This is the first Mac notebook built upon the revolutionary new Intel Core Duo — which is actually two processors (up to 1.83GHz) engineered onto a single chip. It provides 2MB of Smart Cache, L2 cache that can be shared between both cores as needed. It delivers higher performance in 2D and 3D graphics, video editing, and music encoding. And the new engine is only part of the story. MacBook Pro has a frontside bus and memory that, at 667MHz, runs faster than any previous Mac notebook. It’s the first Mac notebook with PCI Express, a Serial ATA hard drive and the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 for superfast graphics performance.

Good lord... That sound you just heard in the distance was the combined noises of Dell and Microsoft shitting their pants. Additionally, since the Macbook runs on an Intel core, this must mean that Mac OS X is ready to run on any Intel (or x86 compatible) box out there -- which was Microsoft's domain until now. And OS X kicks Windows ass in so many ways that it's not even funny.

If I had stock in Dell or Microsoft, I'd sell it immediately.

I am not so sure about Microsoft, since their Office Suite is the most important piece of Software on the Mac platform, the i-shit that Apple practically throws in may be fine for rank amateurs, but for serious work its still a Microsoft World. DELL on the other hand.... Nasty....

But Palm Addicts has an interesting review that points out some weaknesses:

Apple just introduced the MacBook Pro today at MacWorld in San Francisco. This is their new Duo Intel cpu machine and their first Intel laptop. Should you buy one? There are some serious omissions on this new laptop.

1. No PC Card slot, it now has something called ExpressCard/34 which will be the new standard for expansion cards. So if you use a networking PC Card, or PC card reader for memory cards or want to buy that spankin' new Bluetooth mouse that recharges in the PC Card slot you're out of luck. What kind of terrific Express Cards can we use? None yet, there aren't any for sale yet that would work in this Mac.

2. No Firewire 800. Is Apple conceeding Firewire to Intel's push for USB?

3. No S-Video port built-in, my current PowerBook has one. So much for that S-Video projector you bought. Notice only five ports on the right side of the laptop instead of seven.

4. No RJ-11 jack for dial-up modems. The last fallback on connectivity to the Internet is gone.Many older hotels don't have broadband, just that double RJ-11 dohickey adapter on the phone jack.

5. The new MagSafe power adapter that falls out if you trip on your power cord. Good idea but now all those extra power adapters you own and every third party adapter manufacturer is SOL. Apple should make a ton of money selling extra power adapters.

6. Battery life information is MIA from the tech specs page. Just how fast is this thing going to suck down the batteries?

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