New aluminum construction looks good, feels solid; giant touch pad; attractive edge-to-edge glass on display; improved integrated graphics; backlit keyboard on some models; thinner than previous version of Apple MacBook. With great laptop comes bad things, yap there is nobody perfect except this gadget, in this version still no ExpressCard or SD-card slot; loses FireWire port; all-clicking touch pad is a bit awkward, at least initially; $1,299 now gets you a slower CPU than it did before; no matte-screen option. What's cool on it, first; it comes from Apple, cool design, and very solid.
The product physically is very sturdy, thanks to the unibody construction. Normally the chassis would normally consist of various small parts. So instead of taking a small piece of aluminum and adding more aluminum, Apple has taking a big piece of aluminum and subtracted from it. Thus creating a sturdy, yet light laptop. I have heard that the aluminum interferes with internet connectivity issues. I do have to say, unfortunately, it is true. I put the Macbook and my old PC laptop side by side, and the PC was able to pick up better frequency and more networks.
Now for the multi-touch trackpad. It is made from glass, but it feels like there is a covering on it that doesn't nearly have the friction of glass. Clicking and moving the cursor is very easy and enjoyable, with the very large surface. Right-clicking can be done with by clicking with two fingers or by clicking one of the bottom corners after being manually set. It should also be noted that only the bottom 3/4 of the trackpad is clickable.
Specifications :
General
* Built-in Devices Stereo speakers , Bluetooth antenna , Wireless LAN antenna
* Width 32.5 nm
* Depth 22.7 nm
* Height 2.4 nm
* Weight 2 mg
* Notebook type Ultraportable (Under 4 lbs.)
* Screen type Widescreen
Processor
* Processor Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz
* Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
* 64-bit processor Yes
* Data bus speed 1066 MHz
Cache Memory
* Type L2 cache
* Cache size 3 MB
RAM
* Installed Size 2 GB / 4 GB (max)
* Technology DDR3 SDRAM - 1066 MHz
* Memory specification compliance PC3-8500
* RAM form factor SO DIMM 200-pin
* RAM configuration features 2 x 1 GB
Environmental Parameters
* Environmental & energy standards compliance EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold
* Min Operating Temperature 50 ?F
* Max Operating Temperature 95 ?F
* Humidity Range Operating 0 - 90%
Storage Controller
* Storage controller type Serial ATA
* Storage Controller / Serial ATA Interface Serial ATA-150
Storage
* Hard Drive 250 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
* Storage Removable None
* Hard drive type Portable
Optical Storage
* Type DVD?R (?R DL) - Integrated
* CD / DVD read speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
* CD / DVD write speed 24x
* CD / DVD rewrite speed 10x
Display
* Display Type 13.3 in TFT active matrix
* Max Resolution 1280 x 800 ( WXGA )
* Widescreen Display Yes
* Features Glossy , LED-backlit
Video
* Graphics Processor / Vendor NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Shared video memory (UMA)
* Video Memory SDRAM
* Max Allocated RAM Size 256 MB
Audio
* Audio output type Sound card
* Audio Input Microphone
Notebook Camera
* Camera Type Integrated
Input Device(s)
* Input device type Trackpad , Backlit keyboard
* Features Multi-touch technology
Telecom
* Modem None
Networking
* Networking Network adapter
* Networking / Wireless LAN Supported Yes
* Data link protocol Ethernet , Gigabit Ethernet , IEEE 802.11n (draft) , Bluetooth 2.1 EDR , IEEE 802.11a ,
IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g
* Networking standards IEEE 802.11a , IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , Bluetooth 2.1 , IEEE 802.11n (draft)
Expansion / Connectivity
* Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 0 ) x Memory - SO DIMM 200-pin
* Interfaces 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45 , 2 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin
USB Type A , 1 x Display / video - Apple mini-DisplayPort , 1 x Audio - SPDIF input/line-in - Mini-phone
3.5 mm / TOSLINK , 1 x Audio - SPDIF output/headphones - Mini-phone 3.5 mm / TOSLINK
Miscellaneous
* Included Accessories Cleaning cloth
* Features Aluminum enclosure , Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Power
* Power device form factor External
* Voltage Required AC 120/230 V
Battery
* Technology Lithium polymer
* Installed Qty 1
* Battery capacity 45 Wh
* Mfr estimated battery life 5 hour(s)
Operating System / Software
* OS Provided Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
* Software Front Row , Apple iCal , Apple iChat , Photo Booth , Apple Safari , Apple Spaces , Apple Dashboard
Apple QuickTime , Apple Spotlight , Apple iLife '09 , Apple DVD Player , Apple Quick Look , Apple Address
Book , Apple Time Machine , Apple Mac OS X Mail , Drivers & Utilities , Apple XCode Developer Tools
Until very recently, those lusting after a notebook with a 12-inch display, sturdy build, and ultraportable form factor were expected to shell out close to $2,000. And let's face it; many consumers can't afford to spend that kind of money right now. Feel free to send HP a thank you note for its Pavillion dv2, which will start at $699. While similarly priced 12- and 13-inch notebooks were annouced at the show, the 3.8 pound and less-than-an-inch thick dv2 feels nothing like a budget notebook with its solid lid (available in both black and white) and sturdy construction. It's also quite a looker with a nice glossy surface and attractive etchings on its palm rest.
