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Editor's note: We're currently benchmarking and testing the new Apple MacBook. We'll update this post with a full review later this week.

With the launch of Windows 7 only days away, it's not surprising that Apple would fire a last-minute shot across Microsoft's bow. While the timing may be suspicious, Mac fans are no doubt pleased to see an update to the most popular laptop in the Mac lineup, the $999 polycarbonate white MacBook.

While it's neither the less-expensive entry level MacBook some had hoped for, nor the long-rumored touchscreen device, the new 13-inch MacBook can now escape its designation as the lone holdover system from Apple's previous generation, thanks to an upscale makeover that keeps the price stable at just under the $1,000 mark.

But, does that mean recent MacBook buyers should run out and upgrade?

Like the aluminum MacBook Pro models, the MacBook now has a unibody chassis, although in this case, it's still made of polycarbonate. Unibody, Apple's preferred term, is a bit of a misnomer, as the bottom panel is separate, as are the multiple parts that make up the lid and display.

While still recognizably a MacBook, the new version has more gently sloped edges on its glossy white lid, making it look slightly slimmer when viewed straight on. The bottom half also has a rounded edge, making for an overall effect that's much less boxy, although it's still the same 1.08-inches thick as the previous version. The unibody switch shaves a little weight off the system, going from 5.1 pounds to 4.7 pounds.

The separate bottom panel is particularly interesting. It's a darker off-white color and has a matte non-slip feel, different than the glossy lid and keyboard tray. The unibody construction means the battery is no longer removable, as with the current MacBook Pro lineup -- a cause for concern to some, but we've never felt a non-removable battery was a deal-breaker in a laptop.

The matte finish bottom panel, hiding a non-removable battery.

The touch pad is the same large glass multitouch version found on the MacBook Pros, and it dominates the wrist rest area. The 13.3-inch display is now LED backlit (making that a standard feature across the entire Apple laptop lineup), which is better for both power consumption and environmental concerns. However, unlike the more expensive Pro models, you don't get the slick-looking edge-to-edge glass over the display. Other points of differentiation include the lack of an SD card slot and backlit keyboard.

FireWire fans should note that port has finally left the building. We would have thought this would be a good opportunity to add the same SD card slot found on the Pro 13-inch, but it was not to be. While we're not regular FireWire users, this does leave Apple open to accusations of removing functionality from the system.

Internal components are very similar to the previous plastic MacBook, including the Nvidia GeForce 9400 graphics. The Intel Core 2 Duo CPU has been bumped from 2.13GHz to 2.26GHz, and the default hard drive is now 250GB, up from 160GB. Configuration options are limited to 4GB of RAM (over the default 2GB) and 320GB and 500GB hard drives.

If you own a recent polycarbonate MacBook, or even an older model still in good working order, we don't see an immediate need to upgrade. But, if you've been in the market for a MacBook, and waiting to see if the holiday season would bring lower prices, this new upscale version of the MacBook is as much of a slight recessionary nod Apple is likely to give, as well as the best version to date of it's non-Pro laptop line.

Gallery: Apple's new unibody polycarbonate MacBook

The Iomega eGo Portable Mac Edition in Ruby Red is a looker.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

I'm very proud to announce CNET's most recent Editors' Choice product, the Iomega eGo Portable Mac Edition. Iomega has always registered excellent marks in our throughput and cost-per-gigabyte ratings, but this particular HDD uniquely combines three different ways to connect the drive to a computer: USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800.

The drive comes in three versions: a 500GB in ruby red, a 320GB in a cobalt blue, and a 250GB in alpine white. All of the drives come formatted to work with Macs out of the box, but you can easily format the drive back to Fat32 using the Mac Disk Utility to make it work with Windows.

In addition, all of Iomega's drives come with Iomega's "Drop Guard" feature that protects the drive from up to a 52-inch drop. We don't recommend testing that claim, but you should watch the video above for a little impromptu test.

