15" OLED Panel from LG Headed for Apple Notebook This Summer? [Archive]

MacRumors

Apr 22, 2009, 11:15 AM

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/04/22/15-oled-panel-from-lg-headed-for-apple-notebook-this-summer/)

SmartHouse reports (http://smarthouse.com.au/TVs_And_Large_Display/OLED_TV/S5K3G4D9) that LG is preparing to release a 15" display panel based on OLED technology, with the first appearance of the panel to be in a "brand new Apple notebook" in June.A senior executive at LG Display who has been closely involved in the development of display technology for Apple said "The early models will be double, if not triple, the price of an LCD panel however, over time they will fall".

The new 15" LG OLED display panel is tipped to be shown for the first time in a brand new Apple notebook in June and later in the year it will appear as a standalone TV/monitor.Notably, Apple and LG recently signed a five-year agreement (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/12/apple-and-lg-sign-five-year-deal-for-displays/) for display panels, signifying a strengthened relationship between the two companies.

SmartHouse has previously been a source for Apple rumors regarding both OLED display panels (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/03/19/apple-preparing-to-use-oled-displays-for-iphone-and-computers/) and tablet Macs (http://www.macrumors.com/2006/11/26/apple-mac-tablet-with-docking-station-in-2007/), claims which have either not yet panned out or been met with some skepticism due to their sweeping nature.

Article Link: 15" OLED Panel from LG Headed for Apple Notebook This Summer? (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/04/22/15-oled-panel-from-lg-headed-for-apple-notebook-this-summer/)

Grimace

Apr 22, 2009, 11:23 AM

OLED? Duh, it's going to be something "completely new" -- ie. tablet or something we haven't even dreamed of! :)

zombitronic

Apr 22, 2009, 11:33 AM

OLED? Duh, it's going to be something "completely new" -- ie. tablet or something we haven't even dreamed of! :)

I'm still crossing my fingers for a flexible display. With OLED, that makes this possibility much more likely. Check out this quick guide to OLED (http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/23675/quick-quide-to-oled-technology.phtml).

As a result of being much thinner than the LCDs, they also are much lighter and more flexible too.

JoeG4

Apr 22, 2009, 11:35 AM

It's about time Apple got off its collective butt and shoved something other than a crappy TN panel in their laptops.

talkingfuture

Apr 22, 2009, 11:40 AM

This I'd like to see!

Mintin8

Apr 22, 2009, 11:48 AM

A crystal clear Mac. That would be awesome. Great looks, Great sceen! What else?

Pugpuppydude

Apr 22, 2009, 11:54 AM

:) This would be one freakin awesome computer! I'm sure the price will reserve it for the pros, but still, OLED is finally coming! Maybe

nick9191

Apr 22, 2009, 11:54 AM

15"? Can't be a tablet then, can it?

BTO option on the Macbook Pro? Hopefully at least 1650 x 1050.

gcliv

Apr 22, 2009, 12:03 PM

Hopefully at least 1650 x 1050.

AMEN!!!!!!!

zombitronic

Apr 22, 2009, 12:04 PM

Foxglove9

Apr 22, 2009, 12:23 PM

While I like that Apple is embracing new technology and coming out with great new products. The last thing I want to hear right now is their prices going up even more.

D A

Apr 22, 2009, 12:26 PM

Airforcekid

Apr 22, 2009, 12:34 PM

Make a 13 and the air will be very very light/small!

srl7741

Apr 22, 2009, 12:39 PM

I can envision it however the cost will still be a concern. Currently they are out of this world (price).

thisrocks

Apr 22, 2009, 12:42 PM

While I like that Apple is embracing new technology and coming out with great new products. The last thing I want to hear right now is their prices going up even more.

couldn't put it any better.

zombitronic

Apr 22, 2009, 01:00 PM

While I like that Apple is embracing new technology and coming out with great new products. The last thing I want to hear right now is their prices going up even more.

If the form factor that these OLED displays would be implemented into stays the same, then they might just be offered as a high-end option, much like a SSD.

But because of that price jump I see it being more beneficial to Apple to include these in a completely new form factor. Although it would be desirable to have these in a notebook my guess would be that many consumers would opt-out of this option. If you included this in a new form factor, however, I could see the sales being higher. New technology is always costly. A lot of people are willing to pay a premium just to get their hands on it. If you can't afford or are unwilling to pay a premium, you'll just have to wait for the second version.

dogcowx

Apr 22, 2009, 01:02 PM

I know Toshiba and Panasonic have managed to allegedly extend the life of OLED displays beyond traditional LCD, but I have not heard of similar achievements from LG. Let's hope there's some patent-licensing going on here.

I would prefer to not pay a premium for an cool OLED display used in a new and exiting way only to find that it has a substandard life expectancy compared to the older tech.

Kilamite

Apr 22, 2009, 01:12 PM

That'd be pretty awesome.

No glass, or else!

Bye Bye Baby

Apr 22, 2009, 01:15 PM

Yep- that's all apple products need- a price hike.

OLED + SSD + Nahelem = about three years salary.

ipoppy

Apr 22, 2009, 01:34 PM

zombitronic

Apr 22, 2009, 01:46 PM

Yep- that's all apple products need- a price hike.

OLED + SSD + Nahelem = about three years salary.

I understand everyone's reluctance about price hikes in regards to new technology. I'm in the same boat and I probably wouldn't be able to dish out whatever the cost of an Apple OLED device would be, either. But would you really rather have Apple stifle its innovation because you can't afford it?

Foxglove9

Apr 22, 2009, 01:50 PM

But would you really rather have Apple stifle its innovation because you can't afford it?

As long as there are options for people who don't want OLED and pay the premium then that's fine.

dmmcintyre3

Apr 22, 2009, 02:08 PM

Do OLED screens flicker? I think they do because in a video I saw of the optimus maximus the keys were filckering.

adamgalas

Apr 22, 2009, 03:47 PM

Here's hoping the touch will soon get an OLED screen. The current brightness is woefully underpowered in any kind of sunlight.

pdxflint

Apr 22, 2009, 03:58 PM

...would you really rather have Apple stifle its innovation because you can't afford it?
They can innovate all they want... as long as they don't make or release any product more expensive than the white plastic old school macbook I can actually afford to buy at the moment. Which means, it really makes me mad that they sell those goldurned Mac Pro whachathingies with all their silly technology - I don't see the point of it. Now that I think about it, I never did see the point of anything Apple ever did...

:D:D:D ;)

EntropyQ3

Apr 22, 2009, 04:53 PM

Do OLED screens flicker? I think they do because in a video I saw of the optimus maximus the keys were filckering.

