Thread: Apple Macbook

STARE THE 'UNIBODY', MacBook made from a single sheet of aluminium in the face and you'll blink in disbelief. The first thought that'll enter your head is "what happened to the plastic?" Unlike the former MacBooks, this newcomer is cold, grim and reserved in its disposition. The chances are that you'll probably mistake it for its elder mercenary brother if you see it flaunted at a coffee shop. However, its metal jacket actually harks back to the 12inch version of the go~d old PowerBook G4 - Apple's first titanium! aluminium laptop. While the new MacBook isn't as cute as its plasticky predecessor, it's incredibly aesthetic. Learning from the iPhone, the screen is now all (arsenic-free) glass and all gloss. The glass certainly adds a bit of elan but the glossy screen is mostly a no-go. If you aren't squinting from the glare, you'll probably be cocking your head at an awkward slant owing to the screen's prohibitive viewing angle.

RUNNING YOUR FINGERS , across the notebook's cold and smooth expanse is an oddly alluring feeling. The MacBook caters to your senses more than you think. It urges you on a visceral level to pick it up and smudge fingerprints all over it. Once opened, you'll see a familiar sight: the same keyboard employed in the Air is present here. If you prefer working in pitch darkness, take heed that keyboard illumination isn't available in the base model. So be prepared to give your nightbird tendencies a rain check as working in the dark is a big bother; your spellings will take a beating quicker than your lewd uncle unleashed upon a nudist colony. The trackpad is fascinating too. This oft-fingered device has been given an overhaul. For starters, there's no click button. Instead, you can directly press down at the base of the pad and it'll click! Nifty indeed. Additionally, the surface is really smooth and you won't feel much traction as you glide your fingers across. This is especially handy as the device supports multi-touch. You can perform iPhone-esque gestures as the trackpad supports three and four-fingered operations as well.





THE MACBOOK, IS the perfect combination of a high performance workstation and a portable tag-along. Owing to its slim proportions and powerful tech, it switches over seamlessly depending on the task at hand. Take a look at its 13.3inch screen - it's exceptionally bright and vibrant due to LED-backlighting which also goes easier on the battery. As far as core specifications go, you can choose between an Intel2.oGHz and 2.4GHz processor. There's 2GB ofDDR3 1066MHz memory, and a hard drive ranging from 160GB to 320GB. For those wanting more zippiness, the optional 128-gig solid state drive might be of interest. Also, this notebook has the best-in-class onboard graphics: the GeForce 9400M graphics processor. This will undoubtedly aid you in playing all but the most graphically-intensive games. Unfortunately, connectivity options have mostly been given the slip. Although DisplayPort makes an appearance here in the form of Apple's own miniaturised version called Mini DisplayPort, it requires a converter in order to be used with DVI, YGA or HDMI. And none of these converters are supplied in the box. Expect to spend anything from Rs 2,000 and higher to pick one up. There's WiFi draft nand Bluetooth 2.1 EDR for the wireless buffs. That aside, there are only 2 USB ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, audio in/out and a Kensington lock. The lack of a FireWire port is highly disappointing too. This renders the notebook pretty useless for thOse who're interested in Inaking short flicks with their miniDY-based camcorders.

FOR ALL ITS pesky bits, you'll be immersed into once you've had a go at it. The keyboard is great to type on and the multi-touch trackpad with its smart gestures make the overall experience distinctive. Speed is never really an issue as the base version's 2.oGHz processor is more than powerful enough for most tasks. Ample DDR3 memory also makes using professional applications like Adobe Photoshop a breeze- though we'll have you know that the 13.3inch screen isn't really suited for the task. The battery life maxes out at about 5 hours. Basically you'll hardly ever be out of juice between charges. Handily enough, the webcam also functions as an ambient light sensor. Overall, its Mac as x Leopard 10.5 as makes using it a whole lotta fun.

ACCOLADES, go to Apple for. creating an eco¬friendly product that's free of mercury, arsenic, Pye and BFR (Brominated Flame Retardants). Using it is plenty of fun when you aren't cursing it for its niggles. No FireWire support is seriously a pain and the smattering of connectivity options means you'll need a USB expansion hub at the least. The non¬illuminated keyboard in the base version is a downright bother too. Whether you should pick up this notebook is a tricky question to answer. MacBooks owners will probably want to stick with their laptops. This one is priced rather high and you don't gain much in the "upgrade". But for those newly shifting to Apple, this is a great place to start. It's got a little bit of everything and is appropriate for those who want a portable 1TIachine that also packs in a punch.

nice...............