I noted earlier that the new C2D models run cooler than their predecessors. Using the little app CoreDuo Temp, I have found that my MBP chugs along at about 108 degrees Fahrenheit when doing some word processing, light surfing and playing streaming radio with iTunes in the background. Crank up the iTunes visualizer, launch Windows using Parallels virtualization software, and I can send that temperature to 165 degrees. That's still cooler than my first MBP, and while the top of the aluminum case gets slightly warmer, I've yet to hear the fans kick in loudly enough to notice. No doubt the revamped air intake in the rear of the MBP beneath the LCD screen helps. When it comes to heat, Rev. B wins over Rev. A.

Said Nishimura: "With the Core 2 Duo (models), we have made incremental improvements to the fan speeds and venting scheme so we do offer a cooler experience for customers."

Battery life is about the same as before. With the screen brightness turned up all the way, energy savings set to "performance" and the hard drive set to not spin down, I got just under three hours of computing time before running out of juice. That's with moderate use: word processing, Web surfing, listening to iTunes -- with Visualizer going for part of the time -- and running Windows via Parallels. Oh, and Bluetooth was on, and wireless networking was in use. Crank down the screen brightness -- easy to do even in a sunlit room -- set the energy saver preferences to normal or for better energy savings and the 68-watt battery will last even longer.

I asked Finnie, the online editorial director at Computerworld, what he thought of his own new MBP. He noted a "squeaky" space bar on the keyboard, said he wants a slightly stiffer LCD screen hinge and was critical of the MagSafe magnetic power connector. ("The darn thing falls off all the time.") He also praised the 17-in. glossy screen as "perfection," said the C2D processor offers unexpected bursts of speed and reported no heat issues.

Final thoughts When buying technology, it's always best to try to future-proof yourself as much as possible. Apple's 17-in. MBP is about as future-proof as they come. It offers 64-bit hardware and maybe even, eventually, 802.11n wireless networking capabilities (though 802.11g is just fine for now). Of course, faster, newer, sleeker laptops from Apple will appear. But not until next year.