Apple Releases the MacBook Pro

[MacsomJRR]

I ordered a MacBook today over the phone and the rep said there is no confirmed date in February. Just February. Could be the 1st, could be the 20th. Who knows

Most people are being quoted end of February by Apple so that is weird they didn't give you a date.

 

[buryyourbrideau]

Most people are being quoted end of February by Apple so that is weird they didn't give you a date.

And did they just say they were quoted a specific date or do they have proof of a specific date, I talked to the most knowledgeable and coolest rep I have dealt with in 3 years of buying apple products and he said if they dont know a date, then how could anyone else. It just says Feb on their computers and no one knows more than anyone else.

 

[MacsomJRR]

And did they just say they were quoted a specific date or do they have proof of a specific date, I talked to the most knowledgeable and coolest rep I have dealt with in 3 years of buying apple products and he said if they dont know a date, then how could anyone else. It just says Feb on their computers and no one knows more than anyone else.

I forget exactly where they are on here but a couple people have been quoted late February ship dates after purchasing their Macbook Pro. I think one was 21st and the other 23rd.

I'll poke around for them...

OK found one. It's in "Macintosh Computers," post 12 of the "I'm tired of waiting for my MacBook Pro and there's still a month to go " thread.

 

[AllAmericanCool]

Help!!

Hey everyone, I ordered a Macbook Pro when it first came out, but I have never used a Mac before. I'm currently using Windows XP on a HP notebook, and the only things I use are American Online, iTunes, and rarely a word processor for typing school papers. Did I make a wise choice? Can I install AOL on my new Mac? Will it have to run under Rosetta? Any information will be greatly appreaciated because I am really clueless on anything involving a Mac, but I've wanted to switch ever since I got my first iPod. Thanks!

 

[buryyourbrideau]

well i would like to see a screen shot of someones order status page considering a few of my friends just say February just like mine.

 

[MacsomJRR]

well i would like to see a screen shot of someones order status page considering a few of my friends just say February just like mine.

I'll be ordering my Macbook Pro in a couple days probably so I'll let you know if I get a specific date.

 

[cheekyspanky]

Screengrab from my order..

 

[JMRJR85]

hey well i'm kinda new to the whole mac thing and i must say ilove it i have a imac g5 and a power mac and i just ordered the new macbookpro i just cant wait to get it !!!! i do love mac's

 

[MacsomJRR]

Hey everyone, I ordered a Macbook Pro when it first came out, but I have never used a Mac before. I'm currently using Windows XP on a HP notebook, and the only things I use are American Online, iTunes, and rarely a word processor for typing school papers. Did I make a wise choice? Can I install AOL on my new Mac? Will it have to run under Rosetta? Any information will be greatly appreaciated because I am really clueless on anything involving a Mac, but I've wanted to switch ever since I got my first iPod. Thanks!

You'll be very satisfied. Yes you can run AOL but it'll be under rosetta. Perhaps the bigger question is why you are even using AOL

 

[zync]

Also, to touch on like a three page sub-thread between two enthusiastic gentlemen sparring over technical issues in OS X, Windows, and Life, I have a question for you both: have either of you ACTUALLY used Windows in any sort of informed manner? It really doesn't sound like it.

-Registries do not really slow down a system after getting magically corrupted by crap after months of use.

-Using IE as a negative part of Windows is like saying OS X sucks because Safari still can't render websites that people rely on.

-Regarding legacy connections on a Professional-Series Laptop: Funniest thing, I went to connect by old LaserJet printer to my PowerBook the other day and found that Apple must have decided that parallel ports were "obsolete." Those bastards: after all, this IS a pro machine. (Just kidding- I don't own a PowerBook.)

-Vista does not suck, in the literal sense of the word. So far, it looks like it's a fairly stable OS that has tackled a lot of usability issues that XP has. If you run XP and your system is bogged down with tons of spyware/viruses/possessed by demons, you can't uninstall software properly, and you are constantly faced with rundll32 errors, then there is something wrong with you. Install spyware/virus protection, learn how to use the damn thing, and try not to confuse ignorance with "an inferior platform." Or continue to complain about it. Either way.

