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Ever wanted to ask a question of a Macworld editor and get a live response? This Friday, you'll get your chance. Read on for the details of our first-ever live chat session. [more]
Editors' Notes Weblog: Talk back to a Macworld editor
#1
Macworld.com 
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 12:20 PM
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#3
pmdworks
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 01:19 PM
Greetings Macworld Editors,
Don't think I can make the chat on Friday so I thought I'd post here (will you make the chat session log available afterward?). I'd like to know your take on the new black MacBook. For a long while I've wanted a 13" widescreen laptop from Apple to replace my 12" 600 MHz iBook which has worked perfectly over the years but is getting a bit sluggish (12"s just isn't wide enough to have a Word window zoomed up so that it's readable and have the formatting palette open and not in the way at the same time - 13"s is perfect - and don't get me started on the 8 MB video card in my iBook, come on Apple!). I think the $1,099 entry level MacBook is just right in terms of price vs. technology, however, I crave the black MacBook (I think the screen pops more when compared to the washed out internal look of the white model, and lets face it, after 4 1/2 years with a white iBook I'm ready for a change). I'm happy to pay a premium for the high end black model, but not just for the color! Instead of a $200 premium over the nearest white model I'd rather pay Apple a $300 premium and in return get the black paint job AND a reasonably good dedicated video card (my current iBook has taught me better not to skimp on the video card) and an express card slot (for WiMax or a Sprint EVDO card one of these days). If the black MacBook is indeed meant as a replacement for the high end iBook and the low end PowerBook it seems like this configuration would be a no brainer for Apple - at very least as a build to order option. The 12" PB sold well, and I'm sure this would blow those numbers away. A quick review of comments posted on the net leads me to believe I'm not alone in my hesitation to purchase a new MacBook at this time even though I really, really want to. I don't know if these changes to the black MacBook are technically feasible, but here's hoping... your thoughts?
Thanks,
Phil
Don't think I can make the chat on Friday so I thought I'd post here (will you make the chat session log available afterward?). I'd like to know your take on the new black MacBook. For a long while I've wanted a 13" widescreen laptop from Apple to replace my 12" 600 MHz iBook which has worked perfectly over the years but is getting a bit sluggish (12"s just isn't wide enough to have a Word window zoomed up so that it's readable and have the formatting palette open and not in the way at the same time - 13"s is perfect - and don't get me started on the 8 MB video card in my iBook, come on Apple!). I think the $1,099 entry level MacBook is just right in terms of price vs. technology, however, I crave the black MacBook (I think the screen pops more when compared to the washed out internal look of the white model, and lets face it, after 4 1/2 years with a white iBook I'm ready for a change). I'm happy to pay a premium for the high end black model, but not just for the color! Instead of a $200 premium over the nearest white model I'd rather pay Apple a $300 premium and in return get the black paint job AND a reasonably good dedicated video card (my current iBook has taught me better not to skimp on the video card) and an express card slot (for WiMax or a Sprint EVDO card one of these days). If the black MacBook is indeed meant as a replacement for the high end iBook and the low end PowerBook it seems like this configuration would be a no brainer for Apple - at very least as a build to order option. The 12" PB sold well, and I'm sure this would blow those numbers away. A quick review of comments posted on the net leads me to believe I'm not alone in my hesitation to purchase a new MacBook at this time even though I really, really want to. I don't know if these changes to the black MacBook are technically feasible, but here's hoping... your thoughts?
Thanks,
Phil
#4
Philip Michaels
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 01:34 PM
In reply to:
will you make the chat session log available afterward?
will you make the chat session log available afterward?
Yes, there will be a transcript of the chat available at Macworld.com.
As to the rest of your question, I'll leave that for Jason and Jon to field.
#5
jaapwillem
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 01:49 PM
Good day fellows,
I just have a quick question: I do have a Powerbook 15" g4 1,5GHz and I wanted to change this into a macbook, because off the increase speeds... but now I have a question for you guys, how does the 13.3" screen stack up compared to the old 15". I know the 12" and I didn't like it that much..
I'm asking because nobody has the new macbook yet in the shops overhere in europe.. I know it's a shame...
Thanks for the answer
Cheers
Jaap willem
I just have a quick question: I do have a Powerbook 15" g4 1,5GHz and I wanted to change this into a macbook, because off the increase speeds... but now I have a question for you guys, how does the 13.3" screen stack up compared to the old 15". I know the 12" and I didn't like it that much..
I'm asking because nobody has the new macbook yet in the shops overhere in europe.. I know it's a shame...
Thanks for the answer
Cheers
Jaap willem
#7
gmetcalfe
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 02:02 PM
Wow, this will be a great new feature. I hope that it is reoccurring.
