Even the most tech unsavvy know about Apple and can recognize their laptops, but what makes this year's MacBooks stand out above past laptops from the computer maker? First and foremost, it's the chips. Apple put Intel chips in their computers this year for the first time, the same types used in regular PCs. Why is this cool, and why might your loved one be asking you for such a pricey purchase this holiday? Read on, my friend.

What it is: The MacBook, Apple's new laptop. Smaller and less powerful/expensive than the MacBook Pro.
Why it's cool: Besides being trendy in the way that only Apple products can be, it has an Intel chip inside. This allows you to run both Windows and Mac OS X on it. If you find a piece of software that will only run on a PC, simply reboot the computer into Windows and install it. It's the best of both worlds.
How much it costs: The 13-inch MacBook starts at $1,100, with extras such as a black case instead of white and a larger hard drive jacking the price up predictably. — Adam Frucci