[Dan Moren]

JakeB said:

Thanks for the observations, Dan, though there were a couple of places where you lost me. To wit:

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

Quote

1. No video adapters to save the environment? Gimme a break! Apple will make extra millions from all those who NEED to hook up their laptops. If Microsoft pulled such a move, all the fanboys would be crying about money-grubbing scumbags.

Well, I wasn't really implying that Apple was doing this out of purely altruistic reasons, but "tongue-in-cheek" doesn't always transfer over the Internet ;). I think there are a number of valid business reasons for Apple not to include the adapters. I believe most people don't end up using those adapters, and if that means Apple has to manufacture fewer, then that's a savings for them. As for how much money they'll make, it's a hard argument to put forth, since we don't know that including the adapters wouldn't have just jacked up the price of the MacBook itself, charging more for people who don't need them (and as stephenrea points out above, there's always the question of which adapter(s) you include: VGA? DVI? Dual-link?). Personally, as one whose apartment is littered with dongles that I don't use, I'm happy to have one fewer piece of clutter.

I also think that this is Apple's trend towards including fewer and fewer components with their products where possible. You buy a PC laptop, open it up, and there are cables and plastic bags and twist ties everywhere. You open a Mac box, and bam: a laptop and a power adapter. You're ready to go. Part of that is cost-cutting, I'm sure, but part of it is also presenting a perception of simplicity that harkens back to the "3-steps" ad about connecting your iMac to the Internet. It's just fewer pieces, and there's a value to that.

Quote

2. Most consumers don't use firewire? Hey, you got an old camcorder which relies on firewire? Go out and buy a new one, bub!

Sure, there are plenty of old camcorders that rely on FireWire. Of course, there are plenty of old camcorders that rely on VHS too. Apple's never had any qualms about ditching a technology when it doesn't think it's as useful, otherwise we'd all still have floppy drives and serial ports. As I said above, I think Apple decided there was a compromise to be made in constructing the notebook and that FireWire was the most expendable. If they could have fit it in (and forestalled all this controversy), don't you think they would have?

Apple's looking towards the future here, and for better or worse, that future does not seem to include widespread proliferation of FireWire. It's a bummer, but it is what it is.

Quote

2.a. I guess if I walked away from my computer for an hour I'd find modem downloads no hassle either. If your time is precious, firewire transfer is considerably faster than USB. Ditching a superior technology? NOT a good idea.

Well, people called Betamax a superior technology, but the whole world went to VHS anyway, and it seemed to work out okay (I know, two VHS references? I think I've hit my quota). You're right: FireWire has a higher sustained throughput than USB. But my argument is that in the consumer market, for the kind of copying most people are doing, USB is simply good enough. And it's far, far more prevalent than FireWire. I think Apple's trying to wean its consumer customers to a life without FireWire (for example, none of the iPods made support it any more). It's a bummer, I agree, but it's also kind of a moot argument at the end of the day?we can't make Apple include FireWire if it doesn't want to. This model doesn't have it, and if that's key to you (the generic "you"), then it's not the computer you should buy. But USB is going to serve most of your needs, and it's going to do so capably.

Quote

3. The big one; I went to my local 'premium' Apple Reseller to take a look at the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The store is VERY white with very bright lighting -- under those conditions, holy s*, I could see EVERYTHING that was happening behind me while looking at the glossy screens -- very useful if you're James Bond.

I agree, but there are a number of reasons why Apple Stores aren't the perfect environment. Unless, of course, you spend all day in a white room with bright lighting. Simplest one is that when you go into those stores, the computers are usually on tables and you're standing. That means you have to tilt the screen farther back than usual to see it, which in turn means that it's going to pointed more or less directly at the lights. They're not really real world conditions.

This idea that if you're getting reflection you should just change position really bugs me. In the real world you walk into a crowded café, or you're sitting round a conference table, etc. and if you're getting bad reflection, tough, you're out of luck. This frequent NEED to change viewing angle, married to the UNCERTAINTY as to whether you'll encounter favorable lighting conditions, all adds up to glossy screens being less convenient than matte ones, given the reasonable assumption that a portable user will wish to work in multiple environments with variable lighting conditions.

