Apple Announces the MacBook Pro

As part of a multiple launch Apple has unveiled its new MacBook Pro notebook computer featuring the new Intel Core Duo processor, which delivers up to four times the performance of Apple's current PowerBook G4.

Touted as the first Mac notebook based on an Intel processor, the MacBook Pro sports a one-inch thin aluminium enclosure and weighs only 5.6 pounds. It includes a built-in iSight video camera, Front Row software, Apple's new patent-pending MagSafe magnetic power connector, and the Apple Remote.

Apple says that its MacBook Pro is up to four times faster than the current PowerBook G4. The in-built iSight video camera uses Apple's iChat AV to offer video conferencing on-the-fly.



According to Apple, the Front Row media experience and the Apple Remote together promise to transform the Pro into a veritable portable theatre. Front Row enables consumers to enjoy a wide variety of content such as songs from their iTunes music library, photo slideshows from iPhoto, videos including TV shows, Podcasts, iMovies, etc, wherever they might go.

Apple s patent-pending MagSafe magnetic power connector magnetically couples the power cord to the MacBook Pro, thus allowing for an easy way to charge the notebook's battery.

MacBook Pro features iLife'06 which is Apple's Gen-Next suite of digital lifestyle applications; comprising major new versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand as also iWeb which is an all-new application allowing easy creation and publishing of amazing Web sites.

The Pro incorporates features including a much brighter 15-inch display; a 667 MHz front-side bus; and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 2GB.

The Pro also has ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 PCI Express graphics - either with 128MB or with 256MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory; built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate); integrated AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g WiFi wireless networking; scrolling TrackPad; and Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall.

MacBook boasts of the Mac OS X version 10.4.4 "Tiger" including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth.

Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple Computer, said, "MacBook Pro delivers dual-processor desktop performance in a thin, sleek notebook. The new MacBook Pro, with its Intel Core Duo dual-core processor, delivers the performance of not just one, but two G5 processors in the world s most stunning one-inch thin design."

MacBook Pro will be available in two models: the 1.67GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 1.83 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro; both through Apple Authorised Resellers. While the 1.67 GHz, 15-inch model will retail for a maximum price of 2600$ ; the 1.83 GHz Pro will ship at a price of 3120$.