# Look at the new Apple Laptop! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 15, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633 "2008-01-15T18:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/61 "2008-01-16T18:08:37Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] **COST: $1,299** **COST: $1,698 ($1,249 if you take advantage of a deal that ends Jan 31st).** [/QUOTE] I see someone else has already sort of argued with this, but I will say two things: Dell (or whomever), **always** runs sales. Apple **never** runs sales. Also, the Dell you picked has 3 gig of ram, which tends to be the most expensive add-on for laptops (for example, for the MacBook, upgrading to two gig costs $150, and to 4 gig costs $850; a huge markup. To up the Dell to 4 gig costs $250, as they’re only subbing out a 1gig dimm for a 2gig one). I’d say at best they’re comparable, with a price advantage going to the Dell. However, I think the Mac Book is a very affordable and snazzy laptop. Finally Apple has a laptop at a decent price that is powerful. I want one. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is priced way beyond what I’d want to pay for a laptop. Apple puts out some fine products, but to insist that they’re always superior at every price point for all needs is just wrong. I don’t see how, if that were true, they’d have stayed the underdog for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Screaming\_Amoeba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Screaming\_Amoeba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Screaming_Amoeba)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/62 "2008-01-16T18:23:56Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] Why is that? [/QUOTE] Because I have a wife 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/63 "2008-01-16T18:57:13Z")
[QUOTE=Tastes of Chocolate] Smells like an exec toy. You know the kind. Cost lots and only so-so features. The only ones that can afford it are people with big expense accounts, and they don’t care about good resolution or performance to begin with. [/QUOTE] Ding ding ding! We haaave a weiner! It’s cutesy and all that, but it’s nothing a “road warrior” would use for presentations or other business apps. It’s great, presumably, for watching movies, playing music and surfing, but outside of that, it’s just a heavy frisbee. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/64 "2008-01-16T18:59:51Z")
[Is MacBook Air Worth the Money? Five Slim Laptops Face Off](http://gizmodo.com/345574/is-macbook-air-worth-the-money-five-slim-laptops-face-off) ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/65 "2008-01-16T19:01:49Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] In this corner, we have a sleek, white [MacBook](http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=7B72365D&node=home/shop_mac/family/macbook) (the one in the middle) She’s got: 2.2Ghz Intel Core Duo. 120 GB HD 1 GB Memory DVD/CD Built in iSight camera WiFi (802.11n) Bluetooth Gigabit Ethernet MagSafe Power Cord 13.3" Screen (1280 x 800) 4-6 hrs of Battery life And, of course, bundled with Apple’s iLife Suite, Mac OSX Leopard, and some other 3rd party games and stuff. **COST: $1,299** In this corner, we have a [Dell XPS M1530](http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1530?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~tab=bundlestab) (Better version) This beauty come with: 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo 3GB of memory 120 GB HD DVD/CD Burner Webcam WiFi (802.11n) No Bluetooth 15" Screen (1280 x 800) Not sure on battery life? _Anti-Virus software!_ Photoshop Elements And of course, Windows Vista, Home Ed. **COST: $1,698 ($1,249 if you take advantage of a deal that ends Jan 31st).** [/QUOTE] By comparison, the Apple would win, I mean, as long as you never have to use it for work. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/66 "2008-01-16T19:15:44Z")
[QUOTE=buttonjockey308] By comparison, the Apple would win, I mean, as long as you never have to use it for work. [/QUOTE] What do you mean? I use my Macs primarily for work. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/67 "2008-01-16T19:24:56Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Not bad, it’s about as small as the [Vaio PCG-X505/SP](http://www.i4u.com/article827.html) that Sony released in 2003, and only twice as heavy. “ultra unlike anything else” indeed. Truly, Apple is on the cutting edge. [/QUOTE] How does Apple get away with these “pronouncements” they make so often? They said the iPhone was (paraphrasing) the first phone that got wi-fi. Um, no. I think they’ve claimed many times they were “the first” at something-or-other and they actually weren’t. I realize “ultra unlike anything else” is just marketing BS but who are the people who are believing it? Like I said earlier, I’ve been buying 3 pound laptops for nearly 8 years! Where does Apple get off acting like they just invented the wheel? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/68 "2008-01-16T19:26:31Z")
