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 - A Long Review on a Great ComputerAs a student, I tend to find myself in a situation where I must make a PowerPoint presentation, video, or a CD. When performing these tasks on a Windows system, the quality of the outcome is either average or poor. Not to mention the it will quickly eat up your RAM. In case you don't know what RAM is, the easiest way I can describe it is like this; Your Hard Drive's memory stores the PROGRAMS, RAM stores the DOCUMENTS. So, without a doubt, spending the extra money on more RAM will defiantly be a good investment, getting the most Hard Drive space is a very good idea also. Another issue with a PC is that it is not able to burn your video projects to a DVD. The MacBook, which starts at $1,099 is the ideal notebook for a person who is up-to-date with the information age that we live in today. My first task, creating a PowerPoint presentation, is easy with the Macintosh version of PowerPoint, called Keynote. If you have been using a PC all your life, and running PowerPoint for most of it, making the switch to Keynote may be a little bit hard. But, after you adjust to the change, Keynote has the ability to make amazing, eye-opening presentations. My second task, creating a video, is on of the actions that Macs are famous for. iMovie '08 is the successor of iMovie HD '06. iMovie HD '06 had the ability to do many things, like changing the film to make it black and white, septa (the type of coloring The Wizard of Oz had when Dorothy was still in Kansas), and it could also add some basic special visual effects, such as lightning, flashes or color distortion. iMovie HD '06 could also add subtitles, music from your iTunes Library and sound effects from it's own library. iMovie '08 does seem to be smaller version of iMovie HD '06. The '08 version may not be able to do as much as its predecessor, but what it does do, it does fantastically well. I haven't found visual effects in iMovie '08 yet, so they might not be included in this year's version. I don't know why apple would make the decision to drop visual effects, it tends to be a fun add to any film. Also, iMovie '06 had the ability to insert words that spin or flash, but iMovie '08's title frames only have the ability to create still words, either in the middle frame or at the bottom. The color quality of films made via iMovie is simply amazing. This part is very important, if you plan to burn your video projects to a DVD, you MUST GET THE DOUBLE-LAYER SUPERDRIVE!!!!! The combo drive does not have the ability to burn a DVD. My third and final task of burning a CD is the easiest of all. Even if you have a PC, odds are you have had some form of contact with the iPod and iTunes. You simply drag songs you want to add to the CD to a playlist, and once you have compiled your playlist, click the button on the bottom right-hand side of the screen that reads "Burn CD", it's as simple as that. Leopard, the system that the new MacBooks run on is nothing less than amazing. The stacks, lists of currently used items, such as downloads and documents, make everything so much easier. The graphics are great, and it is the fastest computer system I have ever come in contact with. If you want to buy the black MacBook, which is more expensive, you should keep in mind that you are mostly spending the extra money because the computer is black. Yes, there is more RAM and Hard Drive space, but simply upgrading the white macbook is cheaper. Upgrading is available only on the apple website store, not on amazon.com. Perhaps the most important things to do when you get a MacBook is: 1. Make sure that the notebook you are purchasing has the double-layer superdrive, or else you won't be able to burn a DVD. 2. Get the AppleCare Protection Plan, if you want technical support from someone in California who knows what their talking about, and if your MacBook has a sudden breakdown and need a repair, you can get both for three years. 3. Make sure you have a wi-fi connection for the internet. Shop around, you may find a good deal. Once you have a wi-fi station set up, click on the button on the top taskbar with curved lines. Once you choose this, in fainted gray, there will be words that say "Airport: Scanning...." and underneath it, there will be a list of available wi-fi networks. Select yours, and you will be connected to the internet. 4. If you plan on writing documents, purchase iWork, Apple's version of Microsoft Office, it is an amazing program. 