“With the release of the new MacBook series of laptops, Apple finally enters the world of thin and light laptops,” Tim Bajarin writes for Technology Pundits. “Up to now, the MacBook’s predecessor, the iBook, has been Apples best selling portable computer even though it was boxy and a bit on the heavy side. But these new models clearly bring Apple and their new portables into a segment of the market that continues to be the fastest growing area for laptops and where thin and light portables have the lion’s share the market.”
MacDailyNews Take: “Apple finally enters the world of thin and light laptops?” Wha? Uh, 12-inch PowerBook, Mr. Bajarin? Heck, the 15-inch PowerBook G4, introduced over five years ago in January 2001, qualifies as “thin and light” at 1-inch thin and just 5.3 lbs. If Bajarin meant “consumer” laptops, he should have qualified it as such. Apple’s been leading the world of thin and light laptops for many years with their PowerBook models.
Bajarin writes, “These are the best consumer notebooks Apple has created and are sure to be big winners with a lot of mainstream consumers. Although they start at $1099, they are really good buys given that they all have Core Duo processors and thanks to Apple’s Bootcamp software, can run OSX and Windows XP. The black MacBook could be a Trojan Horse to get MacBooks into mainstream business markets. The consumerish look of the white iBooks did not necessarily look like business machines but the black version could pass as a Lenovo ThinkPad but with Apple’s famous Logo on it. Plus it can run OS X and Windows. I believe that this version could end up in a lot of business users hands who have lusted after the ease of use of OS X but have to live in a Windows IT world. With these new laptops, Apple clearly takes aim at a broader market for mobile devices where thin and light designs are important and no-compromise machines are driving the exceptional growth in portable computers over desktops.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Most business people that we see with Apple notebooks carry PowerBooks and, now, MacBook Pro models – of which Bajarin has apparently never heard – that offer features such as PC Card and ExpressCard slots that iBooks and MacBooks do not. MacBooks are for consumers. MacBook Pros are for professionals. It’s pretty simple. That said, we do agree with Bajarin that Apples’ new MacBooks are best consumer notebooks Apple has created and are sure to be big winners with a lot of mainstream consumers.
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Hype, that is. The new MacBooks are NOT READY – noisy heaters, they are.
Wait until Apple fixes ’em or they will never quit introducing crappy products or even admit they have these problems.
Sales guy at my Apple store, after looking over his shoulder, told me to wait until they worked like they are suppose to. No joke.
Well I know this guy, who knows a lot about computers and even works at a computer store, and he says to go ahead and buy, this is Apple’s best first run machine ever.
they are great because they are just like windows laptops – have intel chip inside and can run windows os.
Best? I guess they haven’t been over to the Apple discussion forums.
mdn: “MacBooks are for consumers. MacBook Pros are for professionals.”
what is a progessional? A doctor, lawyer, teacher…what?
“Hype, that is. The new MacBooks are NOT READY – noisy heaters, they are.”
… piss of yoda, and he’ll cauterize your pixels.
Bill — that was one of the stupidist comments I’ve seen here (and that’s going some). Get a hold on reality, man! You’re a dumbass!
Remember, the MacBook replaces the iBook line and the 12″ PB. And, if you need it spelled out even more clearly, the white MBs replace the iBooks, and the black one replaces the 12″ PB, so saying that many corporate types will get a black MB instead of a MBP is not far-fetched.
“the black version could pass as a Lenovo ThinkPad but with Apple’s famous Logo on it.”
Was that supposed to be a compliment?
Several posts over at Apple MacBook discussions with examples of noise problems. Applecare says these are ‘normal’ operation.
So, if you like whines, static, hums, and hoots with your laptop, now is the time to run right down and buy yourself one of these bad boys!
I’d agree with this article IF these macbooks didn’t have integrated graphics.
You can’t make a loptop this skinny with Intel inside without the extreme heat and noise problems. Same thing is true for Pro version.
Not even Apple.
But, all of Steve’s legions will shell out hard earned, even borrowed, money to get the cutest of portables, all the while ignoring how silly we look to serious laptop users.
I work in IT. Not a single one of my users needs any feature whatsoever that isn’t present in the Macbook. None of my users ever use any kind of expansion cards as any device they attach will be USB or Firewire. None of my users have ever had a laptop with an aluminum or otherwise metal case. None of my users does any video task more demanding than playing a DVD on an airplane, so integrated graphics are fine.
I just headed over to Apple’s disussion forums…man are there problems with the MacBook Pro. Apple better get ontop of this. I’ve never seen the discussion forums so full of problems/issues with an Apple product before.
“”the black version could pass as a Lenovo ThinkPad but with Apple’s famous Logo on it.”
Was that supposed to be a compliment?”
Yes, it is. My Thinkpad T40 is probable the best piece of computer equipment I’ve ever owned. Simply amazing.
I ordered one last night!
Processor06563061.83GHz Intel Core Duo
Memory06562331GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM 2×512
Hard Drive065622660GB Serial ATA drive
Optical Drive0656230Combo Drive
Modem0656513No Modem
Apple Software Solutions0656200No Optional Software
Adapter0656515No Optional Adapter
Keyboard/Mac OS Language0656235Keyboard/Mac OS
Country Kit/AEX0656313Airport Extreme Card andBT
Yeah baby! Can’t wait!
This is so typical, Apple gets some good press,
and most of you weenies break fire up your the
flamethrowers. I bet the majority of you are too
young to sound like such cranks.
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My MBP 15″ has never made any strange noise. There is a VERY quiet hum when the fans are running, but other than that it is silent. It DOES get hot however when running full blast.
Break out the flamethrowers and fire them up I
meant. My meds are running low.
What are you “integrated graphics” morons talking about. Complain about the graphics chip if you like, even tho you don’t have a lot of ground to stand on there either, but…
How many notebooks have ever had anything but integrated graphics you fsking dum sheets!
Get your terminology straight!
Tom Cruise doesn’t know the history of history. I do.
“Best? I guess they haven’t been over to the Apple discussion forums.”
Yeah, and if you go to Dell’s forums you’ll find thousands of posts there complaining about the poor quality of their notebooks too. That’s what those support forums are for…when you have a problem. The majority who are running problem free aren’t on any online forums posting about it, they’re busy doing work.
MDN, you’re right that the “Pro”-tagged portables are for, well, Pros.
However, working at a Fortune 500 company, I know what Bajarin means. Anyone that sees the white iBook/MacBook will look twice and ask what you’re using, and why. (Same with the PowerBooks/MacBook Pros, which REALLY stand out!)
But a black MacBook is what Bajarin says, a possible trojan horse. Looks like any other Dell or ThinkPad in the shop.
Even if it’s not what Apple intended (a notebook for professionals, or even a trojan), it may still serve those purposes.
So many Micro$oft fanboys here today.
To it Never Ends and Bill and the likes:
Scroll down the headlines and when you get this one take the time to read the article. Perhaps then you won’t sound so stupid.
Apple firmware update fixes MacBook Pro overheating; jury still out on ‘whine’
Thursday, May 18, 2006 – 08:36 AM EDT
The whine will never end as it comes from the MS zealots.
“Yeah, and if you go to Dell’s forums you’ll find thousands of posts there complaining about the poor quality of their notebooks too. That’s what those support forums are for…when you have a problem. The majority who are running problem free aren’t on any online forums posting about it, they’re busy doing work.”
But, but MDN keeps telling me Apple products are perfect…what gives?