The day Apple announced the new MacBook, I immediately placed an order for a 2GHz Core Duo model. For once, I'm determined to hold onto a computer for as long as possible, so I've been upgrading and customizing the machine. If you have any suggestions for cool or useful hacks, then please let me know!
The largest available SATA hard drive at the moment is 320GB, so of course, I installed a 320GB hard drive. I personally like the Western Digital Scorpio Blue, which is a good deal for $169.99 MSRP.
Installation is simple and doesn't void your warranty. All you do is take out the battery, take out the L-shaped bracket, slide out the old hard drive, install the new hard drive in the sled, and reverse the steps! For a nice guide with pictures, check out iFixit's page for Hard Drive Replacement.
The MacBook takes up to 2GB RAM. Do yourself a favor and install the maximum but avoid buying the RAM from Apple to save money. The Crucial 2GB kit is a good deal at only $51.99.
Installation is extremely easy and doesn't void your warranty. The one thing to note is that you do need to use a lot of pressure to seat the SO-DIMMs properly. Otherwise, your computer may not boot. IFixit has a great how-to page with pictures.
Apeelz (FKA Applepeelz) is by far the easiest protective coverings to apply, as you can apply them wet. The procedure is extremely easy and takes very little time.
My MacBook now has only the trackpadz. The trackpadz does give the trackpad a very different, smooth texture, which some people may not like. I didn't like it initially but have since gotten used to it and even now prefer it.
I also had the Wristguardz, which were essential, as I got one of the original MacBooks with the defective plastic. However, AppleCare replaced the top case when they fixed the random shutdown issue. Also, I now use MacStyles.
Applying apeelz doesn't void your warranty either. Plus, it should keep the resale value of your computer high.
MacStyles provides very nice vinyl decals for the back of the display that feature the Apple logo in the middle. I chose the a Mariner Blue color of Beer. The MacPads, which I got in a matching color, are also very nice. A MacPad with no voice, i.e. plain, will also help to protect the case from sweat and oil from your hands and wrists. The total cost was $36.85 including shipping.
However, installation is a giant pain. The paper backing doesn't always come off easily, and preventing bubbles is virtually impossible. Also, don't pull back up on the decal! It'll stretch and become really ugly.
Here, though, I have to commend MacStyles for their incredible customer service. Not only were they willing to send me a new MacStyle after the paper backing didn't come off correctly, but they also allowed me to exchange my MacPad for a new one with no voice for free. The only thing I did was pay for shipping back! Even better, I was able to deal with them efficiently via email.
Applying MacStyles doesn't void your AppleCare protection plan.
One of the coolest things you can do is install a patterned transparency between the Apple logo and the display. The logo glows due to the LCD backlight. Unfortunately, the installation procedure for the MacBook is difficult and time-consuming. 1000 grit sandpaper is also difficult to find in local hardware stores. I had to resort to buying them sandpaper on eBay from a seller who was able to send me a sheet each of 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, and 2500 sandpaper. There are light scratches on the logo, but they're not easily noticeable. The paint on the edges of the logo is especially difficult to remove, too.
While you could print your own transparency, it may actually be cheaper and certainly easier to order one for only 4.99 CAD including shipping and handling from iColours. I decided to kick itold school with the rainbow.
MacBook Core Duos sadly lack 802.11n. However, the folks at Le MacBidouille figured out how to upgrade a MacBook Core Duo with a MacBook Pro 802.11n card! Just follow their simple directions. IFixit and occasional eBay sellers have new Apple 802.11n cards available for sale for around $90. The one from iFixit even comes with a six-month warranty.
A cheaper alternative is to search for a Mini PCI card that uses the Broadcom BCM94321MC. For example, I found a "Dell Truemobile 1500 Wireless MINI Card 802.11 n/b/g" pulled from a Dell Inspiron 6400 on eBay for $34.95 total. Mac OS X recognizes the card with absolutely no problems. Surprisingly, I didn't have to install the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Enabler.
The System Profiler simply reports it as a Third Party Wireless Card.
Network Utility reports it as an Unknown vendor with 802.11 a/b/g/n. I'm able to connect to my 1TB Time Capsule at 130Mbit/s.
I have occasional problems with wireless, but I've been unable to pinpoint the root cause. It could be the third party card (which is a rev. A), interference from other devices, a problem with the Time Capsule itself, or something else. I'm unsure as to whether installing an Apple-branded card or a newer revision would help.