You must not have been paying attention. Most of the things you mentioned, like IE, just came up in conversation. As far as using Windows goes, I've touched nearly every version of the software and have performed hundreds, possibly thousands, of Windows installs.

I've had machines running 3.1, 95, 98, 98 dual booting linux, 2000, and XP.

Also, the registry can be problematic: as shown here. It's not as big of a problem with XP systems, but it is still a small factor. DLL files left over after installs and other such problems are the result of most slow downs.

No one said anything about legacy stuff needing to be included. As I recall, FW800 and DL DVD burning are far from legacy. And no one said Vista or XP sucked. If anything was said it was with regards to OS X being better and Vista attempting to bridge the gap. Please don't comment if you're going to openly admit that you only read 1/3 of something. Especially since you apparently didn't even understand what you read.

 

[Surreal]

jbouklas- you cannot delete IE. you cannot uninstall IE, and this is not as academic a problem as it sounds because of all of the security risks IE poses. XP is much "better" after SP2, but i diverge. IE IS a part of windows; you can't delete it because it is intrinsically tied to the file explorer.

windows is simply not my preference...i used to hate it...the blue screen haunted me...but i haven't seen the blue screen in a while. it is strange to say it, but i haven't.

this whole windows versus mac thing is pretty ppointless though. the people who argue about it obviously hav e reasons to defend their platform, but many buy for less involved reasons. ...let it go... i want to talk about the macbook pro...in the macbook pro thread.

are there any respectable eSata enclosures and expresscards? if i used that i wouldnt be so sad about losing FW 800...(which i would still be sad about.)


P.S.
"[The registry] is the devil, is the devil's wet dream." - Ani DiFranco (Serpentine)

 

[Krevnik]

Having legit issues with this Rev A does not make one a "nay-sayer." It makes one an informed, discriminating buyer.

If you want to ignore all of this to justify your purchase of this Rev A -- I certainly can understand that. If I just plunked down $2k+ for a machine with so many obvious shortcomings I might be rather defensive as well. As they say, "Buy in haste. Repent in leisure."

So many obvious shortcomings? Yes, it has areas worse than the current model Powerbook: Firewire downgrade, DVD drive downgrade, the loss of the internal modem, along with legacy problems because of the ExpressCard slot. The DVI->S-Video issue has gotten blown out of proportion (as IIRC, it has eventually been confirmed that S-Video is an option, just not out of the box like before unfortunately), and SJ himself stated that battery life is pretty much the same as before.

4 major points that make it worse than the previous model. I completely agree that for certain professionals, the MBP is NOT a good buy. For others, it is just fine. Right now, I need the portability, and the Intel chip more than I need the extra speed in Firewire (I don't work with large datasets that need high bandwidth), the DL DVD support or even the faster DVD burning speed (heck, I finally moved up to DVD-R in the past 2 months myself, but that is another matter), the modem (I am in a situation where my cell phone can be the modem if needed, or I am in a broadband area), and the expansion slot would be empty even if it was a PC card slot. As for compatible devices, a FW800 ExpressCard slot exists out there already which is OHCI-compliant. This means it /will/ work with Apple's OHCI firewire drivers, and even uses the same chipset Apple has been using up to this point.

Still, as a developer, I need the Rev A as a dev box more than I need it to fill every possible high-end role I might possibly get myself into. The tone of your post gets people using the word 'nay-sayer' more than the content. Yes, there are short-comings, but the tone seems to imply that unless you feel these short-comings are deal breaking compared to what has been gained, that we are somehow in the wrong, or defensive. Yes, I am defensive, as I feel that my opinion is somehow invalid because it thinks this 'inferior model' as a decent machine to fill the void of my trusy old Pismo.