No. And they have response times in MICROseconds, so there is no ghosting or lag either. The flickering is likely due to the video, possibly the frame rate of the video interacting with the framerate of the lighting. OLEDs are rock solid, better than either CRTs or ordinary backlit LCDs.

I'll add that I'm all for Apple adopting OLEDs - no need for a backlighting unit therefore thin, ultra-fast, perfect when wiewed from an angle (unless Apple puts a glary sheet of glass in front), potential for great colour gamut and a life-time that is sufficient for portable computers.
I can't help recalling when we bought the Apple 180c - the first laptop with an _active-matrix_ colour display. No submarining! Colour clarity out of this world! Outrageous price! History might repeat itself. :)

ThomasJL

Apr 22, 2009, 05:02 PM

abhimat.gautam

Apr 22, 2009, 05:37 PM

Just hoping that it's not available in only a glossy version.

MrCrowbar

Apr 22, 2009, 05:50 PM

Someone please educate me:

As with CCFL, LED is merely a backlight. Is OLED also a backlight, or a type of panel?

For example, LED displays with a TN panel are far worse than CCFL panels with an S-IPS panel. If OLED is a type of panel (i.e. not a backlight), how will it compare to the picture quality of an S-IPS panel?

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. The thing about OLED is that they can be made very small and very cheaply, basically printed on material. So you have one red LED, one green LED and one blue LED per pixel. They can be fully lit (appears white) or completely off (totally black unlike LCD) and don't change color depending on viewing angle. There's no backlight needed with OLED screen, the (sub) pixels emit light themselves. This gives you superb contrast.

Many car radios, HIFI stereos and small MP3 players have OLED screens, usually in blue or green. That's the same tech, but having only one color makes it much cheaper to produce. The major problem with OLED screens right now is that the different LED types have different lifetimes. The blue LEDs lose brightness faster than the other ones, so the images would get a yellow (green + blue) tint over time. That's slowly being fixed right now and you don't get noticable tints withing the useful lifetime of a laptop display.

It's too bad Dell doesn't have any 20" S-IPS panels right now. Those E-IPS panels are not that good actually. And 20" 1680x1050 is pretty much perfect for gaming. Not too big so you don't have to turn your head and not too many pixels to make the graphics card work too much.
I like S-IPS panels for their color accuracy. But I gotta admit, the glassy 24" cinema display looks excellent in terms of color and contrast, compared even to the 30" ACD. Normal room lighting makes the matte scree look dark grey instead of black.

zombitronic

Apr 22, 2009, 05:50 PM

Someone please educate me:

As with CCFL, LED is merely a backlight. Is OLED also a backlight, or a type of panel?

For example, LED displays with a TN panel are far worse than CCFL panels with an S-IPS panel. If OLED is a type of panel (i.e. not a backlight), how will it compare to the picture quality of an S-IPS panel?

I'm not the king of LEDs so I may not be the best person to give you information, but I've done some research.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Verschiedene_LEDs.jpg/750px-Verschiedene_LEDs.jpg

LEDs are Light-emitting diodes. OLEDs are Organic Light-emitting diodes. The big difference is that OLEDs are obviously made of organic compounds and these small-molecule organic materials can be printed onto a material. This can create a very sharp image. Here's a quote from A quick guide to OLED (http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/23675/quick-quide-to-oled-technology.phtml):

OLED screens do have many benefits over traditional LCD-based displays. They produce a much sharper image, along with being brighter than the normal displays used today and is a different design on the whole. They also draw much less power than those other screens, as they do not require a backlight to illuminate them due to their brightness. This in turn offers a much greener alternative to the displays seen around today.

JavaWizKid

Apr 22, 2009, 05:56 PM

A 15" OLED will cost a fair bit!!!

1Zach1

Apr 22, 2009, 06:22 PM

Doesn't Sonys 11" OLED TV still cost somewhere around $2500? Considering the cost of TVs vs notebooks that's going to be mighty expensive.

Feng Shui

Apr 22, 2009, 07:02 PM

Doesn't OLED have low resolution ATM? I'm guessing next year until they get the resolution higher as a BTO.

chrmjenkins

Apr 22, 2009, 07:44 PM

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. The thing about OLED is that they can be made very small and very cheaply, basically printed on material. So you have one red LED, one green LED and one blue LED per pixel. They can be fully lit (appears white) or completely off (totally black unlike LCD) and don't change color depending on viewing angle. There's no backlight needed with OLED screen, the (sub) pixels emit light themselves. This gives you superb contrast.

Many car radios, HIFI stereos and small MP3 players have OLED screens, usually in blue or green. That's the same tech, but having only one color makes it much cheaper to produce. The major problem with OLED screens right now is that the different LED types have different lifetimes. The blue LEDs lose brightness faster than the other ones, so the images would get a yellow (green + blue) tint over time. That's slowly being fixed right now and you don't get noticable tints withing the useful lifetime of a laptop display.

It's too bad Dell doesn't have any 20" S-IPS panels right now. Those E-IPS panels are not that good actually. And 20" 1680x1050 is pretty much perfect for gaming. Not too big so you don't have to turn your head and not too many pixels to make the graphics card work too much.
I like S-IPS panels for their color accuracy. But I gotta admit, the glassy 24" cinema display looks excellent in terms of color and contrast, compared even to the 30" ACD. Normal room lighting makes the matte scree look dark grey instead of black.

Good summary. The quote lifetime on these panels is 30,000 hours, which should be fine for a laptop. I only wonder how the blues will stand up to the test of time. I can only imagine the deluge of complaints.

That being said, if Apple puts OLED in a notebook, any notebook, I'll need to change my pants.

iMacmatician

Apr 22, 2009, 07:45 PM

Looks like it could be this display:

http://www.oled-info.com/more-info-and-photos-lgs-15-oled-will-begin-production-june-2009

1366x768, so a 16:9 display. Current laptops from Apple have 16:10 displays.Interesting info there. So short of some sort of design change, I don't see that model going into any Macs.

However there was this rumor a while back about a 15" MacBook Air… ;)

:D

dmmcintyre3

Apr 22, 2009, 07:55 PM

Do OLED screens flicker? I think they do because in a video I saw of the optimus maximus the keys were filckering.No.

Good.

I can't help recalling when we bought the Apple 180c - the first laptop with an _active-matrix_ colour display. No submarining! Colour clarity out of this world! Outrageous price! History might repeat itself. :)

I had the 1400CS and the screen sucked (in 2005).

