Comments on: Hands-on with the new MacBook Pro

Getting a few minutes with the new MacBook Pro at a local Apple retail store reveals quite a bit about the design and feel of the machine.

[macmate1]

Thanks for a look at the new MBP the way most of us consumers will first see it. I am due for a new Book now and am at a dilemma as to the higher price for a few frills or the bargains on the previous edition. A question no one has as yet answered.

[davebarnes]

I think you find the answer to your question at http://www.macworld.com/article/136214/2008/10/macbookbenchmarks.html?lsrc=top_1

Unless you want to play games, the "old white" MacBook will make you happy. And, it comes with FireWire.

[legend2k]

This review was very insightful. I'm glad your review wasn't completely bias (at least I think it wasn't.)
I love the line in which you described the display and ended with "a highway cop's sunglasses."
I'm looking forward to get more feedback until I make my ultimate decision to switch to mac.

[ballmerisanape]

I'm interested in trying out the new trackpad... fyi.. you can change it's preferences via System Preferences.. and there are plenty of options to change. Also.. I'd bet my house that there are or will be "skins" for these screens to compensate for the glossy black. For me; however, we have an iMac at work... and I have to say... if the screen looks like that.. my eyes will appreciate the richness that you get with that beautiful glass screen.

[grissomb]

Maybe I missed something...by my older Macbook does the 1 finger left click, 2 finger right click...

[utahman.brian]

Nope, you didn't miss a thing - the older ones do this too.

[gregwsil]

But there is actually no button this time around... on older macs, they had the button.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

That's with tap-click, though-- where the trackpad is detecting finger touches-- which I really don't like, since it leads to spurious clicks from light touches. I dislike tap-click so much it's the first thing I disable on a new machine. I even disable it temporarily when borrowing other people's laptops. :-)

The new machines do this right-click thing in combination with the physical button under the trackpad, which completely eliminates the problem of spurious clicks.

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[_Jae]

Glascowsky, I'd like to tell you that my current MBP is a glossy screen version and most notably, my iPhone is perfectly glossly and in my workplace we use glossy iMacs. All those environments are presented in a very well lit manner and it DOES NOT affect visibility AT ALL.

Am sure you are used to those matte windows screen, am afraid to tell you that your envisioneering group and yourself needs to update to the this century's innovations.

Glossy screen makes everything looks better from a plain CAD to your personal pictures. (even your MS words documents)

[sheldonkw]

From your previous post, "With any luck, Apple will support both one- and two-finger clicking for left- and right-clicking."

I can confirm that Apple thought of the same thing that I did in my previous post--a click with one finger generates a left-click, and a tap with two fingers generates a right-click.

I can confirm that Apple thought of this almost three years ago with the switch to intel. My original original MacBook (2+ years old) has this capability.

[bluemist9999]

If I used one of these new MacBook Pros in Boot Camp, how would Windows see mouse clicks?

Is the mouse click logic built in? Or would I need a separate USB mouse for Windows?

[sheldonkw]

As mentioned above, I'm using the first model MacBook w/Boot Camp (once in a while). The trackpad drivers are provided by Apple and all functionality works - including two-finger right click in Windows. Installing Boot Camp installs the proper drivers for the built-in iSight, the trackpad and any other Mac related hardware.

[Jeff Putz]

Actually, there is a latch... per Apple's site it's magnetic. It isn't secured from the hinge.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Huh. The behavior of the machine I tried didn't seem to fit with a magnetic latch. When opening the lid slowly, for example, there's a point of extra resistance around the one-inch mark. I don't know how that can be done with a magnet. But anyway, you're right about what Apple is saying, so I suppose there must be both a magnetic latch as well as some cam function in the hinge to account for that extra resistance. Thanks for the information.

[Constable Odo]

As for the glossy screen problem, why don't those that want a matte screen, just go out and buy a anti-glare screen protector or even the type that limit the angle of view so people can't see what you're doing from the side? They're not very expensive and should solve your glare problems. Crying about a missing FW port/conversion cable is one thing, but this matte screen thing is basically a non-issue.

[woahjoe]

how is it a non issue?

screen protectors not only look ugly (non perfect coverage, potential bubbles especially around the isight, obvious seams) but arent the same as a matte finish. the *issue* is that Apple should be giving people a choice like they did with the Macbook Pros of the past.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Well, y'know, I actually have one of those 3M privacy filters. It's glossy! Oh, well.

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[mjkphoto]

Odo, you have got to be kidding! The matte screen thing is basically a non-issue? Wrong. For creative professionals like myself, a matte screen is a necessity that can't be accommodated with an anti-glare screen or by adjusting the display brightness or turning the notebook. Apple made a huge mistake by abandoning the matte screen. Huge.

[MrShirts]

Here's one thing I really don't understand... Being a long time Mac laptop user (G3, G4, Macbook).

"...the lid seems to resist accidental opening."

"Unfortunately, like older MacBooks and PowerBooks, the machine starts to turn on when the lid is opened only slightly."

Why would you open the lid if you didn't want the machine to turn on?
Why wouldn't you want the machine to turn on as soon as you opened the lid?