 

[Krevnik]

Stability isn't really an issue worth talking about any more (both OSes can be stable/unstable depending on how you treat them). And the other important area is security - which Windows has already made some progress on, and the big issue user access/rights should also be dealt with in Vista (in much the same way as OSX). Sure, the MS apps - IE, etc. - may still have issues, but since when did you *have* to use the MS application stack?

Which basically means that if Vista delivers it's promises, both it and OS X will do everything I would want / need from an OS for the foreseeable future.

If Vista delivers on its promises, I will be /amazed/. I have been using it daily, and it doesn't deliver all that well in my eyes. It reminds me of running 10.2 on my Pismo... but it is a 2Ghz+ Athlon, and a GeForce 5200. Even without the normal crashing glitches, and the security seperation that doesn't work quite yet, I still like coming back home to a 10.4 system.

 

[jbouklas]

Edited.

 

[zync]

My many apologies, kind sir. In regards to legacy devices, I must have been foolishly referring to a comment made about modems and their usefulness in Pro systems. Unless my overactive imagination is acting up, or dementia, I forget which, it was definitely discussed somewhere in this thread, though you or your companion may not have said it.

As far as the things that "just came up in conversation," I thought that was fair game. I think we should adopt a special tag for irrelevant remarks in these threads that might look something like this. <Ignore this stupid statement> Windows sucks because it has IE </Ignore this stupid statement>. This would not only clarify matters for people such as myself, it would add a certain flavor lacking in this forum.

In a foolish attempt to continue to get my point across, I continue to type. I don't think you are giving an accurate or qualified argument that OS X is a superior platform to XP in any definitive way, and any statement you make about Vista cannot be verified by the majority of users here. I have used XP extensively and, like yourself, have performed countless installs/troubleshooted it/you name it as a technician. I have used Vista and have read about it from people who supposedly know what they are talking about. So far, aside from hefty system requirements, it looks like good progress is being made. I just wonder why you stick to your comment that OS X is better. (You did say that, by the way, a few paragraphs above in my handy quote.)

Here's another quote:

How many times have you had to reinstall Vista due to the registry significantly slowing the computer down? Just curious. Oh, and it seems that your more recent statement of the registry being a "small factor" is kind of shot down with your even earlier statement you made regarding having to reinstall Windows XP every 6 months due to the registry. And this one:



To play lawyer, you didn't actually say, "The registry makes me reinstall XP every six months." You talked about how the registry sucks, Vista will have one, and Windows needs to be reinstalled every six months, which beats the hell out of actually troubleshooting, as you know after installing possibly thousands of copies, I'm sure. In my limited capacity as a native English speaker, I draw a causal link in your statement.

This is fun. If you find yourself muttering "fool" under your breath while reading my reply and have the sudden urge to type frantically to either 1. prove me wrong 2. argue with me for the hell of it, or 3. make some statement that will likely annoy me in some purely intellectual way, this is an open invitation.

Respectfully Yours,

-Jim

For the record, reading/sifting through 2/3 of a dozen circular and stale posts is good enough for those of us who don't enjoy dedicating more than, say, a good portion of our lives typing volumes on macrumors forums.

I contemplated not replying and being the bigger man, but it's just not in me to be to take heat and let it rest. And the open invitation helped along with the half hour I have left on an AE render. I simply want to put straight what I said and what I did not.

I mentioned the modems previously, not that it should be included, but that some people do use it and others are glad when they're in a jam and need it. It's nice but not necessary for most.

I had backed down on the registry issue because of the link I supplied. It mentions that XP is not as vulnerable to registry woes. However it still is vulnerable to slow downs because of DLL files that are not completely removed by installers. As a former tech I did perform many, many Windows installs, no matter how much you try to imply that I did not. I am well acquainted with XP having used it "extensively" since it came out in both it's Pro and Home form.

