In an unusual Monday product announcement (Apple usually reveals new products on Tuesday), Apple introduced the 17″ MacBook Pro (MBP) with a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo CPU. It’s the first MacBook to support FireWire 800, and it also has a dual-layer SuperDrive (vs. single-layer in the 15″ MacBook Pro ).

The 17″ MBP looks a lot like the old 17″ PowerBook G4 , and its 1680 x 1050 display matches its predecessor’s. It is a tiny bit deeper (10.4″ vs. 10.2″) than the 17″ PowerBook G4.

There are two visual clues that this ‘Book is different. There’s a black square above the display for the iSight webcam. And there’s a round spot on the front, a receiver that works with Apple’s remote, which works with Apple’s Front Row software.

Specs (via Low End Mac)

• Cpu: 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo (Yonah), soldered in place, no upgrade options
• Bus: 667 MHz
• Performance: Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 2588 Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 2645
• Ram: 1 GB, expandable to 2 GB using PC2-5300 DDR2 RAM
• Hard Drive: 120 GB 5400 rpm SATA; optional 100 GB 7200 rpm drive
• Floppy Drive: external USB only
• Vram: 256 MB
• Display: 17″ (43 cm) 18-bit 1680 x 1050 117 ppi color active matrix
• Ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
• Usb: 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Weight: 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg)
• Level 2 Cache: 2 MB shared cache on CPU
• Gpu: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 on PCI Express with dual-link DVI support
• Video Out: DVI connector (VGA supported with included adapter; S-video and composite video supported with optional adapters)
• Optical Drive: 8x dual-layer SuperDrive writes DVD+R at up to 8x, DVD±RW reads DVDs at 4x, double-layer DVD+R at 2.4x), writes CD-R at 24x, writes CD-RW at 16x, reads DVDs at 8x (single-layer) or 6x (double-layer) and CDs at 24x
• Firewire 400: 1 port
• Firewire 800: 1 port
• Wifi: 802.11g AirPort Extreme built in
• Modem: optional v.92 56k external USB modem
• Bluetooth: BT 2.0 built in
• Ir Receiver: supports Apple Remote
• Expresscard/34: 1 slot
• Expansions Bays: none
• Size: 10.4 x 15.4 x 1.0″ (265 x 392 x 25.9 mm)
• Battery: 68 watt-hour lithium-polymer
• Ac Adapter: 85W MagSafe
• Closed Lid Mode: All Intel ‘Books support “lid closed” (or clamshell) mode, which leaves the built-in display off and dedicates all video RAM to an external display. To used closed lid mode, your ‘Book must be plugged into the AC adapter and connected to an external display and a USB or Bluetooth mouse and keyboard (you might also want to consider external speakers). Power up your ‘Book until the desktop appears on the external display and then close the lid. Your ‘Book will go to sleep, but you can wake it by moving the mouse or using the keyboard. The built-in display will remain off, and the external monitor will become your only display. Since all video RAM is now dedicated to the external monitor, you may have more colors available at higher resolutions.