[QUOTE=Screaming Amoeba] Sigh. Neither of these posts are true. Dell XPS M1530 Core Duo 2.2 GHz 15.4" glossy widescreen 1440x900 display **3 GB RAM** 160 GB 5400 RPM HDD 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT Bluetooth Internal 3 year in-home service **$1944** MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo 2.2 GHz 15.4" glossy widescreen 1440x900 display **2 GB RAM** 160 GB 5400 RPM HDD 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT Bluetooth Internal 3 year AppleCare **$2848** [/QUOTE] [$1844](http://www.macconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7586198) here, with same specs except 120GB Hard Drive. Add $349 for 3-year Apple Care protection, or $188 for PC Connection’s warranty. (And, yes, that’s an Apple licensed retailer and where I’ve bought a MacBook, a MacBook Pro, and a MacPro from, all without any problems.) edit: Actually, the MBP is a matte, not glossy screen, in the link. I don’t know whether that makes it cheaper or more expensive, but I don’t know anyone who uses an MBP with a glossy screen. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Walton\_Firm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@Walton\_Firm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walton_Firm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/69 "2008-01-16T19:29:32Z")
So, will this device have a second mouse button? That was my main reason for not getting a MacBook. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/70 "2008-01-16T19:47:22Z")
[QUOTE=Walton Firm] So, will this device have a second mouse button? That was my main reason for not getting a MacBook. [/QUOTE] I’m fairly certain it does not. You can always access the right click by either control-clicking, or putting two fingers on the trackpad and clicking (you have to set that in System Preferences under Mouse and Keyboard.) And, of course, it’ll work with a multi-buttoned external mouse. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/71 "2008-01-16T19:48:38Z")
[QUOTE=Ro Carter] If I put that thing in my backpack with my textbooks, I’d be terrified it would snap in half. [/QUOTE] That was my first impression, but then I remembered that’s what I thought about the first Nano. Which turned out to be nigh indestructable (but not big or blue). And the non-removable battery may turn out to be a wise move in the long run, especially since [TSA’s starting to worry about removable lithium batteries.](http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html) I saw something about the Macbook Air being made out of more easily recyclable materials; any possibility the non-user replacable battery was intended to ensure that old batteries were recycled, rather than ending up in landfills or incinerators? ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/72 "2008-01-16T19:49:43Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] I’m fairly certain it does not. You can always access the right click by either control-clicking, or putting two fingers on the trackpad and clicking (you have to set that in System Preferences under Mouse and Keyboard.) And, of course, it’ll work with a multi-buttoned external mouse. [/QUOTE] This even works in Windows (at least under Parallels, it does). ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/73 "2008-01-16T20:05:13Z")
[QUOTE=Walton Firm] So, will this device have a second mouse button? That was my main reason for not getting a MacBook. [/QUOTE] No 2nd button, but it has trackpad gestures (like rotating, pinching and moving windows) like the iPhone. And of course, as already mentioned, the Control key, acts as a right clicking, and you can always plug in a multi-button mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/74 "2008-01-16T20:17:15Z")
[QUOTE=missbunny] How does Apple get away with these “pronouncements” they make so often? They said the iPhone was (paraphrasing) the first phone that got wi-fi. Um, no. I think they’ve claimed many times they were “the first” at something-or-other and they actually weren’t. I realize “ultra unlike anything else” is just marketing BS but who are the people who are believing it? Like I said earlier, I’ve been buying 3 pound laptops for nearly 8 years! Where does Apple get off acting like they just invented the wheel? [/QUOTE] Surely you’ve heard of the Steve Jobs [Reality Distortion Field](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_distortion_field). (And note that as a longtime PC owner who only recently bought his first Apple, a Macbook, I have to admit that Apple does a great job on the aesthetics of its products.) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/75 "2008-01-16T20:21:01Z")