Also, Windows itself normally needs to be reinstalled after a certain amount of time. It noticeably slows down on most systems. Usually I run my systems clean so they don't slow down very often. That's not entirely typical for most normal users who have no idea what they're doing.

<inserting smart statement>I never said anything about Vista sucking. You can quote me on that. I said that I prefer OS X to XP. I said it was better. That doesn't mean that what I say is word. You may think differently and I respect that. Maybe I didn't give any reasons as to why because it is my own opinion and I have never said or suggested otherwise.

I don't even remember how IE came up but I always treated it as a testament that Microsoft let the web stagnate. Do they have to update their browser or conform to standards? No. You can't easily remove IE from Windows as was mentioned earlier so you have to use it in some form, but sure you can install Firefox. Most people don't know that and it's not like MS is going to openly state, "hey maybe you should use Firefox dear users, especially since there are blatant security problems that we have yet to address with IE."

For the record, not reading two thirds of a set of posts between two people is not expected of you. Just don't expect to reply and make any sense, especially when that debate has already been completed and settled.

I didn't mutter fool under my breath nor did I think it. I think your argument was well put, if a little off from what I have actually said. There's a lot of posts here so that can be forgiven. I did however think you were a jerk for the way you presented your "open invitation." I like that actually. You'll attribute things that I never said, or you'll try to trap me in a point I tried to gracefully back out of and then offer me an ultimatum that has only one choice if I don't want to be left looking like a moronic jackass. Well played, "kind sir."

 

[grahamtriggs]

Also, the registry can be problematic: as shown here. It's not as big of a problem with XP systems, but it is still a small factor. DLL files left over after installs and other such problems are the result of most slow downs.

You know, I took a look at that link, and what did it say - a large registry can make an Windows 9x installation startup slowly, and possibly be unstable. It then specifically stated that this doesn't normally occur on NT based systems (including XP).

Slow startup is annoying, but can possibly be lived with (My PowerBook is starting up pretty slowly these days), and can be viewed as distinctly separate from general usage slowdown, which you would probably have more desire to try and fix.

I'm not a particular fan of the registry - it does have problems (as noted in the criticisms section of your link), but then the filesystem approach used in OS X isn't much better - being less restrictive in what can be placed there leads to it getting abused quite badly.

Ideally, I would like to see a half-way house between the two concepts - a system registry (or two), and per-user registries (not just per-user sections of a single registry). Each registry should have multiple copies that can be integrity checked and recovered if necessary. Applications should maintain application (shared) level preferences within their own bundle / installation - although the file system security should restrict them from generally writing to shared application folders, apart from a specific sub-directory in each app folder for this purpose.

 

[grahamtriggs]

jbouklas- you cannot delete IE. you cannot uninstall IE, and this is not as academic a problem as it sounds because of all of the security risks IE poses. XP is much "better" after SP2, but i diverge. IE IS a part of windows; you can't delete it because it is intrinsically tied to the file explorer.

The biggest problem with IE is the ActiveX stuff - all of which can be disabled/set to ask permission before doing anything. Otherwise, unless you are actively using IE, there isn't that much to worry about with it's security risks - although you do have to be careful where the rendering engine may be reused (for example, dispaying HTML emails in Outlook Express).

Safari isn't entirely without it's own security risks, and it's rendering engine is also a system component that can be (and is) reused by other applications. So the situation isn't much different - it's only that no-one is attempting to exploit this (and the whole user privelege thing - coming soon to a Vista near you!) that makes Safari / WebKit 'safe'.

this whole windows versus mac thing is pretty ppointless though. the people who argue about it obviously hav e reasons to defend their platform

I don't have much reason to defend any platform. I currently use OS X, and still have a preference to use OS X - it's just that I don't have a strong enough preference to justify a 50% premium in the price (plus additional upgrade costs associated with moving to MacIntel).

 

[jacobj]

Can we talk about the MacBook Pro in the MacBook Pro thread. I know that I may be being picky here, but I like to drop into MacRumors throughout the day just in case there is a little bit of new information that will make my wait less agonizing eek: ) only to find that the main thread is way off subject.

