Blog of Zeke Franco—Quasarkitten.net

“Apple has begun manufacturing its new MacBook and should have the laptop in consumer hands in the next 30-60 days, sources report. The MacBook and it will indeed be called the MacBook, sources have confirmed, as Apple will be dropping the iBook moniker.”

~ via Digg read more | digg story

My Take

Recent rumors of the macbook (non pro, previously known as ibook) finally being released sometime between May and June has me quite excited. So far I've read that the macbook will sport a 13.3in display with 1280x720 resolution ! <rant>: Finally, I mean seriously I can't believe that the ibook was still running at 1024x768 especially the 14 inch!</rant>

The next major concern I have is that they will use an integrated graphics chip in all version of the macbook, I mean I can understand if they put one in the low end version, but they should have a second ibook version that has a 64mb graphics card, or at least 32mb. Or at least an upgrade path. With the mid-end Dell laptop line (inspiron E1505) for example you can upgrade the laptop from a Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 to either an ATI 128mb x1300 Hypermemory for $79 or ATI 256 x1400 Hypermemory $143. The Intel GMA 950 chip is also used in Mac Mini with Intel, this is what is suspected to be included in the macbook. The Inspirion E1505 has a base price of $1261 (w/ 128mb card $1340 & w/ 256mb card $1404) Now I don't want to get into a total comparison of who is priced better Dell or Apple, I just am pointing out that it is an affordable option to upgrade the card if you need to, I would gladly pay $143 to get the x1400 instead of the GMA 950.

Also rumored is that the industrial design of the macbook will be the greatest change to the computer line, that Apple has made in years. Hopefully not some shiny black case that scratches easily.

So will I buy a macbook. . .? All I can say is I definitely won't if it has less than 1280 resolution screen, a video card that is integrated (with no optional upgrade path), and I'm also hoping that they will put a Express card slot, so that when the EVDO cards do come out I can use them. As of now the ibook has no slot of any kind.

So what if they do all the things I don't like? Then I'll be waiting for the macbook pro with a conroe chip or maybe a 13.3in macbook pro. I didn't buy the macbook pro because the apps I want to use (Creative suite, Final Cut Express) are not available yet. For me personally the whole point of the macbook pro is to have a top of the line notebook, which I believe it is, but by the time I get to use it it's full potential it we be a year old. So when Creative Suite and Final Cut Express comes out I will be buying a high end system.

Note: I know I'm making a lot of demands on the macbook, but I'm not saying all this features need to be in a $999 version. I would gladly pay $1499 for a 13.3in ibook 1280x720 res. Screen, 512mb ddr2 ram, 128mb x1300 card, (which I doubt they do.), 60gb 5200rpm SATA drive (hopefully i can upgrade it to a 7200rpm 100gb drive) & a Superdrive.

Labels: apple, hardware, mac, macbook