Ebateable [ee-bey-tuh-buhl] (adjective) - When an online deal is made even better with coupons and cash back from Ebates.com.

With all the hubbub surrounding Tuesday's Apple notebook event, you may be wondering what's so special about the new MacBooks hitting Apple stores today. In order to truly appreciate the buzz, you have to put the past few years into perspective. Many of the revisions to the MacBooks and MacBook Pros over the last few years have been minor updates to the hardware - new processors, added bonuses like backlit keyboards, and little stability touches that haven't really demanded an upgrade. Tuesday's revelations, however, just might be enough for even the most casual Mac give their checkbook a second glance.

So why exactly should you drop the big bucks on a new MacBook? For starters, all three of Apple's laptop models are now greener, meaner, and leaner. Aside from the $999 "budget" MacBook, all three main designs of the MacBook now feature a chassis made of a single piece of high grade aluminum. On top of being both stronger and lighter than anything manufactured in previous generations, the new case designs are also greener and include more "environmentally responsible" components inside and out. When this casing design was first pioneered on the MacBook Air, it surprised everyone with its impressive strength and durability. Now that the technology has made the transition to the MacBook, you can expect your main laptop to almost literally survive everything you can throw at it.

On top of the new case, the new MacBooks feature a glass trackpad with multi-touch support, allowing you to make gestures with multiple fingers to execute certain commands. For example, using four fingers to "push away" the trackpad makes the MacBook show the desktop, while doing the opposite motion towards brings all your open windows back to the desktop. More notably, the new glass trackpad is also one giant button. Instead of constantly going back down to the bottom of the pad to click like a normal mouse, you can simply push anywhere on the pad's surface to click as usual. You can even configure it for easy right-click access, answering the calls of annoyed PC converts who didn't believe in using two-fingered clicks. It also includes a new, extra vibrant glossy LED blacklit display, a faster processor, and an upgraded graphics card that blows the last generation's out of the water. Even the MacBook Air got a subtle update that includes an optional larger solid-state hard drive option, more powerful processor, and graphics card which now come standard in every box.

All in all, the new MacBook is the upgrade many prospective users have been waiting for. Even though the pricing may be a little bit more than some might like to pay, the overall quality of the build not-so-subtly screams "you get what you pay for." And if you think you just might be ready to take the plunge and pick up a new computer, be sure to save money the only way you can - by going through Ebates.

If you've ever looked for Apple products in a store or on the internet, you've probably noticed how their prices rarely fluctuate from one vendor to the next. While the price of a Toshiba or Acer laptop may depend on what website you go to, 90% of Apple products only go on sale when they're refurbished or outdated. Whether you chalk it all up to global price conspiracy or a shrewd marketing scheme, the simple fact is Ebates is one of the only ways to actually save money on the brand new Apple MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and everything else in the Apple store. Don't forget to lock in Apple's student discount if you're a student, or if the Mac you're buying is intended for a student; it can literally save you hundreds of dollars. Regardless, be sure to keep your eyes on the blog for future MacBook hands-on impressions and product reviews, and feel free to let us know your personal impressions in the comments below!