I can't live without my MacBook. It goes just about everywhere with me!

I don't have a Macbook (since I have an older Powerbook), but my brother does, and it's such a great computer! Lightweight, portable, easy-to-use, and great value for the money. To reiterate what artist said, if you need to do high end gaming, graphic design or video editing, this might not be the machine for you (see the Macbook Pro with its bigger matte display and superior video card), but for most uses (email, web, word processing, music, movies, etc.) it's fantastic. Also, Mac OS X is really intuitive and secure. You won't have to worry about viruses, spyware, constant crashes, and the like. Other bonuses are the built in webcam (iSight) and the iLife suite that come with all new Apple laptops.
Just a note - the price isn't $1700. They start at $1249 and go up to $1649.

Although black marks on your keyboard may appear after some time, there is something you can do something about it. I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on my iBook G4 and it is what the name suggests: magic! My Mac still looks brand new after one year! And I am still in love with it. Don't hesitate about learning a new OS. Mac OS X is totally worth it.

I think the MacBook is nice, however, as an art student it was more wise for me to buy the Mac Book Pro (for design and illustration). If you just want a Mac laptop and are not looking for anything really fancy, then this one will work for you. One thing I don't like about the MacBook is the glossy screen and the over-saturation of colours, and also has less space, 1.83GHz than the Mac Book Pro. It just seems very shiny/plastic to me. Mac makes great laptops, I totally agree.

It is wise though that just because you get a Mac laptop that you still keep up with PC technology. One major reason for this is that many programs out there are still not compatible with Mac technology.

I love it, I love it so much that I went apple and will never look back. Apple's interfaces are so completely user friendly and aesthetically appealing! It is indeed the MacBook....the original laptop iBooks, which I traded mine in for the newer versions the day they came out....comes in white or black, and the option of a much needed 2 Gig HardDrive. It has a tiny camera built into the top screen, is in a 13in widescreen, beautiful design and fully customizable. It also comes with a little remote that works with the new FrontRow program built in with the Mac OS X.

I agree, with the smudges that came so easily with the laptops, when they first came out there was a defect. However people quickly realized this and with complaints, apple willingly took back each and every laptop if you contacted them and prompty replaced the parts. However mine came back with a few added scratches on it in the mail (it was a perfect piece of untouched art before I sent it out) and the Apple store apologized and sent me off with a brand new MacBook to compensate!

The programs work flawlessly and it is a beautiful device, especially with the new intel core duos and the ability to run windows right on your Mac for those times it is seldom needed. And with Universal Binary and PowerPC Programs, the applications work wonders. ITunes, iLife, iWork, iWeb, all amazing programs that while some can be used on an ordinary PC, the are just enhanced when using a Mac

And if you are a student, you get an educational discount which is hard to pass up. I'm a gadget girl and I research my products fully before purchasing to ensure the best possible application usage and bang for my buck, and like I said...once you go Mac, there's only Macs in your future!

i don't own a macbook, but i've tried one, more than once, and yes it maybe very eye catching it's not really practical, apple is trying to change the world of computing to fit it's standards, which are often more "cute" than any good

if I ever buy one it will be for decorative purposes only !!!

We've had our ibook for almost three years and enjoy every minute of it. No problems with black marks and it still looks and works great!! I definitely recommend it (especially to PC users)!

Isn't it actually an iBook, not a MacBook? Anyway, I have an iBook and I love it. No black marks on my keyboard and I've owned it 2+ years.

I bought this in June and although it is very user friendly and fun to use, it's looking worn and dirty and there is nothing I can do about it. The keyboard has black marks from the palms of my hands yet I'm an incessant hand washer so it's not like I'm touching it with dirty fingers. Friends of mine have experienced the same problem. Considering how expensive they are I would expect it to look better longer. For usability I still prefer a Mac, , but next time I would go for the pro. Alex has it and it has a much better keyboard.