Leopards, and iLives, and Macs, oh my!
I was going to call this "iLives, and Tigers, and Macs, oh my!" Apple had to step in and ruin my fun, releasing the latest iteration of OS X, Leopard, just in time for the holiday season. We looked at Leopard pretty extensively last week, but let's just say that it's all that and a ball of wax.
If you are buying a Mac this season, you'll be pleased to know that Leopard and iLife '08 are going to be installed on the system. The iLife suite includes the latest versions of iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, iWeb, and Garageband. You'll be able to use it to edit high-definition video, organize and edit digital photos, share your creations on DVD and on the web, and orchestrate your magnum opus.
There are quite a few computers to choose from in the current Mac product line. Notebooks come in MacBook and MacBook Pro flavors, and for desktops there's the Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. With the exception of the iMac, none of the systems have undergone a major aesthetic overhaul in recent memory, although they've all gotten speed upgrades when compared to last year's models.
Notebooks
The MacBook is Apple's consumer-level notebook. The little guy, sporting a 13.3" form factor, is available in a white or black polycarbonate shell design. All configurations include an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an iSight camera, and a glossy widescreen display. The low-end model features a CD burner and DVD-ROM combo drive and an 80 GB hard drive; stepping up to a mid-range configuration gets you a SuperDrive DVD burner and a larger hard drive.
The MacBook Pro is, not surprisingly, Apple's professional-level notebook computer. The laptop is available in 15" and 17" varieties, with an option of a glossy or matte LCD. All configurations boast an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2 GB of RAM, nVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an iSight camera, and a SuperDrive DVD burner. The low-end 15" model sports a 120 GB hard drive, with the higher-end models featuring 160 GB of storage. The 17" model is available with an optional high-definition display.
Desktops
The Mac mini, Apple's entry-level desktop, is a computer so compact and portable, you might have to worry about losing it. The computer itself is only 6.5" square, and only 2" tall. The mini ships without a keyboard, mouse, or monitor; you'll have to bring your own. This makes the mini an attractive option for someone looking to buy their first Mac, as it can be used with existing hardware. The mini doesn't lend itself to internal upgrades, but both LaCie and Iomega make external hard drives that stack with the mini.
The iMac has been Apple's flagship consumer desktop for almost a decade. The all-in-one desktop features a striking aluminum and glass design, a departure from the white polycarbonate iMac from days of yore. The computer is available in 20" and 24" configurations, both of which feature a glossy widescreen display. The iMac has all the bells and whistles you expect: the DVD burner, iSight camera, ATI graphics, a spacious hard drive, and copious RAM.
And of course, there's the Mac Pro, the 800-pound gorilla of the Apple world. Well, maybe not 800 pounds, but it is pretty heavy. The Mac Pro is designed to be used in intense production environments, where horsepower and expansion are key. The computer features four bays for 3.5" SATA hard drives, eight slots for RAM, and four PCI Express expansion slots. By default the Mac Pro features a "quad-core" CPU configuration: two dual-core CPUs. For truly high-end work, an eight-core configuration, two quad-core CPUs, is available.
One last thing…. The standard Apple keyboard got an extensive facelift and redesign to go along with the iMac. Available in USB and Bluetooth versions, the keyboard now features an extremely slim design, with the same scissor-style keys found on the MacBook.
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