Finally.......Jeremy's New MacBook

I finally got my new laptop right before the start of fall semester. Apple out did themselves with the new MacBook. The new 13" widescreen is a big improvement over the 12" screen of my old G3 iBook. The screen is much brighter, and the new "glossy" screen finish makes more of a difference in viewing quality than I thought it would. The extra width of MacBook needed for the 13" screen also means the keyboard is wider and the keys spaced out more which makes it more comfortable to type on. Well, more comfortable for me, anyway, with my larger than average hands and worse than average typing ability.

I also like the magnetic power cord port and clasp. The power cord easily comes loose when someone trips over it, but the magnet is strong enough that I don't have to worry about the cord disconnecting accidentally. I'd love to know what Apple makes the magnet on the end of the cord out of as it is an amazingly strong magnet for its size. The magnetic clasp that holds the screen down when the MacBook is closed is a much cleaner design than the old mechanical locking mechanism on the G3 and G4 iBooks and seems less vulnerability to damage.

The built in iSight webcam produces surprisingly bright and clear video. The iSight's picture quality is much better than my old Logitech webcam. My only gripe with the built in iSight is that you have to move the whole screen to change the pitch of the cam. It's not too much of a problem, but I can see how it might become an issue in situations were I might have to adjust the screen because of glare.

Apple also addressed the single biggest downside to owning any laptop, the difficulty in upgrading. The MacBook's hard drive is easily accessible through the battery bay, and if you have enough technical knowledge to add memory to your laptop you can most likely manage a MacBook hard drive swap. The old G3 and G4 Apple laptops required a great deal of technical skill from anyone attempting to upgrade the hard drive and you risked voiding the warranty unless you were an Apple-authorized technician.

One of the big issues everyone was talking about when the MacBook first came out was how hot the computers supposedly get. I don't know if Apple made some changes in the MacBook, the critics were just imagining it, or my computer is just a particularly cool running example, but my MacBook seems to run cooler than my old G3 iBook. I did buy a Road Tools Podium CoolPad, but even when I don't use the CoolPad heat hasn't been an problem.

Overall, I've been extremely impressed with the MacBook since I got it a month ago. The MacBook is a well designed laptop computer with plenty of innovative features. Like most Apple products, the innovations contribute to the overall design and usability of the computer and are not there simply for the sake of having another feature on the marketing spec-sheet. The one recommendation I have for anyone who wants to buy a MacBook is to not order the black version, unless you just can't live without a black MacBook. You can custom order a MacBook in white with the same specs for $150 less. You're better off spending that $150 on a bigger hard drive, more memory, or a printer.