In This Chapter
Choosing a MacBook
Selecting a MacBook Pro
Introducing the MacBook Air
Choices, choices! After you've made the decision that a laptop is the right destination, you still need to choose the model that's best suited for your applications and your computing lifestyle. Apple's MacBook line can fit anyone from a student to a digital media professional, so it's important to select the model that best fits your needs and price range.
In this chapter, I outline the differences between each MacBook model.
In both price and features, Apple's MacBook is designed for students and Mac users with typical needs, including office applications (such as iWork or Microsoft Office), Internet applications, the iLife suite, and the majority of games on the market. The default configuration includes 2GB of RAM, but the MacBook can accept up to 4GB total.
The MacBook is equipped with a 13.3-inch widescreen LCD screen, and the standard hard drive capacity is 160GB. (You can special-order up to 500GB for extra elbow room.) MacBooks come standard with a SuperDrive, so they can read and write DVDs. Of course, AirPort Extreme 802.11n and Bluetooth wireless networking are both built in.
At the time of this writing, the MacBook carries the following ports:
Gigabit Ethernet: You can connect your MacBook to a wired Ethernet network with ease.
Mini-DVI: This port allows you to connect your MacBook to an external monitor or flat-panel TV.
FireWire 400: This port is a standard one for connecting external devices such as hard drives and cameras.
USB 2.0: These two ports are the most popular ports for connecting external devices.
Audio In and Out: You can connect an external microphone, a pair of headphones, or external speakers to your MacBook using these jacks.
Your MacBook also comes equipped with a built-in iSight video camera (for taking both still images and digital video), an on-board microphone, and built-in stereo speakers.
At the base price of $999, a MacBook is the perfect ticket for mobile computing for the typical Mac user.
You know the old saw about two scoops of ice cream in a cone? Folks used to say, "You get everything you get with one scoop, only more." In effect, the MacBook Pro builds on the basic equipment provided with an entry-level MacBook, providing serious users with faster performance and storage capacity. The MacBook Pro is meant for those using processor-intensive behemoths such as Photoshop and Final Cut Pro (think digital media professionals), as well as computer users who want to play the latest games or run the most demanding applications.
To support the faster processors in the MacBook Pro, Apple also provides 4GB of RAM as a standard; the laptop can accept a maximum of 8GB, which I highly recommend if you're looking for the best possible performance from your MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro also sports a backlit keyboard, which glows in a darkened room or airplane to allow you to continue working while everyone around you snoozes (lucky you!).
Currently, your MacBook Pro can be ordered with three different LED screen sizes: 13.3 inches, 15.4 inches, and the super-glorious 17-inch display (all in widescreen format). Storage capacity is 500GB for the traditional magnetic Serial ATA hard drive, or you can opt for up to 256GB of solid-state storage. (More on solid-state drives later in this chapter.) A SuperDrive, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, and Bluetooth wireless networking are all on board. The MacBook's iSight camera, built-in microphone, and stereo speakers are also included.
The MacBook Pro naturally offers a wider range of ports and connectors than a MacBook. The ports include:
Gigabit Ethernet
Mini-DVI
FireWire 800: At double the speed of the older FireWire 400 ports, your FireWire 800 port is the fastest connection you can make to external devices. (Note, however, that you'll need an adapter to use an older FireWire 400 device with this FireWire 800 port.)
USB 2.0: The 17-inch MacBook Pro carries three ports instead of the two offered on the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models.
SD card slot: The 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models have a built-in SD memory card slot (a great choice for digital photographers).
ExpressCard/34 slot: If you opt for the 17-inch model, this slot allows you to add peripheral cards that provide additional functions for your MacBook Pro, such as an eSATA connection. (In the Windows world, these are called PC cards.)
Audio In and Out
The least-expensive MacBook Pro runs $1,199, which is a steal for the computing professional who needs a laptop on the road with the same processing power as a desktop Mac.
Here's a corker of a conundrum: The MacBook Air is a revolutionary laptop, unique for both its size and weight, and yet the Air is just like the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. Well, mostly.
"Hold on, Mark. How can it be so singular and yet share so much with its road-warrior siblings?" That's what I show you in this section, which discusses both the many similarities and the handful of very striking differences among the three laptops in the MacBook line. If you're considering buying an Air, this section can help you decide whether you'd like to go ultra-thin or stick with the conventional laptop crowd.
One thing's for sure — Apple never does things in a mundane manner!
