jkOnTheRun video- 13-inch MacBook (aluminum)
Apple just announced the new MacBooks a couple of days ago but we’ve already gotten our hands on one and bring you this video look at the 13-inch aluminum MacBook. This is the new MacBook with the MacBook Pro styling that brings a new level of performance to the MacBook line. In this video you’ll see a complete overview of the hardware, the new sleek styling and the large glass trackpad. You will get a demonstration of how the new multi-finger gestures control the interface and how the buttonless trackpad is more intuitive than the conventional ones you are used to. Have a look at the performance and styling that make up the new MacBook from Apple. Enjoy the video!
I’m really interested in the battery life. Gizmodo or Engadget pegged it at about 2:30-3:00 hours, quite a bit off from the 5 hours claimed by Apple.
ben, I am seeing at least 3.5 – 4 hours but I suspect perhaps more with “real” usage.
Hi James,
I just picked up a MacBook too, and have a question about your experience with the track pad.
I am finding that the top half inch of the track pad on my unit is not clickable, however the rest of the track pad is fully clickable, altough its easier to click closer to the bottom than the top.
Are you having the same experience with your track pad? It almost seems like a design defect.
With the trackpad being so large now, I am wondering if it interferes when you’re doing some serious typing? Is there a way to shut it off? Also, even if it has a shutoff button, can you comment whether it “steals” too much real estate from the wrist rest to detract from the typing experience?
Since you have to push it to click the button it doesn’t interfere at all, even less than traditional trackpads.
Rick, I see the same thing and think it is by design to provide an area of the trackpad that is not part of the button.
Rick, I also think it’s to help make dragging things around easier. Try this: “grab” a window by clicking your thumb on the bottom of the trackpad, hold the thumb click down, and drag the window with the index finger. It makes dragging windows around much easier than with a button.
The 4 finger down gesture brings up Expose which needs some open windows to work. You had no visible windows when you tried it in the video so got an error beep.
Phil, yes that’s correct. I hadn’t realized at the time that I had closed windows I had opened prior to shooting the video. I realized that’s what happened right after finishing the video. I am really liking the 4 finger salute with Expose.
Do you see any graphical issues at all with the macbook? I picked up the pro and have noticed a few issues when scrolling on web pages. It seems like a refresh issue or tearing. I took it into the apple store and unfortunatly the display models also had this same issue. I am wondering if the macbook shows this same issue or if it is only with the pro.
Daniel, I’ve noticed no graphics artifacts of any kind so far.
Please stop guessing and check the facts before reporting about battery life, memory upgrades and more. Why not open that bay to the battery and harddisk?
bruno, since you asked so nicely. I stated clearly I had only had the MacBook for a couple of hours when shooting that video. No way then to report exact battery life figures. I did state and having used the MB for a day now that I can expect about 4 hours of battery life.
I also stated that I thought the easier to access hard drive bay would make memory upgrades more difficult. I have indeed removed the hatch and confirmed that you can not access the memory from there.
Daniel, I have not noticed no graphics issues either.
I am currently waiting for a package to arrive, containing 4GB of RAM, and a 360GB hard disk. I plan to install these today so I can install VMWare Fusion, and begin transferring all of my files.
Now I just need to figure out how to get Time Machine to work with my Windows Home Server for automated backups. Plus, I need to figure out how to keep my computers in sync. When all of my computers were Windows based, LiveMesh kept all computers perfectly in sync (iTunes, documents, pictures & Lightroom catalog, etc.). I doubt I will be able to continue to keep iTunes in sync as I am guessing the iTunes library files will have differences between the Mac & PC (i.e. path names, etc.). I am also worried that I will not be able to keep my Adobe Lightroom catalog synced for the same reasons.
James I am thinking of going from PC to Macbook. Couple of questions. I read in the forums that there is an issue with the wifi range on the alum. macbooks to be less because of the interference of the alum body. Have you noticed a difference? Also it did look like you were struggling with the glossy screen even though you said you like them. Still okay with it?