Well I finally bit the bullet and purchased a MacBook, though with some hesitation. Don't mention the fact that Apple charges outrageous premium pricing for the black model or I will drop into a fetal position and throw a tantrum. But I have to admit the white motif is growing on me, and the design is simply beautiful.

Enjoy the MacBook pR0n. Visit my Flickr gallery for more photos.

MacBook users…are you looking for a better solution that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about your battery, including its original capacity when it left the factory? Look no further. CoconutBattery is your answer.

What is coconutBattery, you ask? I’ll let its developers explain…

coconutBattery isn't just a tool which shows you only the current charge of your battery - it also shows you the current maximum capacity of it in relation to the original capacity your battery had as it left the factory.
You also get information about the battery-loadcycles (how often did you fully load your battery), the current charger (coconutBattery even warns you if you plugged in a wrong charger for your Notebook) and last but not least information about the age of your Mac.

Sounds great. And it’s free! Though I do highly recommend generously donating money to the folks behind this software, if only a few bucks.

Download coconutBattery Now
You’ll be glad you did. Tell them Kent sent you

An Australian MacBook owner got an unwelcome surprise – his beloved ivory white portable suddenly began emitting a hissing sound, and moments later spontaneously combusted. Leaving his MacBook char-broiled and blackened.

Poor little bastard. The MacBook I mean. View more photos of the deceased here.

Believe it or not, I don't own a laptop. I generally have little need for a portable, as most of my work in done primarily in front of a workstation (actually two in fact). But on the odd occasion a laptop would be a welcome accessory. So I began researching various PC laptop models on the market today, notably Apple, and came away surprised. Apple is really behind the market. Dell and other PC vendors are offering portables for as low as $599, which include a 15.4" widescreen display, while Apple is charging $1,099 for its consumer portable (MacBook) that only offers a confined 13.3" widescreen. Now, I wouldn't buy a Dell Inspiron or HP Pavilion notebook to save my life...they're junk! But a gulf exists between these two products that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Granted, Apple's products have always been premium priced. So this is nothing new. And historically you get much higher quality components in Apple's machines which makes the higher sticker price worth the premium. But in this case it is the weak specs that have me alarmed. If Apple is charging me over a grand for a MacBook, so be it. But at least give me the same 15" widescreen display that I would normally get from a bargain basement PC laptop for crying out loud!

At this point I can't justify spending so much for so little, and intend to hold off for a while before making a purchase. Hopefully Apple will revamp its portable line soon, bringing it to more competitive terms.

Technorati Tags: MacBook, MacBook Pro