If you want to discuss why XP is worse than OS X or why OSX is better than the forthcoming Vista then please go to a thread on that subject, or better still re-read old threads and find that you will only be rewriting what has already been said.

Back to the MacBook Pro...

I have been reading up about the new ExpressCard slot and contrary to my original reaction of 'Oh my God what the Hell are Apple doing' I have decided that the move is a good one.

I didn't use my PCI card slot in my current PB until about 12 months ago when I was on holiday and needed an external DVD burner. To my chagrin the only ones I could find were USB 2.0 which my laptop does not have. So I bought a USB 2.0 card and used the burner.

The only real requirement I have is for a CF card reader. A shame to lose it but I am only losing the convenience of slotting the card into the laptop. What I do have a need of is future extensibility at speeds that such future technology affords (USB 3.0 perhaps). With the new card slot I have that and so to Apple I say, thank you.

 

[QuantumMac]

Well...

I own and still use a PowerBook G3 Lombard...

...But, I've just started my PhD in physics. I really need a machine as the MacBook. I am going to carry it around everywhere, so I would really prefer a smaller, 12 or 13 inch model.

Do you think the smaller model will be dual core? I ask this because of that rumour that said that de 12inch "PowerBook" would be droped...

And those of you with the PB15, is the size ok for everyday and everywhere use?

I have to decide if I buy the MacBook or not... I can use the computing facilities at the university meanwhyle... I can't possibly get a MacBook before the end of March, anyway, since we don't have an Apple Store here in Portugal

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[dblissmn]

As regards a 12 or 13 inch model, Intel's Core line of processors isn't complete yet. The Core Duo is mostly out, but the Core Solo series including the ultra low voltage models -- these would be the best processors for a small-and-light MacBook or for an iBook -- won't be out for another couple of months. Then, at least in the US, May is the peak time for schools (if not necessarily colleges and universities) to buy computers or at least get their orders in for fulfilment by the beginning of the following school year. So I would expect Apple is going to want to have a 12 or 13 inch Intel notebook launching in that late April/early May window between the Core Solo launch and the school buying season.

Given Intel's lineup, I would predict three models -- a standard Core Solo around the 1.5GHz mark for the iBook, a low-voltage 1.5GHz Core Duo for the 13 inch MacBook, and, if they're getting really ambitious, an ultra-low-voltage Core Solo around 1.2GHz for an ultralight product.

 

[jbouklas]

Edited.

 

[zync]

Well...

I own and still use a PowerBook G3 Lombard...

...But, I've just started my PhD in physics. I really need a machine as the MacBook. I am going to carry it around everywhere, so I would really prefer a smaller, 12 or 13 inch model.

Do you think the smaller model will be dual core? I ask this because of that rumour that said that de 12inch "PowerBook" would be droped...

And those of you with the PB15, is the size ok for everyday and everywhere use?

I have to decide if I buy the MacBook or not... I can use the computing facilities at the university meanwhyle... I can't possibly get a MacBook before the end of March, anyway, since we don't have an Apple Store here in Portugal

Thoughts? Opinions?

I have a 15" because I think it's the perfect size. The 12" was way to small for my taste. Your taste might be different though, so you'd have to see for yourself, sorry

 

[zync]

Great clarification. It seems that 1. you now admit you mentioned legacy devices, when before you said "No one said anything about legacy stuff needing to be included," 2. You changed stances on the registry and then said you always held that stance (of course, I quoted you otherwise). 3. You don't have to remember how IE came up- go back and read the posts, like I did after your first reply to me. My 1/3 was up to 3/3 before last reply, hence the digging back for quotes.

