the new apple macbook

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mattbiernat
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the new apple macbook

#1 Post by mattbiernat » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:22 pm

okay so i went to the nearest best buys and checked out the new macbook. in short i thought it was a downgrade from the previous version (and yes they were both side by side). the thouchpad felt nice but the screen was way too glossy and mirror like (more so than the previous macbook). the keyboard was simply a joke; keys were too far apart from each other and there was little depth of key travel. too bad because i wanted to give apple another try.

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Re: the new apple macbook

#2 Post by mgo » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:59 pm

mattbiernat wrote:okay so i went to the nearest best buys and checked out the new macbook. in short i thought it was a downgrade from the previous version .
I owned a realy nice MacBook Pro with the hires matte screen for a short time. It was pretty nice, and very fast, and the operating system was quite good. The software, however was not what I had expected. Rather unsatisfactory for my needs.

I installed Vista on the machine using Boot Camp. It made a great Vista computer. I missed the second (Ultra Bay) hard drive capability and try as I might, the Mac just couldn't steal me away from my terrific and versatile ThinkPads.

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#3 Post by Stargate199 » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:21 pm

I sort of like the new apple keyboards with the separated keys, but have not played with any of these new macbooks. I do not like the glass screen, way too reflective.
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#4 Post by tylerwylie » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:58 pm

I've played with OS X before, and really it just seemed like a gimpy version of Unix(from a completely technical standpoint). I'm sure it fills some niches, and it's a step up from Vista, but if I'd much rather put something else on a MacBook for technical work.


That said, the interface is very polished, complete, unified, and consistent, but after a while it just got annoying.

I'd also recommend it for people who just wanted something to work, but then again I've ruined a few mac users perception of the OS by showing them what they can do in a terminal. "Ugh a command line? I thought we were better than that." :P :twisted:

If you want better, prettier hardware, get a Thinkpad. If you want to use OS X, get a MacBook.
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#5 Post by Temetka » Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:23 am

tylerwylie wrote:I've played with OS X before, and really it just seemed like a gimpy version of Unix(from a completely technical standpoint). I'm sure it fills some niches, and it's a step up from Vista, but if I'd much rather put something else on a MacBook for technical work.


That said, the interface is very polished, complete, unified, and consistent, but after a while it just got annoying.

I'd also recommend it for people who just wanted something to work, but then again I've ruined a few mac users perception of the OS by showing them what they can do in a terminal. "Ugh a command line? I thought we were better than that." :P :twisted:

If you want better, prettier hardware, get a Thinkpad. If you want to use OS X, get a MacBook.
Must've been some really unplugged people to not know that OS X is based on UNIX and as such will have a CLI. I don't know why but that statement really rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
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#6 Post by tylerwylie » Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:44 am

I know some people who got Mac's for the Unix shell underneath a supported interface on good hardware, I'm not saying all of them are like that. Just you haven't met my two sisters :wink:
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#7 Post by pxa270 » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:13 am

I played with the new Alu MacBooks for half an hour and I must say I'm very impressed with the build quality. Subjectively it feels better constructed than any recent ThinkPad, though obviously I wasn't going to do any real stress tests, like throwing it down the stairs, or standing on it. With new the choice of material (alu and glass instead of plastic) at least you feels that you get some real value for the price premium.

The keyboard is ok, a bit better than on the plastic MBs, which rattled a lot. The spacing is actually pretty similar to those on "normal" keyboards, if you measure the gaps between the tops of the keys. Key travel is a bit shallower that I like, but they have a good snap and a stiff backplate. Sure, it can't compete with a ThinkPad 600 keyboard, but neither can any recent ThinkPad.

I'm pretty indifferent to the OS. I can get my work done on Windows, Linux or OS X with equal ease. So I mainly base my laptop choice on build quality. Obviously ThinkPads have always been amongst the top choices. But I think these new MacBooks (and also the Dell Latitude E series) are giving Lenovo some really good competition.

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#8 Post by mattbiernat » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:13 am

pxa270 wrote:(and also the Dell Latitude E series) are giving Lenovo some really good competition.
yes i would really love to check out the E-series. i wonder if there is an actual store that has them on display.
3 things that i didn't like about the macbook
- keyboard not even close to my T60
- screen a little loose
- lack of trackpoint
if E-series has the same issues I am just going to by an older thinkpad.

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#9 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:50 pm

If you guys like to drool over a macbook, why don't you do that on a mac-forum, and leave this forum for Thinkpads?
I'm sick and tired of seeing all these mac posts! :evil: :evil:
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#10 Post by OldManClayton » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:15 am

My bro bought a mac book just before the new ones came out. (;__; He's not a computer person like me, he wouldn't listen to my reasoning.) I think the old generation is better. Same with the 4th gen ipod nano. The 3rd one is just plain better.

But, I honestly don't give a poo, since I don't have to buy one. :lol:

I've spent some time with OSX and can honestly say it is not better than windows, despite mac fanboy claims. :P Utter lies. ;) It's mostly just preference, and software availability. Personally, I hate the OSX interface, and having to use the terminal to hide and unhide folders is a pain.

And DAGNABIDASHITALL I hate it that you can't maximize windows! >:|
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#11 Post by pxa270 » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:54 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:If you guys like to drool over a macbook, why don't you do that on a mac-forum, and leave this forum for Thinkpads?
I'm sick and tired of seeing all these mac posts! :evil: :evil:
:roll:

Then maybe you shouldn't read a thread named "the new apple macbook" in the "Off Topic" subforum which has the subheading "Talk about 'WhatEVER !' ".

Meanwhile there are more that 20 other subforums around here which are only about ThinkPads...

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#12 Post by tylerwylie » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:57 am

pxa270 wrote:
RealBlackStuff wrote:If you guys like to drool over a macbook, why don't you do that on a mac-forum, and leave this forum for Thinkpads?
I'm sick and tired of seeing all these mac posts! :evil: :evil:
:roll:

Then maybe you shouldn't read a thread named "the new apple macbook" in the "Off Topic" subforum which has the subheading "Talk about 'WhatEVER !' ".

Meanwhile there are more that 20 other subforums around here which are only about ThinkPads...
And yet 20 subforums doesn't seem like enough 8)
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#13 Post by K. Eng » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:02 pm

mattbiernat wrote:
pxa270 wrote:(and also the Dell Latitude E series) are giving Lenovo some really good competition.
yes i would really love to check out the E-series.
...
if E-series has the same issues I am just going to by an older thinkpad.
I got my hands on an E-series (E6400) evaluation unit a couple days ago. It's a good improvement over my work-issued D-series.

The good: Keyboard is solid like the D620. Build quality is better. The D series hinges are not bad but get creaky. E series hinges are solid lacquered steel and feel very substantial. Dell added a scroll key to the point stick, but its still not as good as the ThinkPad TrackPoint. The case is very solid and does not flex.

The bad: I don't like the display latch. The D620 has a nice stainless steel latch that makes a very satisfying click and is easy to release. The E6400 has a button on the base that releases a very cheap feeling plastic clip on the display lid.
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