MacBook and MacBook Pro Unpacking, Disassembly and First Impressions

[MacRumors]

Apple's new MacBooks and MacBook Pros have already arrived at retail stores. A forum user posted photos of the Sydney Apple Store setting up the new laptops.

Engadget posts a series of unboxing shots, and both Engadget and Macworld posted their first impressions. We've also gathered a few other notes of interest:

- MacBook is half a pound lighter than previous.
- MacBook Pro is two-tenths of a pound heavier than previous.
- Trackpad is surprisingly usable: "The click feels similar to the traditional button -- though slightly more resistive -- and you're able to do right-clicking by either a two-finger gesture or assigning one of the bottom corners." (Video demo) - Engadget
- "Place four fingers on the trackpad and flick them up, and Expose hides all your windows and exposes the desktop. Flick down with the same four fingers, and Expose shows all windows. Swipe left or right and the application switcher appears." - Macworld
- Kodawarisan has already posted some disassembly photos of the new MacBook.
- The mystery port from the leaked photos is the battery indicator (now on the side)
- The MacBook does not have Firewire
- The MacBook Pro has Firewire 800 (which supports Firewire 400)
- Apple has posted a manufacturing video (QuickTime) of how the new MacBooks are created from a slab of aluminum.
- The $1299 MacBook does not have a backlit keyboard


Article Link

[Eidorian]

Kodawarisan is on the job still

The hard drive is even easier to access now. The battery and HD are just under one bottom panel.

[kjs862]

Wow, thats fast!

[Grimace]

Every once in a while, Steve-O and Apple make a move that pisses off the geeks (us) -- in the name of progress.

For consumers, this seems really solid. For Pros, the lack of screen options is tough. Kinda like the two-button mouse that Steve never wanted... But, we'll see how it plays out!! I'm jumping on a new MacBook Air in a few weeks!

[valdore]

I'm holding on to the hope that they release at least an anti-glare screen along the lines of the 17 inch MacBook Pro for the fifteen inchers... glossy is a no-go as far as I'm concerned if I'm going to be doing photography editing.

[Berzerker]

Want.

[ScottDrummer]

Just looking over the service manuals. Apparently we service providers need a foam wedge at 90 degrees to replace the display module available from apple at $42! lol
most minor repairs now require logic board to come out.
There is also some nice new features available to service providers, although they are not disclosable to general public.

[xDYLANx]

ALL OF THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE OG ENTRY LEVEL MB HAS A FASTER PROCESSOR THAN THE ENTRY LEVEL NEW ONE!!!


how is this progress?????

[atvbballrob]

are the proccesors in the 13inch 2.4ghz macbook and 15inch entry level the same?

[hiimamac]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

Kodawarisan is on the job still

The hard drive is even easier to access now. The battery and HD are just under one bottom panel.

It's a strange feeling actually.

On one hand Apple addressed the FEAR of the PRO using the Macbook for MOTION and realized gamers might be a bit larger, ummm, yeah. On the other hand, it's all GLOSSY (have had both Matte/Glossy Macbook Pro) and you can drive a matte on any machine.

But, this being said, no firewire, glossy only? Hmmm. I like the idea and might get a macbook sometime.

But for the first time in my life, I feel like my macbook PRO 2.4 512 MB GPU (with more cache mind you 4MB vs 3MB) is actually worth more now. I think the aluminum keys are great and while I have an iMac keyboard and it does type nice, I really don't see the Macbook Pro as a Pro machine anymore, at least not now. It should be and looks like it should be in the $1499 area (US Dollars) and without firewire on the macbook? Wow, that is going to make a lot of people upset. That omission is Steve being Steve, he gets you any way he can.

C'mon fan boyz, admit it. He will never give the consumer what he nor she wants. There is always a catch, always, always, always a catch.

Still, as a 2nd machine a MACBOOK looks cool. Will have to wait to see it in person.

But am I shocked that there is a catch? Non Matte, no 1394b on MB, nope, not at all. There is always a catch with Apple, always.

[Nobita]

Why no backlit keyboard for the other macbook?!

