Core 2 Duo MacBooks Announced

[Passante]

Does anyone know if the new macbook as the draft N airport card built in ?

Just wondering before placing my order

We won't know for sure until someone cracks one open. But since the iMacs and Mac Pros have them I would be on it.

Someone has posted a page or two ago that its a pre-n wireless card

 

[drew0020]

I just purchased my first Macbook ever 2.0ghz white. I really like the computer and it feels very fast. The computer itself is beautiful coming from a Dell, but I noticed the case seems to have many scratches (maybe thats the nature of the finish).

I am using wireless N, but how can I verify if the computer is using N versus G?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[Willis]

I just purchased my first Macbook ever 2.0ghz white. I really like the computer and it feels very fast. The computer itself is beautiful coming from a Dell, but I noticed the case seems to have many scratches (maybe thats the nature of the finish).

I am using wireless N, but how can I verify if the computer is using N versus G?

Thanks,
Andy

The card maybe pre-N but thats only in Windows environment. OSX has a lock at G at the moment. I suspect that when N becomes the standard, Apple will release a firmware update so OSX will access the N spec.

 

[Cams]

Tis done!

I'm just back from my local Premium Reseller. It's a new store, only been open for a six weeks, and it was a very pleasurable experience. The staff spoke good English and weren't surly in the slightest (anyone who's shopped in Luxembourg City will know what I'm talking about!)

I looked at the Black and White MBs and decided on the white one. The black one was covered in marks from grubby hands and, aesthetically speaking, I found them both to be equally as appealing. So I ordered a white one with 2 GB of RAM and the stock HDD.

I also ordered Apple Care - I listen to a lot of TWiT casts, including MacBreak Weekly and the iLifeZone, and everyone on those shows recommends Apple Care, besides Leo Laporte. It was weird that I actually had to ask for it though; I've bought hardware in the UK before and came upon some aggressive pushing of extended warranties, particularly in PC World when I bought a laptop in 1988 (A Sony Vaio with a Pentium 266MMX and a whopping 32 MB of RAM! - the MacBook is my first laptop upgrade since!)

I was told it could be anywhere up to three weeks before I get the MacBook (I ordered a UK English keyboard, which isn't possible through the Apple Store Luxembourg), but I can handle that just fine (he says, on day 1 of the wait!).

I'll be scoping carrying cases in the pre-arrival period. They had some nice ones in the store that would probably suit me - I forget the brand, but the shoulder bag was called a Blogger. I prefer a shoulder bag as I reckon it looks less obvious what's inside. Any recommendations (preferably easily available in Europe) would be gratefully received.

Thanks to the helpful posts on this forum, I went for the stock 80 GB drive and will be looking at higher capacity drives, hopefully to have one ready to make the switch by the time the MacBook arrives. Any recommendations on that front? At least 120 GB and however high I can go at 5400 RPM.

And so now the wait for my first ever Mac really starts. I'm feeling good and excited.

I did cop out a bit and ordered Parallels and an OEM copy of XP Home, just in case I want to run Audition on it or it works out that I can't get my translation software and dictionaries all working on the Mac platform.

Thanks everyone for the tips on the forum. There's some real nuggets of wheat amongst the chaff on here!

Cams

 

[KrossVader]

mbp delayed

I ordered my 17'' MBP core2 on Oct 26. I had an original shipping date of Nov. 9. - Now its "estimated" that it will ship on the 17th.....All I want is to have it for at least 6 months before Santa Rosa is released. If I knew I was gonna wait so long to get it, I might have waited longer for santa rosa. Oh well.

 

[drew0020]

The card maybe pre-N but thats only in Windows environment. OSX has a lock at G at the moment. I suspect that when N becomes the standard, Apple will release a firmware update so OSX will access the N spec.

That is disapointing about the pre-N for Mac. I was hoping to use it ASAP.

 

[Passante]

That is disapointing about the pre-N for Mac. I was hoping to use it ASAP.

You might be able to using windows. There are some wireless cards running a pre-n standard. As soon as the IEEE committee finalizes the N standard Apple will release new firmware.

 

[AidenShaw]

N with iTV

You might be able to using windows. There are some wireless cards running a pre-n standard. As soon as the IEEE committee finalizes the N standard Apple will release new firmware.

I'd bet that 10.5 will support the existing pre-N cards - the IEEE standard is too far off.

