Black is Back for $150--New Apple MacBook is Out

Apple released their new MacBook, the consumer portable that replaces the iBook. Black is back after Apple's excursion into white, titanium and aluminum for its portables but you'll pay $150 for it. The key features of the MacBook are an Intel Core Duo processor running at 1.83 or 2.0GHz (same as originally available on the MacBook Pro), a 13.3" 1280x800 widescreen display that has a glossy finish rather than a matte finish, gigabit ethernet, Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics, built-in iSight camera, infrared remote controller and a polycarbonate case in white or black. It also has a scrolling trackpad, AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and optical digital and analog audio in and out.

The mid-range $1299 2.0GHz model is white with a 60GB 5400-rpm hard drive and a SuperDrive. The low-end $1099 model is also white but comes with a combo optical drive, the same 60GB hard drive and the slower 1.83GHz Core Duo processor. The high-end $1499 2.0GHz model is black and with only a 80GB hard drive in addition to the $1299 model. Since the 80GB hard drive is a $50 option on the mid-range model, that means the color black costs $150 all by itself.

We still think the best looking PowerBook ever was the black, pillow-shaped 2000 PowerBook G3 (FireWire or "Pismo") so we like black. Apple is probably hoping for a repeat of the popularity of the black iPod nano but is trying to capitalize on it this time.

The 13" higher 1280x800 resolution screen is a welcome compromise to the 12" and 14" screens of iBooks. The former resolution of 1024x768 was getting pretty long in the tooth.

The graphics system, Intel's GMA 950, is the same as the Mac mini's. We have been using a 1.66GHz Mac mini Core Duo with this graphics system for several months for standard computer work and some light image work and have found the Intel GMA 950 chip set to be up to the tasks that we've asked it to do. This should not be a problem for an iBook replacement.

Except for the graphics system and lack of an ExpressCard 34 slot, the new MacBook comes pretty close to the MacBook Pro in features. Starting at $1099, the MacBook gives an excellent bang for the buck. [Bill Fox]