MacBook Pro

[Miami 0]

Murphy's Law...immediately after you buy a 15 inch powerbook G4, apple will release something new....the MacBook Pro.

I am however still in my 14 day window to return my G4. As I'm am not the most computer savvy person I am curious about them having Intel chips (albeit dual chips )...anyone who knows a thing or two about computers, specifically apples, have an opinion on this? They are priced identical (15in G4 vs 1.67 X 2 MacBook) so it would basically be an even swap.
Thanks!

Edit - Oops, sorry quade, ment to post this in the bonfire...

Miami

[MB38 0]

As an Apple employee I can tell you that it is by no means an even swap. The MacBook Pro will be significantly faster than an older PowerBook... as long as you're using Intel-compiled apps. Those apps, of course, are currently limited to the apps that come with the computer. So if you use iLife '06 a lot then you're cool. But as soon as you try to fire up something like Photoshop for Final Cut Pro, it will be slower than [or at best the same speed as] a G4 PowerBook. The reason is that Rosetta [letting one use PowerPC compiled apps on an Intel Mac] can only do so much. You will be emulating applications for a while. That said, unless you dedicate your life to these apps... you probably won't notice a difference.

Yes, it will be the same price wise. Frankly, it's worth the money [by leaps and bounds]. Remember that you will pay a 10% restocking fee on your returned computer [assuming it's open box], so you will lose $200 in this process. You also won't get a MacBook Pro until late February at best... most likely [well] after that.

So from a processing perspective, the MB Pro will be 4-5x faster. From a normal use perspective, think 1.5-2x faster. For PowerPC compiled apps, the same or slightly slower.

Do it, it will be worth it in the end.


[and as this is going to the bonfire, remember folks: Windows will not run on an Intel Mac. Viruses will not appear on the Intel Mac. Mac OS X will not run on a PC of any kind. The change of processor is only one made under the hood... if Steve Jobs snuck into your house and replaced your PowerPC processors with Intel processors in your Mac, you simply would not notice. Nothing else is changing.]

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[faulknerwn 38]

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Mac OS X will not run on a PC of any kind.

Actually I agree with everything else you wrote, but not this one :-) There have been copies of OSX x86 out there for a while now (not Apple promoted but they're out there.) Several co-workers and I have been running it for a good while now, and I gotta say, it seriously smokes Linux on the Dell box. Its very nice and very fast.

I have no actual need to upgrade my home Imac or my laptop iBook, but I really want to - especially now!

Wen (had an apple in the house continually since '77).

[ltdiver 3]

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I have no actual need to upgrade my home Imac or my laptop iBook, but I really want to - especially now! I have no actual need to upgrade my home Imac or my laptop iBook, but I really want to - especially now!

Do it, Wendy! A new World Record and THE cutting edge computer....they go together don't you see!

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[n23x 0]

I suspect Apple won't want dual boot with osx and xp, any ideas on likely safeguards to using xp on the new intel apple stuff?

FWIW, I LOVE macs, and if I didn't need to run a ton of math modelling/engineering software, I'd use apple exclusively.

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[piisfish 140]

I just got an iMac G5 (1month ago)... and yesterday my bro tells me th enew one is out

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[freeflydrew 0]

According to Phil Schiller, Apple isn't concerned if people want to run XP on Apple Hardware... He's quoted on MacRumors as saying that.

And people have made OS X run on PCs already.

We just ordered the new PB here at the school... We're especially interested in the built in isight for classroom discussions with satellite campuses, and also the new magnetic power adapter, which will hopefully eliminate 4 or 5 very expensive accidental repairs per year!

-drew
ACDT
ACPT
ACHDS

[cvarao 0]

Initially I was wrinkling my nose (arguing and yelling was more like it) with the intel idea. But since I'm an early-(LC III) mac- user and I've seen Steve Job's progress, I am going to trust this one.
They sold a lot of iMacs G5 and as far as I'm concerned it was just ok, since it's a very recent computer, and I even though they have given up the idea of intel; so why not spend the last G5 chips on the "i" groups (basic computers- iMac, iBooks...) and save the surprise for S.Francisco. It was obvious... no G5 was to be put inside a PowerBook and for a long time these laptops needed something new... but MacBook Pro...
Well, I've bee talking too much (can't help it when it comes to macs) and I'll try to express my opinion and reply your post: the prices will remain and that is probably the best new...
other things like interface performance.. Wow! you will notice as much as you notice you're running unix on Mac OS X, that means: you won't.
Let's do it huh?
I can imagine Steve Job's thoughts "just in case they disagree and get angry on intel chips on macs lets do something new to buy their smiles out: iLife, iWork..."- it worked for me :)

Order yours now... and make sure you get the best of the best in terms of RAM, memory, disk space and stuff on this laptop (it's still hard for me to insult the cuty PowerBook and call it MacBook.. Pro).
If you get sad someday, and need someone to talk to you have the "help line" 1-800-MY-APPLE

Any extra discussions on that, you can always type your thoughts on http://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa I didn't have the courage to go there yet... Think I'm gonna pass that for a couple more days...