Let me clarify. When I say "change position" I don't mean "move where you're sitting." More often than not, I can get rid of a light source by adjusting the angle of the display or by simply turning the MacBook slightly. That's hardly outlandish, and as someone who spends much of his time working in crowded cafes, I can assure you that I rarely find it an ordeal. I've worked in a variety of places on my old MacBook?inside, outside, light rooms, dark rooms?and I rarely found it unusable.


And cranking up the brightness, as I did at the store, didn't solve the problem. It's like cranking up the volume on your iPod in a noisy room -- it's tiring and damaging to your eyes to stare at an overly brightened screen.

It won't fix it in all circumstances, but it has fixed it in many for me. I think my eyes are probably going to burn out at some point anyway. ;)

I'm very glad I bought my early 2008 matte-screen MacBook Pro. Apple should bring back up the option, the choice of matte or glossy. I think us consumers can handle it.

Yeah, it does suck that they don't offer the option, as I know that many people really love matte displays. But?and I'm not trying to be harsh here, just realistic?I wouldn't hold my breath. Then again, who knows? Maybe next year Steve will come out on the stage and brag about how awesome Apple's new matte screen technology is.

Thanks for all your comments!

Cheers,
Dan

[NewMacUserSD]

I'll post b/c I offer a completely different perspective: I have used PCs my whole life, and the 2.53 GHz MBP is my first Mac, coming from a Compaq Presario. There are just four less-than-positive points I want to make:
1) The edge of my MBP, where I rest my palms, really starts to dig in after awhile. Non-bevelled edging makes me wonder if all previous MacBook owners have just developed calluses, or hover their hands continuously.
2) The number of keys is far fewer. I miss a separate backspace and delete key, a Home key, End key, pg up, pg dn, etc. I guess all Mac keyboard jockeys have accustomed themselves to Mac's keyboard shortcuts, but I'd rather have a few more keys than spend a couple hours setting up keyboard shortcuts that don't work in say, Firefox.
3) What's the deal with the port spacing??? I can't plug to regular USB devices in b/c the spacing between them is so small that the devices overlap and get in the way. Yes, I should probably be using that firewire port more than anything, b/c USB 2.0 can't cut cheese according to the above posts, but why can't I plug in a jump drive and a USB mouse? Is that really asking too much???
4) Love the feel of the trackpad, hate the clumsy clicks. The size and amount of friction beats the trackpad on my Compaq hands down, but like macwilf noted, you have a very hard time clicking and dragging with any precision. Back to the mouse for me :(
Other gripes have already been addressed. Overall, I can't complain b/c I didn't pay for it, and if I had to pay for it I would've gone for the cheaper 2.4 GHz MB and probably have been just as happy. I love a lot of the under-the-cover differences btw Mac and PC, which is why I'm slowly going to be switching over all of my comps. But I definitely (though less vociferously) agree with some of the complaints about the new MB's. In the end, since I'm a Mac noob I'm looking at the total package vs what they upgraded, and I'm liking it a whole lot.

[tbutler67]

[quote name='Dan Moren']
>

JakeB said:

> 1. No video adapters to save the environment? Gimme a break! Apple will make extra millions from all those who NEED to hook up their laptops. If Microsoft pulled such a move, all the fanboys would be crying about money-grubbing scumbags.

Well, I wasn't really implying that Apple was doing this out of purely altruistic reasons, but "tongue-in-cheek" doesn't always transfer over the Internet ;). I think there are a number of valid business reasons for Apple not to include the adapters. I believe most people don't end up using those adapters, and if that means Apple has to manufacture fewer, then that's a savings for them. As for how much money they'll make, it's a hard argument to put forth, since we don't know that including the adapters wouldn't have just jacked up the price of the MacBook itself, charging more for people who don't need them (and as stephenrea points out above, there's always the question of which adapter(s) you include: VGA? DVI? Dual-link?). Personally, as one whose apartment is littered with dongles that I don't use, I'm happy to have one fewer piece of clutter.

