“Apple Computer has had 30 good years and 2006 will go down as one of the company’s best, if not the best, so far,” Mark Kellner reports for The Washington Times.
Within the past two weeks, Apple has upgraded the Intel processors in two of its portables, the MacBook and MacBook Pro, offering greater speed at the same price as earlier models,” Kellner reports. “If the former computers were good values, the new models are superb values worth considering for an end-of-year purchase or for holiday gift giving.”
“The MacBook Pro, with its 15-inch screen and 2.33 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, would be a very good choice for many traveling business people,” Kellner reports. “The screen is large without being overbearing (Apple offers a 17-inch version, but it’s unwieldy)…”
MacDailyNews Take: It’s not unwieldy, but it does cause most people to stare in public. Those with big, thick, ugly, heavy, bathroom scale-looking Dells et al. don’t stare, they avert their eyes in shame. As they should.
Kellner continues, “For me, though, I’d probably want to spend about $800 less on a very nicely equipped MacBook and spend the balance on a digital camera or some such thing. The MacBook, with which I fell in love last summer while toting one around southwestern Turkey, is back in a new and improved model [with] more than enough for me, and perhaps for many other people.”
Kellner writes, “My earlier endorsement of both MacBook models, basic and Pro, stands, and is enhanced with more bang for your computing buck. Oh, and do I need to remind you that with Parallels Workstation software, you can run Microsoft Windows (if needed) alongside the Mac OS?”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Digit: Apple will sell a ton of MacBook Core 2 Duos – November 17, 2006
CNET Editor’s Choice: Apple MacBook Core 2 Duo – November 16, 2006
PC Advisor: Apple MacBook ‘a terrific piece of hardware, quite a product’ – July 31, 2006
Apple 13-Inch MacBook benchmarked: it’s fast – July 24, 2006
Washington Times: If you want a stylish, great, capable portable, buy an Apple MacBook – July 18, 2006
AP: Apple’s MacBook should give makers of Windows-only notebooks nightmares – July 07, 2006
Time Magazine on Apple’s 13-inch MacBook: ‘Dell and HP should be very worried’ – June 07, 2006
Survey shows big jump in consumer interest in buying Apple Mac; Dell takes steep slide – July 06, 2006
Boston Herald: Apple MacBook superior to iBook predecessor in every way – July 03, 2006
MSNBC’s Krakow: Apple’s MacBook ‘the best notebook computer I’ve ever used’ – June 28, 2006
The Washington Times: Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook ‘is one powerful, affordable Mac portable’ – June 23, 2006
Apple offers special deal prices on select Apple Certified MacBook, MacBook Pro models – June 20, 2006
IT Business Net reviews Apple 13-inch MacBook: ‘Insanely great value, Strong Buy recommendation’ – June 13, 2006
Computeract!ve: Apple MacBook ‘the best of both worlds’ – 5 out of 5 stars – June 13, 2006
Washington Post: Apple MacBook leaves iBook in the dust – June 11, 2006
Mossberg: Apple’s new MacBook surprisingly inexpensive, offers vastly superior Mac OS X – June 08, 2006
Thurrott: Look at Apple’s MacBook and ‘you might just find your perfect notebook’ – May 31, 2006
Personal Computer World review: Apple MacBook – May 22, 2006
Amazon offers US$100 and $150 rebates on Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro models – May 22, 2006
Ars Technica reviews Apple MacBook – May 19, 2006
iTWire’s Beer: My next notebook is an Apple MacBook – May 18, 2006
Analyst: MacBooks are best consumer notebooks Apple has created, sure to be big winners – May 18, 2006
Apple’s new MacBooks are mobile HDTV media centers – May 17, 2006
Analysts expect Apple’s new MacBook to drive market share gains in near future – May 17, 2006
PC World: Hands on with Apple’s new black MacBook running Mac OS X and Windows – May 17, 2006
PC Magazine Editor’s Choice: Apple Macbook Pro Core 2 Duo; best mainstream laptop – November 07, 2006
CNET: Apple MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo ‘provides great overall computing experience, at a premium price’ – November 03, 2006 (We dispute the “premium price” bit within the article)
Computerworld: Apple’s new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo ‘one cool customer, fastest Apple laptop ever’ – November 02, 2006
Apple MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo dissection photos – October 30, 2006
Why MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo units are limited to 3 GB RAM – October 30, 2006
Apple redesigns, hides iSight indicator on MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo models – October 28, 2006
Apple does it again: New Macbook Pros much cheaper than Dell – October 25, 2006
Yager: New Apple MacBook Pro is ‘mobile landing pad for Leopard in plenty of time for Macworld Expo’ – October 24, 2006
Apple MacBook Pro notebooks go Intel Core 2 Duo; up to 39-percent faster – October 24, 2006
I am ordering one online for my daughter, as soon as I get home!!!
MacDailyNews Take: It’s not unwieldy, but it does cause most people to stare in public. Those with big, thick, ugly, heavy, bathroom scale-looking Dells et al. don’t stare, they avert their eyes in shame. As they should.