I would have to see a OLED screen to see if it were worth the extra cost if it were BTO. If Apple used OLED standard on the MacBook Pro I'm sure the price would come down. The OLED TV probably sells very little so the price stays high. If more people bought it the price would go down like SSD's did. The more people that buy it the cheaper it gets (usually)

kastenbrust

Apr 22, 2009, 08:58 PM

This is a great idea, shame it isnt going to ever happen

winterspan

Apr 22, 2009, 09:41 PM

15" OLED Panel?? Can you imagine the cost of one of those from Apple??? 2x or 3x a normal panel? perhaps a super high end one... Sony's 10" OLED TV is like $2000!

joeshell383

Apr 23, 2009, 12:24 AM

This is a great idea, shame it isnt going to ever happen

It is very, very, very, very, very likely that it will happen AT SOME POINT. This June seems a bit early, but never say never. It could easily be a $500-$2000 BTO option.

Combine this with Blu-ray and Snow Leopard and you've got a great on-the-go movie watching experience.

Dreamail

Apr 23, 2009, 12:40 AM

However there was this rumor a while back about a 15" MacBook Air…
I think this is spot on!

There hasn't been a design update to the MBA ever. And IMHO they could easily fit a 15" OLED into the current design: just get rid of the bezel and make the lid even thinner.

And since OLEDs will certainly be more expensive initially, I'd say a MBA is a perfect candidate. Much rather than the smaller MacBook.

But I could also see a high-end 15" MBP parallel to the current MBP: with OLED display, quad-core CPU supporting 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

Only the reported resolution of 1366x768 is rather 'small' for a high-end model.
But who says that Apple's OLED wouldn't have at least 1400x900?

I certainly would want one since OLEDs have perfect contrast ratios of typically 1,000,000:1 and are much more energy efficient, i.e. allows for longer battery life.

Carl Abudephane

Apr 23, 2009, 03:50 AM

However there was this rumor a while back about a 15" MacBook Air… ;)
:D

This was the one thought nagging away in the corner of my mind late last night after whizzing 'round all the different sites reading about this OLED 'notebook'.

You never know ...

MacFly123

Apr 23, 2009, 03:59 AM

The awesome thing about OLED Panels is that it makes both of these concepts possible:

http://www.freshcreation.com/images/2007/log_060706.jpg http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/iview.jpg

WOW hehe that is true. I remember seeing that glass one more than a year ago before there had been anything about transparent OLEDs. Awesome how technology advances and makes dreams possible! :D

I am all for OLED in all Apple products!!!

mertero

Apr 23, 2009, 04:28 AM

Interesting info there. So short of some sort of design change, I don't see that model going into any Macs.

However there was this rumor a while back about a 15" MacBook Air… ;)

:D

LG also makes small OLED panels - not just 15". These might go to iPods or iPhones, or smaller macs:

http://www.oled-info.com/apple-oled

Ron

DMann

Apr 23, 2009, 04:57 AM

WOW hehe that is true. I remember seeing that glass one more than a year ago before there had been anything about transparent OLEDs. Awesome how technology advances and makes dreams possible! :D

I am all for OLED in all Apple products!!!

Apple Tax dollars at work - although I'm sure I could build a cheaper one using cellophane.

Jethryn Freyman

Apr 23, 2009, 06:14 AM

Nice.

Maybe now we'll get an 8 bit panel and anti glare.

kastenbrust

Apr 23, 2009, 07:37 AM

It is very, very, very, very, very likely that it will happen AT SOME POINT. This June seems a bit early, but never say never. It could easily be a $500-$2000 BTO option.

Combine this with Blu-ray and Snow Leopard and you've got a great on-the-go movie watching experience.

This OLED panel? Yes, Snow Leopard? Yes

Blu-Ray and Netbook? No

randygentry

Apr 23, 2009, 09:10 AM

This with out blu-ray would be sad.

W1LLk

Apr 23, 2009, 10:22 AM

adamgalas

Apr 23, 2009, 10:41 AM

I don't know if anyone has thought of this, but couldn't, nay, shouldn't, nay, must not Apple eventually increase the size of the screen on the Iphone?

Currently its 3.5'' diagnol. But if they would move the home button to the side and make the screen the entire front, then they could pack a 5.1'' screen on the current Iphone.

If they would slightly increase the size of the Iphone, say .5 inches longer by .25 inches wider, they could fit a 6'' screen.

Would not a 6 '' Ultra High Def OLED screen be cool?

Bubba Satori

Apr 23, 2009, 01:40 PM

I can envision it however the cost will still be a concern. Currently they are out of this world (price).

Sounds like a perfect fit for Apple.

swagi

Apr 23, 2009, 04:55 PM

I think this is spot on!

There hasn't been a design update to the MBA ever. And IMHO they could easily fit a 15" OLED into the current design: just get rid of the bezel and make the lid even thinner.

And since OLEDs will certainly be more expensive initially, I'd say a MBA is a perfect candidate. Much rather than the smaller MacBook.

But I could also see a high-end 15" MBP parallel to the current MBP: with OLED display, quad-core CPU supporting 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

Only the reported resolution of 1366x768 is rather 'small' for a high-end model.
But who says that Apple's OLED wouldn't have at least 1400x900?

I certainly would want one since OLEDs have perfect contrast ratios of typically 1,000,000:1 and are much more energy efficient, i.e. allows for longer battery life.

I think you are spot on. And I also think that I will definitely have to check out this comp. I wouldn't mind, if this baby would cost about 4,000 $. As long as it delivers for 4,000 $ I would have a hard time to justify NOT TO PURCHASE.

kastenbrust

Apr 23, 2009, 04:58 PM

I think you are spot on. And I also think that I will definitely have to check out this comp. I wouldn't mind, if this baby would cost about 4,000 $. As long as it delivers for 4,000 $ I would have a hard time to justify NOT TO PURCHASE.

For $4000 you may as well get a Macbook Pro with maxed out specs

swagi

Apr 23, 2009, 06:16 PM

For $4000 you may as well get a Macbook Pro with maxed out specs

Maybe I can, but, alas, I currently don't like it design wise. Call it bad taste, but the black bezel is butt ugly imo. And the black chicklet keys - ARGH!

Currently I'd rather go for a maxed out Vaio (which I refrain from, as I like Mac OS X) feature wise than go for a MBP.

I went for a maxed out 15" PowerBook that retailed for even more than $4000. I currently type on it, though it's getting really old. I still love it, and though it may lack speed, I personally feel that's it's really higher quality than any MBP currently.

It was a hard decision some months ago - new computer or replace dead batteries on my PB. I went for the battery replacement, as the current MBPs - did I say I don't like their design? :D

Why I write this novel? Well, just to prove that there really are people willing to spend $4,000 on a laptop that delivers.

Wishful thinking: I would so love, if Apple came back with the swappable drive bay concept like in the Pismo. Don't need an optical drive? Swap against second battery - Perfect.

iPhoneNYC

Apr 23, 2009, 07:50 PM

Sounds more like a new version Air than a Tablet. OLED would be a nifty change!

bobertoq

Apr 23, 2009, 08:14 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but what makes an OLED screen any better? Aren't OLED's just the backlight? How can the backlight create a clearer, colorfuller :p, image?

