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Will Apple redesign the MacBook Air during WWDC?

  • Yes

    Votes: 26 33.8%
  • No

    Votes: 51 66.2%

  • Total voters
    77
  • Poll closed .

mortenandersen

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2011
412
20
Norway
BootCamp or not - a regular Delete key is STILL missing!

The only reason would be ergonomics. Apple's laptops are fine and well built, and very usable. Not all PCs are as well made as Macs. In fact, most PCs are crap. But I see there are some Windows laptops that look very nice this time, and they may have the ergonomics to replace a MBA for those willing to run BootCamp.

I cannot understand why - other than pure and stupid stubbornness or an over-eager need to be "original" or to be just plain different [both attitudes being an expression of a deep misunderstanding of what works well or best for the user, not supposedly for Apple] - Apple doesn't provide a regular Delete key on the Air models.

It would be a big advantage, for key-combos in Word, for instance - and of course also for many other reasons.

(This reminds me of the need not to call a Mac a personal computer (PC). Why keep on insisting on such nonsense?)
 
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ayres

macrumors 6502
Sep 27, 2010
289
50
i prefer the word, 'refine'...

we are all familiar enough now with apple to know that they move their product lines at glacial speeds. continuity.

i don't expect much - cpu, possibly wifi card, mics, speakers?

but on top of those small incremental improvements, i can imagine apple possibly reducing the footprint of the air. not by much. but, as of now, the 13 retina's footprint is smaller. and the air is supposed to be the mobile choice. not that the 13 air has to be radically smaller, but i could see them shaving off centimeters to the depth and width. but doing so would affect the screen bezel, which may affect the screen hardware, so who knows.

i would be very surprised (pleasantly) if they improved the screen.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
I cannot understand why - other than pure and stupid stubbornness or an over-eager need to be "original" or to be just plain different [both attitudes being an expression of a deep misunderstanding of what works well or best for the user, not supposedly for Apple] - Apple doesn't provide a regular Delete key on the Air models.

It would be a big advantage, for key-combos in Word, for instance - and of course also for many other reasons.

(This reminds me of the need not to call a Mac a personal computer (PC). Why keep on insisting on such nonsense?)

As for the "delete" key, it would be a welcome addition. But you know Apple. Anyway, the Mac provides great ergonomics. The keyboard, the trackpad... everything is a pleasure to use, probably because the laptops were tested until exhaustion. PCs are not always like that - let me rephrase, they are seldom like that.

It's not nonsense to make the difference between Macs and PCs. It makes things easier to just identify computers running Windows as PCs. It's just three letters. Makes our lives so much easier when comparing these two systems. And we should remember that there is a historical reason for that too: the Windows machines we use extensively today had their origin in the IBM PCs of the 1980s. The IBM PC compatibles soon became known as PCs, as opposed to the other systems of the time, such as the Apple II, the Macintosh, the Amiga, the MSX...
 

mortenandersen

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2011
412
20
Norway
I see your historical point about naming

As for the "delete" key, it would be a welcome addition. But you know Apple. Anyway, the Mac provides great ergonomics. The keyboard, the trackpad... everything is a pleasure to use, probably because the laptops were tested until exhaustion. PCs are not always like that - let me rephrase, they are seldom like that.

It's not nonsense to make the difference between Macs and PCs. It makes things easier to just identify computers running Windows as PCs. It's just three letters. Makes our lives so much easier when comparing these two systems. And we should remember that there is a historical reason for that too: the Windows machines we use extensively today had their origin in the IBM PCs of the 1980s. The IBM PC compatibles soon became known as PCs, as opposed to the other systems of the time, such as the Apple II, the Macintosh, the Amiga, the MSX...

I can see the historical point you make about naming. And I agree that hardware-wise Macs in general have both been (and still really are!) more beautiful devices and also more sturdy. (IMO, Dell is on the other extreme regarding how the machines look.)

