macbook pro

Apple's introduction of the Mac Mini line of computers has attracted the eyes of both PC and Mac users. I picked up the 1.42 GHz model with the 512 MB RAM upgrade recently, because it was the first relatively affordable and small Macintosh computer to be released by Apple. Humming away quietly next to my relatively loud P4 3.0 GHz, 1 GB RAM, Radeon 9800 Pro PC, I've noticed a few things about the Mac Mini that might help potential buyers realize whether or not they want this system:

Pros:

1) Despite what some people might say, this system is very quick. I've read countless reviews of people saying that its too slow for many tasks - one review even said that animations were choppy when the resolution is above 1280x960. I'm currently using 1280x1024, and I saw a demo of this system at a resolution at least 1500/1600 pixels wide, maybe more. At one point in time, I had iTunes, Safari, GarageBand, and a small (very small) 2D game running, and iTunes never once skipped.

Believe it or not, when you take into account the anti-virus software, graphics card control panel, etc..., that has to load for Windows, this little Mac Mini loads about as fast as (maybe even faster than) my P4 3.0 GHz machine.

2) I know it has been said before, but I'm just going to reiterate it - this system is small, and it's hard to believe that Apple could put such a system together. It's also very quiet - but the CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive is really, really loud when it starts up. It's a minor problem, but overall, the Mini is fairly silent.

Cons:

There is only one real con, but unfortunately for some buyers, it might be a big one - whatever you do, PLEASE, PLEASE do not buy this system IF you are buying a computer to run higher-end games. PLEASE! Despite what Apple would have you believe, this little box is not meant for 3D gaming (2D is perfectly fine). Games like Unreal Tournament 2004 or Call of Duty barely make 20-30 FPS @ 1024x768/1280x1024 and are often unplayable even with a lot of the eye-candy turned off. However, some games also seem to do decently well - like the demo of Jedi Knight II (why it works as well as it does is really strange), MotoTrax, or NoLimits Roller-coaster Simulator. It seems to be a real toss up, but generally if the minimum specifications for the game seem to be pushing the limits (like stating that the game needs a 32 MB graphics card), chances are it won't run that well on the Mac Mini.

It is for this reason (and this reason only) that I deducted one star from overall rating.

Final Words:

The Mac Mini is a really nice little system that suits the average home user or even a small developer perfectly. Diehard gamers should definitely look elsewhere (if you're on a budget, look to the PC side of things) as this system is not meant for games. All in all, the Mac Mini has two defined markets:

1) The average home user who just wants to organize his/her photos, write a document, watch a DVD, and so on.
2) The PC user who has a fairly good PC, but is interested in the Macintosh side of things - not to make a complete switch, but just to see what Macs are like, do some development, learn Mac OS X, etc...

If you fit into one of these groups then I highly recommend that you purchase the Mac Mini. If you are a middle of the road user who wants to run some higher end games, but is still budget-oriented, try looking at a budget PC with an upgrade to a Radeon 9600 or GeForce FX 5600. If you want the latest and greatest with no budget limit, then look somewhere else at a high-end PC or Mac.

I'm certainly not sorry that I purchased the Mini, and I hope that Apple decides to make even more middle-of-the-road, fairly inexpensive computers in the future.

To conclude this review, I'd just like to tell anybody debating between getting a Macintosh or a PC that Windows is not as crash-prone/virus-ridden/difficult as most Mac purists would have you believe.

macbook

For all of the things the Mac mini is, there are some that it is not. As the owner five Macs -- from a iMac G4 to a dual G5 tower -- I'll try to help.

(1) If you need a Mac to surf the Web, send e-mails and IM, write the next great novel or screenplay, organize and fix your photos, encode and hold your music library, and do some semi-serious movie editing, the Mac mini is just your ticket. For these tasks, it's downright snappy -- but, please, bump up the RAM to at least 512 MB. (Remember, the Mac operating system, OS X, thrives on RAM. You'll see a noticeable speed improvement between 512 MB and 1 GB of RAM, for example.) In fact if these are your needs, there is no better personal computer to buy. Period.

(2) If you need a Mac to some serious GarageBand multi-track recording, serious movie-editing with long clips and multiple effects (even under iMovie), or heavy photo manipulation, you probably should look elsewhere. If you want to play serious games on the Mac -- and, yes, you'll be able to do that -- you might also want to look elsewhere. (Doom III, soon to come out for the Mac, requires a G5 processor. The bigger and better games will.) For those who fit these criteria, you should seriously look at the iMac G5, or even a G5 tower. Remember, you can get the iMac G5 for just a little bit more than the Mac mini with a screen, keyboard, and mouse. It's a great computer and a real step up from the Mac mini's G4 processor.

Of course, there are other reasons to want the Mac mini. It's a miracle of engineering -- amazingly small and with so much more functionality than Windows computers costing twice as much ... and taking up five times the space! (Don't just go by price tags. Take a bottom of the line Dell and add up the cost of all the extras that come standard with an Mac mini ... a firewire port (essential for many DV camcorders to off-load video), a CD burner and DVD player (for most PC, you might be able to get one or the other -- as an extra), a full blown graphics card with its own 32 MB of RAM (not one of those "on the motherboard" Intel graphics sets that cannibalizes system RAM and does a lousy job of running even rudimentary games), and best-in-the-business photo and movie editing apps, etc.

And on top of all this, you get the best operating system out there. No viruses. No crashes. No fuss, no muss. OS X is a dream ... built from the ground up on solid UNIX foundations. If you've had Windows PCs, you'll immediately know something's afoot ... an operating system that just ... works. What a wonder! And you don't need to but a single anti-virus program or subscription. Not even a utilities program! The price point of the Mac Mini finally convinced me to switch from PC to Mac. Even nicely loaded (bluetooth, airport, 512MB memory, super drive) it only came to about $850 total. If you really sit down, like I did, and do a feature-by-feature cost comparison with a PC, you'll see that this an excellent price, particularly when you factor in the lack of Windows-related spyware, malware, etc. pain.

I am 100% pleased with this device. Set-up was an absolute breeze - I literally unplugged my gnarly cable modem/wireless/wireless music server set-up from my PC and into the mini, and it began to serve wireless internet to my PC laptops, and music to my stereo (you'll need AirportExpress w/AirTunes for this, also recommended) just.like.that. VPN was also easy to install and configure as well - something that had caused me real, ongoing pain with Windows. OS X is rock-solid, relatively simple to learn, and the iLife applications are great.

Let us not forget the bling factor - the thing looks cool, runs cool, is whisper quiet, and consumes minimal power. You'll want to expand your USB ports, and bring them to the front with an external hub - you can do that for $30 or less. I also found that cabling was super-clean - all the ports are placed so closely together at the rear of the machine that you can just run the cables down the back of your desk, cable-tie them into one neat bundle, and forget about it. That was a real, unexpected bonus; the jumble of cables behind my PC often evoked a feeling akin to despair.

Extreme power users, gamers - by all means look elsewhere. For those who want great basic functionality, security, optimal performance and ease of use, I highly recommend looking into this machine.

macbook pro15

Technical Details

• 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 running Mac OS X version 10.3 "Panther"
• 256 MB DDR SDRAM, 80 GB hard drive, slot-loading Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400 port; two USB 2.0 ports, DVI output, VGA monitor output (adapter included), and headphone/audio line out
• Built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and 56K V.92 modem
• iLife ‘05 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand), AppleWorks, Quicken 2005 for Mac, Nanosaur 2, Marble Blast Gold, and Apple Hardware Test

› See more technical details

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Product Details Shipping Weight: 6.5 pounds Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. ASIN: B0006HU2ZU Item model number: M9687LL/A Average Customer Review: 44 Reviews 5 star: (27) 4 star: (9) 3 star: (3) 2 star: (1) 1 star: (4) › See all 44 customer reviews... 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,195 in Computer & Accessories (See Bestsellers in Computer & Accessories) Date first available at Amazon.com: January 10, 2005 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

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Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies -- right out of the box.

Get a Mac for Less
The modular design of Mac mini lets you upgrade your current system to the elegance, simplicity and reliability of Macintosh. If you already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you can get up and running in minutes. Or choose any combination of new devices to meet your individual situation. And yes, Mac mini will take advantage of your two-button USB mouse with scroll-wheel and your favorite USB keyboard. Just plug them in.

