New MacBooks: A Good Thing

Posted by J. Mark Bertrand
on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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The new MacBooks have been unveiled, and I'm happy to see that the body is aluminum. My current white MacBook replaced a 12 inch Powerbook I loved in every way. The only reason I parted with it was the processor switch. Since Apple didn't make an Intel-based 12 inch, I had to go with the 13 inch MacBook, despite my misgivings about the plastic case. (I also had to settle for a reflective screen, something I was reluctant to do.) But at first, I was happy. Two things changed that: the plastic case started cracking along the inside edge -- a common problem, apparently -- and the sharp case edge around the keyboard made actually typing for any length of time uncomfortable.

The new MacBooks feature what Apple is calling "unibody" construction, which should solve the cracking issue. Unfortunately, based on what I see in the photos, the sharp edge seems to have been carried over. I hope this isn't really the case. Either way, I'll be happy to get back into an aluminum case, relegating the plastic laptop to some kind of homebound duty where ruggedness isn't a requirement.

What I was really hoping for, though, was a sub-13 inch notebook, something that would make a good travel companion to a regular desktop system. At just 4.5 pounds, though, perhaps this one will do the trick.