White MacBook Gets Upgraded With Nvidia Chipset

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bone squat

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If the macbook supported XP it might be a good buy. Although I believe the new ASUS F50 and F70 notebooks support better specs for lower prices. Macs = overpriced, low end pieces of crap. Enjoy your useless macs with idiot interface.
 

zuesacuatl

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Wow, ignorance is bliss I suppose, isn't that right Bone Squat?

I run two schools as a computer resource teacher/tech. ALL of our laptops are Macbooks(some older g4Ibooks) for a few reasons, first of all, yes the OS is absolutely easy to use. It helps keep us focused on the topic, and not getting the laptop to work. Second, Apple offers a great deal to most school districts, this allows for even some of the more poor districts to keep up to date technology in the classroom. Third, here is a big part of your ignorance, Macbooks do support XP. I use a program that comes with Leopard called Boot camp. It allows for both OS-X and XP/Vista/Win7 to run in a native environment. The drivers offered by apple for xp and vista are flawless in my experience so far. I have run a dual boot system since the release of Leopard, and have no complaints yet.

Please, before you open your mouth, ensure that your foot is not waiting to take the place of your tongue. If you are unsure of a product cause you have never tried it, then do not knock it. I used to be one of you, until I took up this role in the school systems. I still prefer my Frankenstein home grown PC over the Macs, but the Apple brand has a lot to offer, even to those of us who like our PCs.
 

zuesacuatl

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Side note, the cost you pay for a Mac is to have an easy to use system that does not require you to search for compatible drivers. A great support system for when you have problems, and a closed OS environment that allows for a more stable platform. Though some of these factors limits you on the ability to upgrade, for some, the ease of turning on a system and being assured that it will work every time is worth every extra dollar. And I am sorry, yes some of us can run our systems with no issues on PCs, but be honest, with the open platform of PCs, you are just asking for driver issues and what nots, a very limited amount of PCs can be considered Mac stable. Not because of the hardware (they are now both x86 platforms) but because of the OS.
 

curnel_D

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[citation][nom]JMcEntegart[/nom]Will I be lynched if I say I went Mac about two years ago?[/citation]
Naw, as long as you learn from your mistakes. :p Mac's are awesome computers, but the cost will always be unjustified when all you're really playing for is a bit of glamor, a unix overlay, and a hardware configuration that EVERYONE else has.

@zuesacuatl
I dont think I've ever had driver issues with my current laptop, even while running hackintosh. But it has hardware that outperforms apple's most expensive 15" macbook pro, and only cost me 900 dollars. (Granted I used an exclusive distro that only sells to trusted buisness customers, and it was a barebones system config)
 

trevorvdw

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Macs aren't "Mac Stable" :)

I have had 3 friends have relatively new Macbooks either die (dead mobo, replaced under warranty) outright in 2008 or have OS corruption after installing system updates that required a full system wipe and reimage. In that time I've had 2 friends have PC laptop issues. I only know 3 mac users but dozens of pc users.
 

kelfen

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[citation][nom]zuesacuatl[/nom]Wow, ignorance is bliss I suppose, isn't that right Bone Squat?I run two schools as a computer resource teacher/tech. ALL of our laptops are Macbooks(some older g4Ibooks) for a few reasons, first of all, yes the OS is absolutely easy to use. It helps keep us focused on the topic, and not getting the laptop to work. Second, Apple offers a great deal to most school districts, this allows for even some of the more poor districts to keep up to date technology in the classroom. Third, here is a big part of your ignorance, Macbooks do support XP. I use a program that comes with Leopard called Boot camp. It allows for both OS-X and XP/Vista/Win7 to run in a native environment. The drivers offered by apple for xp and vista are flawless in my experience so far. I have run a dual boot system since the release of Leopard, and have no complaints yet. Please, before you open your mouth, ensure that your foot is not waiting to take the place of your tongue. If you are unsure of a product cause you have never tried it, then do not knock it. I used to be one of you, until I took up this role in the school systems. I still prefer my Frankenstein home grown PC over the Macs, but the Apple brand has a lot to offer, even to those of us who like our PCs.[/citation]
flame! the cost of apple computers are High and they are Proprietary why bother with a dual boot when you can just go xp unless you have specif task that I am sure apple os is better than xp other wise it is just more money gone to waste. apple is only good for specif tasks that it excels in such as color acuracy and (?video editing?).
 

