Apple Laptops
Apple computers are becoming more and more popular as the years roll on. Whether it be from their funny commercials on TV or the success of the iPod, it's impossible to ignore the abundance of Apples popping up in a coffeeshop near you. Macs have also been rated the most used notebooks on college campuses. However, Apples are not just for the younger set. In order to project yourself as the hip and intelligent professional that you are, you're going to need a Mac. This guide is designed to help you pick the machine best suited to your needs. Happy shopping!
Apple Macbook
Apple's latest
Intel Core Duo processors. Apple's aiming to turn those iBook users into Macbook zealots. Apple has dubbed the Macbook "the most advanced affordable Mac notebook ever."
* The 13.3-inch screen is 30 percent bigger and 70 percent brighter than the last generation of iBooks.
* The Macbook features a builtend brethren, the Macbook Pro, the Macbook also comes with
iLife06 already installed and ready to go.
* With upgrades the Macbook can house up to 120GB of hard drive space.
* Prices start at $1099, according to the
Macbook Web page.
Apple Macbook Pro
During the Macworld Expo keynote address, Steve Jobs hailed the
Intel Core Duo processor, as the fastest notebook ever. Its specifications are impressive as any laptop available on the market.
* The company claims that Intel's Core Duo delivers performance that's up to five times faster than Apple's priorG4'>Powerbook G4.
* The 1 inchinch LCD screen that's 67 percent brighter than the PowerBook's screen.
* The system architecture has been changed to enhance performance as it houses a 667 MHz front-side bus, which is four times faster than the PowerBook G4, and ships with 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory.
* It also includes a builtRow'>Apple's Front Row multimedia software. In addition, an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 PCI Express graphics card, featuring either 128 MB or 256 MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory comes standard.
* Finally, there is built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), an integrated AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g WiFi for wireless networking, a scrolling TrackPad, and Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor technology for protecting the hard drive in case of accident.
* Prices starting at $1999 and here is a link to
Apple Macbook Pro Page
Apple MacBook Air
Starting at $1799, the
Macbook Air is the world's thinnest notebook. While its look and feel might be its grabbing points, you might want to read up and see what it has to offer.
* The Air features a newly re-engineered Intel Core 2 Duo processor, reduced in size by 60%, but still maintaining its super fast capability.
* The Air weighs only 3 pounds and features a 13.3 inch widescreen LED backlit display, with 1280x800 resolution.
* At its thickest point, the Air is .76 inches. And its thinnest point, it is .16 inches. In other words, it's crazy thin!
* It features a builtdrive. In addition, users can purchase a USB superdrive or access other computers' disc drives through the bundled Remote Disc software.
* It includes a built-in iSight camera, iChat, and Mac OS X Leopard. It also includes an oversized trackpad with extended features like pinch, swipe, rotate, and zoom.
* MacBook Air comes with 2 GB of RAM built in and has an upgradeable 80GB hard drive.
* Size does not compromise the battery life, seeing that the Air allows you to access wireless internet for a full five hours before the battery runs out.
* While it may seem that the Air is a better deal than the MacBook Pro, starting at $200 less, think about the external accessories you might need to purchase for the Air in order for it to perform functions that the Pro includes. In that respect, the Air might be best for someone looking for a second computer in addition to their desktop at home.
iBook
At about $1000, the 12 it is only about 10% slower, with similar displays. (This comment applies to the old G4 based laptops.)
* The iBook keyboard is not as nice.
* The iBook can actually take more RAM than the Powerbook!
* The 12" Powerbook display is not stunningly bright and sharp like the larger Powerbooks. Its display seems similar to the iBook's, once again favoring the iBook for the value.
* Aesthetically, the iBook looks chinsy and the Powerbook looks great. But in terms of use, the iBook is the better deal here.
The 14" iBook is clunky. As big as a 15" Powerbook (more or less), it seems less appealing than the 12" iBook.
Powerbook
* More recent models include an acceleration sensor which detects if the laptop is dropped and parks the hard drive heads before it hits the floor.
* The 17around computing.
* The front button to open the display its too thin and hard to press.
Overall these machines are gorgeous. Of course, in the end, all computers do the same thing, so part of the consideration is purely aesthetic.