Agreed completely. I've been using Mac laptops since the PowerBook 170 back in 1991. There was one three-month period, back at my last contract job, where I used an external monitor regularly. (And the adapter was supplied by the office.) Other than that... in 17 years, I've probably used an external display less than 20 times. A little over one use a year is not exactly a good argument for the added expense of including an adapter for me, and I'd be willing to bet somewhere between 50% and 70% of users are in the same position. There's a little part of me that wishes they were still included... then I go and look at my junk drawer and all the dongles I've accumulated over the years. (Remember the stereo mic that was included with the Q840av? How many times did that get used?)

Quote

> 2. Most consumers don't use firewire? Hey, you got an old camcorder which relies on firewire? Go out and buy a new one, bub!

Sure, there are plenty of old camcorders that rely on FireWire. Of course, there are plenty of old camcorders that rely on VHS too. Apple's never had any qualms about ditching a technology when it doesn't think it's as useful, otherwise we'd all still have floppy drives and serial ports. As I said above, I think Apple decided there was a compromise to be made in constructing the notebook and that FireWire was the most expendable. If they could have fit it in (and forestalled all this controversy), don't you think they would have?

Good point; all the people with non-DV camcorders in the past had to either buy new ones to work with iMovie, or buy digitizer boxes to get their footage into their Mac. This isn't that different. (There's even an exact analogy to dropping an interface that once existed; there was a model run in there (the 7500/8500/7600/8600) that had a built-in analog video digitizer. I think it was put in there (along with the stereo mic) when Apple was trying to push videoconferencing as the Next Big Thing; when it didn't take off, Apple quietly dropped the video capture hardware, and very few people missed it.)

Quote

> 2.a. I guess if I walked away from my computer for an hour I'd find modem downloads no hassle either. If your time is precious, firewire transfer is considerably faster than USB. Ditching a superior technology? NOT a good idea.

Well, people called Betamax a superior technology, but the whole world went to VHS anyway, and it seemed to work out okay (I know, two VHS references? I think I've hit my quota). You're right: FireWire has a higher sustained throughput than USB. But my argument is that in the consumer market, for the kind of copying most people are doing, USB is simply good enough. And it's far, far more prevalent than FireWire. I think Apple's trying to wean its consumer customers to a life without FireWire (for example, none of the iPods made support it any more). It's a bummer, I agree, but it's also kind of a moot argument at the end of the day?we can't make Apple include FireWire if it doesn't want to. This model doesn't have it, and if that's key to you (the generic "you"), then it's not the computer you should buy. But USB is going to serve most of your needs, and it's going to do so capably.

FireWire is definitely a superior interface to USB. It's also an interface that never saw widespread use outside of the DV camcorder and Mac hard drive market. About the only place you can find FireWire hard drives was at a Mac specialty retailer, or a computer superstore a la CompUSA or MicroCenter. (Consumer electronics superstores, or office supply stores, need not apply.) And even at the computer superstores, they're outnumbered at least 2:1 by USB hard drives. Not to mention USB hard drives are hugely cheaper than FireWire HD's; checking at MicroCenter.com, the cheapest FireWire HDs had around a 60% markup over USB HD's with the same capacity. And while USB HD's don't perform as well as FireWire, they perform Well Enough for the vast majority of uses; the premium for FireWire just isn't worth it. (Even portable bus-powered drives, something FireWire used to have a huge advantage in, aren't an issue any more; as long as I use a quality cable (doesn't need to be a dual-head cable), preferably one that came with a USB drive, every portable USB drive has worked with every recent vintage (last 3-4 years) Mac I've tried it with.)

As for FireWire DV camcorders, for the last couple of years they've been crowded out by USB camcorders. It's getting hard to find them, and you have to look and pay attention to get one. Picking any random model off the shelf, the odds are at least 7:1 or 8:1 that you'll get a USB-only model. Sad, but true.

I've given up on fighting this particular battle; outside of the high-end specialty market (i.e. prosumer/pro camcorders, audio interfaces, etc.), FireWire is going away. Apple's bowing to reality here.