And why, exactly, should they? It’s not shameful to own a Dell for Christ’s sake. There’s a lot of people who make meager wages and they can’t yet afford a Macbook, even if it is good value for the money. There’s millions of people that bust their asses every day for minimum wage and a grand for a computer is just a bigger hit than they can afford to take on with one purchase. For these people, a cheap Dell, HP, Lenovo or whatever are better buys.
Who the fsck is MDN to be the arbiters of shame? Have you seen your own website lately? With your sweeping generalization, you insult a huge range of people that are the backbone of society. People who work hard and earn little. These people should not feel shame because they buy what they can best squeeze into their budgets. The only people that ought to be ashamed are the operators of this website for thinking they are so much better than other people because of the computer they use. You have absolutely no perspective.
The 17″ MBP is “unwieldy” only when flying coach on an American airline. Otherwise . . . VAVAVOOM!
Cpt. Obvious, good point.
Cpt. Obvious,
Try decaf. People with ugly POS PC laptops DO avert their eyes when confronted with my 17-inch MBP.
You can get an Apple Certified MacBook for $899. There is no excuse.
If you can’t afford that, you can’t afford a POS Dell, either.
Gotta go with Captain Obvious here…MDN, you gotta stop acting so much like the bad stereotype of the stuck-up Mac user. Enough already…you could stand to lighten up a bit.
MDN Word: reached – As in “Even I have reached my limit on the rude “takes” MDN puts out.”
And out comes the “beggar thy neighbor” rant from another confirmed knee-jerker! (Hankies, hankies everyone.)
You, Cpt. Obvious, have no sense of humor . . . or, for that matter . . . sense of perspective. This is NOT the floor of Congress. This is NOT the altar of your church, synagogue, or mosque. This is NOT the foyer of Heaven. This is a fun place where we of the MINORITY FACTION come to feel good about ourselves and our choices. Are you not a supporter of the great unwashed MINORITY, sir or madam? We are the little guys here, the underdogs, the poor, the huddled masses. Mustn’t you love us?
SUGGESTION: Get down off your high horse, Captain, and go serve some soup to the disadvantaged Windows users of the world. You will feel much better about yourself in THAT endeavor than in THIS, I assure you.
Ya’ know, Cpt., Quevar, and me, if you don’t like the tone, focus, or mission of this site, show your displeasure with your feet! That is, go somewhere else. The Savlation Army website perhaps. Goodwill, anyone? After all, can’t we all just get along?
THeo:
Exactly. You “confront” them with it. A lot of people averts their eyes from assholes and blowhards. I have 3 Macs and I do the same, even if it’s some PC laptop owner trying to make condescending remarks about my Mac. My desire to not pay attention to them is because of their behavior, not their hardware. I suspect this to likely be your case.
Most people I know have PCs, and none of them shamefully hide away behind their computers when they see mine. They look at mine and are extremely impressed by what they see. But they also dislike the unfamiliarity. If they ask, I show them what it can do. If they don’t I leave them alone. After all, you and I may own a Mac, but in a room full of PC users, I’d sooner avert my eyes from a jerk like you than the people who have different preferences than I.
Hey Cpt. Obvious,
Shut up. I quess it’s not OBVIOUS to you MDN is being sarcastic…poking a little fun….making us readers smile. This is no the OP ED page of the NYT.
Isn’t it Obvious, Cpt.,not to throw around F bombs instead of a more intelligent quip. Lighten up Francis.
Cpt. Obvious obviously can’t take a joke.
Go watch Oprah, you emasculated fsck.
MDN, never stop being MDN.
I think MDN is right on this one. People shouldn’t hang their head in shame over having a DELL. Surely with the good deals that you can get on refurb equipment and the second hand market being able to supply you with a refurbished Powerbook G4 or iBook or even a used MacBook there is no excuse buying a DELL. I am not wealthy but I did invest £2.5K a couple of years back in a dual 2.5gig G5 with wifi and bluetooth and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Just because I needed a setup for work that had some longjevity. So Cpt Obvious. There is always a way for the less wealthy to own a Mac and still no excuse for buying a DELL POS bathroom scale.
“Oh, and do I need to remind you that with Parallels Workstation software, you can run Microsoft Windows (if needed) alongside the Mac OS?”
What? If needed? More like AS NECESSARY!
Do I need to remind you I can run Windows on my Dell without being nickel and dimed for emulation software? I can run Zune marketplace, Windows Movie Maker and all kinds of great software that you Apple fanboys drool over but can’t run on your 30-year old, has-been Unix OS. That’s bang for you computing buck. I choose to run Windows because there’s much more well designed, super-awesome software for it than any other platform. More is better; Macs are expensive. End of story.
Your potential. Our passion.
BTW, As if you couldn’t tell, I am fiercely proud of my Dell Latitude and the brilliant technology it represents at an astounding price. The chick on Home Shopping Network said it was stylish and who am I to question a quality computer reseller like HSN? My IT friends think it’s cool too. No shame here.
