I'll start with the easy half of the review first: the MacBook hardware itself. Since I was looking primarily at portability and price in a laptop (using a desktop as my main computer), the MacBook fit that bill very well with its 3-4 lbs. Weight, 13" ideogram display (fairly bright, nice contrast, can get some glare depending upon the location of the light source), and just over 1" thick case. It fit nicely into my cargo bag and backpack without adding too much weight--so it was comfortable enough to walk around with, while the 13" widescreen display gave me more screen space to work with then the 8.5-12.1" tablet PCs I had been looking at. The widescreen display makes movies look better since you watch them in their natural display style--so I've actually been watching DVD's on my 13" MacBook as opposed to my 17" desktop (the included media remote for the MacBook helped in that as well). Speaking of the remote, it would have been nice if Apple had built in some type of slot for easy remote storage. My cargo bag has a nice pocket that can store the remote, but I would still prefer to store it in a slot on the MacBook. The 512 MB of RAM is enough for most basic tasks but for video encoding and for running several high memory applications at once then there'll be some noticeable slow down. The optical stereo headphone jack is a nice innovation but only apple products use them and the stereo mini-jack optical cables are hard to find. Conversely, the mini-DVI port is just an annoyance as that means I need to buy a $17 cable to connect the MacBook to a projector for presentations--this is clearly a case of design over function. The two USB ports and one firewire port are fine for a secondary computer, but there need to be more USB ports for a primary computer (my desktop has 10 ports and I use 3-4 on a daily basis while I've used up to 8 of them at times). The keyboard is fairly quiet but for some reason the spacebar tends to make a fairly loud clicking noise--louder than I'd like since it's one of the most used keys and in an environment where I'm taking notes (i.e. class) I want to keep the noise level as low as possible. The built in iSight camera is a neat, but I doubt I'll use it much and would have preferred to buy one separately and saved the money up front. The magnetic closing is nice (no messing with latches/no worrying about mechanical latches breaking). Similarly, the magnetic power cord is nice as it prevents the pins of power cable (or worse the computer's internal pins) from bending if you pull your laptop too far from the power or if somebody trips over the power cord (I've had this happen with a Dell laptop and have seen it on other laptops as well). However, the power cord does appear to come out slightly too easily. As for the heat issue that some have mentioned, I felt that for the most part the MacBook remained cooler than most laptops I had used and while it has gotten "hot" at times, it never seemed to get any hotter than the Dell, HP, or IBM laptops I've used in the past. As for the integrated graphics, I didn't have a problem playing Guild Wars (in Windows) at the highest graphical settings--although while I was playing the computer did reach its hottest point (an increase in RAM should reduce the amount of heat generated by the laptop).
As for OS X... It's pretty, but who really cares how nice the graphics are? Nice graphics don't make an operating system function any better (and in the case of Vista they may actually hinder performance; you get a slight performance hit with all effects turned on in OS X as well but they don't appear to be as resource hungry as Vista's "everything's transparent" interface). The dock is a great way of launching applications, much like the quick launch bar of Windows but larger and nicer looking (plus it also indicates currently open applications). However, opening any applications not already in the dock can be a chore as you have to open the disk, access the applications folder, find the application in the list, open its folder (if it has one) and then open the application itself. Kind of a chore and not nearly as fast as accessing the 'Start' menu and the program list (which, incidentally is easier to keep organized as the installers ask you where you want the program to reside). You can get around some of the tediousness of this task by putting a link to the applications folder on the dock and keeping your applications in some type of logical order. Placing a link to terminal on your dock may also be useful if you're a power user and want to launch applications from the command line. The dashboard and its widget access I found to be more gimmicky than actually useful--the GMail widget I use a lot but it really wouldn't be that much trouble to just use another app to notify me of new mail or keep one tab of Safari set to GMail (since I almost always have a web browser open anyway). I tried to find some other useful widgets but other than weather (which comes pre-installed), calculator (pre-installed and rarely use it), and Google search (pre-installed and useful if my browser is closed) there wasn't anything that really appealed to me. FrontRow (the built-in media launcher that you control with the Apple remote) was nice, simple and useful for watching DVD's and using my computer as a music player (that I hooked up to my car stereo system when I had forgotten to charge my MP3 player--or bring the cable).
My biggest complaint about OS X was the lack of an included word processor (minus trials of iWorks and Office). Windows boxes lack these word processors as well (although there was a time when PC manufacturers bundled MS Works or Word when you purchased from them--they have since switched to trials... but I'm wondering if part of it may have to do with anti-trust lawsuits). Apple has no anti-trust lawsuit (although I'm hoping they'll eventually get slapped with one for the iPod/iTunes so those can be opened up--but I digress) and make bold claims about how the Macs (unlike PCs) can do it all right out of the box. They include a free version of a comic creating program, iLife (Garage Band, iDVD, iMovie, iPhoto), and some other "fun"/"neat" programs, but they don't even include one of the most basic/essential programs that EVERY computer user NEEDS (one of the main tasks they perform on a computer besides web browsing): an office suite/word processor. That means that users need to spend at LEAST another $100+ in order to type up their business report/school report/etc. that they NEED. Instead of including this very necessary program, Apple chooses to include a wide variety of nice to have but not really necessary programs and make the bold claim that their product can "do it all" right out of the box. Shame on Apple. A user can feel free to download OpenOffice.org for free but then the user also has to 1) know OpenOffice exists (many outside of the geek community don't), 2) install X11 (it comes on one of the reinstallation DVD's), 3) install OpenOffice, 4) deal with the fact that OpenOffice has a LONG load time due to having to go through X11. Not really all that appealing to me, and I'm not exactly a casual computer user (so think of how they'll think of that process).
