(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!
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After putting up our reviews of the new 13-inch Apple MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro, we checked back over the next couple of days to see what CNET readers would have to say about them in the user reviews section.
Reader reviews generally fall into two categories. One-star ratings for negativists who want to lay some online smackdown on a brand they're not feeling too generous about (Sony, Microsoft, etc.), and so-called "fanboys" who give everything five-star ratings with an almost religious zeal. Needless to say, usually very few of these amateur reviewers even own the product in question. The end result is typically a lot of opinions at the extremes, and very few right down the middle.
So, imagine our surprise to see a collection of thoughtful reader reviews that in large part talk honestly about the pros and cons of Apple's latest laptops, and present some nuanced, in-depth analysis.
Since we've already talked about what we love about the new MacBooks, here are some choice comments from readers about what they're less than crazy about. We expected the general consensus to focus on the lack of FireWire in the 13-inch model, but instead, we saw a lot of concern about the glossy edge-to-edge glass displays. (although there were a few complaints about the FireWire as well).
"No FireWire -- No Thanks."
"The loss of FireWire is a deal killer for anyone wanting to edit video or audio or anyone needing to use Target Disk mode."
"Even glossier display than before."
"No FireWire. Bad move. Bottom line."
"Due to the glass reflections it has to be at maximum brightness all the time to over-power the glare."
"The new glassy screen is a glare nightmare."
"Like everything, except lack of FireWire and glossy screen."
"Glossy screen with sometimes annoying glare."
"The highly reflective glass screen is a deal breaker."
"They look and feel great...except for the glossy screen"
So, what do you love and/or hate about the new MacBooks? Let us know!
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