Jurwin

Apr 23, 2009, 08:19 PM

twoodcc

Apr 23, 2009, 10:07 PM

i don't see a new 15" device. but i'd take a tablet

Brien

Apr 23, 2009, 10:12 PM

OLED, huh? I can see a really thin 15"MBP... maybe a 15" MBA? Or a tablet device.

OasisNYK

Apr 24, 2009, 08:52 AM

This is one of those rumors that I have my doubts about. OLED is definitely the future but it is far too expensive to put into a product right now. It would also be in a really small screen - maybe a the rumored high end iphone? I done see how they could put it in 13 inches or up and not charge an absolute fortune for it. I see some people talking about $4000 for a computer with it and I agree it would be about that much but there is no way the rest of the computer would be fully loaded.

I still think it is too early for the technology but I would love to be wrong.

zombitronic

Apr 24, 2009, 10:03 AM

Excuse my ignorance, but what makes an OLED screen any better? Aren't OLED's just the backlight? How can the backlight create a clearer, colorfuller :p, image?

You are funny. I suggest you search for OLED display on wikipedia and educate yourself.

Or just read this short thread. But for your benefit, OLEDs are Organic Light-Emitting Diodes. Thus, they emit light. No backlight needed. They're so small that they can be printed onto material, including flexible, fabric and glass surfaces. When a transparent OLED display is turned on, it allows light to pass through in both directions. These could be placed in windshields or windows or other heads-up displays. Eventually, large sheets of OLEDs will replace fluorescent lights because they can be whiter, brighter and more energy efficient than current lighting. Tony Stark loves OLEDs.

pesc

Apr 25, 2009, 03:30 AM

... No backlight needed...

But! Then how will the Apple logo on the back side light up? :confused:

Unless this is solved I can't see how Apple could use OLEDs in laptops. :p

zombitronic

Apr 25, 2009, 01:47 PM

But! Then how will the Apple logo on the back side light up? :confused:

Unless this is solved I can't see how Apple could use OLEDs in laptops. :p

Easy. They'd just use OLEDs for the logo, itself.

Dreamail

Apr 25, 2009, 02:05 PM

For $4000 you may as well get a Macbook Pro with maxed out specs
You miss the point I guess. Even a LED backlit LCD by compared is not a 'maxed out spec'.

If you have ever seen live the SONY XEL-1 or a Kodak OLED Photoframe you realize how poor the quality of an LCD is in comparison.

An OLED display is the 'maxed out spec' - which is why it would be worth paying $4,000 for a high-end laptop with an OLED display IMHO. If 'maxed out specs' is what you want.

Excuse my ignorance, but what makes an OLED screen any better? Aren't OLED's just the backlight?
Yes and no.

- OLED displays have typically little pixels that emit red/green/blue light themselves.
- So OLED displays generally do not need any backlight.
- And because pixels light up themselves (rather than like with LCDs where a backlight is blocked with a 'black' pixel) OLEDs do not suffer any light-bleed.

- As a result they have perfect contrast ratios as pixels switched off are truly black.
- Also black pixels hardly consume any power, so the darker the screen the less energy it uses, unlike LCDs where the backlight is always on so constantly uses the same amount of energy.
- Since there is no need for a backlight OLED displays are also very thin, typically around 1mm for the complete display, some as thin as 0.3mm!

- And finally because pixels light themselves the viewing angles are 180 degrees horizontally and vertically. There is no color shift at even extreme angles. Unlike the current 17" MBP which exhibits a rather extreme color shift IMHO with poor viewing angles.

However, you are right insofar as there are white colored OLEDs too, currently used for experimental lighting. Philips is hugely involved in those.
So it is conceivable to do a 'cheap' OLED by using a white OLED backlight with traditional LCD panel in front.
Yet this is not what is typically understood as 'OLED display', as an OLED/LCD setup loses most of the benefits, except perhaps thinness.

This is one of those rumors that I have my doubts about. OLED is definitely the future but it is far too expensive to put into a product right now.
Agreed.
But you are aware that someone has to make the first step.
A company like Apple which tends to charge extra for premium systems is much more likely to be the first than a vendor known for cheap machines.

Personally I really do hope Apple will make the first step.
At least they did invest in LG systems recently with a huge front-up sum, so this rumor could be true.
Would be nice if this was for an OLED display in a new MacBook Air or a new high-end 15" MacBook Pro.

Reading this forum I think there are enough people who would want a high-end Mac laptop but consider 17" just too huge to lug around.

I'm more than happy to spend $5,000 on a true mobile workstation from Apple. But if 17" is my only choice for such a model, then no thanks.

If I want a bigger screen I'll get an external monitor. But I still want a mobile system most of the time. A 17" notebook is not nearly as mobile as a 15" one, at least IMHO having tried both.

chocolaterabbit

Apr 26, 2009, 08:14 AM

But I could also see a high-end 15" MBP parallel to the current MBP: with OLED display, quad-core CPU supporting 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

With all that, it would certainly not be $4000. It would be a lot more. Let's see:
512GB SSD: + $1000
16GB RAM: + $2000
Quad Core CPU: +$500
OLED Display: Not sure, but going by the Sony OLED TV, let's say +$2000

So add all that to a $2000 MBP, and what do you get? Roughly $7500. No one would pay that much for a computer these days :eek:

Dreamail

Apr 26, 2009, 05:27 PM

Roughly $7500. No one would pay that much for a computer these days :eek:
The OLED display will not cost as much as the SONY XEL-1 TV. This is a misconception. LG itself stated that it is roughly twice as expensive as a normal LED backlit LCD. This would put it in the $800 - $1,200 realm.

And if you are in the market for a 'mobile workstation' then $4,000 - $7,000 is not an usual price. If you spec out a quad-core system with Blu-Ray drive, 8 or 16GB of RAM, 1-1.5GB VRAM Nvidia Quadro GPU and SSD RAID setup you're easily above $8,000.
That's why it is called 'mobile workstation'.

Have a look at the options for a HP EliteBook 8730w or a Dell Precision M6400. They start around $2,000 but go up, way up.

Maybe you cannot or don't want to pay that much but there are people who actually buy HP and DELL mobile workstation for that kind of money.
Or HP and DELL wouldn't offer them.

But who says you need to put all the goodies in right away?
Leave some room to grow in the future.
Start with 4GB of RAM and one HD and upgrade to more RAM or a second HD if you need it or when you can afford it.

Only parts you cannot easily swap later, like the screen, you should configure as good as you can afford initially.

That's why I'd rather buy a laptop with an OLED display and 3GB RAM (upgradeable to 8 or 16GB later) than a laptop with 8GB out the door but a mediocre LCD.