So in terms of technology advancements, where does this put us on the path? What’s next? _curious, now_ ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/76 "2008-01-16T20:28:37Z")
The MacBook Air isn’t my cup 'o tea, but apparently Apple thought they needed to make such a device. What kind of people need such a thing in the PC world? And how well were ultra-portables selling? ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/77 "2008-01-16T20:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] … but apparently Apple thought they needed to make such a device. What kind of people need such a thing in the PC world? And how well were ultra-portables selling? [/QUOTE] Business people who travel and have to lug crap through airports need ultralightweights. It doesn’t seem like a pound or pound and a half would make a big difference but it really does when you’re carrying stuff around for a while. I have the 3-pound Dell I mentioned and I have a 4.7-pound Dell. And the 4.7 is very noticeably heavier after 10 minutes of carrying it. Carrying it for a whole day is torture. In fact I usually just won’t bring it anymore even though it’s my main work computer; I bring the lighter one and live without my offline folder & files. I’m sure Apple will have lots of Mac people who will buy this; it’s the “we’re breaking new computing ground _again_” attitude that is laughable. Oh pul-lease. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/78 "2008-01-16T20:38:13Z")
I don’t want to get too off topic here, but someone else brought it up and I’m curious: Why _doesn’t_ Apple just put a god-damn second mouse button on it’s devices? They obviously have software support for it’s function, but instead of doing the easy thing for their customers by making laptops and mice with a right button, they force them to either use this and that touchpad combo, or hit the control key. It’s very nice to be able ot use the mouse _and only the mouse_ when I do things that require both left and right clicking. I don’t want to always have to reach up and hit a keyboard button just so I can have the same effect a second mouse button would give. Yeah, I can use an external third-party mouse, but why should I _have_ to? Oh, right…cause a second mouse button would be ugly, or something. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/79 "2008-01-16T21:10:06Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] I don’t want to get too off topic here, but someone else brought it up and I’m curious: Why _doesn’t_ Apple just put a god-damn second mouse button on it’s devices? They obviously have software support for it’s function, but instead of doing the easy thing for their customers by making laptops and mice with a right button, they force them to either use this and that touchpad combo, or hit the control key. It’s very nice to be able ot use the mouse _and only the mouse_ when I do things that require both left and right clicking. I don’t want to always have to reach up and hit a keyboard button just so I can have the same effect a second mouse button would give. Yeah, I can use an external third-party mouse, but why should I _have_ to? Oh, right…cause a second mouse button would be ugly, or something. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] The mice that ship with all the macs do have a right click mouse (and in fact, has a scroll ball that functions as a 3rd button, and squeezing the sides gives you a 4th). It’s the lap top’s track pad that only has one button. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633/80 "2008-01-16T22:51:32Z")
[QUOTE=missbunny] Business people who travel and have to lug crap through airports need ultralightweights. It doesn’t seem like a pound or pound and a half would make a big difference but it really does when you’re carrying stuff around for a while. [/QUOTE] Exactly. Especially when you consider encumbrance rules. For example, a rogue with a STR score of 13 might find that that extra pound pushes his total load from 50 pounds to 51 pounds. This might seem insignificant, but in fact it bumps his load from “light” to “medium”. This has a net effect of reducing his base land speed from 30 feet (6 squares) to 20 feet (4 squares). Even worse, consider the –3 Armor Check penalty that comes with carrying a medium load - a serious drawback for a skills-dependent character such as a rogue. A character such as a monk or a barbarian is unable to use his Fast Movement class feature when carrying a medium load, as well. Waitaminnit … which forum is this? Where have you taken me?! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-at-the-new-apple-laptop/433633.md?page=5)