curnel_D

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Btw, Jane, I appricate the fact that you keep up with your articles in the comment sections. Not just this one, but all of them. It's nice.
 

ckthecerealkiller

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[citation][nom]JMcEntegart[/nom]Will I be lynched if I say I went Mac about two years ago?[/citation]
I dunno, that is about when Mac's started to go downhill so it's close.

My arguement is where is the fun in buying something for $1000+ that you can't really upgrade/modify. Mac's aren't technically bettter or worse than any PC. You just pay (out the nose) for the person who put it together for you.
 

Marcus Yam

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[citation][nom]JMcEntegart[/nom]Will I be lynched if I say I went Mac about two years ago?[/citation]
And sorry guys, I went Mac about two weeks ago. It's slowly sweeping our news team. That said, I still keep my PC machines with Windows XP, Vista and 7 around and they get regular use as well. There are things that I prefer in Windows (things that make me sad aren't easily done in OS X), but the parts that are good about Leopard are very good. I'm happy to be using both.

We're soon going to be running a two-part article about a hardcore Windows and Unix/Linux user (Alan Dang) getting his first Mac and the experiences that go along with it. It'll be an interesting read, I promise. :)
 

JMcEntegart

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As for learning from my mistakes, I don't know. My MBP has not given me an ounce of trouble in the time I've had it, which is top priority in a machine I use solely for work.

Also, welcome to the discussion, Marcus (read: bandwagoner).
 

hellwig

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Lets see, I bought my fiancee an Acer Aspire One for $400 with Windows XP. Sure it has a slower Atom processor (not comparing apples to apples here), but thats not the point. It came pre-installed with all the drivers. Since it runs XP, she has the exact same experience as on her desktop and previous laptop. She can run all the same applications and games (assuming they fit on the screen). She didn't have to learn a new OS (regardless of how "easy" it might be), and she didn't have to abandon all her downloaded games she plays so often that don't support anything other than Windows.

Even if Macs support Windows XP, is it a simple one-click installation? As far as I know, its like a regular Windows installation, which means you still have to hunt-down drivers and get the system setup correctly. Something that isn't necessary when the machine just comes with XP in the first place. You also have to have a license for Windows, which means you have to buy it in addition to the overpriced hardware.

In all, if you have a use for Windows, you are probably best just to stick with Windows as your primary OS. There's just too much stuff Macs can't do. Sure, you can run Windows on a desktop and have a Mac laptop, but then you have to make sure you won't be doing anything on the go that requires that Windows-only software you left at home.
 

hellwig

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oops, this article was about Nvidia chipsets. Anyway, its good to see Intel is slowly losing ground in that area. I don't undestand how anyone can use an Intel chipset if they Ever have a need for 3-D. Sure, if your Mac is only a web-browser or spreadsheet maker, you're fine, but then why do you need a 2.0GHz Core2 Duo? If you think you'll ever play a game on that laptop, you have to get something with a little graphics power. Integrated chipsets are so cheap these days, there's no reason to buy an inferior product from Intel.

Also not sure what Apple is doing with firewire. First they introduce it as their big thing, trademarking Firewire. Then they all but abandon it on their consumer laptops (until they apparently added it back to this one). "Thanks for buying into our hype, but we're going to screw you over now". Just wait till Apple gets pissy and shuts down their iTunes DRM servers.
 