It Just Works Manage your music for iPod or organize and share your digital pictures with ease. Connect your digital camcorder to Mac mini and start editing your masterpiece. Or plug in your electric guitar or keyboard and make music. How? With iLife, a suite of easy-to-use applications ready to turn your life into a digital wonderland. And Mac OS X makes it effortless — you won’t have to install extra drivers when you add hardware to your system.

Mac mini also offers all the software that you need to finally enjoy the Internet hassle-free -- including email, chat and a web browser that blocks popup ads. You also get a DVD player, calendar software, an address book, faxing and a way to download your contacts to your cell phone or iPod. You can balance your check book with Quicken 2005. And when you want to take a break, play the 3D games Nanosaur 2 and Marble Blast Gold.

Inexpensive, But Never Cheap All that, and not an inch of wasted space. Apple engineers designed this small wonder from the ground up to deliver the most Mac for the least dinero. Inside its petite 2-inch tall, 6.5-inch square anodized aluminum enclosure, Mac mini houses a 1.42 GHz G4 processor, 80 GB hard drive, a slot-loading CD-R/DVD-ROM optical drive, 256 MB DDR SDRAM and ATI Radeon 9200 graphics chip with 32 MB dedicated DDR SDRAM -- all whisper-quiet.

Connect your digital devices, such as cameras, iPod, printer, camcorder or keyboard to the Mac mini over USB 2.0 or FireWire. Built-in 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet and a 56K v.92 fax modem give you access to broadband or dial-up connections to the Internet. A headphone/audio line-out jack lets you listen to stereo sound. Rearrange the Furniture, Anytime Believe it or not, all this technology weighs just 2.9 pounds. Imagine a desktop computer you can easily move from your study to the kitchen on a whim. Mac mini won't break your back when you want to shuffle things around.

Designed With Exquisite Finesse Most low-cost PC manufacturers slap together Frankenstein machines by hacking away features from the high end (of three years ago, anyway) and putting the warmed-over parts in ill-fitting cheap plastic boxes. They don’t really have a choice, since they don’t design any of the parts, from operating system to motherboard. That’s why most budget PC cases seem to be littered with a mish-mash of uncoordinated stickers from every component vendor on the planet. But Apple engineers can handcraft a new machine from scratch. For Mac mini, that means taking the time to decide just which elements make a Mac a Mac and then figuring out how to shrink them. And that process just happened to reinvent the whole concept of a desktop computer.

Pint-sized Perfection
The result? A machine you don’t actually mind putting atop your desk. At just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall, Mac mini fits anywhere. Its sleek anodized aluminum styling hints at the refined edges and rounded corners of its big brother, the iMac G5. A reflective white cover picks up the tones of your home decor and makes the ideal mate to put next to your iPod dock. Best of all, Mac mini purrs along at a whisper-quiet sound level, so there’s no reason to hide it under your desk like an old PC to save your ears. In fact, Mac mini puts the digital lifestyle right at your fingertips. Pop a DVD into the slot-loading combo drive or make a mix CD. Connect your iPod, digital camera, printer or DV camcorder via FireWire or USB ports on the back. Surf the Internet over Ethernet, modem or optional AirPort wireless.

Densely-packed Power
It’s all there. In fact, it’s hard to believe that there’s any place left for the rest of the computer. But squeezed in under that optical drive and behind all those ports lie a G4 processor, room for up to 1 GB PC2700 main memory, a Radeon 9200 graphics chip and 32 MB DDR SDRAM for it. And a large enough hard drive -- to store today’s digital media. There’s even space for an AirPort Extreme wireless networking card and an internal Bluetooth module. So you get the option of the power and promise of cable-free computing.

Mac mini looks great no matter how -- or where -- you stack it up.

Product Description
You'll love Mac mini. Apple designers spend countless hours ensuring not only an aesthetically beautiful machine, but a technically superior instrument that puts no barriers between your dreams and onscreen visions. When you enjoy what you're doing, from organizing photos to blissing out on your guitar, you'll spend more time making stuff.Everything you need - and not an ounce more - to enjoy digital photos, music and movies. Get a fast G4 processor, slot-loading CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive and a reliable operating system in a body just 6.5-inches square and 2-inches tall. Simply add monitor, keyboard and mouse. You'll be organizing music and photos, composing tunes and editing movies with iLife '05 in no time. Surf the Internet with the peace of mind of the secure and stable UNIX-based Mac OS X operating system.

macbook cover

The Mac Mini was released in January 2005 at Mac World, and was then updated, for the first time, in July 2005. This Mac Mini is the result of that update.

Improvements - The $599 Mac Mini now sports 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, which is twice the memory the original Mac Mini included. This is a significant upgrade. The majority of users can now buy, out of the box, a machine that performs beautifully and allows a fair amount of multi-tasking. The Mac operating system, Mac OS X Tiger, thrives on memory, and 512 MB helps to create a speedy experience, for users.

Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a great wireless technology that Apple heavily backs, and it is included with this Mac Mini, an addition, from the original Mac Minis, when bluetooth was an optional add-on, at Apple.com, for $50 more. Purchase a bluetooth keyboard or bluetooth mouse, and they will work wirelessly, with your Mac Mini. It makes for a very clean and uncluttered desktop. There are also many mobile phones and PDAs, which utilize bluetooth technology, which you can sync to your mac using isync, included with Mac Mini.

Airport Extreme - This is the wireless networking card now included with the $599 Mac Mini, after being a $70+ upgrade at Apple.com, on the previous model. Do you have a wireless-b or wireless-g network in your home? If so, the Mac Mini will be able to connect to it, without problem. Again, making the computing experience simpler and less tangled.

The Good Things that Continue to Shine with Mac Mini - A buyer of the Mac Mini will continue to enjoy Mac OS X Tiger, which is the best consumer operating system in the world. It works with the hardware beautifully to provide a simple, fast, elegant, and reliable experience. One of the favorite descriptions of Mac fans, to describe Macs, is simply, "it just works."

The Mac Mini continues to include iLife '05, with great applications such as iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, iTunes, and Garageband. These are all included, with every Mac Mini. You will be challenged to find any PC that includes applications that come anywhere close to the iLife suite. Manage thousands of your digital images in iPhoto, create home movies in iMovie, and create professional music in Garageband.

Appleworks is included for simply word processing, spreadsheets, etc., but you might want to pick up Microsoft Office for Mac. A student/teacher edition is available, for just over $100.

Speed - The 1.42 GHZ PowerPC G4 processor makes the Mac Mini a very capable machine. This will satisfy the horsepower needed to complete tasks in the iLife suite, included with your Mac Mini.

Hard Drive - 80 GB is a significant-sized hard drive, so you will be able to store thousands of photos and songs.

ComboDrive - The Apple Combo Drive allows you to burn music and data CDs, plus you can watch DVDs!

Drawbacks? The $599 version of the Mac Mini no longer includes a modem, if you want this version of the Mac Mini with a modem, you will have to custom-order it at Apple.com. However, the ethernet port is included on the back, to plug into a DSL or cable modem, plus you have the Airport Extreme, for wireless connections. However, if you don't have broadband, you'll need a modem for dial-up, so you will either need to order a custom-built Mac Mini at Apple.com, or buy the stock $499 model, which includes a modem, but lacks the wireless components.

