NVinNYC

I decided I want to upgrade to a MacBook so I’m selling my iBook.

I don’t know if the MacBook is really what I want since it doesn’t have a good graphics card to play games (with Boot Camp) but it’s such a tempting little machine (and one really needs a tower for games anyway). I’d rather have something smaller than a 13″ model, but there’s no indication that Apple is ever going to make a smaller laptop (if they do I might have to loose the MacBook).

New MacBooks are out.

Intel Dual Core. 13.3″ Widescreen. Black!

…’nuf said, sign me up!

More observations when the dust settles.

Apple finally dropped the 17-inch MacBook Pro today as expected. It’s basically the same thing as the 15-inch model except it still has a FireWire 800 port and a Dual Layer SuperDrive (these were dropped on the 15-inch MacBook when it transitioned from the PowerBook). Other than those things, it’s basically the same as a fully loaded 15-inch model (with the high speed 2.16 GHz Core Duo). Good stuff.

Update (4/24/06): Though I did note it this morning when I was checking out the 17-inch MacBook, I didn’t mention the third USB port on this new model. After thinking about it (and having a friend note it to me), I realized this is noteworthy. All previous models of PowerBook G4 & MacBook have only had two USB ports, so this is a very welcome addition which brings the 17-inch model in line with the Intel mini & iMac and is highly appropriate for its role as a desktop replacement machine. Really, this highlights one of the large inadequacies of the 15-inch model (which is severly lacking in ports). I mean, how can 2 USB ports be enough for anyone now days (especially since iPods now only work over USB)?

Also, I wonder if Apple will update Boot Camp with drivers for this machine when it starts shipping out next week. There’s no mention of anything that would suggest that they’ll need to and it uses nearly the same hardware to the 15-inch model so I’m guessing no, but it will be interesting to see.

Update 2 (still 4/24/06): ThinkSecret points out that if you custom order the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2.0 GHz model and then bump it up to a 2.16 GHz processor it costs the same ($2799) as the 17-inch model. This is a little disturbing considering how much more you get on the bigger model: larger, higher-resolution screen, 120 GB hard drive (versus 100 GB in the 15-inch), and all the extra ports mentioned above. On the other hand you also get all the extra size and weight so I’m sure it’s a worthwhile trade off for some. It just makes me wonder if Apple will be dropping the price/bumping the specs of the 15-inch model soon (especially in light of the rumored Core Duo price drops).

Holy shit: Boot Camp is a beta program from Apple to allow Windows to boot on an Intel Mac.

This was highly unexpected…

For more info see this FAQ on the Apple KnowledgeBase (Via DF).

My need for a new ICBM just jumped up hugely.

Tycho, from Penny Arcade (I was going to explain it but then I realized: you either know it or you don’t) recently purchased a new Core Duo iMac. Here’s a snippet from his post about his experiences from the first week:

What I have ascertained is not that PCs as we know them lack good design, but that PCs as we know them have hardly any design to speak of. I’m not trying to be insulting. Use a Mac for a week, and we’ll talk again.

[...]

[The Mac] is extremely good at what it does, which is to say, exposing functionality.

Be sure to check out the rest of the post and the comic for some more intriguing (and humorous) insights.

I love to hear these kinds of things, especially from technologically savvy users, because it helps me keep that smug look on my face…

Update (3/6/05): New posts and comic with more on the Mac.