Marcus Yam

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[citation][nom]JMcEntegart[/nom]As for learning from my mistakes, I don't know. My MBP has not given me an ounce of trouble in the time I've had it, which is top priority in a machine I use solely for work.Also, welcome to the discussion, Marcus (read: bandwagoner).[/citation]

Apple's notebooks rank at the top in terms of customer satisfaction, and it's easy to see why. As for your bandwagoner comment, Jane, I just had to wait until there was a compelling hardware reason for me to pay the "Apple tax." Leopard is very nice, but it was the unibody and the swank Nvidia chipset that made me finally feel it was worth paying the premium. No regrets, happy on the bandwagon now. But I didn't really "make the switch," I just decided to expand my horizons.

[citation][nom]hellwig[/nom]Even if Macs support Windows XP, is it a simple one-click installation? As far as I know, its like a regular Windows installation, which means you still have to hunt-down drivers and get the system setup correctly. Something that isn't necessary when the machine just comes with XP in the first place. You also have to have a license for Windows, which means you have to buy it in addition to the overpriced hardware. In all, if you have a use for Windows, you are probably best just to stick with Windows as your primary OS. There's just too much stuff Macs can't do. Sure, you can run Windows on a desktop and have a Mac laptop, but then you have to make sure you won't be doing anything on the go that requires that Windows-only software you left at home.[/citation]
As nice as the new MacBook (and old MBP) hardware is, it's not worth paying the extra premium to just use it as a Windows machine. I have a Dell Studio 15 as my Windows notebook and I'm really satisfied with its T9300 CPU, FOUR USB ports, 1394, HDMI and VGA out, and the SD card reader for around $1000 less than an equivalent MBP at the time. One of the main reasons I went Mac was that I wanted a 13" notebook, and the new MacBook is the best one in that category.

But about the "There's just too much stuff Macs can't do" comment, I disagree. Macs are just as capable, but there definitely strengths and weaknesses to each OS. That said, stick with what works. :)
 

zuesacuatl

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Why do people say "There are so many things a Mac cant do?" Seriously? As I said in my first post, I do run my own desktop, its a system I put together. So I am a pc fan. But, since I run technology in my school, and use Macs as our primary system, I dual boot my school macbook pro with Osx and Win7. I can do everything on the Mac side that I can do with the windows side. There is no limitation. Sure, the PPC series of macs were limited, they were pure graphics pumping machines, but the new Intel Macs are geared for the common consumer. As such, third party app support has been on a major rise for Mac. Even MS has gone and released a new office version for Mac cause they know they have a market.

I will give you the fact that I run twin 9800s on my PC, and could not think of doing that with a Mac, but the support and stability of the OS and closed platform combination make the Mac a great buy if you are looking for those key features. Sure, you can buy a nettop for 400 bills, or a cheap dell desktop from 300-600. But here at the schools, we have Dell for our limited PCs, and service from them blows. Most of the shelf PC manufacturers can not offer the support that Apple does cause it cuts into their profit margin. Apple covers that with its higher cost per system. I have not had any issues in dealing with Apple thus far, granted, that is personal experience, and maybe others have, but the support I have received thus far from Apple is a good reason for the higher dollar.

Macs and PCs are the same thing, the only diff is the company behind the OS. Anything you can do on a PC is doable on a Mac as well, and visa verse. Both have strong points and downfalls. If you have not tried one or the other, you should reserve your uninformed opinions until you actually have the chance to run them through their paces.
 

Pei-chen

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I have mentioned in the past that Jane (or was it Rachel?) should work on her typing skill and maybe invest in MS Word. I guess she got her keyboard fixed and finally got Office 2008.

Considering the quality of articles lately (improving after Chris' reform), I wouldn't be surprised if the whole Tom's team switched to apple and started reviewing web based Java games so they would have more time admiring the shinny casing on their Macs.