Do you believe that the MBP and MB's run to hot? There are numerous reports on the web that the processor temps soar to 80 and 90 degrees celcius. See, e.g.,
http://www.intelmactemp.com/
http://arstechnica.c...e/macbook.ars/4
There are likewise numerous indications that the excessive heat is caused by misapplication of thermal paste. The heat can allegedly be remedied by reapplying the paste in appropriate quantities. See, e.g.,
http://home.sc.rr.co...BP/Welcome.html
http://www.mbpro.inf...Pro%20Heat.html
http://forums.someth...hreadid=1864582
I have had and returned two MBPs due to excessive heat. Is this a problem? Will Apple address it?
Your subscribers thank you in advance for tackling this tough issue.
Do you believe that the MBP and MB's run to hot? There are numerous reports on the web that the processor temps soar to 80 and 90 degrees celcius. See, e.g.,
http://www.intelmactemp.com/
http://arstechnica.c...e/macbook.ars/4
There are likewise numerous indications that the excessive heat is caused by misapplication of thermal paste. The heat can allegedly be remedied by reapplying the paste in appropriate quantities. See, e.g.,
http://home.sc.rr.co...BP/Welcome.html
http://www.mbpro.inf...Pro%20Heat.html
http://forums.someth...hreadid=1864582
I have had and returned two MBPs due to excessive heat. Is this a problem? Will Apple address it?
Your subscribers thank you in advance for tackling this tough issue.
#8
50Miles
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 02:08 PM
I'm looking for the best way to transfer my DVD movies to my hard drive so I can watch them with Front Row. I'm not looking to transfer to an iPod. I would like to maintain good video quality and 5.1 surround. I've found several solutions (Mac the Ripper & Handbrake - Popcorn 2) but they seem to be made to compress for the iPod and don't leave the 5.1 surround sound (as far as I can tell). I hope you know of some killer way to store and watch near DVD quality movies with surround sound from my Mac.
Miles
Miles
#9
Machound
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 02:35 PM
"I'm looking for the best way to transfer my DVD movies to my hard drive so I can watch them with Front Row."
I am aware of only one way to play DVDs off the hard drive with Front Row, and that's hardly an ideal solution. It involves ripping the vobs to you hard drive then making disc images of them one-by-one with Disk Utility or a similar .img making tool. That reportedly works fine for a small number of DVDs but it would be painful with hundreds of DVDs. Another alternative is to use MediaCentral, but that program has its own shortcomings -- for instance, no 5.1 channel audio pass through and frame drops. Still, MediaCentral is off to a nice start for freeware.
Apple needs to get its act together and make Front Row play vobs. Better yet, they should open the API's so other developers can utilize Front Row -- for instance to play EyeTV recordings, or for DVD playback with VLC's MPEG2 codec. Apple DVD Player's deinterlacing is terrible by comparison.
I am aware of only one way to play DVDs off the hard drive with Front Row, and that's hardly an ideal solution. It involves ripping the vobs to you hard drive then making disc images of them one-by-one with Disk Utility or a similar .img making tool. That reportedly works fine for a small number of DVDs but it would be painful with hundreds of DVDs. Another alternative is to use MediaCentral, but that program has its own shortcomings -- for instance, no 5.1 channel audio pass through and frame drops. Still, MediaCentral is off to a nice start for freeware.
Apple needs to get its act together and make Front Row play vobs. Better yet, they should open the API's so other developers can utilize Front Row -- for instance to play EyeTV recordings, or for DVD playback with VLC's MPEG2 codec. Apple DVD Player's deinterlacing is terrible by comparison.
#10
jmincey
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 03:15 PM
Interesting idea -- I hope it comes off well. Unlike the standard forums which are moderated, in a real-time chat you will be at the mercy of nut cases (like me?) who might seek to go off on tangents. So here's hoping all participants behave themselves and are reasonable in their comments and questions.
#11
justme2
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 03:28 PM
Only question I can think of right now is how I can "break" my iBook so I can talk the spouse into buying me a MacBook Pro... /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (don't want to actually break it because it's a good machine and sellable, but I'm in love with those thin beauties...)
#12
Philip Michaels
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 03:30 PM
In reply to:
rd forums which are moderated, in a real-time chat you will be at the mercy of nut cases (like me?) who might seek to go off on tangents.
rd forums which are moderated, in a real-time chat you will be at the mercy of nut cases (like me?) who might seek to go off on tangents.
I don't want to give the wrong impression here -- there's going to be some level of moderation involved and, assuming we have plenty of audience participation, some questions may go unanswered during the hour time-limit. That said, yes, this is a definite change from the standard forum format, and we're as interested as you are to see how it works.
#13
Jason Snell
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 03:55 PM
Yes, this means we can ignore questions from Jeff Mincey if we--
Oh, hi Jeff! Didn't see you there. :-)
Oh, hi Jeff! Didn't see you there. :-)
#14
jmincey
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Posted 23 May 2006 - 04:40 PM
Oh the fun I could have, delving into politics, economics, theology, philosophy, history -- anything but computers and software -- but of course always under the guise of technology. The sober, all-business Macworld staff makes the perfect foil for playing the devil's advocate in my perverse sense of glee. Alas, I'm too respectful, humble, and always focused on the topic for such shenanigans. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
