I should be getting one tomorrow and want to know what people's general opinions of them are. Any issues? Pleaseant surprises? Complaints?
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Y'all happy with your blackbooks?
- Thread starter iMpathetic
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Doesn't get too hot but you definitely do notice the wear/grease spots on the keys after a while...
I have one, and I didn't use a mouse for the first month that I had it, so the trackpad has a shiny area in the middle of it, other than that, grease from your hands wipes off easily. Mine never gets above 90ºF on the bottom, and the fans are unnoticeable when surfing the web, chatting, and typing. The fans only become noticeable when playing any type of game or using any processor or graphics intensive app.
I'm very satisfied with my BlackBook. I really have no complaints except for the fact that mine (like most others) attracts smudges. They wipe off nicely though. Even though I'm anal about smudges, I'd still recommend it over a white one (though thats just because I prefer black over white or even silver).
As for heat, I'd imagine that it runs just as hot as the midrange MB.
Edit: One pleasant surprise was that it looks so seamless! The IR port, sleep light, and iSight, being black, blend into their surroundings. I've seen the white MacBooks and the aforementioned items stick out against the white background like a sore thumb. Dunno, I'd personally find that a bit irritating to look at all the time (or at least at first as I imagine I'd be able to get used to it. Still for me this was a bonus!).
As for heat, I'd imagine that it runs just as hot as the midrange MB.
Edit: One pleasant surprise was that it looks so seamless! The IR port, sleep light, and iSight, being black, blend into their surroundings. I've seen the white MacBooks and the aforementioned items stick out against the white background like a sore thumb. Dunno, I'd personally find that a bit irritating to look at all the time (or at least at first as I imagine I'd be able to get used to it. Still for me this was a bonus!).
I'm very happy with my BlackBook. Loaded with 4gigs of RAM, it just flies! Easy to wipe of smudges using a damp cloth. No real concerns with heat. Though if I'm gaming I put it on a desk instead of my lap.
Apple will replace a cracked case. There are other threads on this.
Had mine since August of 2006.
Very happy, but it's hard to ignore the cracks.
Apple will replace a cracked case. There are other threads on this.
I couldn't be happier with mine...the only thing i suggest is to buy a thing of iKlear...works wonders with the stupid grease spots on it.
lol smudges. Golly, you'd almost think a computer wasn't a tool used to accomplish a task.
I'm pretty happy with mine, but the caveat is that I don't do any heavy lifting with it. In the end, size was the probably the biggest reason I didn't get a MBP, followed closely by nitpicky stuff like the embedded keyboard and no latch. I got the mid 07 model, so I'm also stuck with 2GB of ram. Not a bad model by any means, but definitely "high end consumer" rather than "pro" material. It's almost like they planned it that way.
I'm pretty happy with mine, but the caveat is that I don't do any heavy lifting with it. In the end, size was the probably the biggest reason I didn't get a MBP, followed closely by nitpicky stuff like the embedded keyboard and no latch. I got the mid 07 model, so I'm also stuck with 2GB of ram. Not a bad model by any means, but definitely "high end consumer" rather than "pro" material. It's almost like they planned it that way.
Love Mine!
I bought my BlackBook Nov. 2007. It is a Core 2 Duo, 2.2 Ghz, 4 gig Ram.
No over heating. Looks terrific. My first Mac and I am very happy with it.
Only one problem so far, it was the DVD player, one of my DVDs makes the computer crash! As long as I don't play that particular DVD, everything works perfectly.
Wireless works flawlessly.
Ron
I bought my BlackBook Nov. 2007. It is a Core 2 Duo, 2.2 Ghz, 4 gig Ram.
No over heating. Looks terrific. My first Mac and I am very happy with it.
Only one problem so far, it was the DVD player, one of my DVDs makes the computer crash! As long as I don't play that particular DVD, everything works perfectly.
Wireless works flawlessly.
Ron
It's not a warranty thing, rather a known defect in the plastic/manufacturing process for the MacBook's casing. Try asking an Apple Store about it. The threads I mentioned have experiences of MacBook owners getting their case swapped by Apple because of the cracks, including those out of warranty.
I bought myself one on Sunday and I'm really pleased with it so far.
The black looks way better than the white and the previous poster is right - it makes the joins disappear beautifully. I've had three previous Apple laptops - two white and one titanium - and this one is much nicer to look at.
I would not have chosen a glossy screen if there had been a choice but now that I've got it I really like it. It just makes all the stuff look so much sharper. It wouldn't be right for pro video or image work but for home use it looks great.
The keyboard is the best I've ever typed on. I spent ten minutes in store typing on this and the MBP next to it and this was much more precise for me - I have large hands and the extra space between the keys on the MB was what I preferred. However, if you have smaller hands you may prefer the pro keyboard as the keys are immediately next to each other.