I never implied you didn't do thousands of Windows installs. I simply drew the distinction between techs who reinstall Windows every six months and those who actually troubleshoot the operating system, the latter perhaps a bit better acquainted with how to run Windows effectively. Also, you never did answer my question regarding Vista: how many times have you had to reinstall it because it got bogged down after six months? By saying that Windows has a registry, this bogs down Windows, and Vista has a registry, you are making the statement that Vista will be plagued with the same (imaginary) registry problems that XP has. So don't say what you did or didn't write, it's very easy to verify. Now you say that Windows can be run effectively by those who know how to- my point exactly.

Pleasure doing business,

-Jim

Apparently the clarification wasn't great enough. From your own quote of me:

No one said anything about legacy stuff needing to be included.

And no one did. Just because I mentioned modems as a nicety does not mean that I said it NEEDED to be included. In fact, I said it was useful when you need it but that it doesn't need to be included.

I never said that I never changed stances on the registry, I said that I never changed stances with regards to how I treated Internet Explorer! I don't have to go back through all of my posts to find out how IE came up as it's entirely irrelevant to what we are discussing right now anyway.

For the infamous record, I was not a tech who simply "reinstall[ed] Windows every six months", I was a tech who installed Windows cleanly on systems shipping everyday. I had to troubleshoot on occasion. And the plain and simple fact that most people screw up Windows installations is the entire reason why I don't like it. I don't have to do anything to OS X to keep it running smoothly. I feel bad for all of these people who don't know how to keep a clean Windows system and then wonder why their new computer runs so slowly.

Again with Vista you don't let me back out of the registry debate. I've already conceeded that the registry is not a major issue in NT systems. I have remained firm that it is due to problems with installers not removing Dynamic Link Libraries! As for Vista itself, I never made any predictions either for it or against it so stop asking me to. I'm not all that familiar with it. Don't try to pull on this and tout that it's a glaring omission on my part, or that I've not known what I've been talking about all along because I never said I did with anything having to do with Windows Vista.

Apparently it's not easy to verify what I said or didn't say. Thanks for twisting my words and holding me to views that I've changed.

The pleasure was all mine,
-Joe

 

[jacobj]

Apparently the clarification wasn't great enough. From your own quote of me:



And no one did. Just because I mentioned modems as a nicety does not mean that I said it NEEDED to be included. In fact, I said it was useful when you need it but that it doesn't need to be included.

I never said that I never changed stances on the registry, I said that I never changed stances with regards to how I treated Internet Explorer! I don't have to go back through all of my posts to find out how IE came up as it's entirely irrelevant to what we are discussing right now anyway.

For the infamous record, I was not a tech who simply "reinstall[ed] Windows every six months", I was a tech who installed Windows cleanly on systems shipping everyday. I had to troubleshoot on occasion. And the plain and simple fact that most people screw up Windows installations is the entire reason why I don't like it. I don't have to do anything to OS X to keep it running smoothly. I feel bad for all of these people who don't know how to keep a clean Windows system and then wonder why their new computer runs so slowly.

Again with Vista you don't let me back out of the registry debate. I've already conceeded that the registry is not a major issue in NT systems. I have remained firm that it is due to problems with installers not removing Dynamic Link Libraries! As for Vista itself, I never made any predictions either for it or against it so stop asking me to. I'm not all that familiar with it. Don't try to pull on this and tout that it's a glaring omission on my part, or that I've not known what I've been talking about all along because I never said I did with anything having to do with Windows Vista.

Apparently it's not easy to verify what I said or didn't say. Thanks for twisting my words and holding me to views that I've changed.

The pleasure was all mine,
-Joe

One of the best posts so far on the MacBook Pro. Thank you for the wonderful insights.

 

[spinal1]

Macworld.com Jan. 12, 2006 article states, "Apple says that the 15-inch PowerBooks will only be available while supplies last". That's news to me. I thought Apple said it plans to continue manufacturing and selling both the PB15 and the MBP15. If not, then of course this would explain why retailers might be lowering their prices on the PB15 to clear inventory and, for brick-and-mortar stores, shelf space to make way for the MBP.