Getting down to it

Ok, so last night I carefully opened the box (it must not be torn, since it will be returned to leasing as soon as I have had the updated machine delivered), and took out the new MacBook Pro, 2.4 GHz, 160 Gb, 2 Gb. Basically it is the prebuilt standard mid-range version of the MacBook Pro (that is, the better of the 15-inch models). I also have a couple of extra Kingston 2 Gb memory modules, so that I get 4 Gb of memory instead. I figured that will be needed for running OS X and XP side by side.

MacBook Pro (left) and PowerBook G4 (right).

At first view, I notice that on the surface, not too much has happened over the last four years, when I compare the new machine with my old 15-inch PowerBook G4, 1.5 GHz, 80 Gb, 1 Gb. I notice some minor changes, such as:

- better keyboard backlighting,
- the small webcam,
- a double hinge lid closing mechanism,
- a larger touchpad,
- the new display being somewhat wider and lower and a little sharper
- and finally that the new machine is about 4-5 mm thinner and a tiny bit lighter.

Another tiny evidence of continous improvement is the fact that the screws attaching the lid around the keyboard are moved away from the corner of the keyboard surface to the sides. I am sure this is for aesthetic reasons, just the kind of thing you need to be Apple to care about. And I love it! (Yes, I told you, I'm a geek...)

The screw that has been removed, and also the
new (left) and old (right) type of power plug.

A final small but classy improvement is that "MacBook Pro" is written in shiny silver letters instead of the grey letters used on the "PowerBook G4".

As you might know, beneath the almost identical surface, the changes on the inside are vast, at least as far as processor technology goes. Apple moving from Motorola to Intel processors might be one of the smartest moves since releasing the iPod. Without the ability to boot Windows, I'm pretty sure that I would never have managed to convince my employer to let me make the move to Mac.