I hope I can see this view in sydney apple store too...

[Quillz]

I think I'm the only person here who really likes the new MacBook and MacBook Pro.

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by xDYLANx

ALL OF THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE OG ENTRY LEVEL MB HAS A FASTER PROCESSOR THAN THE ENTRY LEVEL NEW ONE!!!


how is this progress?????

Makes you wonder if we have T or P Series mobile Penryn processors. I expect a clockspeed bump in 2009 before Back to School.

[months]

Just ordered a 2.0ghz macbook with 4gb RAM and applecare with a Canon printer that is $30 after the 100 dollar rebate...

I archived/saved as HTML many pages that showed that it said it had a backlit keyboard (in the buying process, i know that it says it doesn't have a backlit on the tech specs and other places on the Apple site)

I wonder if I say something after I recieve it over the phone they will do anything about it! We'll see I'll let you guys know

[ThinkBrilliant]

Apple completely nailed it today. The new notebook line is completely spot on. From the new external designs, to the immensely enhanced internals, these new notebooks are just vastly beyond anything Apple's competitors can offer.

I wrote an article on MacBlogz (if interested) - LINK: http://www.macblogz.com/2008/10/14/a...books-spot-on/

For the sake of the community, and my sanity... Please stop getting caught up in the "absence of a tablet/touch-screen mac"." -- It's turning into a saga. It'll happen when they're good and ready.

[xDYLANx]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

Makes you wonder if we have T or P Series mobile Penryn processors. I expect a clockspeed bump in 2009 before Back to School.

there damnwell better be, when you can get a blackbook for 1299 and a refur. blackbook for 1099


why would i spend more? cause its a little thinner, and has an alum. casing?

[DMMatt]

I seriously sometimes don't understand how Apple works. Does the functionality of a backlit keyboard require that much additional space that it couldn't fit into a MacBook, or is it purely a "professional" feature?

[EW0000]

Hey

Is there no remote control? Is there an IR sensor for old ones? If not - whats that mean? I thought this was handy for presentations and with the new monitor, having a MB hooked up to it and then using the remote would be pretty nice...

[months]

Originally Posted by DMMatt

I seriously sometimes don't understand how Apple works. Does the functionality of a backlit keyboard require that much additional space that it couldn't fit into a MacBook, or is it purely a "professional" feature?

There is a backlit keyboard on the 2.4ghz macbook model...

and the reason they did it with the last generation was because it was just another differentiation between the macbook and macbook pro models

[trainguy77]

Originally Posted by ThinkBrilliant

Apple completely nailed it today. The new notebook line is completely spot on. From the new external designs, to the immensely enhanced internals, these new notebooks are just vastly beyond anything Apple's competitors can offer.

I wrote an article on MacBlogz (if interested) - LINK: http://www.macblogz.com/2008/10/14/a...books-spot-on/

For the sake of the community, and my sanity... Please stop getting caught up in the "absence of a tablet/touch-screen mac"." -- It's turning into a saga. It'll happen when they're good and ready.

Except its glossy, and no firewire. I was considering buying one but those two things make it so i won't.

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by xDYLANx

there damnwell better be, when you can get a blackbook for 1299 and a refur. blackbook for 1099


why would i spend more? cause its a little thinner, and has an alum. casing?

I'd go for the GPU but it's not worth $200 to me. Wait for the new models to hit the refurb store.

[Zimmer62943]

Anyone know if the outside apple logo on the macbook and pro's are backlit? noone has mentioned

[ScottDrummer]

its on the right next to the optical drive

[Pando]

Originally Posted by DMMatt

I seriously sometimes don't understand how Apple works. Does the functionality of a backlit keyboard require that much additional space that it couldn't fit into a MacBook, or is it purely a "professional" feature?

The 2.4Ghz macbook has one

Edit: late on that one :P

[months]

Originally Posted by Zimmer62943

Anyone know if the outside apple logo on the macbook and pro's are backlit? noone has mentioned

Yup they are if you go to the hands-on photos that are linked on page 1