Now expecting a new edition of the 11 Air, with Haswell, I hope that Apple solves the problem of heat dissipation well, so that there will be minimal fan noise. Next summer Broadwell will possibly make it possible not to have fans altogether - or so I hope! (I have read this in a technical article.) Anyone who knows more about this, both about this generation and next?
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
I can see the historical point you make about naming. And I agree that hardware-wise Macs in general have both been (and still really are!) more beautiful devices and also more sturdy. (IMO, Dell is on the other extreme regarding how the machines look.)

Now expecting a new edition of the 11 Air, with Haswell, I hope that Apple solves the problem of heat dissipation well, so that there will be minimal fan noise. Next summer Broadwell will possibly make it possible not to have fans altogether - or so I hope! (I have read this in a technical article.) Anyone who knows more about this, both about this generation and next?

I've seen nothing yet on heat dissipation on Broadwell. Where did you read the article?
 

mortenandersen

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2011
412
20
Norway
Fanless Broadwell, and possible even Haswell?

I've seen nothing yet on heat dissipation on Broadwell. Where did you read the article?

Engadget wrote this a few days ago:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/06/hp-fanless-intel-haswell-tablet/

It reads: "[...] We thought we wouldn't get to see a fanless Intel Core portable until Haswell's successor, Broadwell (and its even smaller 14nm chips) started doing the rounds in a few years [...]". (According to the roadmap Broadwell will be launched next summer, if my memory is correct.)
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
Engadget wrote this a few days ago:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/06/hp-fanless-intel-haswell-tablet/

It reads: "[...] We thought we wouldn't get to see a fanless Intel Core portable until Haswell's successor, Broadwell (and its even smaller 14nm chips) started doing the rounds in a few years [...]". (According to the roadmap Broadwell will be launched next summer, if my memory is correct.)

Nice! Broadwell will launch next year. It was supposed to launch during Q1 2014, but after Intel delayed the release of Haswell, I don't expect Broadwell to be released before June 2014 (and perhaps Intel delays Broadwell even further, as it has consistently not meeting its schedules).
 

DisplacedMic

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2009
1,411
1
I agree that hardware-wise Macs in general have both been (and still really are!) more beautiful devices and also more sturdy. (IMO, Dell is on the other extreme regarding how the machines look.)

IBM_Thinkpad_R51.jpg


sounds like somebody never had to deal with an IBM "thinkpad" :D:p
 
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mortenandersen

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2011
412
20
Norway
Not beautiful in my eyes...

Image

sounds like somebody never had to deal with an IBM "thinkpad" :D:p

About ten years ago or more, I really liked the (somewhat/slightly) different look of the then IBM ThinkPads, and I also preferred the red mouse-pointer. And the material was solid. The Lenovos today do not appeal to me, unfortunately: The impression of the keyboard is too "flimsy" or what shall I call it: not clear enough, too much different looking keys a bit squeezed together. There is too litte space between the keys, too. And in addition: The over all impression of the machine: Dull. Black as it has been for more than ten years, if I an not wrong. And the design is also in my eyes NOT elegant, amd IMO for instance both the Air's and the Sony Pro' total - all in all - appearance is appealing and elegant.

And to add one thing: All over the line regarding design: Dell is the worst, IMO. It is difficult to find PCs which have a more ugly designs than the machines from Dell.

But of course: It all boils down to matters of taste...
 

mattferg

macrumors 6502
May 27, 2013
380
22
Image

sounds like somebody never had to deal with an IBM "thinkpad" :D:p

Interestingly enough if I was to name one laptop manufacturer besides Apple that has an iconic design that everyone would recognise without a logo, that's clearly been kept, carried on and improved over the years, I'd say the IBM/Lenovo thinkpad.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
Interestingly enough if I was to name one laptop manufacturer besides Apple that has an iconic design that everyone would recognise without a logo, that's clearly been kept, carried on and improved over the years, I'd say the IBM/Lenovo thinkpad.

I wish IBM had remained in the personal computer business... laptops would be much better if it had done so. At least Windows laptops.
 