In addition, by default OS X has no full screen media player (with the exception of the DVD player in Front Row--but you can't use that to watch videos you download from the web). QuickTime is just the basic version and cannot be used to watch full screen videos so if you want to watch a video full screen (because other people other than yourself are watching it with you) then you'll either need to download VLC or another media player (or purchase the full version of QuickTime, which is also needed by iMovie to use any format other than iDVD or .Mov). Which brings me to my complaint about iMovie--it's crippled without QuickTime Pro. If you want to share files with Windows users (and don't want to force them to get QuickTime) or export files to a format that can be used on DVD creation software on Windows then you NEED QuickTime Pro (since Apple is always trying to sell you SOMETHING). Apple has many tie-ins and lock-ins throughout their product to try to make you buy additional software or hardware or keep buying Apple (none of which I plan to get into as this is already a long post)--so read this article to get an idea about the lock-in (he doesn't really get into all the tie-in software but the mini-DVI, iTunes, and iMovie stuff should give you a good idea of what I mean by that).
This concludes my write up about the MacBook and OS X, feel free to leave some comments (hate mail/compliments/whatever). I should also probably note that as I write this on my MacBook I am also currently have some issues with it as the disk (harddrive) keeps spinning (making more noise than it normally does--its normally quiet) and I currently can't seem to open other applications (such as activity monitor) to see what the problem is (I'm assuming I am having RAM issues since the harddrive is used for virtual RAM after the main RAM is used up... but the only application I have open is Safari with this tab and a GMail tab--plus dashboard is running as a background process). So I'm not very happy about that and its kind of ironic that its acting up while I write a not completely positive review (although I will say for the most part I am very satisfied with my purchase of the MacBook--it works great for my purposes). Oh, I should also note that if anybody who has OS X should also take the time and download Adium instant messenger as its a sleek little program that allows you to access all of your instant messenger services from one (although it lacks video and voice chat functionality). It's one of the nicest instant messengers I've used, although I think Trillian for Windows (the Pro version) still takes the cake as the best instant messenger available (if only because it handles video and voice chat for all services it connects to).
*Update*: I failed to mention another major complaint I had during the first week of owning the MacBook--another example of OS X being shipped crippled (the first example was iMovie requiring QuickTime Pro); this example doesn't force you to buy any additional products but has more to do with Apple thinking users are stupid (much like the one button mouse) and oversimplifying things. Basically, I was upset/frustrated by the fact that Safari shipped with tabs disabled. Tabs are, to me, an essential part of any modern browser and when I was playing around my MacBook during the first two days I got annoyed that I couldn't simply click to buttons (Apple-T) and create a new tab. I got frustrated to the point that I downloaded Opera within the first hour of getting the MacBook so I could have tab support. It wasn't until later that I remembered that when I played around with Safari on a friend's Mac that they had tabs in Safari. So then I went digging through Safari preferences and figured out where to enable tabs. It's sort of a minor thing, but it annoyed me and almost stopped me from ever using Safari again (if I hadn't seen tabs in Safari before I probably would have quit using it--and I like Opera as a browser any way--especially since it has EVERYTHING open in tabs and saves the browser session). I do like Safari's private browsing session though, so I ended up sticking with Safari for that feature after discovery that I can, indeed, open new tabs. I have other examples of OS X being shipped crippled, but again, this post is too long so maybe I'll touch on those issues later.
9 comments:
With regards to the complaint about the lack of a word processor bundled with Mac OS X, may I suggest taking another look at TextEdit? I know I initially pigeon-holed it in with the likes of Notepad, but its actually quite capable, and I authored an entire semesters worth of papers in it exclusively. Admittedly, it is far from fully featured, but it does far more than most people would either know or give it credit for.
That was a wierd review. You are complaining about the OS when you really just haven't learned to use it. Like the word processing BS. And opening an app... I press command + space (to open spotlight) and start typing the name of the app. by the time I've typed "te" Textedit is my first choice. You're right about dashboard, but I use mail.app to check my pop-enabled gmail and my exchange email for work and my personal email...
Terminal comes up first for me when I type in "te", but Textedit doesn't have enough formatting options for what I use word processors for (screen- and stage play writing and even without those my formatting for research papers and such are more than TextEdit can handle). And while using spotlight/keyboard commands are great for power users, they aren't so great for new users or even average users. I've considered using Mail.app and enabling POP, but I much prefer the GMail interface and keeping everything organized within that (and I have my university mail forwarded to it while allowing me to reply in GMail using my university e-mail account).