MattInOz

Apr 27, 2009, 02:01 AM

Aren't the current OLED screens that are being sold basically Production Prototypes or very limit production runs?

So those prices are due to no economy of scale coming in to it. Also the reason not many of these screens are in production no demand that isn't serviced by other produces.

A catch 22 they need to get them cheap enough to capture the demand to run the high volume plant but they can delivery that price till the plant is running.

Maybe why Apple is being courted to use the tech. Apple has cash if you can get Apple signed up on an averaged price per unit over say the next 12 months. Then you can use that cash to get the stream flowing. The gamble the company takes is it that it needs to sign up others in the process to scale up enough to make up the early panels sold at a loss.

I can't see Apple paying anywhere near the price of the current demo models if they are going to even consider using OLED panels. Still maybe a MacBookPro or Air thing to start.

wonderbread57

Apr 27, 2009, 03:26 AM

I call B.S.

Seems unrealistic that the first production OLED displays appear in an Apple laptop/tablet. Tv manufacturers are not having an easy time getting OLED ramped up for the much larger HDTV market.

Dreamail

Apr 27, 2009, 04:38 AM

wonderbread57 you're probably right.

But be aware that the main difficulty with OLED displays currently is to ramp up larger display sizes. Anything above 11" only exists in demo units. With a handful of 27" and 32" and even fewer 40" OLEDs publicly shown.

The first larger OLED LG is supposed to mass-produce are 15" displays.

So the reason why TV manufacturers aren't getting them is simply because there is no market for 15" TVs.

If and when 27", 32" or 40" OLEDs will start production no one knows. There's a slim chance we might see a 21" OLED TV from Sony this fall. But probably only in Japan.
Yet 21" is still a far cry from a 'decent' TV size.

HDTV 32" or 40" OLED screens are still a few years off.
I think we'll be seeing them in a few laptop displays first - before they hit big screen TVs.

MattInOz

Apr 27, 2009, 09:05 AM

Exactly 15 to small for TV, well outside the ones built in to the backs of seats, and Apple is one of the few laptop makers with the cash to make a deal.

Benguitar

Apr 27, 2009, 10:25 AM

My guess, is that if it is actually going to appear this summer in a new Apple notebook it will be a next generation MacBook Air seeing that JUST released the new Unibodies. Are the MacBook Airs unibody now? I don't think so? :confused:

dmmcintyre3

Apr 27, 2009, 12:14 PM

Are the MacBook Airs unibody now? I don't think so? :confused:

Yes they are

chrmjenkins

Apr 27, 2009, 12:29 PM

The macbook air started the unibody process essentially.

Dreamail

Apr 27, 2009, 01:32 PM

There's been a lot of debate about the positioning of the MacBook Air.
The size of a larger 'netbook', performance wise somewhere between netbooks and laptops, yet the price of a more expensive laptop.
You just pay for the design...

Where does Apple go from here?

Many hope Apple will reduce the price (and maybe even size) and sell it as Apple's 'netbook' for $800-$1,000.

Yet if these OLED rumors are true, it's most likely Apple will go the other way, i.e. make the MacBook Air even more exclusive and upstream (and perhaps expensive).

In last week's quarterly report Apple stated that component prices were much more favorable than anticipated (no wonder in this economic climate).
So my guess would be instead of passing these savings on as price cuts, that Apple will use them on the MBA to purchase more expensive components, e.g. an OLED display - while keeping its price roughly the same.

Anyone know how many MBAs Apple sells? Probably not that many.
Which would be a perfect match.

OLEDs are going to be in limited supply initially. Not a great idea to use these in a multi-seller product like the MacBook or the 15" MacBookPro.
17" OLEDs don't exist yet, which leaves only the MacBook Air as a candidate.
And since its sales figures are probably not that high, using a screen that's in limited supply is doable.

At least this scenario makes the most sense to me: the MBA going upstream with an OLED display.

My second best guess would be a built-to-order high-end 15" MacBook Pro with OLED display. Much like the 17" used to have a 1920x1200 screen option (when the standard 17" had a lower res.).

My third guess would be a brand new high-end laptop from Apple, a true 'mobile workstation' with quad-core CPU and OLED display.

zombitronic

Apr 27, 2009, 02:15 PM

At least this scenario makes the most sense to me: the MBA going upstream with an OLED display.

My second best guess would be a built-to-order high-end 15" MacBook Pro with OLED display. Much like the 17" used to have a 1920x1200 screen option (when the standard 17" had a lower res.).

My third guess would be a brand new high-end laptop from Apple, a true 'mobile workstation' with quad-core CPU and OLED display.

Here's a fourth guess: OLED iPhone (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/03/19/apple-preparing-to-use-oled-displays-for-iphone-and-computers/). The display would be small, 3.5", so the size limitation would not be an issue. Component pricing would seem to be the biggest setback, especially while maintaining the current pricing on the consumer side. Although, with such a small size and an order quantity of a few million, perhaps a reasonable price could have been reached.

Pugpuppydude

Apr 27, 2009, 03:40 PM

I just can't imagine OLED in laptops (large displays) for at least a couple more years. iPhone/iPods- soon. Maybe this will give apple something to put into the new line of iPods next fall, since they have pretty much maxed out the thinness, and capacities are already sufficient. We'll see. Anticipation!!

fun173

Apr 27, 2009, 04:27 PM

15 inch macbook air maybe?

iMacmatician

Apr 27, 2009, 05:13 PM

Here's a fourth guess: OLED iPhone (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/03/19/apple-preparing-to-use-oled-displays-for-iphone-and-computers/). The display would be small, 3.5", so the size limitation would not be an issue. Component pricing would seem to be the biggest setback, especially while maintaining the current pricing on the consumer side. Although, with such a small size and an order quantity of a few million, perhaps a reasonable price could have been reached.I just can't imagine OLED in laptops (large displays) for at least a couple more years. iPhone/iPods- soon. Maybe this will give apple something to put into the new line of iPods next fall, since they have pretty much maxed out the thinness, and capacities are already sufficient. We'll see. Anticipation!!Note that the product strings for the iPhone and iPod touch show 3,1 and 2,2. Maybe 3,1 will use OLED while 2,2 will use the regular displays.

neutrino23

Apr 27, 2009, 05:47 PM

I could see this as an expensive BTO for the MBA. This would give Apple and LG some real world experience with a small number of units in the field. If something goes wrong they only have to replace a few tens of thousands, not millions of units. MBA is less likely to be used for color critical work so small amounts of color shift could be tolerable. Perhaps they'd offer a calibration service at the Apple store. Then maybe a year out with a better process and some real world experience they could lower the price and bring this to the MBP line.

If they do come out with an OLED iPhone that would simply be over the top wonderful.