TC25

macrumors 68020
Mar 28, 2011
2,201
0
There is no evidence, and this is not a scientific statement, just a matter of personal opinion, with no support whatsoever. :apple:
I asked because I do not recall anything that made IBM laptops, or desktops, that was innovative, except for the Trackpoint.
 

iRun26.2

macrumors 68020
Aug 15, 2010
2,123
345
I asked because I do not recall anything that made IBM laptops, or desktops, that was innovative, except for the Trackpoint.

Before I became a full-time MacBook Air user,
I considered my previous IBM ThinkPad the best (Windows) PC I ever had owned (certainly better than either Dell I had owned and probably slightly better than my original Tecra 720CDT Toshiba laptop).
 
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TC25

macrumors 68020
Mar 28, 2011
2,201
0
Before I became a full-time MacBook Air user,
I considered my previous IBM ThinkPad the best (Windows) PC I ever had owned (certainly better than either Dell I had owned and probably slightly better than my original Tecra 720CDT Toshiba laptop).

I agree ThinkPads were good laptops, I just never considered them particularly innovative.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
I asked because I do not recall anything that made IBM laptops, or desktops, that was innovative, except for the Trackpoint.

Well, perhaps the sheer fact that IBM was the responsible for the IBM PC back in the day...

Anyway, IBM is a huge company, and perhaps the most innovative in the technology business. IBM doesn't market itself as well as Apple, and it doesn't have to, as its products are towards the enterprise market and not towards consumers. However, IBM received more patents than any other company in the last 20 years, and that's a benchmark...
 

DisplacedMic

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2009
1,411
1
Interestingly enough if I was to name one laptop manufacturer besides Apple that has an iconic design that everyone would recognise without a logo, that's clearly been kept, carried on and improved over the years, I'd say the IBM/Lenovo thinkpad.

haha - fair enough!
i worked in IT as an undergrad and our university gave these things to everybody...it was a HUGE headache.
 

GizmoDVD

macrumors 68030
Oct 11, 2008
2,597
5,001
SoCal
Redesigned? No. Refreshed? Yes.

If it's redesigned, it's a guaranteed buy. If it's refreshed...depends what's changed. It looks like it'll be a spec bump and that's it.
 

mattferg

macrumors 6502
May 27, 2013
380
22
I asked because I do not recall anything that made IBM laptops, or desktops, that was innovative, except for the Trackpoint.

They were/are pretty durable in comparison to other PC manufacturers. They had/have amazing stuff like magnesium roll cages and other good stuff. It meant if you were an IT department you could give out hundreds of these and have minimum damage maintenance.
 

iRun26.2

macrumors 68020
Aug 15, 2010
2,123
345
Redesigned? No. Refreshed? Yes.

If it's redesigned, it's a guaranteed buy. If it's refreshed...depends what's changed. It looks like it'll be a spec bump and that's it.

It might very well just get a 'spec bump' at this time because Apple is trying to sell the rMBP instead. People who were considering the purchase of a 13"' MBA but wanted a retina display may decide to get a rMBP instead.

I think the MBAs going retina is a given eventually. Right now the rMBP is in the spotlight.

Apple is very good sequencing the release of products that are similar. Release of a smaller and lighter rMBA after people have bought the rMBP might tempt some to sell their rMBP and get a new rMBA.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high today... :)
 
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Mjmar

macrumors 65816
May 20, 2008
1,189
495
I do not. The Air's design is nearly perfect the way it is (by today's standards). It'll probably get a new processor and some other minor updates.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 23, 2009
4,230
1,380
Brazil
I do not. The Air's design is nearly perfect the way it is (by today's standards). It'll probably get a new processor and some other minor updates.

No, it's not. It was nearly perfect in 2010, when it was released. It's still a great design but, well, technology evolves. Apple has done quite an accomplishment with the rMBP last year. And other manufacturers, such as Asus and Acer, are doing quite good designs right now. So, these things evolve very fast and, suddenly, the design of the MBA is still good, but it's not the state-of-the-art anymore.
 
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