It might even be earlier - since the iTV won't be able to stream HD video reliably with G. If the iTV arrives before the "super secret" 10.5 OSX Media Center Edition, Apple might add support in a software/firmware update.

Or, N might be enabled when Apple gets the upcoming Airport Ultra access point with pre-N ready. Apple certainly would want y'all to buy another white plastic box in order to get N.

 

[jackc]

I ordered my 17'' MBP core2 on Oct 26. I had an original shipping date of Nov. 9. - Now its "estimated" that it will ship on the 17th.....All I want is to have it for at least 6 months before Santa Rosa is released. If I knew I was gonna wait so long to get it, I might have waited longer for santa rosa. Oh well.

If 8 days is causing you buyer's remorse, you may need to see a psychologist specializing in Mac upgrade disorders

 

[butaro]

I've bought hardware in the UK before and came upon some aggressive pushing of extended warranties, particularly in PC World when I bought a laptop in 1988 (A Sony Vaio with a Pentium 266MMX and a whopping 32 MB of RAM! - the MacBook is my first laptop upgrade since!)

Cams

oh really??

 

[Multimedia]

Got MOMDSS: Mac Order Multiple Delay Stress Syndrome ?

If 8 days is causing you buyer's remorse, you may need to see a psychologist specializing in Mac upgrade disorders

Mine specializes in Mac Order Multiple Delay Stress Syndrome MOMDSS. He's making a killing over at the 17" MBP Will Ship By December crowd.

 

[zenuno]

are 3GB (1+2) RAM possible in the C2D MacBooks?

Hi Mac people,

I am a newbie in the forums, and I am still undecided between the MB C2D 2GHz and MBP C2D 2.16GHz (any of those upgraded by apple to 2GB). For me it makes a difference between something like 1500 to 2100 Euro... So 600 Euro for the X1600 GPU, 15.4" screen, dual DVI, GW800, ~300gr heavier, less battery time, bigger size / less height and faster CPU (2.16 vs 2.0).

I already assume the pre-N wifi hardware is real, and the GPU difference is known, what I am not sure is if the new MacBook (not Pro) also accepts the 3 GB RAM maximum or if they are different in that respect.

Did anyone tried the 3GB RAM yet?

It would give me some more comfort in terms of the future and in the comparison between Pro and no Pro.

thanks for your answers.

ZN

 

[Romulus]

Ok, reporting back...

Adium is actually very good... 1.0b14. Now only if they would integrate the iChat video and audio functionality... However, I'm looking into giving iChat msn and yahoo capability through jabber... Still, I like Adium with it's option of setting myself to invisible...

FAN ACTIVITY: The laptop at start idles at 45C - NO FAN RUNNING, with firefox and adium running it's at 50C - FAN MILDLY RUNNING, WHITE NOISE, after about an hour it climbs to 57C, fans start on an intermediate level, now if I start MS Office and endnote at that point, fans turn up one more notch... After about 2 hours of work the temperature rises to 68 and the airplane noise starts for about 1 minute... So far it does not really bother me, but I wish that would have done better job in terms of cooling...

I DO NOT THINK they redesigned the vents. The MBP vents were redesigned, the MB keeps their previous external design.

For maintaining the system and disks I got OnyX - it's a great little program and it's free... Will run all tasks... Now what I need is a disk defrag. Supposedly, OS X does not need disk defrag as it is able to handle fragmented files without problem. However, it does need contiguous empty space... So right now I should be just fine, however as I keep using space, really fast, I will need a defrag, for my peace of mind.

I got EndNote 9 for Mac, works great. In fact I figured out how to add my pdf's to it so in that way I can keep track of them together. Could not find version X.

I was playing iTunes and then suddenly I saw a iTunes folder mounted on... It detected the iTunes from my Dell - automatically... I did not manage though to actually network the rest of the computer - did not put the time into it. Still, was amazed by that...

The S-video out works great... Not the best quality through a regular tube TV, but good for watching my DIVX videos... I am amazed how easy and fast it detected the other monitor and switched resolution appropriately.

I've been playing more with stickies... very good tool... I am amazed that after turning it off and back on it keeps all the stickies there... now we are talking...

One interesting fact that I did not realize before. Programs start out slower the first time you start them after rebooting computer. Even if you Command Q them, the next time you start them, they pop right up... I was just wondering from a technical perspective, how does OS X do that. Does it cash the information or what?