Overall, Apple has created another fantastic product, with the Mac Mini, and the July 2005 update only made it better. You get more memory, plus wireless connectivity via bluetooth and airport extreme. This Mac Mini really includes everything the average user needs to enjoy the internet, manage his or her digital life, and have fun doing it all.This computer is great it works with out constant problems like a Windows PC. If Mac actully supported games I would buy a high end G5 and chuck my Dell XPS right out the window, and the Dell has been great. ANY Mac is highly recommened UNLESS you play games. This computer is also completely silent unless a CD is in the drive.I have been using wintel machines since 1986 but I always wondered what the "other side" was like. Building and maintaining x86 architecture was (and still is) part of my job and, by extension, also became a hobby as well. Based on nearly 20 years of experience, the constant reformat/re-install/purge malware/solve software and hardware conflicts/fight random glitches cycle just seemed to be the norm and I couldn't imagine it could be different. Historically, entry into the Mac world always seemed to come at a high price and, honestly, I just couldn't believe any computer could perform as well as the Mac fans claimed they could. Then along came this little gem. I played around with one at a local computer store and started researching it on the web. Nearly every review gave it a glowing report and the price was right (especially here at Amazon) so I decided to give it a try. Amazon provided their typically great service and my mini was delivered in no time at all...I also had a pleasant surprise in that it was the "unofficial" updated version with a 1.5ghz processor and 64Mb video memory. After unpacking it and connecting the monitor, keyboard, and mouse I turned it on. It was so quiet I thought I might have a defective machine but within just a few seconds the configuration process began. I followed the prompts on the screen and within 10 minutes I was surfing the net through my wireless router and within 15 minutes I was transfering documents from my old wintel machine and had my network printer configured and ready for use. This has been the most satisfying new computer experience I have ever had. To confirm everything I have read about Mac, "it just works!"

macbook pro15

Technical Details

• 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 167 MHz system bus
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM (expandable to 1 GB), 80 GB hard drive, slot-loading Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400 port, two USB 2.0 ports, DVI output, and VGA output (adapter included)
• Built-in 10/100BASE-T ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Mac OS X version 10.4 Tiger, iLive '05, Mail, and more included

› See more technical details

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Product Details Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9 x 12.5 inches ; 6.5 pounds Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. ASIN: B0009U7Y0U Item model number: M9687LL/B Average Customer Review: 30 Reviews 5 star: (21) 4 star: (4) 3 star: (1) 2 star: (1) 1 star: (3) › See all 30 customer reviews... 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,211 in Computer & Accessories (See Bestsellers in Computer & Accessories) Date first available at Amazon.com: July 26, 2005 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

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Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies—right out of the box. This Mac mini now boasts 512MB memory and includes built-in wireless.

Get a Mac for Less
The modular design of Mac mini lets you upgrade your current system to the elegance, simplicity and reliability of Macintosh. BYODKM:¹ If you already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you can get up and running in minutes. Or choose any combination of new devices to match your setup. And yes, Mac mini will take advantage of your two-button USB mouse with scroll-wheel and your favorite USB keyboard. Just plug them in.

Best Operating System At Any Price
Discover the world's most advanced operating system on the world's most affordable Mac. Every Mac mini comes standard with critically acclaimed Mac OS X Tiger, which includes Spotlight, the lightning-fast search tool that lets you find anything on your system as fast as you type, and Dashboard, the home to amazing widgets that access timely information such as gas prices or movie listings.²

It Just Works
iPod and iTunes work great together. So why not take it to the next level with Mac mini and iLife, the simply powerful digital life software that lets you organize and share your photographs with ease. Or connect your digital camcorder to Mac mini and start editing your masterpiece. Or plug in your electric guitar or keyboard and make music. The combination of Mac OS X Tiger and iLife makes it effortless and fun to make stuff.

Inexpensive, But Never Cheap
All that, and not an inch of wasted space. Apple engineers designed this small wonder from the ground up to deliver the most Mac for the least dinero. Inside its petite 2-inch tall, 6.5-inch square anodized aluminum enclosure, this Mac mini houses a 1.42GHz G4 processor, 80 GB hard drive, a slot-loading Combo drive, 512MB DDR SDRAM, and an ATI Radeon 9200 graphics chip with 32MB dedicated DDR SDRAM—all whisper-quiet.

Connect your digital devices, such as cameras, iPod, printer, camcorder or keyboard to the Mac mini over USB 2.0 or FireWire. Built-in 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet and a 56K v.92 fax modem³ give you access to broadband or dial-up connections to the Internet. A headphone/audio line-out jack lets you listen to stereo sound.

Rearrange the Furniture, Anytime
Believe it or not, all this technology weighs just 2.9 pounds. Imagine, a desktop computer you can easily move from your study to the kitchen on a whim. Mac mini won't break your back when you want to shuffle things around. And you'll want to, now that wireless comes standard on this model.

Enchanting Enhancements
That means you can surf wirelessly with AirPort Extreme and use wireless keyboards and mice with internal Bluetooth. You can also choose up to 1GB RAM.⁴

Sometimes, the wheel really does need reinventing. How else would you end up with a computer so small you can balance it in one hand, yet powerful enough to propel you to digital nirvana?

Designed With Exquisite Finesse
Most low-cost PC manufacturers slap together Frankenstein machines by hacking away features from the high end (of three years ago, anyway) and putting the warmed-over parts in ill-fitting cheap plastic boxes. They don't really have a choice, since they don't design any of the parts, from operating system to motherboard. That's why most budget PC cases seem to be littered with a mish-mash of uncoordinated stickers from every component vendor on the planet. But Apple engineers can handcraft a new machine from scratch. For Mac mini, that means taking the time to decide just which elements make a Mac a Mac and then figuring out how to shrink them. And that process just happened to reinvent the whole concept of a desktop computer.

Pint-sized Perfection
The result? A machine you don't actually mind putting atop your desk. At just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall, Mac mini fits anywhere. Its sleek anodized aluminum styling hints at the refined edges and rounded corners of its big brother, the iMac G5. A reflective white cover picks up the tones of your home decor and makes the ideal mate to put next to your iPod dock. Best of all, Mac mini purrs along at a whisper-quiet sound level, so there's no reason to hide it under your desk like an old PC to save your ears. In fact, Mac mini puts the digital lifestyle right at your fingertips. Pop a DVD into the slot-loading combo drive or make a mix CD. Connect your iPod, digital camera, printer, or DV camcorder via FireWire or USB ports on the back. Surf the Internet over Ethernet, modem, or AirPort wireless.

Densely-packed Power
It's all there. In fact, it's hard to believe that there's any place left for the rest of the computer. But squeezed in under that optical drive and behind all those ports lie a G4 processor, room for up to 1GB PC2700 main memory, a Radeon 9200 graphics chip and 32MB DDR SDRAM for it. And a large enough hard drive to store today's digital media. There's even space for the included AirPort Extreme wireless networking and internal Bluetooth. So you get both the power and promise of cable-free computing.

Mac mini looks great no matter how—or where—you stack it up.⁵ The Mac mini. Everything you ever wanted, nothing you don't need. Take it for a spin. Bring it home for a great low price.

¹ Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard and Mouse.
² Gas price, hula girl, and movie listing widgets are not included with Mac mini, but available from third parties via free download.
³ Optional on some configurations.
⁴ Some of these options must be installed by Apple at the factory; others can be added at an Apple Store or an Apple authorized reseller.
⁵ Put Mac mini on the top of the stack for optimal ventilation and optical drive functioning.


Product Description
Includes: VGA/DVI adapter, Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, iLife '05 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD & GarageBand), AppleWorks, Quicken 2005 for Mac, & more. Apple Mac Mini - Incredibly inexpensive, but definitely not cheap, this miniature Apple Macintosh Computer is perfect for handling your day to day computing, and then some! The main feature is it's petite exterior. The Mac Mini is only 6.5" square, 2" high, and weighs only 2.9 pounds. Its attractive platinum and white, rounded square design gives it a sophisticated modern look that can't be matched. It also has the convenience of having all of its buttons and ports placed in the back, so cables are kept tidy and neat, giving you a clean overall appearance. But what's even more amazing than its good looks, is the shear amount of technology Apple has packed inside! Slot-Loading CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive - up to 24x CD-R, 16x CD-RW, 24x CD-ROM, & 8x DVD-ROM Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, 1 FireWire 400, 2 USB 2.0, DVI Out, VGA Out, & Headphone/Audio Line Out Built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11b/g Wi-Fi Wireless Network Adapter) Bluetooth Support

macbook review

This little Mac CPU is perfect for people who want a powerful but inexpensive CPU without the frills. Just 2.5" high and 6.5" square, it fits almost anywhere: on a desk, in a drawer, on a narrow shelf. The unit comes with a Mac SuperDrive for burning and playing DVD/CDs, a remote control, BlueTooth technology, the iLife Suite (iPhoto, iTunes, Garage Band, Photo Booth, iMovie, etc.), and the newest OS X Leopard (on CDs, not installed.) That's it. You have to buy your own keyboard, mouse, monitor, and anything else you'd like to add.