Also, be sure to check out our full review of the Iomega eGo Portable Mac Edition for speed test results and a more detailed analysis.

(Credit: CNET)

Unless you've been living under a rock (or in Redmond), you've no doubt seen the flood of product news coming from Apple's WWDC 2009 conference--from the new iPhone 3G S to an entire line of revamped MacBook laptops.

While we're down with the new SD card slots and lower prices (see reviews for three of the new MacBooks here), there are still a few items on our MacBook wish list:

Matte screen options
Despite the fact that nearly every serious laptop user we know prefers matte, non-glossy screens, only Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro offers a matte option--in the form of a $50 anti-glare coating add-on.

Especially with the current models' edge-to-edge glass, popping open a MacBook outdoors (or in an overlit room) is just asking for trouble. Sure, glossy screens make colors pop and movies more dramatic--but we'd like to have the option of choosing a matte screen anyway (and not for $50, either).

Blu-ray drives
While high-capacity Blu-ray drives aren't quite a necessity, the format is slowing gaining a foothold. Many inexpensive Windows laptops at least offer it as an option, and many high-end laptops in the MacBook's price range include a Blu-ray drive by default.

Leaving aside the idea of having a high-capacity optical backup capability, Blu-ray seems like a natural fit for the MacBook's multimedia-friendly vibe.

Mobile broadband options
Another widespread option from most PC makers. We're slowing getting to the point where having a mobile broadband account connected to your laptop is just a common tool, rather than an exotic novelty--especially with AT&T's iPhone tethering plan not yet available.

While having to choose one carrier's antenna over another is a hassle, we found the built-in Verizon 3G on the HP Mini 1151nr Netbook to be "an obvious mashup of two useful technologies."

HDMI outputs
Mini DisplayPort is Apple's video connection of choice, and we've also seen a push toward it from PC makers such as Dell. But few of us have an external display with DisplayPort--HDMI, VGA, and even DVI are all more common.

Apple offers some helpful adapters (at $29 each) for DVI and VGA--but no way to connect a new MacBook to an HDMI-equipped TV, for example. Fortunately, some third-party vendors now offer a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter for around $15.

Touch screens
If we had a dime for every blog rumor about an Apple tablet we've seen, we'd have at least enough for a large soy-based coffee beverage from Starbucks. Plus, Apple has already proven it's mastered the touch screen in the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Actually, someone has already done this, in a way. Axiotron makes custom MacBook-based tablets by buying stock MacBooks, taking them apart, and rebuilding them as tablet PCs.

Of course, we haven't missed these features enough to keep us from bestowing the coveted Editors' Choice award on the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros. What's on your list of missing MacBook features? Let us know below!

> Need more laptop news? Follow me at twitter.com/danackerman.
> Laptops and more every week on the Digital City.

The last MacBook standing.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Apple's lowest-end laptop occupies a special place in the Mac spectrum. As of WWDC 2009, it's the last MacBook standing in the lineup--all the other Apple notebooks are now MacBook Pros. The MacBook (we can call it "the" MacBook, now) also is the last to retain the polycarbonate white plastic glossy casing that once defined a whole line of machines.

While the MacBook's more pedestrian appearance may not catch the eye as much as the unibody aluminum MacBook Pros, don't be fooled by its throwback looks--inside, Apple's done a good job of keeping the components on par with its more expensive brothers. In fact, the white MacBook has very comparable specs to the lowest-end 13-inch MacBook Pro. Its 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo processor is close to the MacBook Pro's standard 2.26 GHz one, and the Nvidia 9400M graphics processor is the same one that's in the MacBook unibody 13-inchers, so the gaming and media capabilities are comparable.

Depending on your specific needs, for $999, you're getting a real bargain with the last MacBook. You can either approach this as "for $200 more I can get a MacBook Pro," or "I can get something nearly as good as a MacBook Pro and save $200." The latter perspective, however, requires you to be willing to skip some of the Pro-level features.