Rosetta performance is excellent - I have both Office 2004 and Photoshop (CS only, but not getting anything more till CS3 comes)... Both programs start really fast and work well... Have not tried any gigantic files, but I don't really work with huge files.

Got appzapper for uninstalling files, that works well...

Need a better DVD playing program...

Ram coming on Monday (2Gb - I was gonna get the apple option, but ended buying the laptop from the store, and they would not upgrade, instead they were gonna sell me 2Gb for like 360 with edu discount. Payed 209 with shipping for 2Gb Corsair kit of 2x1Gb matched sticks), will let you know about the improvement in performance. Was gonna get 100Gb 7200 HD, but I've been reading they are somewhat noisy, so gonna stick with this for now - what does everybody think?

OK - another long post - let me know if I'm writing too much and I'll stop... just figured keep people up to date, especially for those in my situation before getting the MB... I would have appreciated some of this informaiton...

 

[Multimedia]

OS X Maintinance & Troubleshooting By Randy B. Singer

For maintaining the system and disks I got OnyX - it's a great little program and it's free... Will run all tasks... Now what I need is a disk defrag. Supposedly, OS X does not need disk defrag as it is able to handle fragmented files without problem. However, it does need contiguous empty space... So right now I should be just fine, however as I keep using space, really fast, I will need a defrag, for my peace of mind.

OK - another long post - let me know if I'm writing too much and I'll stop... just figured keep people up to date, especially for those in my situation before getting the MB... I would have appreciated some of this informaiton...

Read this on defragmentation and how to do it best.

Then bookmark the page and read the whole page and follow all those instructions.

iDefrag

Preferential Treatment

Back Up User Prefs

Etc. Etc. Etc. Lots of direct links to all the freeware and almost freeware are on that page.

 

[Multimedia]

Any 3GB iMac or MacBook Pro Owners or You Know One Here?

Hi Mac people,

I am a newbie in the forums, and I am still undecided between the MB C2D 2GHz and MBP C2D 2.16GHz (any of those upgraded by apple to 2GB). For me it makes a difference between something like 1500 to 2100 Euro... So 600 Euro for the X1600 GPU, 15.4" screen, dual DVI, GW800, ~300gr heavier, less battery time, bigger size / less height and faster CPU (2.16 vs 2.0).

I already assume the pre-N wifi hardware is real, and the GPU difference is known, what I am not sure is if the new MacBook (not Pro) also accepts the 3 GB RAM maximum or if they are different in that respect.

Did anyone tried the 3GB RAM yet?

It would give me some more comfort in terms of the future and in the comparison between Pro and no Pro.

Good question I have also wondered about. I would have thought Apple would offer it as an additional profit center if it were possible. Or this marketing group overlooked that opportunity so far. A MacBook owner needs to rendevous in person with a 3GB MacBook Pro or iMac owner for a test to see.

Any volunteers elegible here?

 

[newno55]

Yea, so ive been looking around the forums for that "new vent design"

How sure are you on this? because i have found some conflicting opinions...

I sure hope it runs alot cooler/ quieter

ps: whats so new about it anyways?

 

[Romulus]

Yea, so ive been looking around the forums for that "new vent design"

How sure are you on this? because i have found some conflicting opinions...

I sure hope it runs alot cooler/ quieter

ps: whats so new about it anyways?

The MBP has more vents and improved in design solving some heat issues... The MB does not show that... or at least as far as I can see, it is exactly the same design...

See my post in hardware/macbook/got your C2D macbook?... Right now after previous stress on the system and return back to iddle for the last 15 minutes, temperature does not drop under 60C... Normally if I do not stress the system it will run at 51C... If used over a couple hours, average around 58... max temperature is at 72 so far, minimum at start was at 46... What do I mean by stress - very minimum - parallels, photoshop, and word, which for this processor should not be out of this world...

So, heat issue is not really there - the solution for it is bad... The way they dropped temperature was by making the fans run all the time... and really go in maximum boost at higher temperatures...

It sounds like I'm complaining here, but all I'm trying to do is figure if I can work with this... I do not have a choice, I want OS X and a small form factor. I wish they would have a 12"MBP or at least morse code vents around the system... whatever to actually decrease temperature by engineering design not by firmware...

