In This Chapter
Comparing MacBooks to desktop Macs
Deciding on a laptop
Identifying the external parts of your Mac laptop
Understanding the important hidden components
Most of my readers who pick up this book are already MacBook owners, happy with their mobile Mac and yearning to know more about how it works and how to use it. Folks, I salute you, but I'll be honest: You don't really need to read the first part of this chapter! You've already made your decision betwixt laptop and desktop.
It's true, however, that not every computer owner needs a laptop. (I'm no heretic — just pointing out that mobility isn't of primary importance to many people.) Because laptops are generally more expensive than desktop systems of similar power and capabilities, you should consider a laptop only if you really need the unique features it offers.
If you haven't yet made up your mind about whether to replace your desktop computer with a laptop — or whether you need to add a MacBook to your present collection of desktop computers — then this chapter is especially for you. I compare laptop and desktop configurations, and ask you the three important questions you should consider before making the decision to buy a MacBook. Next, I give you a quick tour of the basics of a MacBook.
That's a quote from one of my family members — I won't say who — concerning the main difference between my MacBook laptop and my iMac desktop. And you know, many Mac owners would probably agree with my youngest daughter on that point. (Whoops, what a giveaway!)
However, there's a surprising number of pros and cons to owning a laptop compared to a stationary Mac desktop computer. In this section, I cover those pros and cons — just so that you'll have the whole picture.
Many Mac owners just plain need the portability of a MacBook — either they need to run their applications on-site, or they're constantly traveling as part of their career or lifestyle. If you fit into this group, you really have no choice other than to have a laptop. Students, business travelers, and those who need their applications wherever they are, look no further than a MacBook.
But what about those folks who travel only occasionally, or people who like a change of scenery from time to time (such as downstairs, the backyard, or the library)? Or folks who simply want a computer they can put away easily when it's not in use? Although a MacBook is less of a "sure thing" purchase for those who aren't born nomads, that versatility can still be very tempting! Oh, and don't forget that you also carry all your data and those all-important applications with you whenever you lug your MacBook from one spot to another.
Therefore, if you feel that you'd prefer to work away from your home (or office or dorm) at least once or twice a week, you should also consider the MacBook alternative.
Do you operate in a minimum of space? The MacBook is a good choice for those looking to achieve the smallest footprint possible (that's a term that technowizards use to describe the amount of space a computer takes up on your desk). The other obvious choices are the iMac and the Mac mini, which are both desktops.
The Mac mini is a computer that takes up very little desktop space — in fact, the mini is about the size of a ham sandwich (with two slices of cheese and a tomato or two). However, it doesn't include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse, so you have to add those things (with the space they demand), so the footprint you're left with is really not much better than a typical PC in a "pizza box" case.
The iMac includes an internal monitor, but it's a minimum of 20 inches, which increases the footprint of the entire computer. As with the Mac mini, you have to add a keyboard and mouse.
So we're left with the MacBook, which takes up about 13 × 9 inches of desk space with its built-in display panel, keyboard, and trackpad. It's no accident that many corporations now supply laptops to employees as standard equipment — even to those office-bound workers who don't take business trips. Laptops offer the full computing experience, no matter how small your cubicle!
Sometimes it's easy for many Mac owners to forget that MacBooks aren't as expandable as a Mac Pro desktop. (In fact, this limitation also applies to the Apple iMac and the Mac mini, which are — same as a MacBook — highly integrated, with no room for hardware expansion.)
Although you can hang plenty of peripherals off a modern MacBook (using USB and FireWire ports), full-size desktops are just plain easier to expand and upgrade with internal hardware. The prime examples of this are the internal graphics, sound, and wireless networking cards on a full-size Mac Pro, which on a MacBook are impossible to upgrade.
Adding a second or even a third hard drive to a Mac Pro is a fairly simple operation: The case has plenty of room, and the Mac Pro already sports the internal connectors and power cabling for all those new drives. With a MacBook, however, you can upgrade the internal hard drive only with another high-capacity drive, and the procedure is best performed by an Apple technician. Adding a second drive to a MacBook can be done only with an external USB or FireWire drive (which adds more stuff to carry with you ...which cuts down on that mobility you prize so highly as a laptop user).
In a nutshell, those Mac power users who will want to upgrade their computers with the latest technologies in the future (such as hard-core gamers) should consider a Mac Pro desktop system first.
Dear readers, I cannot lie: You pay dearly for the portability of a MacBook. As an example, compare an iMac desktop computer and a MacBook Pro laptop computer with these (roughly) similar components:
Processor: The iMac sports a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, whereas the MacBook Pro has a slightly faster 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo CPU.