The MacBook comes with two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-DVI port, a FireWire 400 port, and both a headphone and mic jack. The 160GB hard drive can be upgraded to a maximum of 500GB when ordering, a first for a MacBook. The polycarbonate body, as always, feels sturdy and well built, if thicker than the aluminum versions, and the pleasingly minimalist glossy plastic exterior and matte white interior might be more prone to picking up scratches and staining.

What you're missing by not upgrading to the $1,199 13-inch MacBook Pro is a better color-depth LED-backlit screen, a thinner, lighter body, FireWire 800, DDR3 RAM (the MacBook only has DDR2), a longer-life seven-hour (according to Apple) non-removable battery, the oversize multitouch touch pad (this smaller one does support some multitouch gestures), and an SD card slot.

If you can live without these, then the $999 MacBook just might be your bet. Even better, Apple's current back-to-school promotion throws in a free 8GB iPod Touch (minus sales tax) if you're a student, sweetening the deal a bit more, although the promotion runs across all Macs.

Unboxing: It's New MacBook Day

The Triple Interface Iomega eGo has FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and USB 2.0 ports.

(Credit: Iomega)

Last month we reported on Iomega's new line of eGo external hard drives. Today, the company sweetens the deal with an even more versatile device: a portable hard drive with FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and USB 2.0 ports for the ultimate in cross-compatibility.

Iomega dropped by CNET's offices last week to hand over a test drive, and although we haven't put it through our labs benchmark tests yet, the eGo track record is good enough to assume that this device will earn good marks. The drives are delivered in HFS+ for out-of-the-box Mac compatibility, but you can format them for Windows as well.

The Mac-friendly design.

(Credit: Iomega)

Like most of the eGo drives, this triple interface model features Iomega's DropGuard technology that protects it from drops up to 51 inches, which is important if you're carrying around your crucial data.

In addition, the company protects your data with three layers of software protection: a full version of Iomega Quikprotect backup, EMC Retrospect Express, and a free lifetime subscription to MozyHome Online backup (2GB per month).

The 250GB, 320GB, and 500GB Triple Interface eGo Portable Hard Drive from Iomega are available now for $100, $110, and $150, respectively. Look for a full review on CNET.com coming soon.

(Credit: Clickfree)

Forget about annoying drag-and-drop data backups and scheduled timers--the Clickfree Portable Backup Drive makes it so easy that it might convince you to start dual-saving your files. All the software you need is actually preloaded onto the drive and starts up automatically when you plug it in. From there, you can select exactly what kinds of files you want the Clickfree to find, organize, and back up, or you can simply make a carbon copy of your desktop master drive.

The drive is available in several capacities up to 500GB and works with both Mac and Windows. We have to ding it for a lack of FireWire as we do with all externals, but overall we don't have much to complain about.

The features are a great deal for the price per gigabyte, the data transfers are just about right for a drive this size, and to top it all off, the Clickfrees come in a variety of colors depending on capacity. If you're tired of manually backing up your sensitive data, we recommend investing in a Clickfree for a truly pain-free experience.

Read all about it in our review of the 320GB Clickfree Portable Backup Drive.

These tangle-free LaCie Flat Cables must work because they managed to slip by our sticky fingers at the time of their release back in early December '08. LaCie makes these multicolored neon cords in a variety of interfaces, including:

• USB A to B
• USB A to Mini B
• USB A male to A female
• FireWire 400 to FireWire 400
• FireWire 400 to FireWire 800
• FireWire 800 to FireWire 800
• eSATA to eSATA

A French design firm enlisted by LaCie came up with the flat strip shape that neatly folds into a coil to prevent tangles. The Flat Cables also come with 24 labels so you'll never wonder what plug goes with a particular device again.

As always, though, design innovation and pretty colors (see: Apple) come at a premium: would you pay 10 dollars each for these cables? Sound off in the comments section!

More pictures after the jump.