Apple to Ship Souped-Up MacBook Pro

Apple will begin shipping its previously announced MacBook Pro computer this week -- but with one change. The 15-inch notebook will be powered by a 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from the previously announced 1.83 GHz, the company said.

The new Intel processor allows users "to work at unprecedented Mac speed, which is especially valuable for those in the graphic design and information intensive industries," Gerald Flournoy, executive vice president of IT Solutions for the Millennium Group, told MacNewsWorld.

Leaving Old Lines Behind?

Following Steve Jobs' keynote address on Jan. 10, an informal poll of Apple Specialist Marketing Co-op (ASMC) members found that some specialists feared the transition to an Intel-based product line might slow sales of the older G5 iMacs. Opinion was divided, however. Others predicted that demand for the G4 and G5 lines would continue for some time.

"My early adopters can't wait to get their hands on a new Intel-based Mac," said Richard Haddock from Haddock Computers in Wichita, Kan., "but my corporate clients require the G4 and G5 models right now. It's great to have them both available."

In general, the response to the move to Intel was overwhelmingly positive, according to the ASMC.

"We spoke with Apple Specialists from all over the country here in the Apple Specialist booth at Macworld Expo, and the results were pretty clear," said Executive Director Kevin Langdon. "As a group, Apple Specialists are excited by the new products, and we're very pleased with Apple's transition strategy."

The Apple Specialists Marketing Co-op represents 160 Apple Specialist Dealers and Service Providers.

Nifty Touches

Besides the Intel processors, Apple's latest release includes a number of other interesting features, Mac enthusiasts point out.

"It also has a few nice touches like infrared remote sensing and a power cord that connects via magnets," Flournoy noted. "It may seem a small touch, but how many times have we damaged our laptop as we trip over a power cord and bring everything to a screeching and disastrous halt?"

The US$2,499 model, which includes the 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, will begin shipping this week. The $1,999 model, which now includes a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from the previously announced 1.67 GHz, will begin shipping next week.