Actually, let's start with the packaging.

I already have a white Apple Ipod (Video 80GB) and a white Apple (IPod) loudspeaker so I know just how much care they take into ensuring that even the packaging is right, so there were no surprises that this MacBook's packaging was perfect.

(It will probably be no surprise to you to hear that my MacBook is white too. In fact this is because the three available models are white; white; and black with the black seemingly costing quite a bit more mainly because it is black. Not for me then - and before you ask I didn't pay any more for the Ferrari trim on my Acer because that portable cost no more than the equivalent model in their business series.)

So packaging aside, then.

Even opening it was different, as was attaching the power cord. No I've not gone mad, the portable just opens - there are no latches to move to the side - and the power cable seems to attach itself to the power input to the machine via magnetism. You'll just have to do it yourself sometime to see what I mean.

The first start-up had me worried a bit. I'd realised when I left the shop (in Helsinki) that I hadn't checked that the Operating System was English. I also knew that Finnish was the default in the Apple Shop's European site when the destination was Finland although you could select English

The machine came with a couple of DVDs with labels in English with the Operating System and programs so I was expecting to start it up; have a Finnish OS and needing to start using those DVDs right away.

In fact the first screen asked me what language I would be mainly using (odd wordage that) my machine in. Sighs of relief as I could naturally choose English although Finnish was on that first selection page as well.

Then I had my location. Well Finland wasn't listed but I usually use England for IE so that was OK wasn't it ? (Not really but read on). Next was if I wanted to move from another Mac (No) and then there was which Keyboard I have British English or US English ?

Hang on, something wrong here! Looks again and sees that there is a boxed marked "Show All"; select that and there's a long list of possible keyboards including Finnish (Extended). Well who knows if mine is Extended or not but it's the only Finnish one listed at all so that's what I'm going to pick. But First! Back to the Location page - yes, there's a "Show All" box there too - select that, than Finnish and move back to the Keyboard page.

Here by the way I notice a nice touch. My going back has not removed from the installation routine the selections I made on the Mac Transfer and the Keyboard pages. So havng set Location to Finnish in two clicks I'm back to Keyboards with Show All already selected. Nice.

The next nice touch is that the installation routine than automatically looks for wireless connections in the neighbourhood (finds 4) and when I select mine it asks me for my password and I'm off. Then I'm creating an account and it wants an image to be associated with that account and offers to take my picture using the built-in camera and use that. (I can't resist even though I look as awful as usual).

That's about it really. The installation was complete but the software update ran automatically and presented me with a list of 8 selected updates (including the biggie - a new version of the OS) without me having to tell it to search etc. etc. as Microsoft insists that you do. Again nice - not necessary, but nice. With those updates uploaded and installed I re-boot; try www.wssfaq.com (!) and turn it off for a while. (The Acer is waiting; MVP work won't keep).