RAM: Both computers have 4GB of RAM installed.
Hard drive capacity: The MacBook Pro sports a 500GB hard drive, whereas the iMac offers a larger 640GB hard drive.
Screen size: Our MacBook Pro has a 17-inch widescreen display, and the iMac has a 20-inch widescreen monitor.
Now for the tale of the register tape: At the time of this writing, the iMac will set you back $1,374, whereas the MacBook Pro runs a hefty $2,499! Portability comes at a premium for road warriors.
There's another high-dollar headache for all laptop owners (both Mac and PC). Compared to a desktop computer, repairs on your laptop are harder to perform, the components cost more, and the repairs are almost certain to take longer. Also, depending on use, a MacBook's battery is almost certain to require replacement in four to five years.
Consider this typical scenario: If the graphics card fails in your Mac Pro desktop, you can easily replace it yourself with a new (and likely even more powerful) graphics adapter card. You simply open the case, unscrew the old card, and replace it with a new one.
However, if the sound hardware fails in your MacBook (or iMac, or Mac mini), it's time to pull out your wallet. Why? As I mention earlier, the hardware on these three systems is all integrated onto the motherboard, so you can't fix it yourself. Therein lies the rub. The entire motherboard probably needs to be replaced, and ordering parts and performing the necessary surgery take time.
Here's an important Mark's Maxim that I practice myself:
Note
If you invest in a MacBook, you should also invest in AppleCare coverage for your laptop.
Although AppleCare is pricey ($249 extends your technical support and warranty coverage for a full three years), it's worth every penny if a hardware component breaks!
Now that you've absorbed all the pros and cons of a laptop computer, it's time to make the decision on which system you should buy. If you answer "yes" to each of these three questions, a MacBook should be in your future!
Is mobility important? If you need your computing on the go (or you'd like the freedom to be able to move from place to place), I recommend that you jump to the MacBook side of the fence.
Is a laptop in your price range? As I prove earlier, you'll pay considerably more for a MacBook (as well as for repairs later, if you should need them). If you can afford the higher price point, you've cleared another hurdle.
Are you comfortable with the upgrade limitations of a laptop? If your MacBook will probably run your applications acceptably for at least four years (or more), hardware upgrades are likely to be less of a concern and you can buy a MacBook with confidence.
After you've chosen the Way of the Laptop, you also have to select the MacBook model that's right for you — and it's no small coincidence that Chapter 2 of this minibook is devoted to helping you with that choice if you haven't already. The rest of this chapter, meanwhile, is devoted to familiarizing you with the basic parts of the MacBook you have or are considering.
Most action films have one scene in common: I call it the "gear up" scene, where the good guys strap on their equipment in preparation for battle. (It doesn't matter what era: You see "gear up" scenes in Gladiator, Aliens, and virtually every movie Arnold has made.) You're sure to see lots of clicking straps and equipping of offensive weapons (and sometimes even a dash of war paint). The process usually takes a minute or so, all told with whiplash camera work and stirring martial music in the background.
Well, fellow Macintosh Road Warrior, it takes only two seconds and one move for you to gear up: closing the lid! That's because your MacBook is a self-contained world, providing virtually everything you'll find on a desktop iMac or Mac Pro. This is indeed the decade of the laptop, meshing nicely with your cell phone and that wireless connection at your local coffee shop. You have selected the right companion for the open road.
Unlike some of Apple's other designs, such as the Mac Mini or the iMac, your MacBook looks similar to a PC laptop running Windows. (In fact, a MacBook can run Windows, if you absolutely must.) But your laptop holds a number of pleasant surprises that no PC laptop can offer — and, in the case of the MacBook Air, you'll lose pounds and inches from your chassis! Sure, your MacBook Pro might be but an inch thin (and a MacBook Air, which I cover in Chapter 2 of this minibook, is even more svelte than that), but a lot of superb design lives inside, and you'll encounter the same parts that you'd find in a desktop machine. In this section, I discuss those important parts — both the stuff you can see and the stuff that's shoehorned within. Welcome to your Mac laptop, good reader. Gear up!
All laptops require some of the same gizmos. Figure 1-1 helps you track them down. Of course, as you'd expect, a computer has a body of sorts in which all the innards and brains are stored. It also sports a display screen, a keyboard, a trackpad or other pointing device, and ports for powering and exchanging data with outside toys.
What a view you have! Today's Mac laptops feature a 13", 15", or 17" LCD or LED display (depending on the model you choose). Today's displays are available in glossy finish (a good choice for the brightest colors and deepest blacks).