Do you remember when Apple introduced those first iMacs? Although they shared the same basic components as any computer — a monitor, keyboard, ports, speakers, and cables — the iMac was revolutionary because it was completely self-contained. And it came in colors. And it didn't have a floppy drive. In fact, Apple had redesigned the common computer with the focus on style and ease of use, and had scrapped the floppy (and rightly so, seeing as how floppies had become practically useless and were unreliable, to boot).
I consider the MacBook Air to be an extension of the iMac revolution. With this new design, Apple has focused this time on physical dimensions and weight, and has tossed anything that isn't absolutely necessary for the lecture hall, board room, or city park. However, I'm happy to note that the Air is no toy, nor is it a bare-bones subnotebook. You'll find the Air as powerful as the MacBook, and the Air even shares some of the features of the MacBook Pro.
Consider the similarities between the Air and the other MacBooks:
Widescreen display: The Air has the same size display as the other MacBook models. Same display resolution, same gorgeous graphics.
Intel Core 2 Duo processor: The Air is powered by the same type of CPU as its siblings.
Keyboard and trackpad: The Air has a full-size keyboard, and it's even backlit, just like the MacBook Pro. The Air's trackpad includes support for Multi-Touch control, too.
Snow Leopard: The Air runs the latest version of Mac OS X with aplomb.
iSight and microphone: Every MacBook Air is video ready, using the same iSight camera. You can record audio with the built-in microphone as well.
Wireless support: As do the other MacBooks, the Air has both built-in AirPort Extreme hardware (802.11n) and built-in Bluetooth hardware.
I think most Apple laptop owners would agree that this list covers the major features to look for in a MacBook, so we can all agree that the MacBook Air is no underpowered pushover.
I'm glad you asked! Here's the checklist of striking differences that set the Air apart from the MacBook and MacBook Pro:
Physical dimensions: Apple doesn't call this machine the Air for nothing! The current Air laptop measures a mere 0.76″ in height (at its tallest point) when closed, 12.8″ in width, and 8.94″ in depth. Oh, and hold on to your chair for this one: Our champ weighs in at a lightweight three pounds! (That's a couple of pounds you won't be carrying around all day at that expo. Take it from this traveler: You will feel the refreshing difference in just an hour or two.)
Cost: At the time of this writing, there are two versions of the Air laptop. An entry-level MacBook Air will set you back $1,499, and the top-of-the-line Air is a very reasonable $1,799. The more expensive Air is equipped with a solid-state drive and a faster CPU. (Don't miss the upcoming coverage on why solid-state is worth every penny.)
Ports: The Air offers only three ports: a USB 2.0 port, an audio out jack, and a Micro-DVI for connecting an external monitor or video device. Notice that I don't mention a FireWire port, which can be a problem for Apple old-timers like me. I have a huge collection of FireWire devices. The Air also doesn't have an infrared port, so it's not compatible with the Apple Remote. Rats.
Sealed battery: You can't swap batteries with a MacBook Air because the battery is sealed inside the laptop. (Think iPod.)
Sealed case: You can't add or replace RAM modules. However, a MacBook Air comes equipped with 2GB of RAM, so you should be good to go. Comparatively, the MacBook can hold a maximum of 4GB, and MacBook Pro models can be upgraded to 8GB of RAM.
Speaker(s): The MacBook Air includes but one speaker.
Solid-state drive: Now we're talkin', Buck Rogers! I discuss the solid-state drive option in the next section. The MacBook Pro also offers a solid-state drive option.
No built-in optical drive: Whoa, Nellie! This is a big one. Apple decided that a typical Air owner is likely to use a wireless connection for transferring files and media. But what if you have to re-install Snow Leopard or new applications? If you need to read or burn discs, a separate external USB SuperDrive is available for about $100, or you can use the Remote Disc feature and share the drive on another computer. (More on Remote Disc later in this section.)
As you can see, these striking differences make the choice between a MacBook Air and a MacBook/MacBook Pro very easy indeed. To wit: The Air is designed for the traveler who appreciates minimum weight and size but doesn't want to sacrifice the power, full-size screen, and full-size keyboard of a typical MacBook. These folks see the MacBook Air as a racecar: nimble, with reduced weight and no unnecessary frills. (Think of a typical NASCAR entry: Who needs an expensive stereo or air-conditioning?)
If you prefer instead the additional versatility of a MacBook or MacBook Pro — including the standard set of ports, the ability to swap batteries, and a built-in optical drive — and can live with carrying a few more pounds, I highly recommend that you stick with the more conventional MacBook or MacBook Pro.