[maxonly]

It just really really bothers me when people make statements like this:
> you probably are—or should be—working on a MacBook Pro anyway.
[/quote]
The premise is that if you are a "pro" you should buy a MacBook "Pro" is ridiculous. I am a pro and I know many many pros who long for the smaller form factor, because, where do we use laptops? In the field! Which is exactly the environment you want to have the best smallest laptop. So unless you ARE a pro video or audio user PLEASE do not make that insipid marketing proclamation about what we should be using.

[Dan Moren]

maxonly said:

It just really really bothers me when people make statements like this:

> you probably are—or should be—working on a MacBook Pro anyway.

The premise is that if you are a "pro" you should buy a MacBook "Pro" is ridiculous. I am a pro and I know many many pros who long for the smaller form factor, because, where do we use laptops? In the field! Which is exactly the environment you want to have the best smallest laptop. So unless you ARE a pro video or audio user PLEASE do not make that insipid marketing proclamation about what we should be using.

You're right, I'm not a pro. In this case, I was referring particularly to the case of someone doing professional video-editing. I understand the desire for a smaller laptop to take into the field, but as someone who has done video-editing in the past, I find it hard to imagine anyone wanting (or being comfortable) doing video-editing on a 13" screen (not that, admittedly, a 15" MacBook Pro is that much better). In addition, I'd imagine the performance boost of the Pro would be desirable in such a situation as well.

I'm sorry if the observation struck you as "insipid" but it was based less on marketing and more on the case of what would seem desirable in that case. Obviously, as a pro, you can buy whatever the heck you want. But look, most Pros (in the video field) are not going to buy an Air, no matter how much they value small form-factor, because the compromises Apple has made there make it unsuitable for the kind of work they're likely to be doing. For better of for worse, the MacBook is now in the same category.

[tokyojerry]

@tbutler67:

" As for FireWire DV
camcorders, for the last couple of years they've been crowded out by
USB camcorders. It's getting hard to find them, and you have to look
and pay attention to get one. Picking any random model off the shelf,
the odds are at least 7:1 or 8:1 that you'll get a USB-only model. Sad,
but true.
I've given up on fighting this particular battle; outside of the
high-end specialty market (i.e. prosumer/pro camcorders, audio
interfaces, etc.), FireWire is going away. Apple's bowing to reality
here."

*

I completely agree with this comment. The handwriting is on the wall. In the days of tape Beta was superior to VHS, but VHS won out. Market dominance and widespread acceptance caused that phenomena to occur, somewhat ditto to what you see with Windows vs OS-X but won't get into that). Firewire is giving way to USB. I think Apple has the vision to see that. Firewire might have been superior to USB, but, that was then... (and still now, for now). Going forward, almost every computer has a USB interface, Microsoft and Apple. Almost every modern camcorder has a mini-USB interface. Firewire ports are on the decrease. (How many of all the myriad of netbooks for example, have firewire ports? I think the more important issue here, and Apple thinking future tense is that USB is here to stay. USB 3.0 protocol ratifiied in September 2007. To make a long-story short, USB is going to get a speed bump like to a factor of 10x !! Like, that's going from 480Mbps to 4,800 Mps, or stated differently, 4.8Gbps!! So, where does that leave firewire with it's humping along 400 or even 800Mbps? In fact final specifications on USB 3.0 are dueNovember 17, 2008, right around the corner, with commercial products due in 2009.

http://www.engadget....led-this-month/

http://en.wikipedia....iki/USB#USB_3.0

Now whether or not firewire lives on or not, who knows. Even with Firewire S3200 up and coming, which pumps firewire 1394b by a factor of 4x to 3200Mbps or 3.2Gbps, will still lag behind the USB 3.0 specification at 4.8Gbps. So here again, I think Steve Jobs and the gang at Apple, being the visionairies they are, see the future of peripheral connectivity as being USB, and thus perhaps, regard the firewire port as wasted space at least in the design of the lower end Macbooks. Even the Macbook Pros have been reduced to only the 1394b port perhaps simply for perfunctory reasons. I will not be surprised to see Apple do away with Firewire all together once USB 3.0 sets in.