Yes, I know, Tom's Games' new direction is web based Java games. I guess Macs are here to stay and dedicated video card are on the way out.
 

falchard

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And now we have continue hearing apple users proclaiming their $999 MacBook outperforms our HD4870's, with quad core processor because Leopard is such a great operating system.
 

The_Blood_Raven

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OS X is a great OS. Windows is good, Linux is also good but limited in areas. The reason Macs suck so bad is the lock down of hardware and support. If Apple sold Mac as a separate OS then it would be worth it, but to get a slightly different experience on a slab of hardware that is easily 200% the price it should be is ridiculous. If Apple ever decided not to be money grubbing A-holes and released an open OS X I would dual boot it no questions asked. That said I have fixed Macs and used them, they are NOT more stable than PCs and they do NOT require less maintenance than PCs. That is all propaganda spread by iSheep and Apple fanboys. The experience is very similar to Windows without the easy ability for users to fix problems themselves and then you have to deal with Apple's terrible customer support. Again I like OS X, a lot, but I hate Macs. If you have a Mac and are happy then good, but I just don't like them. Opinions are opinions and owning a Mac does not make you any more wrong than owning a PC with windows or Linux, it is personal preference.
 
[citation][nom]The_Blood_Raven[/nom]OS X is a great OS. Windows is good, Linux is also good but limited in areas. The reason Macs suck so bad is the lock down of hardware and support. If Apple sold Mac as a separate OS then it would be worth it, but to get a slightly different experience on a slab of hardware that is easily 200% the price it should be is ridiculous. If Apple ever decided not to be money grubbing A-holes and released an open OS X I would dual boot it no questions asked. That said I have fixed Macs and used them, they are NOT more stable than PCs and they do NOT require less maintenance than PCs. That is all propaganda spread by iSheep and Apple fanboys. The experience is very similar to Windows without the easy ability for users to fix problems themselves and then you have to deal with Apple's terrible customer support. Again I like OS X, a lot, but I hate Macs. If you have a Mac and are happy then good, but I just don't like them. Opinions are opinions and owning a Mac does not make you any more wrong than owning a PC with windows or Linux, it is personal preference.[/citation]
+1

User whatever works for you.
 

Roland00

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[citation][nom]hellwig[/nom]Even if Macs support Windows XP, is it a simple one-click installation? As far as I know, its like a regular Windows installation, which means you still have to hunt-down drivers and get the system setup correctly. Something that isn't necessary when the machine just comes with XP in the first place. You also have to have a license for Windows, which means you have to buy it in addition to the overpriced hardware. [/citation]

You don't have to hunt for drivers when you install xp or vista on a macbook, for all the drivers are located as part of the preinstalled os (mac knows its own hardware for all its models).

Installation is about as difficult as installing a normal piece of software such as office, it just takes much longer due to formatting.
 

scryer_360

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I'm still waiting for 2.4 gigahertz, nVidia chipset with DDR3 capability and Firewire 400. Once MacBook has all that, I'll get a new one. Otherwise, I'll just keep my abused MBP 15.4 inch going (after I stepped on it, I'm holding the screen on with duct tape, hopes and dreams).
 

hellwig

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[citation][nom]zuesacuatl[/nom]Anything you can do on a PC is doable on a Mac as well, and visa verse.[/citation]

I am NOT referring to areas of productivety, I am referring to SPECIFIC software titles. There are TOO many software titles that ONLY run on Windows. If you need one of those titles (Your favorite game, a software tool used at work, etc...), you CANNOT use a MAC. Yes, there may be Mac alternatives, but often times, it is the software itself that you must use, not necessarily what you are doing with the software.

THEREFORE: Macs and Windows-PCs are NOT the same. Yes you can browse the web, write documents and spreadsheets, watch DVDs, play video games. But a Mac CANNOT run Internet Explorer, Office 2007, Cyberlink PowerDVD, nor play Crysis. These are the distinctions I am making, and these are the reasons why many people don't use Macs nor Linux/Un*x.
 
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