Migration and DVD/CD Sharing Update
This update is recommended for all users and provides enhanced customization capabilities and improved performance for migration over FireWire, ethernet, and wireless networks.

For further information on this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3174 ("About the Migration and DVD/CD Sharing Update")

System Requirements
- Mac OS X 10.4.11
- Mac OS X 10.5.5"

For new MacBook/MacBook Pro owners migrating from a previous Mac, Apple recommends installing this update on both the new machine and the Mac you're migrating from. See notes in this new Apple kbase doc: (Late 2008) MacBook/MacBook Pro: What to do if migration is unsuccessful.
Speaking of migration, a new MacBook Pro owner wrote regarding Firewire 800 to FW400 adapter cables (MBP has FW800 port only).

"...just a heads up for people buying the new MacBook Pro. I picked up a new one yesterday and brought it home to begin the migration process from my old MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, I did not have a Firewire 400/800 cable. While you can do the migration with ethernet and airport, they are VERY slow. My migration time for ethernet calculated to over 16 hours.
I made a quick trip back to the Apple store and was told they did not stock those cables. Then went to Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit City and several local computer companies but still no luck. Thankfully, your advertiser, OWC had the cables and shipped them the same day. (They offer several lengths of FW800 to FW400 cables from appx $9.) All in all, I was disappointed that Apple did not carry the cable but still happy with my new MacBook Pro.
Keep up the good work, Matthew "

Thanks Matt.

"Yesterday I purchased a new aluminum 2GHz Macbook and the new top line 2.53GHz MacBook Pro. I am replacing an original core duo 2GHz MacBook Pro (w/ATI x1600 256MB vram)

Some initial impressions:

The glossy screen is not nearly as bad as I thought and, in fact, it looks much better than the old MacBook Pro. It's much sharper, MUCH brighter, richer colors. Keep in mind I tested this inside in an office with overhead halogen lights. Like the iPhone, the display is bright enough to overcome most glare and is quite impressive. Not sure I'd replace my ACD 24" with a glossy one, but it's great for a notebook.

The Macbook screen is almost as amazing, but has a narrower field of vision before it washes out vs the pro model. Otherwise they seem identical.

The build of these units is astounding. You won't grasp the differences unless you touch them. The MacBook Pro model in particular is much more rigid and well put together much more "solid" than the old MBP. It's the same feeling of quality you feel from, say, the Mac Pro case.

The differences between the new and old Macbook are even more noticable. The new unit feels like a solid piece of metal where the old MacBook feels like plastic and much cheaper. The build and finish of both units feels extremely high end. This is particularly amazing considering the price of the Macbook.

The touchpad feels like a slightly smoother version of the old one. In use, it acts as if it really has a physical button. It's nice to have the increased tracking surface but still have a physical button feel. The pad is smart enough to ignore most accidental taps or stray movements, so the new gesturing works well.

The 2.0 Macbook model I got does not have the backlit keyboard, but it does have an ambient light sensor.

Neither new Macbook gets anywhere near as warm as my fire-hot original MPB. The fans in normal to moderate use (non graphic intensive) are virtually silent.

As for speed, I haven't had enough time to use them. Initally they feel snappy, and particularly on the lower Macbook there are no stutters with the UI I sometimes saw on the old Macbook with Intel graphics. I will benchmark later. Using Motion with the discrete graphics engaged the fans got fairly loud but not annoyingly so.
-Paul"

Another MacBook Pro owner wrote:

"I bought a new 2.4Ghz MacBook Pro today and agree with everything said in the previous posts. I am very impressed by the relative coolness of the bottom when it's on my lap and the top literally stays cool all the time. A really super piece of computing equipment. I'll file another report if any thing significant happens.
-Richard P."

Another reply on the new MacBook:

"A friend bought a new MacBook 2GHz yesterday. Her iBook G4 failed the day before and since it was her only computer she needed an immediate replacement. She bought it at the Apple Store in Columbia, MD. They were still unpacking the shipping boxes when she got there just before lunch time. She brought the machine over to my house last night so I could help her transfer her data from the Time Machine backup from her iBook.

The new MacBook is beautiful. It's very rigid. Although I always felt my 1st gen. was fine, the new MacBook is pretty solid - they have no flex in them at all.

The screen is definitely brighter compared to my 1st gen. MacBook. As is widely reported it has no Firewire port. Fortunately her external drive with her backup on it is a USB drive. I have a Firewire camcorder so that rules out the new MacBook as an upgrade path for me.

We went through the setup assistant as with any new mac and had it restore her user account, application and other files (not the settings I always like to do that myself) from her Time Machine backup. All went smoothly, all her apps worked and everything was as she was used to except of course the machine is much faster than her iBook.

The new track pad works very well. I moved back and forth between the track pad on my MacBook and hers without even thinking about it.

With the exception of the missing Firewire port I would take this machine over my 2GHz first gen. black MacBook in a second.

Didn't get a chance to do any serious performance testing. Doing routine stuff, it feels a bit snappier than my MacBook, but not a lot different. I didn't really get a chance to push the video capabilities as my friend uses the machine mostly for writing, photography and presentations so there are no games or anything on her machine to try it with. I've been a mac user since I bought a Mac Plus in 1986. I've owned 3 apple laptops, a Pismo 500, an Aluminum G4 1.5 Ghz, and my 2GHz black MacBook. With the exception of the missing Firewire the new MacBook is definitely nicer than the prior models.
-Larry"

I've had dozens of mails (some angry) saying they were ready to buy a new MacBook, but didn't because of the lack of a FW port (and no Expresscard or other slot to add an interface). Some with a bigger budget are going to get a MacBook Pro instead (which still has a FW800 port, as well as a faster GPU).

If you've bought a new MacBook or MacBook Pro, let me know your experience with it.

If you've bought a new MacBook or MacBook Pro, let me know what you think of it. (Performance, features, etc - and if you find the glass screen reflections a real issue.)
I'm hoping for an updated 17in model (with 9800M GT/GTS graphics) eventually...

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• Apple users rage over missing FireWire (on new MacBook)
• NeoOffice 2.2.5p2
• Adobe InCopy CS3 5.0.4
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  Updated Apple Support Docs:
• MacBook (13-inch, Alum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008): What to do if migration is unsuccessful
• MacBook (13-inch, Alum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008): Using the trackpad
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008): How to safely remove the access door
• MacBook (13-inch, Alum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008): About the battery indicator lights
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008): External ports
• iTunes 8: Finding and removing duplicate items
• How to use FireWire target disk mode
• Xsan: Compatibility of Xsan versions with Mac OS X versions