5. If you don't plan to make hard-core movies, music, or photos, don't purchase Aperture, Final Cut or Logic. Aperture is a beefed up version of iPhoto, Final Cut is the beefed-up version of iMovie, and Logic is a beefed-up GarageBand. I hope my review of the MacBook has been helpful. The MacBook is an amazing piece of technology, and it stands head-and-shoulders above the rest of the personal computer industry. Rating: - Simply Sweet...Your Little Black Number that Goes With Everything...With so many reviews posted, I am sure that all the major pro and cons have been covered, perhaps even over covered! So, let me just speak to my best personal observations and leave all the tech speak to others. I've been a life long Apple / Mac user. The first computer I ever touched was an Apple / Mac, but I can't tell you the model number. All I remember is that large, rainbow colored Apple logo! LOL Anyway, I always preferred Macs to PC's--even though I was often required to use PC's at work. At home, the computer was alway Mac! Just recently, I was shopping for a new laptop; I wanted a small, flexible, but powerful system that was easy to take and easy to use. I was actually tempted--the shame of it--by a good deal on a fine looking Sony Vaio. I compared it to the MacBook and MacBook Pro. I mulled over the decision for a week, and I had the opportunity to look at a new laptop with Vista, the flowered-faced monster operating system that everyone at work seems to be complaining about as everyone receives their upgrades in turn. To make a long story short, good "Mac" sense finally kicked in, and I eliminated the Viao from my potential purchase list. [I might have to work with Vista at the office, but I don't have to live with it, even if it comes in a pretty package! LOL] I then had to decide between the MacBook and MacBook Pro. AND at the end of the day, the deal breaker came down to choice: MacBook gave a choice between Black and White. [The MacBook Pro looks rather silver.] Well, I've had beige Macs and white Macs and Graphite colored Macs. I never had a Black one. So, the black one with its generous keyboard and large trackpad appealed to me. With hand on my heart, I can say that this is the best Mac I've ever had the opportunity to operate; it is the best Mac that I have ever personally owned. The software that I chose to get for this new computer was IWork 08 because I read good things about it--if you don't want or need all of Microsoft Office's bulk and sulk. I also purchased Internet Security Barrier Back-up Edition and StoryMill. Oh --if you love Widgets, you can download extra ones from Apple's official website. As with any big purchase, though, do research before you make decisions. Decide what you want the computer for and how you will mostly use it. The best computer for you is the one that you will use with contentment and productivity. Rating:  - Versatile, reliable, portableI've purchased my MacBook two months ago and I simply love it. I use it for simple tasks like writing e-mails and browsing the web, but also for heavy duty soundwork (real-time processing, multi-track recording). My mac does it all, and it's extremely reliable. A few comments that might be able to help you, dear reader: - The MacBook tends to get hot fairly easily, for some reason especially when an external monitor is hooked up to the laptop. - The cd drive tends to be a bit noisy sometimes. I usually end up importing cds into itunes prior to playing them - the drive is just so loud sometimes! - This has been stated over and over, but the MacBook gets dirty very easily. Non-acetone nail polish remover helps - as stated in a fairly recent post on the Lifehacker blog. - Accessories come at a cost: off course you want that sexy remote and an adapter to hook up your monitor - just remember that they will cost you. Other than these minor issues there's nothing I absolutely don't like. This laptop is simply wonderful in use. It's just an extension of what I think and do - a wonderful tool, which I'll look forward to using over and over again. Thanks Apple! Rating: - Love my Macbook!I was in the market for a laptop and figured that if I had to learn a new OS, I might as well get a Mac because I heard so much bad news on Vista. I also am impressed with Apple products such as the ITouch and IPod so figured I'd give it a try. Love it.... Rating: - Really love this MacBook!!When my Powerbook G4 started to age, I decided to go with the black MacBook. I didn't want a 15 inch laptop - too bulky for me. And the MacBook Air? You pay lots more to get lots less - starting with the 64 GB hard drive. I wondered how much of an adjustment period would be required to switch from a Powerbook to a MacBook. I had gone from the "no frills" iBook to a Powerbook. It's as if Apple improved on ALL the negatives from the Powerbook and the iBook when they designed this MacBook. I thought it would high gloss like the iBook. Not so; the black finish is flat and not as susceptible to scratches. As others have said, the battery life is respectable. The size is just right. It is SO FAST compared to the Powerbook. The screen is a big improvement and the keyboard has a great feel. I'm biased against white cars, white houses, white laptops, white appliances. Yuck! However, the white power adapter does not detract from the overall look. If you are waiting for the chance to switch to a Mac, this is it. I suspect that even the most discerning technophile will enjoy this little beauty.
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