You're probably familiar with the common species of usbius flashimus — more commonly called the USB flash drive. With one of these tiny devices, you get the equivalent of a 2–128GB hard drive that plugs into a USB 2.0 port, allowing you to pack your data with you as you jet across the continents. But have you ever asked yourself, "Self, why don't they make internal hard drives that use this same technology?"
Actually, dear reader, solid-state drives have been around for a number of years now (think iPod Shuffle). Unfortunately, however, the solid-state memory used in today's flash drives gets pretty expensive as capacity increases. In fact, the cost has been the limiting factor, because a solid-state drive offers a number of advantages that really set it apart from a conventional magnetic hard drive:
No moving parts: Unlike a typical magnetic hard drive, there's no read-write heads, no magnetic platter — just gobs of happy silicon memory chips. In effect, a solid-state drive works along the same lines as your MacBook's system RAM. Unlike your Mac's RAM, though, a solid-state drive doesn't lose the data it stores when you turn off your laptop. As you can imagine, no moving parts on a computer in motion is superior on two levels:
The solid-state drive never wears out or needs replacing.
If your laptop is accidentally abused (think getting knocked off your desk), it's far less likely that you'll lose a hard drive's worth of priceless data when it hits the ground.
Speed: Oh, my goodness, is this thing fast! Your MacBook will boot/restart/awake in far less time than computers with magnetic drives can, and everything you do on your laptop will benefit from the speed boost. A solid-state drive can read data far faster than a conventional magnetic hard drive.
Power usage: Forget your hard drive spinning up from sleep mode. The solid-state drive uses far less power than a conventional hard drive, resulting in significantly longer battery life.
Blessed silence: The solid-state drive is completely silent. (No more of that gargling noise while the disk is accessed. Sweet.)
So do you need the solid-state drive option for your MacBook Air? The answer lies in your bank account (as well as your need for elbow room). If you can afford the extra expense of the solid-state drive and you can fit all your applications and data into 128 or 256GB, I heartily recommend that you consider joining Buck Rogers with the storage device of the future.
If you'd rather save that coin for something else, or you need a larger internal hard drive to hold things like digital video and a massive collection of digital images, stick with the tried-and-true magnetic hard drive.
Can a laptop survive in the jungle that is Real Life without a DVD drive? The terse answer is no. I'll be honest here: Ripping an audio CD or burning an iDVD slideshow disc without an optical drive is impossible. (Rather like a cheap tank of gas.) And the wonders of digital media are a big part of the iWorld. So what was Apple thinking?
First, a bit of explanation. Today's DVD drives are thin, but not Air thin. In order to create the stunning Air design with truly revolutionary dimensions, Apple's engineers had to leave out the drive. However, if you own a MacBook Air, you have two choices when it comes to reading the contents of a CD or DVD: Go external, or learn to share.
This is my choice. Personally, I have no problem at all toting around an external USB DVD burner with a MacBook Air. Heck, half the time, you're likely to leave it at home because most of us don't install software every day. The folks at Cupertino want you to download your movies from the iTunes Store, so if you follow the Apple Path, you still don't need an optical drive!
A USB SuperDrive from Apple costs a mere $100, and it can read and write DVDs as well as the built-in SuperDrive you'll find in the MacBook and MacBook Pro.
You can also use any third-party USB DVD drive that's compatible with Apple's laptops and Mac OS X Snow Leopard (they're easy to find on any online store that sells Mac external hardware).
The other option for installing software or reading a DVD on the MacBook Air is Snow Leopard's built-in CD/DVD Sharing feature. Sharing is an option if you have a wired or wireless network with at least one of the following:
A Macintosh running Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard, or Snow Leopard
A PC running Windows XP or Vista
This requires you to install a Windows application supplied by Apple with your MacBook Air.
Warning
You can only read from a shared optical drive. You can't write data to the remote drive, even if that drive is a DVD recorder.
To enable sharing, open System Preferences on the Macintosh with the optical drive, click the Sharing icon and then select the DVD or CD Sharing check box. Note that you can set whether the Mac will request your permission when another computer attempts to share the drive.
On a PC, display Control Panel, click the DVD or CD Sharing icon, and then select the Enable DVD or CD Sharing check box. Again, you can specify that permission is required, in case security is a concern.
After you set up the shared drive, just load the disc and select the Remote Disc item in any Finder Sidebar. (Remote Disc appears under the Devices heading in the Sidebar.) Now you can access the drive as if it were directly connected to your MacBook Air. Ah, technology!