This smacks of criticism for the sake of criticism (as a current grad student, I'm guilty of that myself sometimes, but it still displays bad form).

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Well, if you're carrying a laptop in a backpack or briefcase, for example, and you reach in to get something and accidentally nudge the lid-release button (on the old machines), the machine starts waking up. Not good. This has happened to me at least a dozen times by now.

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[sheldonkw]

in reply to Peter N. Glaskowsky's reply.

It's true, the old MacBook Pros had an almost spring-loaded latch that when pressed they popped open - even accidentally. The new latch is based on a magnet holding the lid closed and helps prevent accidental openings (as you mentioned). But the instant on is one of my favorite features. On most laptops I'm still waiting for my WiFi to connect when it's open. On my MacBook the screen, computer and Wifi is ready before I can even finish opening the lid.

[howard1695]

"always a difficult thing to achieve with sheet aluminum, which is not the most stable material"

Dude, this thing is not made with sheet aluminum.

How did you miss the most hyped aspect of the announcement on these new machines?

One word: unibody.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Oh, no, it's certainly made _with_ sheet aluminum, even if it isn't _all_ sheet aluminum. That's what the covers over the battery and RAM compartments are made of. So those joints have these pieces of sheet aluminum butting up against the solid unibody. The unibody won't flex, but the covers sure will.

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[woahjoe]

Uh, did you just take credit for the double tap right click thing? that's been in OSX since the powerbook...

@howard: I hope you're joking... you think the fabrication process is the most hyped aspect of the announcement? that's like saying the best part of a ferrari is the assembly line. Nobody besides steve jobs and jonny ive care what the macbook is made of-- also you should note that the unibody is indeed made out of "sheet aluminum", which is not the most stable material.

[deasyst]

@woahjoe: I hope you're joking...the unibody is machined from a thick, solid aluminum extrusion, not "sheet aluminum" as you stated.

Check Apple's website for more information.

[LunaticSX]

"Oddly, however, there's a short slot next to the indicator on the new machine that compromises the clean look Apple was presumably seeking with this design feature."

That's the security cable slot.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

No, that's on the right side of the machine. I'm talking about the slot that's roughly 1/2" x 1/16" on the front face of the machine.

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[sheldonkw]

@Peter N. Glaskowsky

You're referring to the infrared receiver for the Apple remote. It could be easily hidden in the black frame of the screen, but then I couldn't hook it up to my stereo and close the lid. Nor could I hook it up to an external monitor and close the lid and still have remote control access. Nor could I hook it up to a projector and control Keynote with the lid closed.

[sjinsjca]

Nice capsule review, but the author is incorrect on one point. If you check Precision Machine Design by MIT's Alex Slocum, you'll find aluminum extolled for its material stability. That, its machinability, the toughness of its surface when anodized, and its thermal conductivity are three reasons why it's an inspired choice for a laptop structure.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Well, I don't have that book, but I'm sure Slocum isn't contradicting the obvious fact that aluminum isn't an especially strong metal. In thin sheets, like those in both the old and new MacBook Pros, it can certainly be damaged by rough treatment.

I guess I'm just a titanium fan, anyway.

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[sheldonkw]

@Peter N. Glaskowsky,

You said in a reply above,

"That's with tap-click, though-- where the trackpad is detecting finger touches-- which I really don't like, since it leads to spurious clicks from light touches. I dislike tap-click so much it's the first thing I disable on a new machine. I even disable it temporarily when borrowing other people's laptops. :-)

The new machines do this right-click thing in combination with the physical button under the trackpad, which completely eliminates the problem of spurious clicks."

Again, you are wrong. I also hate tap-click and immediately disable it. But that's not the two-finger right click people are talking about. Since the original intel MacBook was introduced almost three years ago, you could:
Open System Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse and check "For secondary clicks, place two fingers on the trackpad and then click the button." It's written pretty clearly and works even easier in practice. When I have to use my windows laptop, even with two buttons. I continuously miss two-finger right clicking and two-finger scrolling.

See the screenshot at http://appleservedup.com/images/twofingerclick.png

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Sure, sure, but how is it a two-finger click if you need three fingers? :-)

Only on these new machines can you click with two fingers to get a right-click, with no extra effort or complication. That's all I'm trying to say.

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[sheldonkw]

Obvious, but funny point.

In my use of the new Mac trackpad, I just operated as normal. If you don't look down at the trackpad and click as if you didn't know the button was absent, the process works the same as ever only it actually feels better in my opinion. Something about the new "click" feel is just right.

I've read of a few people doing as you comment, actually clicking with the finger they're using to point. From what I read most find it easier to click act as if the button were there. Also, as much as I have to use a windows laptop at work, I'd probably end up breaking a finger if I got accustomed to clicking with my tracking finger. :)

[BurtReynolds]

Alright, really, I can't stand it. All this talk about the design and form of the new MCP. No where, really, NO WHERE, is there any performance reference. Indeed, form follows function. In the "old days", Apple was touted as being superior for advanced image editing. Hmmmm, why are we now focusing on style? I'm a Windoze guy, I admit, but I'm a computer geek first and foremost, and I've never been able to justify the price penalty for a Mac. Looks as if Apple is looking for a new strategy...