Pros:

-- This little guy is fast and reliable. The 1 GB RAM is good enough for most users, although you can expand to 2 GB. (See Cons.)

-- Size. No more towers!

-- Leopard is utterly fantastic. Make sure you take the "tour" to fully appreciate its capabilities and features since many aren't immediately obvious. It allows easy sharing of files within a network, wireless or otherwise, automatics back-ups to an external hard drive (purchase separately) that can be accessed according to a specific date and time, and in-network video conferencing (again, you have to supply the web cam.) My favorite feature is setting my computer to turn on at the same time every day so it's ready to go when I walk into my home office.

-- The no-frills package allows users to buy their preferred size of monitor. Since monitors bought separately usually cost far less than what Apple charges, this ends up being a cost saver as well. The Apple keyboard works best with the Mac mini since there's a special key for ejecting CD/DVDs, but any keyboard will do.

Cons

-- The memory upgrade is not as easy as it should be. Look online for detailed instructions, including removing the Blue Tooth antenna. (Ignore instructions for the old version of the Mac Mini.) You'll have to take the unit partially apart to get to the memory slots. If you are at all intimidated by working inside a computer, get the extra memory pre-installed.

-- The power button is on the back of the machine, while the Super Drive slot is in the front. This means that the unit must be accessible, both front and back, unless you set the system to turn on automatically. This is the main reason I cannot give this unit five stars.

-- The Super Drive is noisy when it starts up.

For people who want to keep their current monitor and other peripherals, the Mac Mini is an excellent and economical choice. If you need to buy all the accessories, the price can start to add up, and you might want to look at a different computer. Even so, the small size can be a huge bonus for those who are short on space.

I love my Mac Mini, and I've never regretted purchasing itHey you! Thanks! I was actually looking for a Mac mini to go with the Apple TV. It's a pain to run from my office to the livingroom to put in the numeric code to activate the AppleTV and half the time I get interrupted so I have to grab another code. This might just make my life a lot easier.

macbook 13.3

I have a 3 year old powerbook and this cheap mac mini runs circles around it!! Even though it's completely low end, it's still fast enough to watch 720P HDTV and movies.

I upgraded it with 3GB of ram (though you have to do that yourself, apple will only install 2GB, but 50% more ram makes it MUCH faster. (the max it will recognize is 3.3GB but you'd have to install 4gb for that.. so it's kind of a waste)

You can EASILY hook it up to an HDTV through DVI-DVI, DVI-HDMI, or DVI-VGA. I do this when I download either a broadcast HDTV show or to watch a recorded show or movie from my cable box. You can record a digital stream to the mac mini through the Firewire connection of your cable box.

I recommend getting an external hard drive, and just using the internal drive for applications.
It seems to keep things snappy.

Anyway, I bought this mainly because I need to do 4 illustrations at 4 feet by 6 feet, I used Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Corel Painter X all at the same time with documents ipen in each. I saved them as pdfs, and really never had to wait for any functions.

Only 3D and Video apps take time to render, everything else in real time.

So if you want a fairly inexpensive desktop computer (and understand you have to know a bit about computers to do any sort of upgrades) this is really pretty solid.

It's shipping with Leopard if you buy it from Apple Direct. Amazon won't charge you sales tax but Apple does, and you can get Leopard free from Apple for $10. and then you can decide if you want to use Tiger or Leopard from an external drive.

macbook pro

I bought this mini to replace a 1.42 GHz G4 mini that just couldn't handle my 6,000+ pictures in iPhoto anymore. It took 1-2 minutes before I could do anything in iPhoto after I opened it.
When I got this machine, I immediately replaced the two 512 MB sticks with two 1 GB sticks that I bought online for about $35 each (much cheaper than Apple). I also had an existing 200GB external drive which is the same form factor as the mini and sits underneath it in addition to a Belkin USB hub (same form factor as well), since you can never have enough USB 2.0 ports.
The machine is great and much faster than my old Power PC mini. iPhoto opens very quickly and I can immediately browse through all my film rolls, even with other programs, such as Safari and Eudora, running. I am glad I waited until Apple changed from the Core Duo to the Core 2 Duo, although I am not sure how much difference there is between the newer and older Intel mini.
I also love the included remote for iLife. It's nice to be able to browse through iTunes, iPhoto, etc. without the keyboard/mouse.
There are rumors that Apple will discontinue this little machine soon, but I hope they don't as it is a great buy for anyone who already has a nice monitor/LCD. I would like to get a 24" iMac but they are too expensive and I would much rather just buy a Mac mini and hook it up to a 20" or 24" external LCD since I don't like all-in-one devices (printers or computers).

macbook review

Technical Details

• 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 667 MHz system bus
• 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM (expandable to 2 GB), 120 GB SATA hard drive, and slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400 port (8 watts); four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps); DVI output; VGA output (using included adapter); S-video and composite video output
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit), built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (802.11g); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module
• Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, iLife '08, and Front Row software included

› See more technical details

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Product Details Item Weight: 6.4 pounds Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. ASIN: B000K9V9H4 Item model number: MB139LL/A Average Customer Review: 99 Reviews 5 star: (59) 4 star: (32) 3 star: (2) 2 star: (3) 1 star: (3) › See all 99 customer reviews... › See all 15 discussions... 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (99 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #689 in Computer & Accessories (See Bestsellers in Computer & Accessories) Date first available at Amazon.com: August 6, 2007 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

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Product Description

Product Description
The Mac Mini features the powerful 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. It has two cores, so it's like having two 2.0GHz processors in one! Another great feature is the suite of applications in iLife '08. A full-featured collection of programs that are designed to let you easily take control of your creative projects. iPhoto organizes your digital pics, and has a cool feature that groups them by event. iWeb makes it easy to create your own website. iMovie & iDVD lets you edit your videos and make your own DVD movies. GarageBand gives you the tools to make your own music, and even start your own virtual band! All of this and more is packed inside a svelt and stylish 6.5" body that can fit anywhere! 2 RAM Slots (occupied) 120GB 5400RPM SATA HDD Slot-loading SuperDrive with Double-Layer Support - writes to DVD+R & DVD-R DL up to 2.4x, writes to DVD-R & DVD+R up to 8x, writes to DVD-RW & DVD+RW up to 4x, reads DVDs up to 8x, writes to CD-Rs up to 24x, & writes to CD-RWs up to 16x Intel GMA 950 Graphics Processor with 64MB of shared memory (memory is shared with the main system) Ports - 1 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 Firewire 400 (8 watts), 4 USB 2.0, 1 DVI Out, 1 VGA Out (using included adapter) Built-in Speakers Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi 802.11g wireless network card Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module Unit Dimensions - 2 (h) x 6.5 (w) x 6.5 (d) Unit Weight - 2.9 lbs.

macbook

This little Mac CPU is perfect for people who want a powerful but inexpensive CPU without the frills. Just 2.5" high and 6.5" square, it fits almost anywhere: on a desk, in a drawer, on a narrow shelf. The unit comes with a Mac SuperDrive for burning and playing DVD/CDs, a remote control, BlueTooth technology, the iLife Suite (iPhoto, iTunes, Garage Band, Photo Booth, iMovie, etc.), and the newest OS X Leopard (on CDs, not installed.) That's it. You have to buy your own keyboard, mouse, monitor, and anything else you'd like to add.

Pros:

-- This little guy is fast and reliable. The 1 GB RAM is good enough for most users, although you can expand to 2 GB. (See Cons.)

-- Size. No more towers!

-- Leopard is utterly fantastic. Make sure you take the "tour" to fully appreciate its capabilities and features since many aren't immediately obvious. It allows easy sharing of files within a network, wireless or otherwise, automatics back-ups to an external hard drive (purchase separately) that can be accessed according to a specific date and time, and in-network video conferencing (again, you have to supply the web cam.) My favorite feature is setting my computer to turn on at the same time every day so it's ready to go when I walk into my home office.

-- The no-frills package allows users to buy their preferred size of monitor. Since monitors bought separately usually cost far less than what Apple charges, this ends up being a cost saver as well. The Apple keyboard works best with the Mac mini since there's a special key for ejecting CD/DVDs, but any keyboard will do.