Note
LCD screens use far less electricity than their antique CRT ancestors do, and they emit practically no radiation.
Apple's laptop screens offer a widescreen aspect ratio (the screen is considerably wider than it is tall), which augurs well for those who enjoy watching DVD movies. (A favorite editor of mine loves it when I use the antique word augur, meaning to predict or foretell.)
Tip
That reminds me: Throw away your printed dictionary! You won't need it, because Mac OS X Snow Leopard includes the fantastic Dictionary widget, which uses the Internet to retrieve definitions from the online Oxford American Dictionary site. More on widgets in general in Book III, Chapter 2 ...and yes, the Dictionary widget does contain augur.
Hey, here's something novel for your laptop. Whereas a standard desktop computer has external input devices, your Mac has a built-in keyboard and trackpad (which does the job of a mouse). The keyboard is a particular favorite of mine for a few reasons:
You can either control the sound volume or mute all that noise completely.
You can use illuminated keyboards (at least on high-end Mac laptops), which are perfect for darkened dorm rooms and airplane flights.
A handy-dandy Media Eject key lets you eject a CD or DVD.
You'll notice a long groove at the bottom-right corner of your MacBook or MacBook Pro. (No, it's not for your credit card.) This slot accepts CDs and DVDs into your optical drive. If the drive is empty, loading a disc is as simple as sliding it in an inch or so; the drive sucks in the disc automatically. (And we don't need a stinkin' floppy. Macs haven't had floppy drives for years now, and the PC types are finally following suit.)
Note
A MacBook Air doesn't sport any internal optical drive. You use either the CD & DVD Sharing feature in Snow Leopard to read discs remotely (from another Mac or PC on your network), or you can pick up an external optical drive from Apple for about $100. (Such is the price you pay for super-thin and super-light.) I discuss the MacBook Air in detail in Chapter 2 of this very minibook.
Warning
"Luke, the printed label side of the disc should always be facing you when you load a disc. Always."
A machine this nice had better have great sound, and the MacBook doesn't disappoint. You have a couple of options for Mac laptop audio:
All Mac laptops sport built-in speakers (and a microphone to boot). The MacBook Air has a single speaker, and MacBook and MacBook Pro models have stereo speakers.
The built-in audio Line Out jacks connect your MacBook's audio to a pair of headphones, or a more powerful (and expensive) external speaker system, or a home stereo system.
Sorry, can't get a wireless power system ...yet. (Apple's working hard on that one.) However, the MacBook Pro was the first major release of a laptop with a magnetic power connector; the MacBook and MacBook Air followed suit soon after. The MagSafe connector reduces the chances of your pride and joy being yanked off a desk when someone trips over the power cord, because the magnetic closure pops off under significant strain. Now that's sassy.
Yep, you have one of these, too. It's on the upper right, next to the keyboard, bearing the familiar "circle with a vertical line" logo.
Check out that tiny square lens above your screen. That's a built-in iSight camera, which allows you to chat with others in a videoconferencing environment using Snow Leopard's iChat feature. You can even take photos with it, using the Photo Booth software that comes with your laptop, or set up a travelin' Webcam.
Owners of a MacBook or MacBook Pro can open the cover on the bottom of your laptop to switch batteries. Many road warriors who constantly use their laptops for extended periods swear by extra batteries, especially if they're on-site in the middle of nowhere and there's not an AC outlet to be found.
Of course, your laptop automatically charges the battery while it's plugged in, so you shouldn't have to remove the battery unless you're replacing it or switching it with another battery.
If you're using a MacBook Air, your battery is sealed inside the case and can't be swapped. Only an Apple technician can replace a dead battery in a MacBook Air laptop.
The next stop on your tour of Planet Laptop is Port Central — those rows of holes on the sides of your computer. Each port connects a different type of cable or device, allowing you to easily add all sorts of functionality to your computer.
Each of these stellar holes is identified by an icon to help you identify it. Here's a list of what you'll find and a quick rundown on what these ports do.
Connections for external devices and networking:
FireWire: These ports are the standard in the Apple universe for connecting external hard drives and DVD recorders, but they do double-duty as the connector of choice for peripherals such as mini-DV camcorders. (A peripheral is another silly techno-nerd term that means a separate device you connect to your computer.) Depending on the model of laptop you chose, you may have one of the older FireWire 400 ports or you may have a much faster FireWire 800 port. Current MacBooks (except the MacBook Air) have at least one FireWire port; the MacBook Air, on the other hand, offers only USB. Speaking of which ...
