Apple Updates MacBook!

[bil207]

The New MacBooks

[Parker]

a processor upgrade
very nice!

i need to call in for a replacement anyway
because my macbook is driving me nuts and has been in for repair so many times

[krissel]

I like the way they say

QUOTE

one inch thin

.  

[csonni]

Just ordered the white 2.16 today.  It came just in time as I was prepared to go with an older iBook or PB as a temporary replacement.  The upgrade isn't anyything spectacular, as many rumor wishers were hoping for Santa Rosa, dedicated video and led display.  All that would have been nice.  Hope all the issues with the white "paint" are over with.  I will protect this new baby coming.  I'll try to use my bluetooth mouse as much as possible.  Ordered the STM Small Alley bag to go along with it, as well as the iSkin keyboard cover.

[Mayo]

Just a "heads-up" for folks with educational discounts at a college bookstore...

When a new Mac model is introduced college bookstores often have a sale shortly after the new model launch.  Sometimes the Macs are remaining stock but occasionally a bookstore will make a special purchase of previous models that Apple wants to move out the door. The price cuts can be dramatic: I purchased our G4 12" iBook for $649 at one of these sales. I think that its retail price was $1099 before the standard $100 educational discount.  I have also seen 20" G5 iMacs go for around $800 at the UCLA bookstore.

The U of O Bookstore told me to call on Thursday because they should know by then the amount of the discount Apple will be allowing. I recommend calling your college bookstore today and see when the discount prices will take effect.  Be sure to talk to someone who will know what is going on, preferably the store manager or head of the computer sales department.  Last year I missed a chance to buy a $2000 MacBook Pro for around $1000 because I got the wrong info from a salesperson...

If the MacBook price comes down enough we may be replacing our G4 iBook.  But I am really looking forward to an update of the 24" iMac!

[csonni]

I originally thought there was a bump in ram for the mid model, but it was 1 gig in the previous wasn't it?  The 2.0 C2D refurbs have 1 gig.  So the only bump is processor speed and hard drive.

[Gregg]

Mayo, my student-son advised me of same. He said wait for a new generation iMac to come out, then go get one of the current ones at a discount. My wife is a teacher, so she gets that discount. But, I think I'll buy a new iMac (eventually) at the Apple Store because they will transfer all the files you designate for no additional charge. I've discovered that the education discount at the Store reduces the price to about the same you can get out of a catalog.

[Mayo]

Gregg, the "previous-model" sale I am talking about reduces the price substantially compared to the normal educational discount and far less than any catalog price I have ever seen (and I have looked at a lot of places over the years to see if they ever match the sale price at the U of O Bookstore.) The normal educational discount is $50- $100 off the retail price for a Mac.  My G4 iBook cost $450 less than the retail price. The G5 iMacs I saw at UCLA last year were around $600 less than the retail price.

The U of O Bookstore currently has 17" iMacs for $899 vs. $1299 retail, a $400 savings:

17-inch widescreen LCD
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo Processor
with 2MB shared L2 cache
512MB (2 X 256MB SO-DIMMs)
667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
160 GB Serial ATA Hard Drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 graphics
with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0
Keyboard and Apple Mighty Mouse
ZAMRZ0CX
Previous Model
(MA199LL/A Base Model)

On more than one occasion the bookstore sale prices have been quite a bit less than the price for a refurbished Mac purchased through the Apple Store.

As far as transferring files goes, you don't need the Apple Store folks to do that. I'll happily do it myself in order to save $400+!

Regarding the update, I think that the entry-level MacBook now has 1GB RAM vs. 512MB in the previous version.

[gunug]

I've seen some criticism in the PC tech websites about the fact that they didn't update to a newer Intel Chipset:

QUOTE

All of this is good news for new MacBook buyers, but for upgrade appeal to existing MacBook users, it's relatively low. With an Intel T7400 Core 2 Duo, MacBook gets a half-upgrade in terms of CPU, netting only a doubling of shared Level 2 cache with no increase in front-side bus or memory speed. These shortcomings reflect the fact that Apple chose to stick with Intel's 945 chipset rather than Intel's latest "Santa Rosa" 965 chipset. The 965 boosts integrated graphics performance and, when used with a chipset-optimized Core 2 Duo CPU, raises the front side bus to 800 MHz.

                                     --- http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131878-c...ks/article.html

[Parker]

QUOTE

I'll try to use my bluetooth mouse as much as possible.

I recommend that.
After a year of using my MacBook (shipped the first week they came out), my trackpad has faded and you can clearly see that I am dominantly right-handed and i love using my finger to the left of the center and not in the center or on the edges.

It really shows use and is not a good cosmetic feature wen trying to sell your computer.

[Gregg]

QUOTE(Mayo @ May 16 2007, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gregg,

As far as transferring files goes, you don't need the Apple Store folks to do that. I'll happily do it myself in order to save $400+!

At those prices, I'd have to agree that the pain of setting up file sharing betweeen OS9 to OSX might be worth it, if I only had the time....

[Mrious_be]

Is it me... am I wrong or... didn't they upgraded the memory to 1Gb standard on all MacBooks also?
Now it's just waiting for the MacBook Pro's to upgrade... won't be long.

[Mayo]

According to this article at MacNN, file sharing may no longer be an option between OS 9 and OS X. (If true, I'd like to know how the folks at the Apple Store will be able to transfer the files...)

It may be possible between an OS 9 Mac and an OS X Mac running a version earlier than 10.4.9, which could then be transferred to a newer Mac.  The article comments might have some work-arounds for the problem.

If you have a CD burner you could save yourself the trouble of setting up file sharing. I suppose another option would be to use one of the free file transfer Internet services that allow the transfer of large files.

So far the best deal at the U of O Bookstore is $899 for the previous generation entry-level MacBook and they only have a few MacBooks left in 1.83GHz and 2.0 GHz/SuperDrive ($999).  But it and other bookstores could still get a better deal from Apple, so stay tuned.