I think Cpt. Obvious is taking it to a level that MDN has no intention of…
If you’re offended by MDN’s comments, than visit another site. Look, these are computers here people. They are things…nothing more. If you honestly judge your place in society by the thing on your lap…there is something wrong with you.
If you judge your place in society period…there is something wrong with you.
Just lighten up people. This is one of the problems of society…too many serious people taking comments out of context and ruining it for the rest that simply enjoy reading.
Cpt. Obvious…I know what is really wrong with you. I won’t share it with everyone, but I will say that there are cremes for your “condition”. Next time…just wear protection.
And let that be a lesson to all of you.
I assure you I have a vivd sense of humor and can certainly take a joke. At what point does the endless sarcasm and “joking” become true opinion from this site? Joking is only joking when it’s done in moderation.
As for my leaving, why exactly should I? I’ve been here way longer than most of you, and I can remember way back when this was the best site to get Mac news from, not biting and tireless sarcasm within take after take after take. I’m not going to capitulate to mediocrity. The rest of you can feel free to do so.
Cpt. Obvious,
“Confronted” meaning that I simply take my 17+ MBP out of its case and begin working. They avert their eyes because they realize, either subconsciously or consciously, that they are using a mistake.
For someone who’s made “Cpt.,” how did you miss the obvious humor and exaggeration in MDN’s Take?
Cpt. Oblivious is more like it.
Where is your outrage at “Big Computer” for ripping off the little guy who only make minimum wage. Do you have distain for “Big Computer” taking the hard earned money of the little guy in exchange for crappy products (“Windont”, Dells). What’s obvious is the shameless efforts from Bill and Micheal. Stand down Cpt.
“I can run Zune marketplace, Windows Movie Maker and all kinds of great software that you Apple fanboys drool over but can’t run on your 30-year old, has-been Unix OS.”
Now THAT is truly side-splittingly funny, Zune Tang! Gawd, but for a second there I thought you were being serious!
Man, thanks for the most amusing, insightful comments since those from Michael Richards last Friday night. Are you related?
Ooh. the windoze trolls are here at last…
Zune tang…
Please please please mentions something that is actually any good that Mac hheads have not got the equivalent or better available to them for free on our Macs…
Cos so far you just talked about stuff that I wouldn’t give to my worst enemy to use.
“Do I need to remind you I can run Windows on my Dell without being nickel and dimed for emulation software?”
lucky you!!!
“I can run Zune marketplace, Windows Movie Maker and all kinds of great software that you Apple fanboys drool over…”
Name one!
“That’s bang for you computing buck.”
What is? You are NOT making sense!!!
“I choose to run Windows because there’s much more well designed, super-awesome software for it than any other platform.”
Well… Name some then!!!
“More is better”
Since when?
“Macs are expensive.”
Are they?
“End of story.”
Good…
I suggest ZUNE boy that you take your DELL latitude and turn it into a footwarmer as that’s all it’s good for. Buy a Mac and you will never go back!!!!
I don’t think we should be so hard on Cpt. Obvious.
However, this is a Mac fan site with an obvious bias, so Cpt. Obvious should understand he should take his flavour of bias somewhere else.
If Cpt. Obvious is so worried about budgets for the poor, he should also consider the total cost of ownership. After all, that POS Dell runs Windows, and will obviously have to run all kinds of security that increases the real cost of the unit, as does tech time when the unit does get infected (and it will).
And finally, the MacBook is going to last years longer than any PC notebook because Apple doesn’t create stupid OSs like Vista that make your unit obsolete.
The fact is, the MacBook is much less expensive to own. And if it’s still too much, Ebay has lots of great, usefull older units that will be able to effectively run OS X Leopard in the new year.
Can’t say that for Dell.
Hey, I am in no way in support of the cheap shit the commodity manufacturers put out the door. It’s why I buy Macs.
But I’m not going to sit here and pretend that someone should hide in shame from me when I whip out my Macbook Pro. Apple doesn’t cater to low end computer consumers by choice. So let’s not shit on the low end consumer for not owning a computer that’s not ever built for them.
Read the responses to my original post. You guys can’t even hear a dissenting opinion from someone who’s bought more Macs for personal use and for businesses and educational institutions with telling him he “doesn’t get it.”
This site is a breeding ground for much of the stereotyping that actually prevents people from buying Macs even if they KNOW they’re better. People with Macs are assholes. That’s the pervasive opinion. Anyone who really believes that someone can look up from their PC laptop, see a Macbook, and instantly realize they own a “mistake” does nothing to break down that barrier.
The job of shitting on the low end user is already taken by B. Gates and M. Dell.
Read the responses to my original post. You guys can’t even hear a dissenting opinion from someone who’s bought more Macs for personal use and for businesses and educational institutions* **with telling him he “doesn’t get it.”
* bought more than most of you have even seen outside an Apple Store
**without, not with
Forgive my poor grammar in the last reply. Busy doing too much with too little nourishment.
Yeah, MDN should lay off imo, it was them who gave out about apple supposedly jeering their potential customers with their advertising but yet they basically call the same people stupid. I love macs as much as anyone on here and am chuffed that they are gaining market share, but some peoples attitudes stink.