DMann

Apr 28, 2009, 03:24 AM

If they do come out with an OLED iPhone that would simply be over the top wonderful. Seems likely to begin with the iPhone/Touch - over the top wonderful t'will be!

Bye Bye Baby

Apr 28, 2009, 12:20 PM

Would be nice, but not happening.

Brien

Apr 28, 2009, 12:45 PM

Really? I think it's likely in the next year or two.

DMann

Apr 28, 2009, 09:47 PM

Really? I think it's likely in the next year or two.Very likely.

DoFoT9

Apr 30, 2009, 04:58 AM

hmm so what real world improvements could be see from such a technology being in the portable range??

power reductions?
sharper images
flexible screens?
clear screens??

what else is possible?

zombitronic

Apr 30, 2009, 11:19 AM

hmm so what real world improvements could be see from such a technology being in the portable range??

power reductions?
sharper images
flexible screens?
clear screens??

what else is possible?

This is.

zombitronic

Apr 30, 2009, 12:04 PM

what else is possible?

And...

http://9to5mac.com/files/image/00000/macbook-touch-beta-20.jpg

iMacmatician

Apr 30, 2009, 01:27 PM

That looks great!

Sn0wball

Apr 30, 2009, 02:52 PM

The best is yet to come...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPEkSU0H0JE

I'm really hoping for an Nehalem+OLED 15" MBPro.

If that's so, I really hope you can configure the notebook hardware options if at all possible. Really not bothered about BluRay or SSD in the slightest, thus would dearly love to be able to have the ability to not waste good money on such options that could otherwise be better put toward others, such as the OLED display and of course the new Intel architecture.

Love,
Sn0wy

DMann

Apr 30, 2009, 04:35 PM

That looks great!Imagine the battery life.

DoFoT9

Apr 30, 2009, 06:19 PM

INCREDIBLE zombitronic

t0mat0

Apr 30, 2009, 07:48 PM

MacBook Pro Touch ? Kind of like zombitronics awesome mockups - but having a touchscreen - the ability to swivel the screen around 180, then fold so the back of the screen is over the keyboard, and it's folded into a tablet? ala
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2835 ?

zombitronic

Apr 30, 2009, 08:28 PM

INCREDIBLE zombitronic

MacBook Pro Touch ? Kind of like zombitronics awesome mockups - but having a touchscreen - the ability to swivel the screen around 180, then fold so the back of the screen is over the keyboard, and it's folded into a tablet? ala
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2835 ?

Just to be clear, I didn't make the mockups (http://9to5mac.com/tommaso-gecchelin-macbook), I just posted them. I don't want to take credit away from the guy who did them, because they are pretty incredible.

The swivel method is kind of cool, but I think the flexible screen is cooler. You still get a tablet form, but you can have it as a half-size tablet or a full-size tablet. The downside is that the screen is exposed, unlike the swivel method. From what I understand, OLEDs are pretty durable, though.

DoFoT9

Apr 30, 2009, 08:35 PM

Just to be clear, I didn't make the mockups (http://9to5mac.com/tommaso-gecchelin-macbook), I just posted them. I don't want to take credit away from the guy who did them, because they are pretty incredible.

The swivel method is kind of cool, but I think the flexible screen is cooler. You still get a tablet form, but you can have it as a half-size tablet or a full-size tablet. The downside is that the screen is exposed, unlike the swivel method. From what I understand, OLEDs are pretty durable, though.

haha i thought not (no offense) - they look amazing though thanks for posting them :) do they improve res rates at all?? what about contrast ratios? hmmmm.. (wishes one was rich)

zombitronic

May 1, 2009, 09:24 AM

haha i thought not (no offense) - they look amazing though thanks for posting them :) do they improve res rates at all?? what about contrast ratios? hmmmm.. (wishes one was rich)

Resolution; not that I know of. They are very high res, but I haven't read about anything insane. Contrast ratios; absolutely. A black pixel is off so it's as black as the screen, itself. With no back light needed, there's nothing to illuminate the black part of the screen, leaving it darker.

DoFoT9

May 1, 2009, 09:27 AM

Resolution; not that I know of. They are very high res, but I haven't read about anything insane. Contrast ratios; absolutely. A black pixel is off so it's as black as the screen, itself. With no back light needed, there's nothing to illuminate the black part of the screen, leaving it darker.

thats excellent to hear! a TRUE black black! :) im so excited!! i read that its printed onto its media via injet printers!!! that is insane! bring it on

janstett

May 1, 2009, 12:20 PM

Do OLED screens flicker? I think they do because in a video I saw of the optimus maximus the keys were filckering.

That's usually because of non-synchronized refresh rates. For example on TV when they shoot video of other TVs, if they aren't synched, they will look like they flicker but in person they don't. The instant the video camera took the picture, the light guns on the display were in their vertical blank period.

janstett

May 1, 2009, 12:22 PM

Doesn't OLED have low resolution ATM?

So do Macbooks. It's a match made in heaven ;)

Seriously, 1440x900 in a 15", they could do better. Say 1680x1050.

diemos

May 1, 2009, 12:26 PM

those concepts are impressive, can't wait till June to see whats up.

zombitronic

May 1, 2009, 12:51 PM

Doesn't OLED have low resolution ATM?

See here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_light-emitting_diode#Technology_demos) for some achieved resolutions.

The best is a 27-inch and a 40-inch, both at 1920x1080, or 1080p.

chrmjenkins

May 1, 2009, 05:00 PM

Those are the most beautiful spoofed mac concept images I've ever seen. And not just because of the potential of the product. The execution is stunning.

bobertoq

May 4, 2009, 09:59 PM

Yes and no.

- OLED displays have typically little pixels that emit red/green/blue light themselves.
- So OLED displays generally do not need any backlight.
- And because pixels light up themselves (rather than like with LCDs where a backlight is blocked with a 'black' pixel) OLEDs do not suffer any light-bleed.

- As a result they have perfect contrast ratios as pixels switched off are truly black.
- Also black pixels hardly consume any power, so the darker the screen the less energy it uses, unlike LCDs where the backlight is always on so constantly uses the same amount of energy.
- Since there is no need for a backlight OLED displays are also very thin, typically around 1mm for the complete display, some as thin as 0.3mm!

- And finally because pixels light themselves the viewing angles are 180 degrees horizontally and vertically. There is no color shift at even extreme angles. Unlike the current 17" MBP which exhibits a rather extreme color shift IMHO with poor viewing angles.