In a similar vein, the visionaries at Apple also see the future on display port technology with the DisplayPort That might very well put to rest all those clunky connector ports and cables like D-sub 15-pin, DVI, and even the proprietary HDMI which is clunky compared to DisplayPort, is proprietary, is slower, and not as versatile. I am thankful there are such think tanks and visionaries at Apple regard design and technology of hardware (not to mention a superior OS). I can hardly imagine the folks at Microsoft taking such visionary approaches to hardware design as Apple does. Microsoft is more entrenched in recovering from it's Vista woes and screw ups rather then improved hardware.

Anyway, got a bit off course here but, in short, I think Apple is trying to 'ease' us into a reality check about the future being USB and DisplayPort. There is a great bit of philosophy from the distance past: "Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication" (Leonardo Da Vinci)

[jdb8167]

montgomery_burns said:

Apple laptops were not the first to have glossy screens. HP and Dell laptops had glossy screens long before Mac laptops did. But during that time, how many Mac users actually said "Gee, those glossy PC laptop screens sure have better color quality, I wish Mac laptops had the same screens."? No, it was always "You can't see anything on those Dell laptop screens". But now these same Mac users are saying "Glossy is better, all computer screens should be glossy".

I can only speak for myself but the first time I saw a glossy display showing video, I wanted one. My 2006 matte display MacBook Pro looked decidedly dull next to my brother-in-law's new HP. It wasn't the most important thing to me but I did say to myself, the next laptop I get is going to be glossy if I have the option.

BTW, I'm a programmer. I'm on a contract assignment right now where the computer I've been given is not really up to the task but luckily, I was allowed to use my MacBook Pro and now I'm using the MacBook. While I have control of the lights in my office, I don't have to do anything special to get be comfortable with the glossy screen for 8 hours a day. I know everyone is different but the screen is absolutely spectacular as far as I'm concerned.

Quote

Before Apple made the MacBook Air or removed Firewire from the MacBook, Mac users were rubbing Firewire in PC users faces. "All Mac laptops have built in Firewire, target disk mode is so great". But now that Apple has removed Firewire from the MacBook, these same Mac users say "Who needs Firewire, just use USB".

Firewire has had its day as a consumer technology. It is being bypassed. I get it that if you need Firewire, the loss is a big problem but I do not miss Firewire myself. I haven't used it for over a year with my MacBook Pro. All my external drives are USB 2.0 and they are perfectly adequate for my needs. Again, it sucks that Firewire is missing from the MacBook if you need it, but I suspect that most people just don't need it any more. Time to move on.

Quote

So with all the apparent self contradiction from these Mac users, one has to wonder. Do these Mac users really believe what they are saying, or are they just echoing Apple's current party line and rationalizing after the fact?

While I have no doubt that some of it is rationalization on the part of some people, I'm being totally honest in my assessment of the MacBooks. I have a single Firewire device, a analog to DV converter box that is hooked up to an old G4 Mac mini. Not being able to use it on my new MacBook is not a hardship. I absolutely love the glossy screen and don't have any problems using it for 8 hours a day. YMMV as they say.

[Terrin]

I think you are generalizing. I have both heard and read a whole bunch of Mac users upset about 1) the loss of Firewire, and 2) the glossy screens. The author of this article fairly mentions both saying he doesn't like the removal either of Firewire or the Matte screen option, only that he can live with both changes. I think his intuition is also probably correct why the changes were made. With Firewire Apple probably simply had to make an engineering decision. Something had to go and it ended up being the better then USB but less utilized Firewire (I personally am very upset about the loss of Target Disk mode). I suspect Apple went with Glossy screens because on balance most consumers won't care that much and it was more cost effective to select one over the other. When any company overs more then one option, it always runs the risk of sitting on an over abundance of of inventory if the company doesn't guess the preference correctly.

You can always find a handful of Mac users who will take any view on a topic. That probably is the same as with any group of users.