 

[rand0m3r]

thx for that romolus. disappointing to know about the heat workaround. but there's no choice. every iteration of their products they always leave their customers wishing a certain aspect was done better. so for me, i should just look on the bright side and see how it will help me with my studies over the next 2 years

 

[Cams]

I bought a laptop in 1988 (A Sony Vaio with a Pentium 266MMX

oh really??

Oops. My bad. I did of course mean 1998! I think I was still using my Amiga in 1988, or possibly even my 48k Spectrum. I'm so bad with dates.

 

[ironring2006]

Shipping early!

Hey folks,
I previously posted that my MB wasn't scheduled to arrive until between Nov. 24 - Dec. 4. I'm happy to report that my MB has left the factory and is now in FedEx's hands. They've updated the expected arrival date to Nov. 16, which means hopefully this week I'll have my new 2GHz MB in hand complete with upgraded 2GB RAM. So Nuks, if you're still out there, you should give us an update on yours since we have similar (enough) shipping locations. Want to wager a race on who gets theirs first?

 

[tommytran86]

Hey folks,
I previously posted that my MB wasn't scheduled to arrive until between Nov. 24 - Dec. 4. I'm happy to report that my MB has left the factory and is now in FedEx's hands. They've updated the expected arrival date to Nov. 16, which means hopefully this week I'll have my new 2GHz MB in hand complete with upgraded 2GB RAM. So Nuks, if you're still out there, you should give us an update on yours since we have similar (enough) shipping locations. Want to wager a race on who gets theirs first?

yeh i got a macbook 2.0 ghz c2d as a replacement and it said its in fedex hand and status is left at orign so i am expecting to be getting my laptop this week prolly around tuesday or wednesday whoaaaaa excited i didn't upgrade the ram because right now at this moment the 2 gig is not important to me later when it is the ram will be much cheaper so i'm getting it then

 

[Nuks]

Hey folks,
I previously posted that my MB wasn't scheduled to arrive until between Nov. 24 - Dec. 4. I'm happy to report that my MB has left the factory and is now in FedEx's hands. They've updated the expected arrival date to Nov. 16, which means hopefully this week I'll have my new 2GHz MB in hand complete with upgraded 2GB RAM. So Nuks, if you're still out there, you should give us an update on yours since we have similar (enough) shipping locations. Want to wager a race on who gets theirs first?

Hahah, well I win! I thought I mentioned it, but I musn't have. I've had mine for over a month now... I have the CD macbook! But when it WAS shipping, it took a long time. Sorry for the misunderstanding!

 

[ironring2006]

Hahah, well I win! I thought I mentioned it, but I musn't have. I've had mine for over a month now... I have the CD macbook! But when it WAS shipping, it took a long time. Sorry for the misunderstanding!

*Goes back and rereads previous post*
Yeah, you did say CD, my bad. Well, at least I'm going to win the race for getting a C2D MB first! So....nyah! What kind of times do most people in North America see from when it leaves China? tommytran86, what's your general location area (if you don't mind me asking)?

 

[tommytran86]

*Goes back and rereads previous post*
Yeah, you did say CD, my bad. Well, at least I'm going to win the race for getting a C2D MB first! So....nyah! What kind of times do most people in North America see from when it leaves China? tommytran86, what's your general location area (if you don't mind me asking)?

i'm located in washington and according to rep when its actually out shipping it takes 1-7 days but knowing from apple i'l say for me it would take 3 days to get here what about you where you at and what status is your shipment in? my is on left orign but there is no exact arrive date yet.

 

[newno55]

The MBP has more vents and improved in design solving some heat issues... The MB does not show that... or at least as far as I can see, it is exactly the same design...

See my post in hardware/macbook/got your C2D macbook?... Right now after previous stress on the system and return back to iddle for the last 15 minutes, temperature does not drop under 60C... Normally if I do not stress the system it will run at 51C... If used over a couple hours, average around 58... max temperature is at 72 so far, minimum at start was at 46... What do I mean by stress - very minimum - parallels, photoshop, and word, which for this processor should not be out of this world...

So, heat issue is not really there - the solution for it is bad... The way they dropped temperature was by making the fans run all the time... and really go in maximum boost at higher temperatures...

It sounds like I'm complaining here, but all I'm trying to do is figure if I can work with this... I do not have a choice, I want OS X and a small form factor. I wish they would have a 12"MBP or at least morse code vents around the system... whatever to actually decrease temperature by engineering design not by firmware...

Oh no, so instead of hot its just noisy as Hell?

Damn haha