Has the MacBook Pro lived up to all the hype? Am I still as happy about it as I was when I posted my longest blog post ever?
In One line: Still rather be on a Mac, but not enjoying the return of nervousness.
It is no secret – I am a convert. I love all my Macs and even bought my wife one finally so she could be computer problem free / virus free / spyware free and overall have more time for the rest of life…. but am I still as happy as NOW as I was in the picture above when my MacBook Pro arrived?
no.
I really could have waited, and maybe I should have. Now don’t get me wrong, I am as passionate as ever about the Mac, and am still convinced that anyone who loves time, enjoys productivity, and hate viruses/spyware/virus software/ and constant problems should still switch to Mac…. and their life will drastically improve, BUT while I am still very pleased with the OS and all the integration of software on the Mac, my MacBook Pro has significant issues that make me wish I could return it and go back to my G4.
It has lots of fun new features. The Photo Booth is a hoot! The bult in iSight camera has many fun and practical applications. (Sit at your computer and record a training workshop!) I still like everything IN the Mac, but this MacBook Pro has NOT lived up to one of the reasons that I switched to Mac…. the ability to not worry about your computer. For two years I have not had to worry about my computer. I still needed to save regulary (yes, software could once in awhile crash or ‘hang’ ) but in general (99.999% of the time) it was extremely trust worthy.
not any more.
Here are the issues I have with my MacBook Pro:
- It crashes. But it is a beautiful crash. A nice horizontal line moves down your screen fading it and then a nice black box comes up that basically tells you in several languages that your computer is screwed. To prove just how unusual this is, the first time it happened at a conference, my PC using room mate ran and grabbed his camera to get a picture of the Mac version of the ‘blue screen of death.’ So I snapped one too. Instead of a blue screen, it is a “lovely faded transparent multiculturally polite screen of death.” It has now crashed three times, once on screen during a workshop at CPC. (I know PC users might laugh at complaining about three crashes, but that is very unMac!)
The MacBook Pro Death Screen
Mulit-Cultural Polite Death Screen
Message after you reboot. DUH. I guess because they don’t write many error messages, the ones they do write are pretty lame.
- It often won’t come out of sleep. One of the things I LOVE about Macs is that you almost never have to reboot. Once in awhile when you install something or run an update, or occasionally if you’ve been running LOTS of applications, a reboot might help speed the system up, but in the two years that I’ve owned my PowerBook G4, I probably rebooted less than twice a month. AND when you open the lid, it is fully restored in 1.5 seconds and online in under 3 seconds. Gotta go? Just shut the lid. Returning? Just open and before you can count to 2 you are back in business. NOT ANY MORE. I open the lid and get a nice black screen OFTEN. The system restarts, but the screen stayed black. I know it is working, because if iTunes was playing on sleep, a tap of the space bar will start the music again. I have had to crash the computer by holding down the power button and restarting at least 8 times. Again, PC users might laugh at this complaint, but for a Mac user… that is A LOT of reboots!
- The CD drive ejects at random…. constantly. Whether there is a CD/DVD in the drive or not, constantly while working the CD drive just ejects all by itself. If there is no disc in the drive, it just makes noise trying to. If there is, it spits it out even if I don’t want it out! It has not ejected a disc in use, but if it is in there idle, it will most likely get spit out within the hours. VERY ANNOYING!
- THE WORST: IT HAS A VERY HIGH PITCHED WHINE/HUM THAT IS PAINFUL AND IRITATING. Even co-workers have complained from across the roo. So I have to keep music playing any time I am working to hide the painful whine, but it is stil there and is giving me headaches. I get about to smash this thing. But then I realize I’d have to use a PC, and even with these problems, it was far worse on a PC.
NOTE TO SELF: Never be the first to order anything new again. Let some other suckers sufer through the bugs of new technology.NOTE TO FRIENDS: Do not rush out to get a MacBook Pro. Stick with the PowerBook G4 for awhile. The new one is not really worth it yet.
NOTE TO BILL GATES: Before you blame Intel for all your PC problems and say, “See, now Mac has all the same issues as PC with Intel inside,” during each of these problems, Microsoft applicaations were running, and the review below from a friend sites a problem with Miscrosfot software on the Mac as well.
A FRIEND, WHO I CONVERTED TO MAC, who also was one of the first to get the MacBook Pro, reported to me, “I like it overall. It’s been a good thing for me. There are a few things that I don’t like. It seems like it’s slower at times. A lot of times in Entourage I get the round rainbow circle while it waits to pull images up on emails and stuff. It’s the most frustrating for me in Entourage…. (he didn’t have any of my issues) I give mine at 80%. I gave my last one a 95%.”
Another interesting review: A twist on ‘fire wire’
I would love any feedback on any of these issues. Please don’t bother with Mac bashing. I don’t bash PCs… I just don’t waste time on them any more. :) Honest critics or praise are welcome either way.
UPDATE:
I got it back. They changed LCD display and CD superdrive, but I am shipping it back again. I am asking for a new laptop or my money back. “Intell inside” is “PC inside.” (NOT GOOD)
It still:
a) wont come out of sleep
b) CD tries to eject at random
c) THE WORST: has a painful high pitched sound that makes working on the laptop almost unbearable.
I’d rather go back to my problem free PowerBook G4 than put up with this. It’s like having a PC all over again. :(