Regardzzzzz
CV

Fly high, dive deep and live in between

[hexadecimal 0]

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As an Apple employee

(off topic) Have you heard anything or had any experience with Logic Audio on the Intel machines?

[Miami 0]

Thank you all for all of the excellent information!
Just spoke with Apple again...there would be no restocking fee. I had been leaning away from doing it if I was going to have to spend a couple hundred more, but now I'm leaning toward swapping my G4 in for it since it would be an even swap.

I need someone to play devils advocate...What kind of problems could I run into that would not be covered under the one year warranty that comes with the system?
Thanks again!

Miami

[MB38 0]

Quote

Actually I agree with everything else you wrote, but not this one :-) There have been copies of OSX x86 out there for a while now (not Apple promoted but they're out there.) Several co-workers and I have been running it for a good while now, and I gotta say, it seriously smokes Linux on the Dell box. Its very nice and very fast.

Well, there are always ways to make things happen. Not legally, though. The new DRM incorporated into the Intel Macs is significantly more impressive than what was in the developer's kit. It'll be hard... but hackers hack anything.

Additionally, Apple will not do anything to block XP from running on the Mac. The thing is, they don't have to. The Intel Macs use the Extensible Firmware Interface [EFI] instead of BIOS, which current versions of Windows use. That is such a key element of operating a computer that there is currently no way around it. The 64-bit versions of Windows support EFI, but the Intel Macs are 32-bit, so that's out. The only known version of Windows out there that supports EFI and 32-bit architecture is LongHorn, which isn't supposed to be out for another 14 years or so [zing...].

And with regards to Logic on the new machines, I have first hand experience with it. If it's what you do for a living, hold out. But remember that all of Apple's Pro apps will have a $49 crossgrade available to trade in your PPC install disks for Universal Binary disks in the very near future... March or April, I believe. Knowing how backed up the wait list for the MB Pro will be... you'll probably get them at the same time.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[hexadecimal 0]

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But remember that all of Apple's Pro apps will have a $49 crossgrade available to trade in your PPC install disks for Universal Binary disks in the very near future.

Wait... they're actually going to make me PAY for that?

That's not exactly the best way to encourage me to buy an Intel-based Mac, which I'm already skeptical of

[skymedic 0]

You dont HAVE to buy it...as Rosetta will allow you to play your current app's on the new intel fruit's. BUT if you actualy want it to run with speed then yes...you gotta pony up.

Marc
otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman....

[hexadecimal 0]

I'm aware of that.

It's ridiculous either way.

[MB38 0]

They're updating old applications to new technologies rather than making you wait until the next version update. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.

That said, $19 or $29 would be more appropriate.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[murrays 0]

As mentioned by other posters, unless you need applications that are not yet compiled to run on the Intel chips I would trade it in immediately.

Better, brighter screen, faster processor ..and 2 of them...I'd do it.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[hexadecimal 0]

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Seems like a pretty good deal to me.

I disagree.

If I'm handing Apple $2,000+ for a new machine... and they're charging me for an update to make an application I already paid almost $1,000 for function properly on that machine, how is that a good deal?

It's not the $49/app that pisses me off, it's the principle. It could be $1/app and I'd still feel the same way.

[MB38 0]

I suppose their point is that it will function properly. Updating it will just make it perform better. So you're not losing anything by not updating... but you are gaining something if you do.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here. Frankly, I wish it were free... but it isn't that big a deal to me.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[Miami 0]

And since I don't own any programs that fall under this it was not a big deal to me either.

I just ordered my MacBook pro...the only thing extra I have to pay out of pocket is shipping to return my G4. They were actually not supposed to let me return my G4 because it is a custom machine (doubled the RAM from standard), but then waived it for me. I really hope I'm not making a mistake!
Thanks again for the input from everyone out there!

Miami

[n23x 0]

Any word on when a native FCP app will be available for for the Intel chips? I really, really want one.

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[pope 0]

less editing, more building!

[n23x 0]

at this point it's more like more programming! And boy does it suck. But damn you are gonna like them there features when it's done.

Check out the screenshot yo.

edited to add: we just went straight with a computer interface, more features, sooner.

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[MB38 0]

As stated earlier, Universal Binaries of the Pro apps should appear in March-April.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[VectorBoy 0]

But as soon as you try to fire up something like Photoshop for Final Cut Pro, it will be slower than [or at best the same speed as] a G4 PowerBook.

[Miami 0]

My G4 went out today back to apple...sure hope they don't delay shipment of my MacBook!

I'll be primarily using my mac for running photoshop cs2 while I'm taking my classes for my photography major...I don't own the software yet so I'm curious if they are going to produce a universal version or if I'll have to rely on the rosetta to run it...anyone have any intel on that?

Miami