I'll admit that some of my review is partially negative due to my limited experience with OS X, but I've used several versions of Linux, Solaris, and Windows and haven't had many of the frustrations I had setting up OS X (because by default Apple cripples a lot of the system and if you REALLY want to use it you have to enable a lot of features). Although I'll say Vista is guilty of a lot of crippling by default as well... I like simple interfaces, but simple interfaces don't have to necessarily mean burying/hiding options or disabling features until the user specficially enables them.
for launching apps, I heartily recommend dragging your applications folder onto the dock (next to the trash, the right-hand side of the vertical seperator) that way you have easy access to it. You can even right click to open it up in an almost start menu stylee if you like.
MS doesn't bundle Word with their offerings- and Apple, despite the claims about Pages, still hasn't written a word processor. :)
By my reading, it appears that most of your complaints stem from the interface not being what you're used to (yet). Some tips from a long-term Apple user (yes, I use both Linux and MS on a regular basis, too).
As to getting at applications... Apple users don't bother most times. They open the _file_, the application follows. It's the Apple Way! :)
However, if you want direct access to all your applications, there's third party offerings that will fit almost anyone's taste. Multiple Docks, replacements, Contextual Menus; they're out there. The Poor Man's method I use is to simply drag the Applications folder to the Dock, then use Cmd/Right click to get a nice listing. You can make it neater by using aliases in a seperate folder, then drag the folder containing them to the dock instead.
Since you're familiar with the *nix way of things, keep in mind that all that pretty point and click is just another application overlaying the deeper machinery. Third party aides have a lot easier time of wedging into the interface than in the MS world because the Pretty Stuff is layered over rather than part of the guts.
The underlying cause of that "all safeties engaged" behavior you experienced is that the SOP offerings of all the flavors of *nix figuring that you know what you're doing and being bottom up, while Apple figures most users will be new, and so sets the starting point using the KISS principle. Poking around in the menus and preferences in unfamiliar applications ( in lieu of using the extensive if somewhat... basic... help system) will usually get what you want- and in a much clearer and simpler way than MS's Voyage of Discovery when trying to find the switches to something.
And I've rambled too much, so I'll cut it off here.
I have to say that the comments coming (4 and 5) from Slashdot users are much more detailed/thoughtful than the ones that came from Digg (1 and 2) users. As for the Application folder on the dock, I thougth I mentioned that as a possibility in the post? But perhaps not. I still haven't tried it, and I wouldn't have thought to "right-click"/Command-Click/Two-Finger click on the folder, so that's good to know--thanks!
I do have another complaint, but this one about the MacBook itself as opposed to OS X. By default half of the 60 GB is taken up by files--mostly the 10-15 GB of memory that iLife uses (all the effects and samples in iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand). This, in turn, is complicated by the fact that if you're encoding a movie using iMovie then you'll more than likely be chewing up your virtual memory (10 GB in my case for a 30 min. movie). This latter problem can be fixed by upgrading your RAM, and really if you bought a MacBook you won't be doing any serious media editing/creation anyway so the former problem can be fixed simply be removing iLife (you can always get it back from the included restore discs). I also solved it by moving all of my non-essential files over to my Desktop PC that I use on the same network as my MacBook.
Also, from comment 5, I agree that Apple's approach of KISS is better than Window's information overload approach, but I wish they let you choose your user type at the beginning (as some Linux distros sort of do/have done). Also, if you've seen Windows Vista you'll notice that they (tried) to go for the KISS approach as well... unfortunately, all they did was bury things (i.e. split things into categories->sub-categories->sub-sub-categories) and not really improve the layout.
Actually, at the moment, the MacBook has sort of become my primary computer (at my apartment anyway) with my dekstop just being used for watching TV and using Dreamweaver (since I haven't bothered getting a copy of Dreamweaver for OS X yet and OS X's iWeb is useless unless you either want to do a manual FTP to your server or get a .Mac account... which is another one of those tie-ins I mentioned).
You, sir, are an idiot for writing such an off-base, uncritical blahg about a great system and computer you know very little about!!
Stick with XP and salivate over Vista when Microsoft finishes copying Tiger.
Sheesh!!
if it's "uncritical" then that would mean the opposite of critical ("marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; 'a critical attitude'" [http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn]), and if that were the case then it doesn't seem you would have an issue with my review. And I still have the same complaints about the MacBook and OS X after having used it now as more or less my primary computer and I still have the same "complaints" plus a few others (e.g. Dashboard uses up far too much RAM for something so useless). And I never said it was better than XP or Vista I've tried and have both, but I like OS X better, I just don't think it's perfect. I think they changed too much of the Unix backend as well which causes some problems when compiling *nix programs. But as I say in my review, overall I think it's a great system but not the "greatest thing ever". It has flaws, XP has flaws, Vista has flaws, and Linux has flaws. OS X has the least number of flaws out of those, but people need to stop thinking of it as the greatest thing since sliced bread...
For word processing, try NeoOffice. I too am new to OS X and also recently purchased a MacBook. It uses the OpenOffice source and runs natively in OS X. Not super fast, but it gets the job done.
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