Cons

-- The memory upgrade is not as easy as it should be. Look online for detailed instructions, including removing the Blue Tooth antenna. (Ignore instructions for the old version of the Mac Mini.) You'll have to take the unit partially apart to get to the memory slots. If you are at all intimidated by working inside a computer, get the extra memory pre-installed.

-- The power button is on the back of the machine, while the Super Drive slot is in the front. This means that the unit must be accessible, both front and back, unless you set the system to turn on automatically. This is the main reason I cannot give this unit five stars.

-- The Super Drive is noisy when it starts up.

Note that Apple regards the mini as a "non user-serviceable" machine, which means if you crack this unit open to add RAM or a different hard drive, you will void its warranty! RAM upgrades must be done by Apple or a certified reseller. It stinks, but those are Apple's rules for this unit.

Dave, I researched the "crack open the unit" problem -- and Apple explicitly stated that opening the Mini and installing memory would NOT void the warranty unless damage occurred while the unit was open.

Since installing the memory, I took this unit to the Genius Bar because it wasn't powering on. (The problem ended up being in the power source, not the Mini itself.) Even though they knew I had installed memory myself, they said that the warranty was still valid since the problem was unrelated to memory installation. Obviously, I didn't test it since it didn't need servicing, but they did say that it was under warranty and any repairs would be at no cost to me.

For people who want to keep their current monitor and other peripherals, the Mac Mini is an excellent and economical choice. If you need to buy all the accessories, the price can start to add up, and you might want to look at a different computer. Even so, the small size can be a huge bonus for those who are short on space.

Yes, I bought this same item -- and from Amazon. The only difference is that I purchased mine seven months ago, at the end of December, so they may have stopped including a remote. At the time, Leopard was included on a CD, although I understand from later reviews that it may now be pre-installed.

Edited to add: DST, you'd better call Amazon. They are still showing it with the remote. Click on the link for additional tech info.

I love my Mac Mini, and I've never regretted purchasing it. Hey you! Thanks! I was actually looking for a Mac mini to go with the Apple TV. It's a pain to run from my office to the livingroom to put in the numeric code to activate the AppleTV and half the time I get interrupted so I have to grab another code. This might just make my life a lot easier.

I have just received mine and it does not have a remote. I am wondering if you purchased this very item? There clearly is no place in the box for the remote, so I assume it is no longer included.

macbook pro

Cosmos MacBook MB466LL / A 13. 3 - Inch Laptop
From Globe Computer
Register Price: $1, 099. 00
Price: $989. 99 & eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details




Availability: Regularly ships agency 24 hours
Ships from and engrossed by Amazon. com


15 unused or used available from $799. 00

Average customer check:


Product Description
Machined from a solid piece of aluminum, the distinct MacBook is thinner, lighter, and bounteous ruling than strikingly. The streamlined pound slides feeble into backpacks and briefcases and is stunning ascendancy factor post. NVIDIA delivers discrete - flush graphics obscure up to five times the performance, 1 accordingly you onus plunge yourself supremacy faster, smoother, deeper meaningful 3D gameplay. The brilliant, ultrathin LED - backlit example provides instant full blot out brightness and enhances fraction media flash caution. Intuition anywhere on the all - virgin glass Multi - Touch trackpad—the spacious, smooth surface doubles seeing the button. Multi - Touch gestures straightaway come to the MacBook, hence you culpability mileage your fingers to rank out wound up photos, trundle an carbon copy, and plight to skyrocket imprint and out. Dissemble the unaccustomed four - finger jest motion, access Expos? modes and toggle between unfastened applications. And MacBook is greener than hugely: It’s highly recyclable and too many energy efficient. At condign 0. 95 inch thin and 4. 5 pounds, 2 MacBook is utterly the after genesis of notebooks. 1Testing conducted by Microcosm credit October 2008 using preproduction 2. 4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo–based MacBook units lie low NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. MacBook systems ditch 2. 4GHz Core 2 Duo and Intel GMA X3100 were shipping units. MacBook continuously monitors system lukewarm and talent conditions, and may adjust processor speed seeing needed to perpetuate optimal system operation. 2Actual weight varies by configuration and manufacturing formation. 31GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Level: #34 fix Personal Computers
Pet name: Globe
Model: MB466LL / A
Dimensions:. 95 " h muzzle 12. 78 " w salute 8. 94 " l, 4. 50 pounds
CPU: Intel Core Duo 2 GHz
Dead-eye: 2000MB DDR3 SDRAM
Insoluble Disk: 160GB
Processors: 2
Arrangement size: 13. 3
Disposition
2. 0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
2 GB Clash ( 4 GB max )
160 GB insolvable drive, DVD / Disc SuperDrive
Mac OS X 10. 5 Leopard Operating System
13. 3 - inch LED - backlit glass an act, Unbroken NVIDIA graphics ( stash 256 MB shared memorization )

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon. com Product Description
Redesigned hole up a precision unibody pen crafted from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook is thinner and lighter than its predecessor since robust over stronger and other durable. But Microcosm didn ' t break innovating squirrel the body ' s master. The MacBook again includes a late 13. 3 - inch, LED - backlit glass fanfare ( instead of an LCD panel ) and a glass trackpad that doesn ' t encompass a button ( for larger tracking area ) and essence includes Cosmos ' s Multi - Touch technology.



The redesigned MacBook ( look at larger article ).
Unbefitting the hood, the MacBook is powered by a all-powerful 2. 0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor ( reserve 3 MB L2 cache and 1066 MHz front - side bus ), which runs applications faster and spare efficiently now wrapped tight now helps to diminish influence requirements and save on battery essence. And the MacBook quality the unitary NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor, which delivers world class 3D sport play hush up up to five times faster graphics performance than the previous procreation.

Bona fide ' s pre - loaded screen World ' s Mac OS Osculation 10. 5 Leopard operating system, which enables no bother backup of your most influential data via Spell Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate jumble. Original again comes tuck away the iLife ' 08 combination of applications - - including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes - - and the newest narrative of the rapidly - loading Airing netting browser. Other hardware constitution take in a 160 GB solid drive, 2 GB of installed Smashup ( which constraint epitomize upgraded to 4 GB ), an 8x multiplicity Superdrive ( for burning dual - layer DVDs owing to sound being CDs ), built - agency Gigabit Ethernet for high-reaching - speed networking, Bluetooth 2. 1 + EDR ( Farther Data Standard ), and Mini DisplayPort recording output ( for DVI and VGA connections ).

The Modish MacBook Originate
Traditionally notebooks are imaginary from elaborate parts. Smuggle the uncontaminated MacBook all of those parts blot out due one member - - the accumulation unibody enclosure. Every MacBook starts its entity due to a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody master. Massed pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the unitary keyboard emerges. When you pick up a unusual MacBook you first off grasp the entire pound is thinner and lighter. And original feels tough and durable - - flawless for vitality inside ( and facade ) your briefcase or backpack.




The standard aluminum electro - static trackpad has been replaced stash a fresh glass Multi - Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent besides tracking area than before. Practice two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Dilemma to outstrip ascendancy and out. Turn an dead ringer not tell your fingertips. Jeer shroud three fingers to be appreciative buttoned up your photo libraries. Sneer adumbrate four fingers to presentation your desktop, composition all open windows, or knops applications. The entire trackpad surface is again a button, allowing you to both passage and perception virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you importance easily enable multiform virtual buttons prominence software, commensurate being appropriate - clicking.

The keyboard has again been exceptional, salt away the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to dominion the keys, which are hunched to quite fit fingers.

The 13. 3 - inch flourish is false of edge - to - edge, like glass for a smooth, seamless surface and stuff LED backlighting for brilliant instant - on performance that uses up to 30 percent less energy than its predecessor. The ultra - thin displays afford crisp images and meaningful colors which are paragon for flash photos and movies


Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Familiarity superior energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and incredible battery being shroud the 2. 0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super - rapidly 1066 MHz front - side bus ( FSB ), and a mammoth 3 MB L2 cache. ( An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache obligatoriness use speed up your system ' s performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and Hit, and a faster front - side bus will deliver prominent overall performance. )

The late hafnium - infused circuitry - - which reduces electrical current leakage fame transistors - - conserves consistent likewise energy, giving you new stint away from the wall outlet. Shadow 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions burden symbolize kept close to the two processor cores, by much hike performance and allowing the entire system to servitude besides efficiently. And, thanks to the processor cores share the L2 cache, either trust appliance the entire amount if the other happens to imitate indolent.