However, you are right insofar as there are white colored OLEDs too, currently used for experimental lighting. Philips is hugely involved in those.
So it is conceivable to do a 'cheap' OLED by using a white OLED backlight with traditional LCD panel in front.
Yet this is not what is typically understood as 'OLED display', as an OLED/LCD setup loses most of the benefits, except perhaps thinness.
Thanks! :D

mikes70mustang

May 20, 2009, 01:03 AM

macdolphin

May 25, 2009, 11:26 PM

Apple is not the only one "rumored" to have an OLED screen coming soon to its notebooks. Samsung offered a peak at the "Samsung SDI OLED Laptop" for release in 09. So OLED screens are not far fetched, and I hope that they become available as a $500 screen upgrade.

http://www.goodcleantech.com/2008/05/samsungsdis_121inch_oled_lapto.php

http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20080421PD206.html

http://www.samsungsdi.com/contents/en/tech/disClass_03_01.html

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/29/samsung_flapping_oled/

schenk

May 26, 2009, 09:42 PM

apple my be planing to upgrade their Airs, they already said that they were going to add a carbon fiber bottom for weight purposes, they might add an OLED screen as well. That would improve the battery life, weight, and maybe thickness. Or apple will just upgrade the mac book.

Michaelgtrusa

May 26, 2009, 11:02 PM

And it's a american invention!

NC MacGuy

May 28, 2009, 10:25 PM

And it's a american invention!

America hasn't had an issue inventing, it's been the production that's the rub. Designed in USA, manufactured in China....

It would be nice to see one of these in the next Air revision.

DoFoT9

May 29, 2009, 04:15 AM

And it's a american invention!

that is like 30 years old!

villageindian

May 30, 2009, 12:50 AM

I posted some info on OLEDs here (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7687023&postcount=286) and here (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7691735&postcount=564) for people to read.

friareunuch

Jun 2, 2009, 01:39 PM

Apple is shifting away from "computers" and moving toward "devices", so I think greater differentiation of their product lines will continue. We already have the wMB/uMB/uMBP/Air and about 17 different kinds of iPods. I wouldn't be surprised to see a new high-end component added to the MB spectrum. Just like the rumored "4 different iphones" thing. Not saying it'll happen. But I wouldn't be surprised.

The timing of OLED makes a lot of sense for Apple right now. LG is a great partner, components are cheap (straight from their mouths), and their cash position is incredibly strong. They'll take those savings and try to upgrade the hardware and keep the prices roughly the same. Given previous BTO options we've seen, I imagine Apple would try to do it for $500 or less.

I would LOVE to see a true 15" mobile workhorse, and I would gladly pay $4k. A BTO OLED MBP could be seeded out to the suckers like me to test the waters before making it standard, and the longevity issue would be moot because suckers like me buy a new workstation at least every 3 years.

I wonder what kind of battery life improvement we'd see with the non-removable battery, SSD, and OLED? 8 hours in the 15"? Has there been any further discussion about the non-removable battery in the 15" (Also, agreed with the masses on the necessity of anti-glare ... ugh)

Just for fun, here's what I'd love to see in a tablet:

8-10 inches, ipod touch/OSX hybrid OS, all screen with multiple keyboard layouts, video chat capable, heavily subsidized by verizon/att/whoever. maybe a $900 device that retails for $500 with a contract. If nothing else, they'd wipe Kindles off the face of the earth (and those fall in the same price range, roughly). We've heard some pretty definitive comments from Apple stating that they ARE working on a midsize device. As we saw with the ipods, Apple like to create a new market, then corner it. I think the iphone has already catapulted them in that direction with mobile touch, web-savvy devices, but they won't rest on their laurels. The size would make it gaming-, video-conferencing-, and graphic-design-viable.

Apple *did* apply for a scifi-esque patent a few years ago where an LCD/LED panel acts as a video capable camera capturing whatever is in front of it. I highly doubt its viability in 2009, but it's coming at some point. Add to that the carbon nano-fiber casing patent, and we're talking about some seriously space-age toys. :)

10" is pushing the limits of a fashion accessory, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. I mean, many people are still willing to keep those AWFUL stock ipod earbuds, just so that everyone knows it's a FURREAL ipod they're listening to.

As far as a mid-sized OLED device goes, not sure if we'd see that in the first iteration of the fabled iPad/tablet/macbook touch/whatever, but it would certainly make the fanboys squeal.

In the meantime, here's hoping we see anti-glare on the 15" soon.

friareunuch

Jun 4, 2009, 02:16 PM

http://9to5mac.com/files/image/00000/macbook-touch-beta-20.jpg

amazing!

alphaod

Jun 4, 2009, 03:00 PM

And...

http://9to5mac.com/files/image/00000/macbook-touch-beta-20.jpg

If Apple releases anything close to that, I will want to buy it!

funkboy

Jun 6, 2009, 07:23 AM

Do OLED screens flicker? I think they do because in a video I saw of the optimus maximus the keys were filckering.

You'll see screen flicker in many videos of computer screens if the framerate of the video doesn't sync up perfectly with the refresh rate of the display in the video.

brbubba

Jun 8, 2009, 11:34 AM

Here's a fourth guess: OLED iPhone (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/03/19/apple-preparing-to-use-oled-displays-for-iphone-and-computers/). The display would be small, 3.5", so the size limitation would not be an issue. Component pricing would seem to be the biggest setback, especially while maintaining the current pricing on the consumer side. Although, with such a small size and an order quantity of a few million, perhaps a reasonable price could have been reached.

That's a much more reasonable assumption. I really can't see OLED becoming mainstream in large displays. OLED was already being worked on way back in 2002 and it's taken them this long to produce large scale displays! It may make a short term appearance, but I really think quantum dots will be the real next gen large scale display tech. They are easy to manufacture, you can do it in a lab with standard equipment, and they have already started printing them on surfaces. And of course, they have none of the drawbacks that OLED does, last longer, and have even better color reproduction.

Unprocessed1

Jun 8, 2009, 11:49 AM

DoFoT9

Jun 8, 2009, 09:59 PM

How expensive would one of these be????

Imagine a 256 GB SSD macbook Air with OLED screen for the affordable price of $3500. :rolleyes:

OLED is amazing though. Saw an OLED tv demo bestbuy, and the screen is abolutely AMAZING, both in performance and form factor.

damn wish i could see one, but alas australia wont see them until 2030 thats how far we are behind! i think the MBA would cost a BIT more then $3500 with OLED ;)

Dreamail

Jun 9, 2009, 12:15 AM

So what are the odds, that there is a MacBook Touch with an OLED display?

There have been rumors in recent days that Jobs would not cameo at WWDC, even though reportedly quite healthy. Simply because they want him to have his own 'event' end of June or beginning of July.
But of course Jobs would need a splashy product to introduce.

This strangely coincides with this rumor originating in April.

Now that iPhone 3G [S] is out the door, Snow Leopard introduced and iPhone 3.0, we're ready for 'The Next Big Thing'!