This almost certainly voids your warranty. There's a chance, though, that it wouldn't if you had an Apple-authorized service center install an Apple-branded card for you.
In the quest for more storage space, I decided to buy a MCE Technologies OptiBay (OB-MB15). It costs $99. They also have more expensive options available that include hard drives. I complemented the OptiBay with the largest EIDE hard drive currently available: the Western Digital Scorpio Blue 250GB.
I've yet to see a review for the OptiBay in a MacBook, though there's one for the OptiBay in a MacBook Pro, so hopefully, someone finds this useful.
I ordered the OptiBay on July 8. Receiving no response aside from my order confirmation, I contacted them via email on July 13 to inquire about the status of my order. Still receiving no response, I called on July 15. Amazingly, the representative answered the phone on the first ring and helpfully explained that the external SuperDrive was backordered. On July 18, they responded to my email from July 13. The OptiBay finally shipped on July 23 and arrived on the east coast on July 30. The customer service via email was dismal, so I recommend calling instead.
Here are the boxes. The first picture is what was shipped to me. The second is the box inside containing the OptiBay.
MCE Tech includes all the items you need to install the OptiBay:
Note that this doesn't include instructions for the MacBook! I've emailed them for instructions but unsurprisingly have yet to receive a response. Instead, I followed the optical drive replacement instructions at iFixit.
The SuperDrive and OptiBay are similar in same size and shape. As you can see, it's just a piece of plastic with an EIDE adapter. For $99, it's pretty pricey, but it's the only option you have available.
The OptiBay fits very snugly inside the case. Unfortunately, it's slightly thicker than the SuperDrive once a hard drive is installed. The hard drive simply slides into place and is secured with four screws. The right picture shows a slight bow in the top case caused by the thickness of the OptiBay. The crack is open about half a millimeter at the widest. It's not very perceptible but could cause problems in a dusty environment.
One issue with the OptiBay is the lack of several screw holes! The major problem is shown below. The OptiBay is stacked on top of the SuperDrive. The green circle shows the screw hole for the sliding bracket on the SuperDrive. Notice how there's no comparable screw hole in the OptiBay! The screw hole on the other side is also too small. I forced the screw in, but the plastic doesn't hold it very well. As a result, the screw actually fell out a few times before I finally forced the OptiBay into my MacBook.
The other two missing screw holes are on the reverse side. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of this. However, these screw holes would be for the screws removed on page six of the iFixit guide.
However, I'm not concerned that this will be a problem. The OptiBay fits extremely securely inside the MacBook, and I doubt it will slip around even if sharply jostled.
After closing the case back up and booting into Mac OS X, the computer automatically recognizes the drive and pops up an error message warning that the disk isn't readable. Simply click Initialize... to launch Disk Utility.
Hurray! Disk Utility shows the 250GB hard drive and is able to partition and erase it.
Here's the info displayed in the System Profiler:
The drive works without a hitch as a second drive. It can be booted into and or used in a RAID. I haven't bothered running any formal performance metrics, as my main goal was to get more storage space, and it works!
I definitely recommend the OptiBay if you're itching for more internal storage space and don't mind ditching the optical drive. However, there's one major caveat that you should be aware of: DVD Player will no longer work! The suggested solution is to use VLC instead. Apparently, this is a known issue, but MCE Technologies doesn't exactly mention this on their site.
I, however, would recommend buying something other than the MCE External DVD-/+R/RW FireWire/USB 2.0 "SuperDrive". What shipped was a LG GSA-H55N drive in a Vantec NexStar-2 enclosure. This thing is an enormous brick. Slimmer, more compact alternatives exist. Unfortunately, returning the drive will result in paying for shipping and possibly a 15% restocking fee. What an expensive mistake! A fun alternative may be this MacBook Air SuperDrive hack.
Update: I've found a great alternative external optical drive: the LaCie Portable DVD±RW with LightScribe. I got the USB version, as I need to use it with my MacBook Air as well. The drive is not much larger than the MacBook Air drive but is cheaper. For some reason, LaCie doesn't claim the USB version is Mac-compatible, but they offer Mac software for this drive! In fact, I believe LaCie is the only company to support LightScribe on the Mac. I have no problems using the drive, and it's bootable. (Hold down the option key instead of the 'c' key at startup.) The only issue is that it doesn't appear to draw sufficient power from the USB bus, but an AC adapter is thankfully included.
Does this void your warranty? Almost certainly. AppleCare won't be happy.