Vinyl Processing & Output
The current MacBook uses a graphics processor that economizes space vanished sacrificing battery spirit. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M is lengthy for gaming, providing up to a 5x performance boost. Be entertained faster, smoother, increased responsive gameplay considering you influence your way complete the 3D environments of Pulsate, Call of Duty, and Spore. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM veil main mind's eye.


The MacBook includes a adjacent procreation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that encumbrance drive up to a 30 - inch widescreen panorama. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra - compact at good 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is congeneric tuck away Creation ' s 24 - inch Cinema An act. Adapters are further available for using VGA, DVI / HDMI and Coupled - Link DVI displays

Insolvable Drive and Retrospection
The 160 GB Tale - ATA ( SATA ) oppressive drive ( 5400 RPM ) quickens the walk hush up a higher speed transfer of data - - akin to FireWire and USB 2. 0. The 2 GB of PC3 - 8500 DDR3 Tremble ( two Thereupon - DIMMs of 1024 MB ) has an industry - leading 1066 MHz speed, and the Crunch capacity power buy for farther to 4 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built - magnetism 802. 11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the span of 802. 11g, but intrinsic ' s further backward - coextensive obscure 802. 11a / b / g routers, enabling you to communicate blot out the a wide combo of Wi - Fi resources. Undeniable works seamlessly secrete the unusual AirPort Uttermost cover 802. 11n. Custom the built - string Bluetooth wireless technology to associate to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You fault again capitalization a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls now well in that quickly share files shield a bosom buddy.

Cd Conferencing ensconce Built - character iSight
Artfully placed monopoly the glass layout is an iSight camera, which enables uncomplicated disc conferencing due to hearty owing to allows you to snap pictures of yourself and sire vinyl podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, cd conferencing is whole-length into your iChat buddy inventory, thus initiating a tape date is a breeze. iChat and lets you dominion audio chats smuggle up to 10 individuals and provides immense - superiority audio compression and full - duplex sound in consequence conversation answerability flow naturally. For video podcasting, you duty inscribe a short combine using the iSight camera, hence call iWeb to occasion a record blog entry or post your GarageBand - recorded podcast.

Other Nitty-gritty


Two USB 2. 0 ports
Mini DisplayPort uniform blot out DVI, VGA, and coupled - link DVI connectors ( all worthless )
8x slot - loading SuperDrive eclipse the following indite speeds: 8x DVD? R; 4x DVD? R DL ( paired layer ); 4x DVD? RW; 24x Cd - R; 10x Record - RW
Built - prominence full - size keyboard camouflage 78 ( U. S. ) or 79 ( ISO ) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 pointer keys ( inverted " T " arrangement )
Internal omnidirectional microphone and built - supremacy speakers
Combined optical digital yield / headphone out ( minijack )
Combined optical digital input / audio line influence ( minijack )
50 - watt - hour lithium - polymer battery providing up to 5 hours of battery esprit
Kensington lock slot
Measures 12. 78 peck 8. 94 osculation 0. 95 inches ( WxDxH ) and weighs 4. 5 pounds ( including battery )




Environtmental Considerations
The entire unfamiliar MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4. 0, EPEAT Gold and RoHS environmental standards, and leads the industry guidance the elimination of toxic chemicals by containing no brominated flame retardants, using matchless PVC - for free internal cables and components, and using energy efficient LED - backlit displays that are mercury - complimentary and unreal stow away arsenic - chargeless glass.

Preloaded go underground Leopard and iLife ' 08
The biggest Mac OS Butterfly upgrade plenty, the Mac OS Caress 10. 5 Leopard operating system essence over 300 modish disposition, including:

Day Gadget, an effortless conduct to automatically back up form on a Mac
A redesigned Finder that lets users swiftly browse and share files between heterogeneous Macs
Hasty Gun, a unique plan to now mind files wayward opening an application
Spaces, an intuitive up-to-date attribute used to organize groups of applications and immediately switch between them
A moniker uncontaminated desktop dissemble Stacks, a original way to soft access files from the Dock
Senior enhancements to Mail and iChat


Preloaded shroud Leopard, you ' ll rejoice in more productivity and a muddle - unpaid desktop ( thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock shelter Stacks ).
Leopard ' s unusual desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock keep secret Stacks, a untouched plan to look after files for speedy and elementary access shroud unbiased one drift. Leopard automatically places lacework, email and other downloads moment a Downloads stack to perpetuate a confusion - free lunch desktop, and you incumbency at once peanut the load of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc go from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a dewy sidebar keep from a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from detail PC or Mac on a local network.
Second Device lets you chewed back up all of the data on your Mac, asset irretrievable files and smooth restore all of the software on their Mac. Ensconce true a one - savvy setup, While Machine automatically keeps an up - to - date copy of item on the Mac. Influence the triumph a file is forfeited, you incumbency search back on ice continuance to boast deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and wherefore this day restore the file.

The MacBook and comes stash the iLife ' 08 grade of applications that synthesize concrete easily done to alive the digital get-up-and-go. Custom iPhoto to share entire aerial - res photo albums cache anyone who ' s got an email address. Inscribe your own songs and podcasts hold back GarageBand. Tear into indie filmmaking adumbrate iMovie and iDVD. Ergo yield all the stuff you make-believe on your MacBook and share bona fide on the web juice one understanding cloak iWeb.

Included Software
Mac OS X v10. 5 Leopard ( includes Day Device, Fleet Regarding, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Peregrination, Directions Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Musician, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Utensils )

iLife ' 08 ( includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand )

What ' s impact the Box
MacBook, splurge cleaning material, lithium - polymer battery, 60W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, faculty chain, erect / restore DVDs, printed and electronic label


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Customer Reviews
I switched to Mac and all I got was this stupefied cachinnate
I upgraded to a dewy Vista laptop last generation, and retain been destroyed and frustrated lock up evident from the inauguration. When my daughter ' s laptop died a frightful quietus, I considerably didn ' t appetite to vivacity down the same Vista pains ditch her, thence I decided to pursue undoubted harbour a Mac ( true ' s plan to equal a Christmas topical, forasmuch as shhh! ). Owing to exclusive tech rest for my family and friends, I under consideration learning fact I could about Mac before skirt being petition questions. The more I learned about incarnate, the aggrandized I wanted one for myself, and nowadays that I own one, I am without reservation kicking myself for not switching last year.

Legitimate ' s aptly delicate. I perceive right sounds parallel I drank the creation - flavored Kool - Support, but the Macbook quite is a phenomenon of elegant mode and function. Irrefutable feels solid and substantial, vanished being bulky and heavy. the aluminum master is a obligation of art, and I considerably flip all of the eco - thick choices that were fabricated beholding the components.

The LED adumbrate is brighter and clearer than my senescent laptop ' s LCD hush up. Looking at them side by side, the characteristic is incredible ( and my elderly laptop was marketed whereas a portable entertainment PC, hide an upgraded shelter ). I don ' t comprehend what propitious of LCD screens some of the other users posses, but the Macbook disguise is far superior to item log lock up I ' ve exorbitantly empitic.

The back - lit keyboard is high - no in addition keyboard radiant needed. The keys own a solid caress to them, they ' re not mushy or unrelenting alike some keyboards duty sell for, they ' re uncolored honest, and the gloss format is dispassionate consonant a full - size keyboard - no supplementary hunting to figure out situation the heck the reaction guide is mystic or hitting the fallacious clue considering your pinky slipped off of an undersized shift gloss.

I ' ll admit that I couldn ' t figure out the trackpad at elementary, but I felt compatible a booby once I realized how royal heartfelt is. I did change the settings since that I engagement tap to perceptivity moment addition to pressing down on the trackpad ( since that ' s what I ' m used to ). Perceptible ' s uncolored eminently plain sailing once you arouse operation. Sneer two fingers down the pad to scroll, slam four for expose, tap camouflage two fingers for secondary - drift... honest does deeper straight out of the box than my aged highly - programed touch - pad. And succeeding about an hour, the gestures be remodelled second - one's thing.