[quote name='montgomery_burns']
Apple laptops were not the first to have glossy screens. HP and Dell laptops had glossy screens long before Mac laptops did. But during that time, how many Mac users actually said "Gee, those glossy PC laptop screens sure have better color quality, I wish Mac laptops had the same screens."? No, it was always "You can't see anything on those Dell laptop screens". But now these same Mac users are saying "Glossy is better, all computer screens should be glossy".

Before Apple made the MacBook Air or removed Firewire from the MacBook, Mac users were rubbing Firewire in PC users faces. "All Mac laptops have built in Firewire, target disk mode is so great". But now that Apple has removed Firewire from the MacBook, these same Mac users say "Who needs Firewire, just use USB".

So with all the apparent self contradiction from these Mac users, one has to wonder. Do these Mac users really believe what they are saying, or are they just echoing Apple's current party line and rationalizing after the fact? Partisanship at its finest.

[NightshadesMac]

@ Macwilf:

My very first iMac was the last of the original G3 CRT iMacs and my next one was my current, 1st of the line Intel Core Duo iMacs. When I made the switch I used the Migration assistant and had no troubles at all but I was going from Panther (10.3) to Tiger (10.4). Still, sad to hear about your troubles since I loved the Migration Assistant.

On the new frontier of keyboard technology, I've been waiting for the keyboard like the one you mentioned as being from the Russians. I think having a small screen on each key which the user can change at will is an idea who's time has come. Now that Sony has released the first consumer OLED (organic light emitting diode) monitor perhaps out wait is almost at an end. Barring any newer tech that may show up I believe the new OLED tech would serve this purpose with perfection so let's cross our fingers and hope to see it soon. Of course, I'd rather it be priced where an average consumer could afford it and if it's going to happen at all we'll likely have to wait until the price of OLED drops quite a bit. The aforementioned Sony TV costs an astounding $2,499.99 US for an 11" screen but it's only 3 mm thin! Quite a high price for such a small price but Plasma and LCD TV's were once just as costly.

For anyone interested in checking out this new TV tech you can go to sonystyle.com and look under the TV & Home Entertainment tab.

[asiafish]

I waited for the release of these models and then went out and bought an early 2008 MacBook Pro. Yes, I chose the matte screen, but I didn't mind the glossy on my old MacBook that much. Yes, the deep discount was nice, but I would still have bought the older model even if prices weren't so drastically cut.
The reason I bought the older model is that I just don't trust Rev A of anything. I was badly burned, literally, by the Rev A 12" PowerBook and again by the Rev A MacBook. Both machines were so bad that Apple replaced them, three times in the case of the MacBook, before I got a stable machine. Even when stable, the original 12" PowerBook ran so hot that it damaged the finish on a desk.
Of course, the MacBook went on to be one of Apple's best notebooks in its history, as did the 12" PowerBook. Rev B of each of those machines brought better cooling, fewer bugs and improvements in build quality. I still have an love my Rev B 12" PowerBook, and my Rev C MacBook is currently in daily use by my paralegal.
The new/old MacBook Pro, by the way, is the best laptop I've ever used. I've played with the new one at the Apple Store, but I prefer the keyboard and screen on mine.

[arepa]

I absolutely agree! I have two Macs and two Ipods. I was planning to buy a new MacBook Pro after this update, but was so let down by the "take-it-or-leave" it attitude at Apple that I am waiting. There's no question that Macs are the best computers you can buy. But there's also no question that they're overpriced and that Jobs is basically non-responsive to many in his consumer base.

But be careful, these fanboys will get upset if anyone questions a decision concerning Apple products. Some people would buy a cereal box for $1000 if it had an Apple logo on it and defend it to the end. The glossy-screen only option is bogus. It may be acceptable. But it is not the first choice for many, many consumers who have seen both. To say "turn up the brightness" is insane -- and arrogant. Might as well say, "like it or leave it". To excuse the cables for environmental reasons is, well childish. No one really believes that's why they are not in there, just like the remote. It's all about the MONEY people!!!!!!!!!!! They could always include a voucher for your one or two most needed cables to be picked up free at the Apple Store if they were just trying to cut down on unused cables. Instead, they effectively raise the price of their product by giving you less for the same price. Apple is just gouging we customers every chance they get, JUST LIKE MICROSOFT does! If you really think their manufacturing process and parts costs are leaving them with a thin profit margin, you are beyond naive, you are delusional.