All in all, it's good.
The black looks way better than the white and the previous poster is right - it makes the joins disappear beautifully. I've had three previous Apple laptops - two white and one titanium - and this one is much nicer to look at.
I would not have chosen a glossy screen if there had been a choice but now that I've got it I really like it. It just makes all the stuff look so much sharper. It wouldn't be right for pro video or image work but for home use it looks great.
The keyboard is the best I've ever typed on. I spent ten minutes in store typing on this and the MBP next to it and this was much more precise for me - I have large hands and the extra space between the keys on the MB was what I preferred. However, if you have smaller hands you may prefer the pro keyboard as the keys are immediately next to each other.
All in all, it's good.
Do you use the Moshi PalmGuard to protect the "palm-rest"-area?
I've bought one, but hav'nt got my BlackBook yet
All right guys, the responses to this thread have been way more positive than I thought they would be. Just what I need to hear.
It's actually kinda funny how good of a deal I'm getting. Thinkpad T60 Core Duo, Toshiba Satellite 1.6GHz Pentium 4-M, and $125. In return:
2.2GHz SR blackbook
1GB RAM
160GB HD
Leopard
w00t!
It's actually kinda funny how good of a deal I'm getting. Thinkpad T60 Core Duo, Toshiba Satellite 1.6GHz Pentium 4-M, and $125. In return:
2.2GHz SR blackbook
1GB RAM
160GB HD
Leopard
w00t!
i got a used first gen blackbook. i'm the sort of the person who lets his car get all dirty, so initially all the smudges were a bother and now i don't even pay attention to them and let them accumulate.
my general sense is that mac laptops don't seem to be built as reliably as pc laptops. with this blackbook, some annoyances that i experience:
- somewhat of a sharp front edge on wrists/lower forearms while typing
- screen flickers intermittently
- i jammed the blackbook into a laptop case that a bit small a few times and then i noticed that some of the black polycarbonate or whatever the material the casing is made of, was rubbed off. i wasn't too impressed that strong rubbing against the case by the material of a laptop bag would take have such a dieting effect. material was rubbed off only on the top cover and not the bottom cover but the top cover is more noticeable.
- no modem or pcmcia slot
- haven't learned yet how to do that two finger right click
i like mac os x and i will continue using this blackbook, but by no means am i totally enamoured by mac laptops. i'm keeping my pc laptops for their greater hardware (yes, windows isn't so hot) reliability and extended function (modem and pcmcia).
so in my mind, neither pc nor macs are the be-all-end-all to computer nirvana.
my general sense is that mac laptops don't seem to be built as reliably as pc laptops. with this blackbook, some annoyances that i experience:
- somewhat of a sharp front edge on wrists/lower forearms while typing
- screen flickers intermittently
- i jammed the blackbook into a laptop case that a bit small a few times and then i noticed that some of the black polycarbonate or whatever the material the casing is made of, was rubbed off. i wasn't too impressed that strong rubbing against the case by the material of a laptop bag would take have such a dieting effect. material was rubbed off only on the top cover and not the bottom cover but the top cover is more noticeable.
- no modem or pcmcia slot
- haven't learned yet how to do that two finger right click
i like mac os x and i will continue using this blackbook, but by no means am i totally enamoured by mac laptops. i'm keeping my pc laptops for their greater hardware (yes, windows isn't so hot) reliability and extended function (modem and pcmcia).
so in my mind, neither pc nor macs are the be-all-end-all to computer nirvana.
one thing that i forgot to mention that i really, really, really, really like and appreciate about the blackbook is: it is very very quiet with hardly any fan noise at all at any time.
i'm just using it for emailing, word processing, desktop publishing, web design and i love the quietness of it. in fact, quietness of any computer is a key factor for choosing a computer and making my computing experience enjoyable.
i'm just using it for emailing, word processing, desktop publishing, web design and i love the quietness of it. in fact, quietness of any computer is a key factor for choosing a computer and making my computing experience enjoyable.
Well, guys, I finally got it!!!!! It is an engineering marvel. (read:hawt ) Unfortunately, I'm not typing on it right now. At 9:15 my mother made me go to bed, so I'm under the covers on my touch. One question is, why is the iSight so grainy? It seems abnormally bad.
) Unfortunately, I'm not typing on it right now. At 9:15 my mother made me go to bed, so I'm under the covers on my touch. One question is, why is the iSight so grainy? It seems abnormally bad.Well, guys, I finally got it!!!!! It is an engineering marvel. (read:hawt
Hmmmmm. Mine doesn't seem grainy. Maybe in darker settings it might look that way but in a normal lifghted room it should look pretty decent...