USB: Short for Universal Serial Bus, the familiar USB port is the jack-of-all-trades in today's world of computer add-ons. Most external devices that you want to connect to your laptop (such as portable hard drives, scanners, and digital cameras) use a USB port, including the iPod. Depending on the model of laptop, you'll have either two or three USB 2.0 ports available. USB 2.0 connections are much faster than the old USB 1.1 standard, but they still accept USB 1.1 devices running at the slower speed.
Ethernet: Today's Mac laptops include a standard 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, so the laptop is ready to join your existing wired Ethernet network. (Alternatively, you can go wireless for your network connection; more on that in Book VII.) Because the MacBook Air is designed to be completely wireless, it doesn't have a wired Ethernet port, but if necessary, you can add a USB Ethernet adapter to add a wired network port to your Air.
ExpressCard/34 or SD memory: When you need the absolute fastest performance possible from an external device, you can connect that device to your laptop using the ExpressCard slot. These cards are the descendants of the popular PCMCIA (or PC Card) cards, which many models of older Mac PowerBooks used. Currently, only the 17-inch MacBook Pro offers an ExpressCard slot, but the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models include a standard SD memory card slot (a treat for digital photographers because it allows iPhoto to import photos directly from an SD memory card).
Connections for external video and audio are
VGA/DVI connector: In case that splendid screen isn't big enough, you can buy an adapter for this port that allows you to send the video signal from your laptop to another VGA or DVI monitor, or even S-Video output for your TV and VCR.
Headphone/Optical Output: You can send the high-quality audio from your rectangular beast to a set of standard headphones or an optical digital audio device such as a high-end home theater system.
Optical Line In: Last (but certainly not least) is the optical audio Line In jack, which allows you to pipe the signal from another audio device into your laptop. This one comes in particularly handy when you record MP3 files from your old vinyl albums or when you want to record loops in GarageBand. (The MacBook Air doesn't have a Line In jack.)
When you bought your new digital pride and joy, you probably noticed a number of subtle differences between the low-end MacBook and the uber-expensive, top-end MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. I call these differences the Important Hidden Stuff (or IHS, for those of you addicted to acronyms), and they're just as important as the parts and ports that you can see.
Internal storage devices:
CPU: Today's Mac laptops feature — gasp! — Intel processors, which run faster and cooler than the old Motorola processors that powered the iBook and PowerBook models. Of course, the faster the processor, the better. (Definitely not rocket science.)
Hard drive: MacBook laptops use the current standard in hard drive technology: namely, serial ATA hard drives. As you might expect, the MacBook Pro laptop line has a larger capacity hard drive as standard equipment, but you can special-order a MacBook from Apple with a larger hard drive.
The MacBook Pro and MacBook Air have two storage options: You can choose serial ATA hard drive or opt for the much more expensive (and much more technically impressive) solid-state drive. Hold on to your chair — there are no moving parts with a solid-state drive, and it offers better performance than a standard hard drive. Think of the solid-state drive as an internal USB flash drive, which uses RAM chips instead of magnetic platters to hold your data! Pricey, but super-sweet, and Apple once again introduces the latest in computer hardware.
Optical drive: Okay, I'm cheating a little here. I mention the optical drive in an earlier section, but all you can see is the slot, so it qualifies as an IHS item. Depending on your MacBook, your computer includes one of the following:
Wireless communications devices:
Wireless Ethernet: "Look, Ma, no wires!" As I mention earlier, you can connect your laptop to an existing wireless Ethernet network. All current MacBooks have built-in AirPort Extreme hardware. With wireless connectivity, you can share documents with another computer in another room, share a single high-speed Internet connection betwixt several computers, or enjoy wireless printing. Truly sassy!
Tip
Although Apple would want you to build your wireless wonderland with an Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (go figure), you can use your MacBook with any standard 802.11 wireless network. And yes, PCs and Macs can intermingle on the same wireless network without a hitch. (Scandalous, ain't it?)
Bluetooth: Let's get the old "digital pirate" joke out of the way: "Arrgh, matey, I needs me a wireless parrot." (Engineers again ...sheesh.) Although strangely named, Bluetooth is another form of wireless connectivity. This time, however, the standard was designed for accessories such as your keyboard and mouse, and devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a cell phone.
Video display device:
Video card: If your applications rely heavily on high-speed 3-D graphics, you'll be pleased as punch to learn that today's MacBook Pro line of laptops come equipped with muscle-bound GeForce cards from nVIDIA. These cards are well suited to 3-D modeling, video editing, and well, honestly, blasting the enemy into small smoking pieces with aplomb. As of this writing, the MacBook and MacBook Air laptops use an integrated video card, so they're not a good choice for hard-core gaming or 3-D design.