I know I may wake up tomorrow with a horse's head in my bed for saying that. The firewire, well, personally I don't care. But the point is that Apple is leaving out stuff, reducing options, and not offering discounts to make up the difference. If the market will bear it, good for them. But I am not feeling much love or especially loyalty, for Apple when it's obvious that they don't care one whit about earning that loyalty.

I know I don't have to buy a Mac and no one will miss me if I don't. I also know I MUST like them enough to keep buying them, so "why am I complaining?" I get it. It's capitalism. I have no problem. But don't insult my intelligence by telling me that Apple is giving me all these wonderful new things and helping me be environment friendly by leaving things I could use out of the box only to sell them to me later. Don't tell me that Apple knows best what I need and want. "Just because I think I want a matte screen, doesn't mean I really do."

Give me a break!!!!!!!

[ARM]

NightshadesMac said:

@ Macwilf:

My very first iMac was the last of the original G3 CRT iMacs and my next one was my current, 1st of the line Intel Core Duo iMacs. When I made the switch I used the Migration assistant and had no troubles at all but I was going from Panther (10.3) to Tiger (10.4). Still, sad to hear about your troubles since I loved the Migration Assistant.

On the new frontier of keyboard technology, I've been waiting for the keyboard like the one you mentioned as being from the Russians. I think having a small screen on each key which the user can change at will is an idea who's time has come. Now that Sony has released the first consumer OLED (organic light emitting diode) monitor perhaps out wait is almost at an end. Barring any newer tech that may show up I believe the new OLED tech would serve this purpose with perfection so let's cross our fingers and hope to see it soon. Of course, I'd rather it be priced where an average consumer could afford it and if it's going to happen at all we'll likely have to wait until the price of OLED drops quite a bit. The aforementioned Sony TV costs an astounding $2,499.99 US for an 11" screen but it's only 3 mm thin! Quite a high price for such a small price but Plasma and LCD TV's were once just as costly.

For anyone interested in checking out this new TV tech you can go to sonystyle.com and look under the TV & Home Entertainment tab.

Actually, such a keyboard has existed since February: Optimus Maximus

[RogerKni]

The December issue of <i>PC World</i> reviewed five Hi-Def Camcorders (pp. 111-18), four of them tapeless. Its conclusions are summarized by the headings on the text boxes on pages 112 & 113: "High-Def Camcorders: Tape Edges Out Tapeless" and "Who said tape is dead? The miniDV-based Canon HV30 reigned supreme over the tapeless camcorders in this roundup." The HV30 (which uses FireWire) was the only one that received a "Best Buy" award.

The review of the HV30 stated, "Videotape isn't the newest format on the block, but it is inexpensive, easy to work with, and great for archiving." " Regarding FireWire, the review said, " more time-consuming than random-access AVCHD transfers, but it also works with less-robust systems and many more video editing packages."

So tape isn't dead yet. Maybe it'll never die.

[angelsandarthouse]

After getting my previous white macbook stolen a couple months ago, I recently have been weighing in on whether to buy the new aluminum macbook versus the previous generation plastic macbook. After weighing in various factors, I was able to eliminate one of the two options very easily.
While your article mentions how the firewire port seems "expendible," I have to disagree. The reason for my dissent is because I'm an indie filmmaker. One of my essential components that I need is a firewire. Most video cameras only have attachments for firewire, not USB, hence I would not be able to transfer my footage on the go if I had a camera and had to upload it into my laptop. Which is why I'm going for a previous generation plastic macbook.
While the brittle plastic hand rests can be annoying, I found the previous macbook model worked perfectly. In addition, I can get a refurbished faster speed macbook with extra hard drive space without spending the extra $500 something on the new macbook. If it was going to cost those extra hundreds of dollars, i would expect firewire for the price.