SunSeeker: You are correct when you said "that a black or dark object both absorbs and radiates heat more efficiently than a white or light coloured object."

Wikipedia is mistaken when they say: "It is why, for example, lightweight emergency thermal blankets are based on reflective metallic coatings: they lose little heat by radiation."

When properly used, emergency thermal blankets have the reflective layer on the inside. The actual reason reflective coatings are used in these thermal blankets is because they reflect the person's body heat back to them -- helping keep the person warm.

RS: You were correct.

Voyager: You are mistaken.

I love 'em all...I'm partyin' !!!!!!

There hasn't been a "dark" Apple laptop since Pismo (the G3 "PowerBook 2000"). I think the black version is very nice-looking. If Apple wants to charge extra for it to make it the special "limited edition" model, I think that's fine. If you don't want to pay the extra cost, pretend it doesn't exist and get the "standard" color, which also looks great.

These are excellent products, designed to take advantage of the iPod customers; most of them are not current Mac customers. How about a laptop to match that black iPod?

True the wiki should be adjusted to reflect the following (no pun intended)
The thermal blanket is silver both sides and works by both reflecting heat inwards and changing the external colour of the object (you) so that what little heat from your body is passed to the blanket is more slowly radiated into the environment.
I assume that the thin profile of the blanket is important too. The last thing you want is for precious body heat to be wasted warming the blanket.

Everyone will love the black MacBook until they realise how easily they will scratch. Class action lawsuit or MacBook Skins anyone?
iBook scratched too, in fact mine was covered in swirls from new, but on white it wasn't really obvious.

It is also possible that a photograph through an R72 IR filter would render both MacBooks the same. After all black can appear white in the Infra Red portion of the spectrum.

SunSeeker:

Although I applaud you tangential remarks, I'm skeptical that an R72 would be strong enough - you would probably want a deeper IR filter than that, maybe an 88A. It would be a fun test.

I've used it...


The black MacBook is not glossy black...

At first I thought it was rubberized. It has a unique feel.

Wow...$150 more must have SOME gain for the consumer other than look...right? Is there some sort of extra thing regarding the black ones?

What pisses me off is that they DON'T INCLUDE a DVI to VGA adapter!!!!
C'mon Apple, stop nickle and diming your customers! And don't give that "it's a pro feature" bullshit.

stop your fucking whinging and buy one or shutup and go checkout dell.com , perhaps they have something you think is worth paying for.