The MacBook is a Macintosh notebook computer by Apple Inc. that replaced the iBook G4 series. The original MacBook was released on May 16, 2006, and utilized the Intel Core Duo processor and 945GM chipset, with Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics on a 667 MHz front-side bus. Later revisions of the MacBook moved to the Core 2 Duo processor.

The fifth and most recent update to the MacBook line occurred on February 26, 2008. It uses the Intel GM965 chipset, with Intel's X3100 integrated graphics on an 800 MHz system bus.

Overview

The MacBook is pre-loaded with Mac OS X v10.5, which includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, iTunes, and Xcode Developer Tools. It comes with iLife '08, which includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand.

''Notes:
¹Some of these early MacBooks had problems with "random shut downs". According to Apple, software and firmware updates have solved the issue.
²Hard drives listed are configurations available from Apple. Since the hard drive is a user replaceable part, there are custom configurations available, including the use of faster 7200 rpm drives.
³Enabling Wireless-N functionality may require an 802.11n-capable AirPort Extreme Base Station, which includes wireless-N enabler software to be installed on older MacBooks. Alternatively, the enabler software may be purchased from Apple separately.
⁴Noted optical drive speeds are the maximum possible for each drive.''
⁵Commencing with the Early 2008 revision, the Apple Remote became an optional addition.

Appearance

Manufacture defects

Some early MacBook owners complained of discoloration that appeared on the palm rests of their white MacBooks. Apple acknowledged the issue and replaced the defective part. There have been quite a few of customers complaining about the cracks on the MacBooks bottom case after weeks or months of careful use due to the poor quality of the plastic and over-tightening of those screws. The case crack problems have happened to both white and black models, even including some MacBooks purchased in early 2008. So far, Apple's policy towards these manufacture defects is providing free repairs for cracks that appear on the keyboard plate, not the bottom case.

Display

The MacBook was the first Apple portable to feature a glossy display. The different reflective properties of glossy displays are said to increase color saturation when compared with anti-glare displays. The display has a more narrow viewing angle versus the anti-glare displaysFact: date=January 2008 and may reflect lighting glare. The earlier versions of the Intel-based MacBooks are noted for having very inexpensive screens, making them incapable of using the millions of colors promised by Apple. This seems to have been rectified and Apple has settled a lawsuit in court. The defect was due to the use of inexpensive 6-bit Twisted nematic LCD screens, the use of which is nearly universal throughout the portable market. It was partially concealed through the use of dithering.