Nothing new to new MacBook

Apple's new MacBook may be the finest-engineered consumer laptop. But that doesn't make it an automatic purchase.

This model replaces a version that started at $200 (Dh735) less — and which Apple now sells for $999 (Dh 3,676) — without any major improvements in weight or battery life.

Reality check

The MacBook's cause and that of its higher-end sibling the MacBook Pro, is not helped by arriving in a lousy economic climate.

Open the MacBook's screen and you'll see that the entire pad serves as the button. The multitouch controls are efficient but the it's-all-one-button touchpad seems gimmicky.

It has all the design refinements Apple users have grown accustomed to: MagSafe, the magnetic power cable that automatically detaches if yanked; the compact power adaptor; the slot-loading optical drive that burns CDs and DVDs; and the simple line-up of expansion ports on the left.

It includes Mac OS X Leopard, an attractive system for many home uses than Windows Vista.

The older machine, in addition to its two USB ports, includes a FireWire expansion connector that accepts a variety of hard drives, camcorders and other devices.

Apple removed FireWire from this MacBook — without replacing it with a third USB port.

Unless you have a house full of wireless peripherals that can link up to the MacBook's WiFi and Bluetooth receivers, you will find yourself constantly plugging and unplugging other gadgets, even more so than on other Apple computers.

The new machine's selling points are tangential to its utility as a computer; spending extra for its undeniable style is a luxury that is better skipped.