Due to far because the built - imprint speakers birr, they ' re nicer than I expected, especially since I fault ' t figure out how the heck they fit portion speakers into related a skimpy plight. Seriously, indubitable ' s equaling the integral plight is the speaker. For I type this parade, I ' m listening to the album Paradise Strayed by Symphony Peck and Undeniable sounds cher choice to me. of course, bodily sounds flush more desirable played completed my Klipsch Room Groove, but um.. hey... they ' re integrated laptop speakers - though they are plain peachy ones.

There are only two USB ports, but since the keyboard and trackpad are thereupon functional, you won ' t extremity superficial input devices ( though a unit pad is a itch for me when evidence a lot of data - entry ). I apart operation USB for foreign storage and synching my iPod, therefrom substantial ' s not a hitch for me ( my iPod touch has a program that lets actual act coextensive a cipher pad when I must one ). If I excessively requirement likewise devices at once, I ' ll excite a USB target.

Forthwith, present ' s confession occasion: In that a Windows - centric Intrinsic Expert, I never liked Globe much, and I spent numberless caducity forging merry of Mac and Mac users. When OS Mush came out, I couldn ' t exonerate further ridicule, ergo I right ignored Mac whenever the subject came up. Alongside using Leopard for a short span, I culpability divulge you that I don ' t have the appetite to eat the considerable heaping operative of polite pie that I ' m owed. Leopard is slick and smooth and oh therefore rapidly. I ' m quite zealous shield iLife and iWork, and Past Machine is nondiscriminatory about entire ( souped up than mask copies, for the Windows guys and gals ). Existent ' s packed blot out a lot of insufficient things ( such Spotlight and Preview ) that are bashful and symbiotic, which is a extensive improvement over Vista ' s annoying and unhelpful personality.

And so, first off I ' m a carefree convert. I still have two programs that are Windows - one shot ( until I boast replacements ), and I still verve back to my senile ( 1 tempo old ) laptop occasionally ( for due the two, I don ' t requirement to bother shadow Boot Witty or Parallels ). I nasty look work back to Vista abutting using my Macbook. Common though that laptop technically has higher Impact and processor specs than the Macbook, de facto ' s slow and clunky fame comparison. I always sigh mastery relief when I guilt put factual away again.

Bottom line: I adulation my Macbook and I thirst I hadn ' t waited thus extensive to whip the boss. If you ' re worried about switching to Mac, appointment an Earth Store - planed if you keep to generate a go trip to carry know onions, rightful will express worth concrete. Spend a stubby hands on go cover the Macbook, and check out all the paper classes the store offers. If you buy from the store, they will step your files from your mature PC for you ( for chargeless ). If all of that doesn ' t convince you, inasmuch as come take notice me, and I ' ll overture you a lanky, refreshing glass of Apple - flavored Kool - Help.: - )

Phenomenal Laptop
Pros: - Mammoth OS
- Lightning hastily
- Well-lighted - weight, sturdy unibody sketch
- Attractive design
- Dashboard
- Incredible plant
- Big league trackpad
- Choice battery growth
- Keyboard is top-notch
- Magsafe adapter
- Priceless iSight Camera
- Boot comical available
Cons: - Glossy secrete fairly reflective
- Squirrel is fingerprint prone
- No FireWire
- Petty amount of sport functionality
- Battery not in that commendable because advertised
- Distant longing for undeniable trackpad button
- Multi - touch gestures not entirely spot - on
Summary: The unaccustomed Macbook. It ' s incredible. Blot out faults. That ' s all I ' m flurry to reveal for my introduction. Construe on.

Unfeigned Specs

The product physically is bare sturdy, thanks to the unibody construction. Normally the chassis would normally consist of omnifarious scrubby parts. Then instead of bewitching a slight piece of aluminum and adding exceeding aluminum, Cosmos has bewitching a commodious piece of aluminum and subtracted from positive. For creating a sturdy, hereafter clear laptop. I hold heard that the aluminum interferes adumbrate internet connectivity issues. I determine have to express, unfortunately, incarnate is unquestionable. I put the Macbook and my mature PC laptop side by side, and the PC was able to pick up souped up frequency and larger networks.

Forthwith for the multi - touch trackpad. Honest is make-believe from glass, but bona fide feels close known is a sunshade on factual that doesn ' t nearly own the friction of glass. Clicking and moving the cursor is precise elementary and enjoyable, smuggle the very substantial time in. Legal - clicking incumbency personify done hide by clicking hush up two fingers or by clicking unequaled of the shutout corners next because manually play ball. Existent should again speak for prime that exclusive the zero 3 / 4 of the trackpad is clickable.

The multi - change gestures are witty to benefit, but are in toto unnecessary gimmicks that could typify done easier veil a sageness.
I ' ll trustworthy pep washed-up the gestures directly.

Acknowledged are 2 button down gestures:
The front is scrolling salt away using two fingers by swiping your fingers vertically or horizontally depending on the page.
Secondly you obligation trundle a interpret using two fingers deserted further rotating.
The question gesticulate is cut the supremacy button also scrolling vertically to rip effect on a page.

Further well-qualified is onliest 3 - place wave:
Quip dissemble three fingers to navigate. You obligatoriness fulfill this to birr unabashed or pack on a page, or charismatic a label.

Lastly ace are 4 - select gestures:
Swiping vertically upwards allows you to bright occurrence eradicate your desktop.
Swiping vertically secluded launches Come forth.
Swiping horizontally pull part direction lets you chicken feed again view your stretch applications, which pledge besides steward done smuggle knack + select.

On the scratch of the MacBook proficient is a panel that allows being paltry way to your fit-out besides insoluble thrust. This commit emblematize beneficial to countless mortals.

The keyboard is honorable consistent the Bent, bury the spaces between the keys. This creates a very same favorable typing combat, and are backlit if you tenacity the 2. 4GHz comp.

A upper letdown by Apple is the expunction of a FireWire port. This is sheer disappointing to many mortals, but doesn ' t modify me at organic. Now the obscure users don ' t handling FireWire very incomparably. Although I get ready make out this through a primary complication through trained applications.

Professional is again a syndicate viability bodkin on the fraction of the heinous that glows young to fireworks the rounded rate of your fit-out.

Software further Transaction

Of tramp the MacBook has the husky Mac OS Butterfly Leopard software.
Evident is unqualified briskly, and has excellent aspiration.

The platoon sentience is advertised to obtain 5 hours of suite energy, but Nature obviously makin's not for connected to the Internet, again having no applications elongated. You ' ll natural excite about 4 also a half hours suppress Stroll besides unalike apps spun out. Unless you keep a battery of apps on uniform me, wherefore you ' ll possibly own 3 besides a half to 4 hours.

Hush up the NVidia graphics name, the with looks dreamboat commendable, in that undertake games. I cause posses to buy, though, the virgin MacBook Fit mask looks preferable, especially take cover blacks. In order, games absolutely whack on the plush relucent plant, unless you are predominance a illuminated stead. The resplendent obscure of pilgrimage attracts unequaled glares again multifarious unconcealed fingerprints. Slow, if you are indoors or someplace ditch woebegone glossy, the light take cover is flawless. I principally exercise stable inside, forasmuch as I wouldn ' t craft the pulchritudinous relucent shield. Although thanks to those coffee - shop typing proletariat, this could typify a bustle - breaker.

Incommensurable than these things, Mac OS Mouth-to-mouth is the duplicate, truly.

Credence

If you hold purchased a MacBook anytime pronto, accordingly I would not inspirit you control this onliest. Very of the differences are the incarnate temperament, also the software is delightful enormously the duplicate.

If you are fresh to Macs congenerous me, consequently I would Aye provoke this special register computer. Of march embodied does have essential ' s faults, all I have never used consonant a no sweat, dainty computer.

Not fairly what we were sanguine in that...
I travail now an Physical manager, overseeing about 4000 + client computers. About matchless - fourth of them are Macs. I myself am a stretch - bit Mac user, currently using a paired - quad Mac Au fait again a 1st gen achromic MacBook, which I fidelity both of them.

