Apple MacBook Pro 2GHz Core Duo

2008-03-11T16:23:25+01:00

Ask anybody what sort of computer they use and they�??ll either have to think about it or they�??ll be able to tell you instantly it�??s an Apple. No other brand attracts this sort of devotion. But, I�??ve never been able to understand the fuss.

Yes, Apple make good, well-designed machines, but there�??s nearly always a premium to pay for software and peripherals because the company makes such a tiny proportion of the world�??s PCs. The rest mostly run on a combination of Microsoft software and Intel processors, a partnership some Apple owners felt was an axis of evil.

When Apple announced last year that it was going to ditch IBM and put Intel inside its computers, those users descended into apoplexy. Well, here�??s the first portable fruit of that liaison and the news is, it�??s still an Apple. So, it�??s beautifully designed, but buyers have to pay a few hundred pounds extra compared to similarly-specified Windows machines.

At first glance the MacBook Pro looks almost exactly the same as its predecessor the PowerBook G4. The screen, however, is spectacularly bright which makes it useful for people who like to work in sunlight. They�??ll also be impressed by the very quick boot-up time.

Another addition is the built-in iSight webcam. Sony introduced this concept a number of years ago when it seemed a bit of a gimmick. It remains to be seen whether it catches on this time now that broadband internet is so readily available.

Apple�??s move to Intel chips means that many popular programs run very much faster than before, but other specialist software has yet to be optimised to make best use of the new processor. Those programs may even run slightly slower until new versions are released.

Overall, the MacBook Pro is certainly a beautiful and desirable status symbol, but I still think a computer�??s a computer and I�??m not entirely convinced that an Apple�??s worth the extra money

This article originally appeared in March 2006

Interlink Rechargeable Bluetooth Laptop Remote Control

2008-03-10T12:48:59+01:00

There used to be a huge price and performance difference between laptop and desktop PCs. It was really only worth buying a laptop if you were going to be spending time on the road and your computing needs were limited to word processing, email and simple spreadsheets.

In the last couple of years, though, portable computers have fallen in price enough to be a viable alternative to a desktop as your main PC. At the same time they�??ve increased in power to the point where you can even play videogames on some of them.

In fact, as a portable entertainment device a well-specified laptop is hard to beat. It�??ll show DVD movies, store and play your entire music collection, display all your pictures, as well as doing all those wonderful things on the internet that you know you shouldn�??t.

This can be a blessing if you�??re working away from home. You�??re knackered and all you really want to do is lie in your hotel bed and watch telly. That�??s until you find the only English-language channels are CNN with its interminable 15-minute loop or Eurosport featuring repeats of the Hungarian rowing championship. The exorbitant pay-per-view choice is between a Chuck Norris action movie, a Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy or tattooed lesbian porn in German,

But if you�??ve remembered to bring a DVD with you then your entertainment problems are solved. You can watch that until you nod off. Well you could if you didn�??t have to get out of bed to switch off your laptop.

But this nifty little device solves the problem for people with a recent laptop equipped with Bluetooth and an ExpressCard slot for recharging and storing the device. You might even be lucky enough to justify it on expenses because, as well as acting as an entertainment remote control, it can be used up to 30 feet away for PowerPoint demonstrations.

First published October 2006

The Tartan Gadget

Apple MacBook Pro 2GHz Core Duo

Interlink Rechargeable Bluetooth Laptop Remote Control