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May 20, 2013

Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?

Hannan Adely: Town raises Palestinian flag at City Hall

Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Morgan Housel: When smart investors do stupid things

Sharon Saloman, M.S., R.D.: Hunger games: Eat more, weigh less, without starving

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star

The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation

David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church

Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women
Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership

Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer?

Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

May 10, 2013

Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be

Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs

Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces
Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told

Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon

May 8, 2013

Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas

Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate

Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges

Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial

The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility

May 6, 2013

Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again

Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense

Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage
Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say

Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy

Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal

May 3, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text

Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public

Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study
Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert

May 1, 2013

Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy

Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push

Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Halena M. Gazelka, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: What you need to know about implanted pain relief devices

Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine

Jessica Shugart: When it comes to math, MRIs may be better than IQs

The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The celebrated chef on how high-maintenance ASPARAGUS RISOTTO need not be

April 29, 2013

Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust

Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Morgan Housel: He's rich, smart and old: Listen to him

Thomas Salinas, D.D.S.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: The safety of amalgam fillings

Harvard Health Letters: Tomatoes and stroke protection

Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Swing into spring with lemon cream pie

April 26, 2013

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The world is a mirror

Caroline B. Glick: Time to confront Obama

Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Kimberly Lankford: New strategies ease pain of paying for long-term care insurance

Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Too much ibuprofen?

Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Jewish Major Leaguers, 2013; New Movies and Comedy Show; Shalom, 'Lumpy' (Leave it to Beaver)

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : A bright and cheerful salad to herald the warmer months ahead

April 24, 2013

Steven Emerson: Boston Bomber Exposes Islamist Secret

Morgan Housel Admit it: No one has any idea what's going on
Harvard Health Letters: Can you get headaches from headache medication?

Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.: How to easily get more Omega-3s in your diet

Melissa Healy: Pot in a pill: All the pain relief without the smoke

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is bold, zesty, hot

April 22, 2013

Ken Dilanian: Counterterrorism's future is unclear

US man departing country arrested on terror charges
Barbara Williams: An unorthodox but growing treatment in a 9-year-old's battle against cancer

P.J. Skerrett, M.D.: How to recognize a good whole grain product

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Teen actor Jonah Bobo in New Flick: Hunky James Wolk on Mad Men; Erich Segal's Daughter Writes Prize-Winning Jewish Novel


Jewish World Review June 9, 2006 / 13 Sivan, 5766

MacBook Pro, Supersized

By Mark Kellner

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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Apple Computer's 17-inch MacBook Pro is the "Who's-Your-Daddy" version of notebook computing, a digital Cadillac Escalade running the industry's coolest operating system. The model sent for review, list price $3,099, contains 2 Gigabytes of RAM, a 100 Gigabyte hard disk drive, and, as mentioned, the mother-of-all-laptop-computer-displays, in a "widescreen" format movie lovers, video editors and graphics artists may well appreciate.


At the heart of the computer is a 2.16 Gigahertz Intel Core Duo processor, the fastest that Apple has for a portable right now. Indeed, this new MacBook refreshes and replaces the earlier top-of-the-line PowerBook, retaining the sleek lines and backlit keyboard of the former model, while adding a built-in iSight video camera and microphone.


Speed has not seemed an issue with this machine; it's much faster than the older PowerBook that sits on my office desk. The combination of the Intel processor, that huge amount of RAM and a faster 7200-RPM hard disk, all contribute to the fleet performance of this machine. While some purists may note a speed difference when the "Rosetta" feature of the Mac OS X "translates" non-Intel-written applications from their Power PC-based code, I've yet to see it. Then again, my chief "old" programs are the Microsoft Office for Mac suite of applications, and these aren't as demanding as, say, QuarkXPress or some others.


But even if a given program isn't exactly as speedy as the impressive hardware setup should suggest, I've found nothing that would bog this computer down so greatly that it can't run properly. Overall, the MacBook Pro's top dog can certainly "hunt," when it comes to performance.


That said - and with its basic features essentially equal to the other MacBook I've tested, save for the faster Intel processor - the question arises as to why one would want this computer. My answer, frankly, is that this isn't for everyone, and perhaps it shouldn't be.


This computer weighs 6.8 pounds, or 1.2 pounds more than the 15-inch model. While both computers are an inch thick, the larger model is wider and deeper than the 15-inch by about an inch on each side. (Remember, display measurements, 15- or 17-inch, are for diagonal measurements of the screen.)

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In short, you'll need a special case for this computer; your normal messenger bag probably won't do the job. And, yes, you'll "feel" the extra weight after carrying this around for a day or two.


These are not bad things, per se, but they are elements you need to consider. If you edit videos or photographs "on the run," this might be an ideal machine. If I wanted an ultra-cool "desktop replacement" notebook that would, 50 weeks of the year, sit on one desk alone, this would be tempting: the 17-inch widescreen is really, really nice.


Those are exceptional cases, however. Most of us buying Mac notebooks - or any notebooks, for that matter - are looking for computers that are relatively easy to take with us on the road, something we can throw in a bag and run with, if running is required. For those needs, the 13-inch MacBook (no "Pro"), recently introduced but not yet reviewed here, might well be an option. For "professional" users who want more graphics power, the 15-inch MacBook Pro should do nicely, and will be easier to tote around.


Of course, for many of us, these questions are becoming somewhat moot. Our notebook computers are, by and large, desktop replacements, "docked" at work and perhaps at home, connected to larger monitors and external keyboards, mice and other items.


Yet there is a group of people who will need, or appreciate, or just want, the raw power, size and features of this highly versatile computer. For them, it won't be a question of what the large MacBook Pro costs, but rather, of what it's worth.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.

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