Reviews

Lots to like about new MacBook Pro

On 2/26, Apple updated their entire MacBook line of laptops with better and faster hardware. I expected that announcement some time this month. I think they surprised most people by making it in February.

I’ve been waiting to purchase a MacBook Pro for some time, and with these latest updates to the hardware, Apple has made their laptops irresistible. Not only have they gotten faster processors, bigger hard drives and more video memory, but they also inherited the multi-touch trackpad from the MacBook Air, which should make it easier for me to work with my photos.

I wrote recently about my frustration with Apple’s less than transparent specs for its hardware. One of my points of contention was the display of the MacBook Pro. Well, I’m willing to forgo that point in view of the MBP’s plentiful other advantages. I need a fast laptop, desperately so, and my only choice if I want to run Mac OS X (which I very much want to do) is to get the MacBook Pro. (The regular MacBook doesn’t have the dedicated video card I need, and its display is too small for my eyes.)

I also know about Hackintoshes, but I’d rather stay on the legal side of things. I hope that at some point, Apple will decide to make OS X available on non-Apple hardware that meets stringent hardware compatibility tests, but for now, I can only get OS X on Apple computers.

15? MacBook Pro Laptop (2008)

I’m looking at the 15″ MBP, and it’s quite possibly the best laptop on the market in that size, barring a few issues that I’ll outline below. First, here’s the configuration that I plan to get. I’m very pleased with Apple’s new pricing. I can get this configuration for about $300 less than a comparable high-end config (2.4GHz/2GB RAM/200GB drive) on the previous 15″ MBP.

  • 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
  • 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM – 2x1GB (I plan to upgrade this to 4GB RAM with modules from OWC)
  • 250GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (I wish I could get a 300GB drive, but that’s only available on the 17″ MBP)
  • SuperDrive 8X (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
  • Apple Remote
  • iWork ’08 Preinstalled
  • Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS – U.S. English
  • AppleCare Protection Plan for MacBook Pro

Now here are the things that bug me.

No HDMI port

I don’t know why Apple still insists on DVI connections when HDMI ports are much smaller and carry both video and audio. The MBP would be perfect with an HDMI port, and I would be able to hook it directly to an HDTV and play movies with full digital video and audio directly from the laptop, without needing to connect both a bulky DVI cable and a separate audio cable. This sort of thing just doesn’t go with Apple’s design philosophy. An HDMI connection means less clutter and it’s simpler to use than DVI. Why not go to it?

Top lid is flimsy

Here’s a test for you. If you already have an MBP, press down on the center of the top lid (Apple logo or its immediate area) and see how much it caves in. That’s just not strong enough. The aluminum enclosure is too thin, and it’s not bolstered by cushioning underneath. It needs some support under there. It’ll easily dent and possibly damage the LCD if pressed or bumped lightly against something. I had an aluminum 17″ G4 PowerBook a couple of years back, and I remember its top lid being sturdier than the MBP’s.

Another problem caused by the flimsy top lid is that the keyboard ends up scratching the LCD when the MBP is transported. The simple act of holding the laptop under your arm or in your hand, or putting it in a case and hauling it around will put pressure on the lid and rub the LCD against the keyboard. Over time, the keys will leave scratches on the LCD. That’s not right. I’d rather not carry around a felt cloth and put it between the screen and the keyboard, like I’ve seen some people do. The lid should be made sturdier, and either the display or the keyboard should be sunk lower in the laptop frame, so there’s less likelihood of them rubbing together.

LCD is 6-bit color with dithering

It looks like most, if not all laptops, have 6-bit displays, with varying qualities of dithering engines and color capabilities. So while it’s unfortunate that Apple can’t pull away from the pack on this one and offer 8-bit color in its laptop displays, at least the MacBook Pro display is great to look at for extended periods of time and does a decent job of displaying colors properly, which is more than I can say about most laptop displays.

17? MacBook Pro Laptop (2008)

Bottom line

Other than the few things described above, I can’t find any faults with the new MBP laptops, and look forward (eagerly) to getting my very own soon.

[Photos courtesy of Apple]

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Condensed knowledge for 2008-03-05

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Condensed knowledge for 2008-03-04

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Condensed knowledge for 2008-03-03

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Reviews

The Beatrix Potter Collection (2008)

The Beatrix Potter Collection (3 DVD set) was just released for sale on 2/12. Ligia and I bought the set just a few days ago, and we’re very happy that we did it. The series was done very well by the BBC. Each DVD contains three animated stories, and each story has a live action introduction filmed in an idyllic English country setting. Some of the live action introductions do repeat, and we found that to be a bit annoying. It would have been ideal if a different intro was filmed for each cartoon, or if only intro was present per DVD, to keep things different.

We love the animation because it looks just like watercolor book drawings that have come to life. The lines are well defined, the colors are wonderfully chosen, and the sound effects almost too real. The movement of the characters is a bit awkward, but I like it because it reminds me once again of their book drawing origin. I can’t say it enough, so I’ll say it again: watching the DVDs is just like seeing the book drawings come to life.

The stories are wonderfully plotted and contain great lessons for the little ones. It’s a pleasure to watch and follow along with the characters. The story-telling is relaxing but won’t put you to sleep. It’s just the right tempo. Some of the stories are a little scary, like that of Pigling Bland or Samuel Whiskers, but the scary scenes are only alluded to, not shown. Still, it’s effective enough to send chills down your spine, so you might want to pick and choose which stories you show to your children based on their age and level of understanding.

Here is what’s included in the set (images of each DVD cover are included below):

  1. The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
    1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny
    2. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse
    3. The Tale of Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck
  2. The Tale of Pigling Bland and Other Stories
    1. The Tale of Pigling Bland
    2. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or the Roly-Poly Pudding
    3. The Tailor of Gloucester
  3. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher and Other Stories
    1. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher
    2. The Tale of Mr. Tod: The Further Adventures of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny
    3. The Tale of Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town-Mouse

I’m trying to think what other cartoons I can compare them to, and their closest “relative” is probably Little Bear, which is a series about a bear family living in an American forest. The drawing style and movement of the characters is similar, thought the colors aren’t pastels in Little Bear.

I definitely recommend these cartoons. They’re great for children, but you don’t need to be of that age to enjoy them. Ligia and I both found them enjoyable.

Buy The Beatrix Potter Collection

The Tale of Pigling Bland and Other Stories

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