MacBook: Sure Looks Good in Black

Finally, the collective prayers of Apple users worldwide has been answered not by one but by two variants of the eagerly awaited replacement to the now classic Apple iBook -- the Apple MacBook.

Like its *Pro* sibling, the Apple MacBook is now powered by the Intel Core processor (makes you think differently of the term *Apple Core* huh?) and it comes in both black and white (though I think I'll stick to the white model if and when I get one). One big bummer for people like me who is still stuck with dial-up internet access is the absence of a built-in modem. However, the specs are really impressive. Here's a brief rundown of the new MacBook's specs:

• 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• 2MB on-chip shared L2 cache
• 667MHz frontside bus
• 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) on two SO-DIMMs; supports up to 2GB
• Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
• 60GB or 80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive; optional 80GB, 100GB or 120GB drive
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
• Built-in 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking (based on 802.11g standard)
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) up to 3 Mbps
• Optional external Apple USB Modem
• 55-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery with integrated charge indicator LEDs
• 60W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system
• 13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy widescreen. TFT display with support for millions of colors
• One FireWire 400 port (up to 400 Mbps)
• Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
• Built-in full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement), and embedded numeric keypad
• Solid-state scrolling trackpad for precise cursor control; supports two-finger scrolling, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
• Apple Remote
• Height: 1.08 inches (2.75 cm)
• Width: 12.78 inches (32.5 cm)
• Depth: 8.92 inches (22.7 cm)
• Weight: 5.2 pounds (2.36 kg)
• Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger (includes Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Xcode Developer Tools)
• iLife 06 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand), Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive, iWork (30-day trial), Big Bang Board Games, Comic Life, Omni Outliner, and Apple Hardware Test
• Front Row

Will I be among those who will line up to get one as soon as it hits our shores? Probably not. As always, I'll take my own sweet time and probably wait until early 2007. That way, I'll be sure that all the hardware kinks will be ironed out and by that time, the newer OS X version (Leopard?) should be released and preloaded onto that baby. For now, all I have to do is SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!

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