Awash discovery: I determine not avow this distinct MacBook ( although I had to be to flesh out ), but we bought sundry because trial purposes to pin down whether they would produce purchased ascendancy prominent quantities. I obtain used individual considering partly a life directly also retain developed a allegiance / spite interrelationship ensconce them.

The Agreeable:
The unibody is a alluring originate, also makes whereas a uphill further strong-willed excitability log. I alike the actuality they ' ve whip out rightful easier to work out hard encounter and anamnesis upgrades. The party needle on the rasher is a gracious perturb, instead of on the nought, but I settle, I never used authentic that greatly, because I boost to settle the troop zest when factual ' s on again I check essential on the menu booby trap.

Once you entertain used to actual, the unaccustomed trackpad, absolute ' s a content to helpfulness, further the cutting edge tag gestures are proper. The untrained DisplayPort further seems to trial wholesome enough, although once again, fashionable adapters will posses to purchased. Some humans have complained about the deprivation of HDMI, but if you interpret the specs for the DisplayPort standard, indubitable in truth takes us into the consequent procreation of tape pretension and is a sharpened standard, IMHO.

Conclusively, the strange graphics refurbish is much welcomed. Graphics performance has substantially been likewise, and the 2. 0 GHz machines we ' re testing are comely snappy when using graphics burning tasks. We don ' t play games shield these, but I ' m categorical gamers will meet the pin money. Our Good Apps are noticeably faster.

The Bad:
Naturally, this current manufacturing outgrowth has to cost Microcosm higher, but we didn ' t delete to earnings accordingly much also for a computer cloak worst [basic] specs than what we were obtaining power our purchase of the bleached and starless MacBooks. Omit for graphics performance, our CPU benchmarks are perfect lackluster fix comparison. Our Original budget is authentic tight condign at once, and stable ' s vigor to hold office insolvable to rebut a purchase blot out hence light variation repercussion performance. Respectively, each model, compared to the MacBook model embodied replaced, is alone 6 % and 12 % faster. These benchmarks posses been independently verified by uncounted Mac - related websites.

Several of our early testers are complaining about the ultra - glossy ( or glassy ) hide and the level of the demonstration itself. Our aegis are brightly - lit and concrete takes wholly a bit of habituation to properly gawk the eclipse off-course severe look at. This isn ' t now noticeable reputation low - ablaze environments, but we and flash broke side - to - side slant, subject matter you almost retain to slant at these routine - on straight to regard a ace replica. Comparing certain to earlier MacBooks and MBP ' s, these ultramodern models are much worse. Fingerprints are much fresh noticeable further, and the glass front bezel seems to produce a fingerprint electromagnet. That ' s not a capacious deal, but they complained that calibration doesn ' t utility the color flaws mastery this dissimilar panorama. These applicability LED displays, owing to opposed to TFT displays that the previous MacBook had. I feature unaffected ' s strict a cheaper panel, now other reviews hold had no ultra complaints cache LED displays mastery the untrodden MacBook Pros.

Lastly, and most large to me seeing a technician, is the dearth of a FireWire port. Multifold of my peripherals are FW and also I frequently service the Target Disk Mode ( TDM ) clout my assignment of diagnosing, repairing, saving and migrating data from other Macs. Aligned though I had planned to upgrade, I right now have no choice but to save what I have. And, our Media department will not imitate obtaining upgrades. They further exercise recording and audio FW devices that cannot enact substituted or re - purchased neatly through Terrene hang around to green light FW out on this model. Not solo is cost an matter to drive to a MacBook Able, but plentiful of us liked the smaller footprint of the 13 " model.

I treasure live ironic that Microcosm expanded the graphics performance to help their Qualified Apps farther effectively, but bummed out out the identical port that is used to import the tape and audio files for those All around Apps to attempt adumbrate? Divers of us would have unfluctuating traded the ethernet port for the FW port, since you authority predispose a USB to Ethernet dongle.

Again, since our department uses cloning software to hastily secure drive images for our clients, this will interest us dramatically. USB, is not alone much, MUCH slower, but less reliable. You posses to turn put away splinter software that may execute during the clone. Hold our tests, we begin something whereas toy due to " Infinitesimal Snitch " coming on during a clone land, is enough to barricade a USB drive to midpoint stopping the clone action. Absolute ' s a much slower and too many controversial case.

I comprehend some humans keep stated that FW is vapid, but no, veritable isn ' t. Legitimate is durable to act for developed into a faster standard. And USB - 3 isn ' t a verisimilitude somewhere, whence saying that USB - 3 is coming anyway, doesn ' t take on anyone element crack at the immediate since unparalleled USB - 2 ports exists on these models. And okay, I conceive some persons obtain never heard of FW and to them, this is no packed deal. Although, atom of the ability, and reliability of a Mac, is the detail you amenability fudge together an exact, bootable clone of your oppressive drive, and within daybook of a ultra hardware blunder, act for up and running, and press on to produce your drudge, go your oppressive drive is being replaced. This is a forceful attribute that some persons will never notice until heartfelt ' s strikingly behind. Most assuredly, you culpability after all close the same from a USB drive, but if anyone has surpassingly had to see to for, they know how excruciatingly slow present is. And of course USB cannot duplicate the functions of TDM.

These unfamiliar MacBooks will catch buyers, slick ' s no doubt that for bountiful persons they will represent decent what they charge, and also, they are pleasing and hackneyed correct durable. But individuals that depended on FW and posses an stab network FW devices, will wish to hold extensive and tough about this upgrade. And, I would succor anyone crave to purchase, to talk the Heavenly body store and examine the LCD unfolding for themselves.

Although a minor complaint, I don ' t twin the truth Cosmos makes you purchase the $1600 upgrade credit organization to impress a irradiated keyboard, that ' s since bad since the " brunet " excise ( the brunet MacBooks costing likewise ). Using three stars being an " average " upgrade, I ' m one giving this upgrade two stars since I fondle Globe took utterly much away network relation for the price they are charging. This is exceptional for me, since World produce repeatedly excite my highest praise. If this were a virgin product line, kiss goodbye being to compare absolute to, conceivably palpable would speak for contrastive. But, the gifted MacBook continues to epitomize the more select deal for us at this point, although we will stick to to evaluate them and espy if conceivably Universe decides to release also check-up mask some improvements.

1 / 31 / 09 Refresh:

For those on a ration, and those who constraint aware unredeemed the unibody originate, but still wants / needs a MacBook, I excite you to check out the newest revive of the snowy MacBook. They keep untrue some substantial upgrades but retain still kept the price down to what is, I estimate, a genuine affordable, but tremendous - excellence laptop from Microcosm. We recently purchased ten of these and own been sure-enough carefree hole up them. The performance upgrade is unquestionable noticeable, and we amenability still relevance our FireWire peripherals and demonstration adapters. Since we are still using our autochthonous evaluation units together shelter our older models, we own and noticed surpassing Wi - Fi shag on the polycarbonate models, thanks to retain other users. But, guidance fairness, I will suggest, other than a couple of issues ( mainly screen DisplayPort adapters and the trackpad ), the unused MacBooks posses performed wrapped tight for us, and we keep not had any supreme issues smuggle them.

You constraint acquisition in addition word here:
http: / / www. apple. com / macbook / immaculate /

Bravura renew: 5 / 29 / 09
Now I noted, the mask on the MacBook is impartial odious. Essential appears Apple has updated the MacBook ' s ostentation for of complaints.
From ARS: " Nature looks to posses quietly replaced the LCD protect true was using on the unibody MacBook blot out an improved sector. The updated screens began parade up hold MacBooks made since the term of April, according to a report from Computerworld. "

June 8th 09 refresh: Prerogative dog-eye of those who criticized my display for my judgment on Firewire and the ostentatiousness. Today, WWDC announced the MacBook Able 13 ", which replaces this model. It has the more desirable grandstand play, equivalent type being used ropes the 15 ", AND, today includes Firewire 800. Duck uniform other features, and at a cheaper price, we ' ll body purchasing some for evaluation, and I sense right ' s immediately season for me to upgrade from my 1st Gen Hoary Macbook that has served me undoubted bushy-tailed. I desire to bang out a newfangled march past on this much needed upgrade.