So what if Steve Jobs did not show up at the MacWorld Expo this year. Apple still managed to unveil a new, snazzy, and powerful version of the 17-Inch MacBook Pro.
We’re just talking gadgets here, not what’s going on internally at Apple, so I’ll get right to the point: The MacBook Pro has made some spectacular improvements for 2009. You’ll grouse about the price, of course, which is $2799, but you are getting a whole lot more computer for it.
The case, like the others in the MacBook line, is made of a single, and may I say sleek, piece of aluminum, dropping the weight of this MacBook to 6.6 pounds, pretty light for a 17-inch laptop. Getting inside the MacBook case, you’re looking a faster Core 2 Duo processor that runs at 2.66GHz and a full 4GB of memory! Who needs a desktop?
No need to sacrifice graphics on the MacBook Pro. Its two graphics processors, the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT and the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, processor have you covered when you need the highest output and when you need to conserve power.
While we’re on the subject of graphics, the new MacBook screen is pretty phenomenal. It’s LED display is backlit with a 60 percent greater color gamut than the prior edition.
How about three more hours of battery life? The 17-Inch MacBook Pro gives it to you with its new battery that lasts up to 8 hours on one charge. Apple engineers built this battery, and it is truly amazing. It not only has a longer charge life, but a longer lifespan — 1000 recharges, more than three times that of other laptops, according to Apple.
Oh, and I love the new Trackpad that now encompasses the functions of the button within it. The Trackpad is much larger, and supposedly, a very smooth operator.
Apple will also take home many green awards with its new MacBook designs. The MacBook contains no PVC, no arsenic, no mercury, and no brominated flame retardant. Its aluminum case is recyclable, and because ithe MacBook Pro battery lasts five years, as opposed to other notebooks with a three-year battery life, they will make fewer footprints in landfills if they’re not turned in.
The 17-Inch MacBook Pro is expected to ship by the end of January. Good luck getting your hands on one!
Apple MacBook Pro, MacWorld Expo Keynote, MacWorld Laptop
UPDATE: Now available on Amazon.com
