6. Conclusions

The Apple MacBook Pro offers something the competition cannot in any price range: The powerful OS X operating system and the tools Apple has created for the laptop. The OS really is a GUI on top of UNIX. Since it is a version of UNIX it can run pretty much a multitude of free applications, such as OpenOffice or AbiWord, with which part of this article was written. Then there are the Apple included applications of iPhoto, iDVD, iChat, iCal, which everyone is probably familiar with due to the commercials with the Mac vs. PC men. There are also applications such as Automator, Parental Controls (which works very well) and a great search app, Spotlight. These, while not without their Windows equivalents, are exceptional applications that are very easy for most to use just like the commercials show.

MacBook Pro running the very popular iChat application.

What the commercials do not show is that the power of UNIX is also included. While that does not mean the systems are invulnerable to viruses, spyware and such, it does mean that permissions are set up differently and unless you are running Microsoft products on your MAC, you are likely to avoid most of the more pervasive computer diseases. The power of UNIX also means you have a powerful terminal for users who might be updating firmware or other IT tasks that UNIX has traditionally been slightly better at. Finally, there are the very good commercial products for OS X such as iWork and Final Cut and special tools like .mac that allow you to interact in various ways with others and backup your computer using the Internet.

The ability to run OS X also lets you experience what used to be called "computing for the rest of us". And, until Apple provides full XP support for all the features of the MacBook Pro, OS X will be used for all late night Web browsing due to the backlit keyboard feature right now supplied in only in OS X. Apple has a very good product and makes a strong argument for switching to a dual booting Apple with OS X and Microsoft Windows.

Apple's MacBook Pro can run Microsoft Windows XP very well, but not perfectly as there are the occasional unpredictable instabilities such as not booting from sleep, waking from sleep when unplugged, reboots when the screen brightness tool is enabled and the different keyboards and lack of support for some Apple features and even devices. That said the MacBook Pro can play games pretty darn well and, if stuck in a hotel room or other boring environment, you will be able to play games on this hardware. This does not mean that you will be able to play the newest and best games but with DirectX 10 gaming looming, that may be an issue for everyone.

What about the future? Apple's next operating system, OS X Leopard, will add 64-bit support, as well as Spaces (to create virtual desktops for different types of tasks) and of course BootCamp to allow users to run both OS X and Windows (maybe Vista too). If Leopard delivers on all promises, Apple will have real a winner on its hands and might convince a lot of Windows users to convert to MacBook Pros. For now the company has at least one convert. Will you make it two?

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