- Could this be a Mac Touch with 15" OLED display?
- The fabled Mac Tablet (or Mac Slate) with 15" OLED display?
(Remember Jobs has a personal patent in regards to a tablet device! So there is a link.)
- Could this be a high end MacBook Air [S] with 15" OLED display?

I think it's interesting to note that the high-end MacBook Air model just dropped $700 in price, making room for a new high-end model. Also it did not get a RAM increase either.
MacBook Air [S] with 4GB RAM and 15" OLED display for $2,999 anyone?

What are the odds that Jobs' return and the introduction of an Apple OLED product go hand in hand?

Truffy

Jun 9, 2009, 05:14 AM

What are the odds that Jobs' return and the introduction of an Apple OLED product go hand in hand?
I'd like to think that this is true. It would make sense for SJ to return not at WWDC but with his own event and a special product to announce. But is this the product? And what are the the implications for screen life if there's no protective glass (essential for the flexible model mock ups)?

Unprocessed1

Jun 9, 2009, 07:29 AM

What are the odds that Jobs' return and the introduction of an Apple OLED product go hand in hand?

If Jobs is announcing something at his return, they pretty much exhausted everything at WWDC. The thing he will be "announcing" will def. have to be something new, so it isn't impossible. Maybe external blu-ray, tablet, new cinema displays, imacs/pros/minis, major changes w/ itunes?

Who knows?

friareunuch

Jun 9, 2009, 12:59 PM

If Jobs is announcing something at his return, they pretty much exhausted everything at WWDC. The thing he will be "announcing" will def. have to be something new, so it isn't impossible. Maybe external blu-ray, tablet, new cinema displays, imacs/pros/minis, major changes w/ itunes?

Agreed, re "something new".

But I have to imagine the tablet will be a 2010/2011 thing, and if the "OLED coming in june" thing is true, it seems like it'd HAVE to just be BTO for the high end MBP. but i admit that that might not be splashy enough for Jobs.

i know it's nearly pointless, but even though I have been ready to buy a new laptop for oh ... 2 years and new ones just came out, I want to keep waiting. For OLED, for nehalem, for new SSDs, for ... whatever else.

Come on, people - help me validate my neurosis pls. :) That, or just tell me to pull the trigger on an expensive new toy.

Dreamail

Jun 9, 2009, 04:43 PM

I have been ready to buy a new laptop for oh ... 2 years and new ones just came out, I want to keep waiting. For OLED, for nehalem, for new SSDs, for ... whatever else.
Welcome in my boat!

Man, I've been waiting for a decent high-end Apple laptop since - forever.
What I want: 15" or 16" notebook (the 17" is a bit too large for me) with 1920x1200 screen resolution (BTO is fine), 1GB VRAM with a mobile Quadro GPU, and BluRay drive (to view and author BluRay content without needing an external drive).
Unfortunately there are dozen of Windows mobile workstations out there with exactly these specs. But Apple? Nope.

Unfortunately for me and to make maters worse Apple is moving into the exact opposite direction.
The recent 13" MBP is a fine example. Apple has superb consumer machines with amazing specs. At the expense of the high-end users.

So waiting for what?

OLED?
I would be very surprised the new OLED display will have a high resolution, 1280 x 768 would probably be the maximum initially. Even if it is 15".
Initially it will not reach nor surpass 1440 x 900.
So for the 15" MBP an OLED display would be a step back. Which is why I suspected it might be for the MacBook Air.
But is is probably for the Tablet/eBook reader where it makes more sense. An eBook reader with an OLED switched to using light gray text on black background would hardly consume any power.
The original source for this OLED rumor even says now 'early in 2010' for that Apple OLED notebook (http://smarthouse.com.au/Home_Office/Notebooks_And_Tablets/U3V7Q7X3).

Quad-Core CPU?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I can tell the next iteration of mobile CPUs are not really expected before January/February 2010. And these are very likely only dual core with 2 threads each, i.e. quad-thread not quad-core.
That's better than what we have now, but not a whole lot better.
From what I understand true quad-core mobile CPUs with a total of 8 threads are not expected before Q3 or Q4 2010.
Do we want to wait another 1 1/2 years?

In the meantime I can see that buying a high-end 17" MBP is a bit of a waste, especially if you intend to get 4-5 years of usage out if it.

It might almost be better to go for a 13" MBP plus a 30" Apple Cinema Display and in a year ditch the MBP and get an octo-thread one, once they're out.

But alas that's not an option either, due to that dreaded miniDisplayPort disaster. While the 30" ACD resolution will last you 4-5 years nicely, it doesn't support HDCP (so won't ever play BluRay DVDs) and from what I understand most users still have issues with the miniDisplayPort to DualLink DVI converter.
Until Apple releases a 30" ACD with HDCP and miniDisplayPort you're getting a half-baked solution that won't last you 4-5 years.
But will that monitor update ever happen? Seeing that the next Nvidia Quadro GPU for MacPros doesn't even have a miniDisplayPort (only DVI) I don't see Apple updating the 30" ADC in a long time.

Either way - I feel stuck.
And that's because Apple really is a consumer product company. More and more.
A 13" MBP with 24" LED ACD works perfectly fine. Only that neither is truly a professional solution which can last you 4-5 years...

The only logical answer is to jump ship.
Buy a proper Windows mobile workstation. Apple will never go there again. At least not this decade.

zombitronic

Jun 17, 2009, 05:02 PM

If Apple releases anything close to that, I will want to buy it!

I recently found a video of a foldable OLED (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT9V0IUujFg) by Samsung. I'm impressed with how invisible the seam is when the display is flat. I'm not sure, but I think this may just be manufactured by putting two displays next to each other vs. one flexible display. Still, it's cool to see.

yes, apple goes from impossibly reflective screens to impossibly see through screens:p

Also by Samsung, a transparent OLED display (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G3wWmtkN88&NR=1). The display is small, but small devices are where this will really be useful. Think: a pair of glasses with these as lenses and an embedded magnetometer and a Bluetooth chip that connects as third-party hardware to your iPhone. Launch your augmented reality app and get ready to see the world as the Cyberdyne Systems Corporation wants you to see it.

Henk Poley

Jun 19, 2009, 01:11 PM

Using OLED on MacBooks, iPhone or any mobile computer would be pretty backwards. Then you won't be able to use them outside. Unless they crank up the voltage to be brighter than the sun that shines on them. OLEDs get their color from shining that color themselves, they do not filter the right color when exposed to sunlight.

Current iPhone screen is transflective, it has mirror elements behind each pixel. This will bounce back sunlight just as if it was light from the backlight (though the color is different).

See comments from Mary Lou Jepsen (Pixel Qi) about OLED:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm8WoItVRn0#t=12m57s

brbubba

Jun 19, 2009, 02:24 PM