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New MBA? or completely different?

Will the new machine be radically different from the MBA?

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 45.2%

  • No

    Votes: 19 45.2%

  • 8 ball says.... (can't choose)

    Votes: 4 9.5%
  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .
PracticalMac

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,246
Houston, TX
So, with all that has happed in technology, design, the iPad, and Apple, how different will it be?

I bet it will have built in SSD, that is directly on the MB, and not separate case.

Edit:
When I say radically, more then 60% number of different features, not just faster CPU.
Having an Atom CPU (ugh!) will count as radical...
 
I voted yes, but I want to clarify that. I believe we will get a different shape that doesn't focus on thin and thinner parts but rather one uniform thickness throughout. In all actuality, the very important part to me is the weight. I think Apple will use the iPad for design cues. Meaning the side of the iPad will be what the MBA looks like from the side.

I believe they will go for a smaller footprint, but I don't think using a smaller display makes sense. Imagine cutting the bezel by 2/3 and trimming the bottom case around the keyboard. The bottom case should have keyboard nearly edge to edge. The bezel should have a "bead" like shape on the sides. This is what I think makes sense, and it doesn't require using a smaller display. In fact, Apple could use a 15" display in not much bigger of an MBA.

I think there's an outside chance of carbon fiber or liquid metal. Either would be key for lightweight Macs. In addition, whatever Apple does with the MBA will probably be design concepts used in the MB, MBPs down the road.

I would love to see a wireless card by Verizon in the next MBA. And I think it is a waste to not just add them to every Mac notebook sold. The cost of the 3g wireless chip is peanuts, and I am sure Verizon would pay to add them to every Mac. That way there wouldn't be an added cost for the wireless card, and anyone at any point could just activate their wireless if they wanted.

I am really excited about this! I believe it's really coming this time. It has been a long wait... and it's about damn time.
 
Scottsdale said:
I voted yes, but I want to clarify that. I believe we will get a different shape that doesn't focus on thin and thinner parts but rather one uniform thickness throughout. In all actuality, the very important part to me is the weight. I think Apple will use the iPad for design cues. Meaning the side of the iPad will be what the MBA looks like from the side.

I believe they will go for a smaller footprint, but I don't think using a smaller display makes sense. Imagine cutting the bezel by 2/3 and trimming the bottom case around the keyboard. The bottom case should have keyboard nearly edge to edge. The bezel should have a "bead" like shape on the sides. This is what I think makes sense, and it doesn't require using a smaller display. In fact, Apple could use a 15" display in not much bigger of an MBA.

I think there's an outside chance of carbon fiber or liquid metal. Either would be key for lightweight Macs. In addition, whatever Apple does with the MBA will probably be design concepts used in the MB, MBPs down the road.

I would love to see a wireless card by Verizon in the next MBA. And I think it is a waste to not just add them to every Mac notebook sold. The cost of the 3g wireless chip is peanuts, and I am sure Verizon would pay to add them to every Mac. That way there wouldn't be an added cost for the wireless card, and anyone at any point could just activate their wireless if they wanted.

I am really excited about this! I believe it's really coming this time. It has been a long wait... and it's about damn time.
Click to expand...
I think an Express Card /34 would be awesome because then you could have a very adaptable MBA if they included a way to have mini batteries that rapidly juiced the MBA at like 0.5w/minute (basically MBA at maximum consumption)
 
Scottsdale said:
I voted yes, but I want to clarify that. I believe we will get a different shape that doesn't focus on thin and thinner parts but rather one uniform thickness throughout. In all actuality, the very important part to me is the weight. I think Apple will use the iPad for design cues. Meaning the side of the iPad will be what the MBA looks like from the side.

I believe they will go for a smaller footprint, but I don't think using a smaller display makes sense. Imagine cutting the bezel by 2/3 and trimming the bottom case around the keyboard. The bottom case should have keyboard nearly edge to edge. The bezel should have a "bead" like shape on the sides. This is what I think makes sense, and it doesn't require using a smaller display. In fact, Apple could use a 15" display in not much bigger of an MBA.

I think there's an outside chance of carbon fiber or liquid metal. Either would be key for lightweight Macs. In addition, whatever Apple does with the MBA will probably be design concepts used in the MB, MBPs down the road.

I would love to see a wireless card by Verizon in the next MBA. And I think it is a waste to not just add them to every Mac notebook sold. The cost of the 3g wireless chip is peanuts, and I am sure Verizon would pay to add them to every Mac. That way there wouldn't be an added cost for the wireless card, and anyone at any point could just activate their wireless if they wanted.

I am really excited about this! I believe it's really coming this time. It has been a long wait... and it's about damn time.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you. Here in Australia telstra (Aus telecom) charges a fortune for wireless broadband in dongles. When the prices are compared to the iPad's there like double:eek: It is really annoying and i hope by placing sim card reader's in the new macbook air's this annoyance will hopefully go away!!
 
silverfrancis said:
I totally agree with you. Here in Australia telstra (Aus telecom) charges a fortune for wireless broadband in dongles. When the prices are compared to the iPad's there like double:eek: It is really annoying and i hope by placing sim card reader's in the new macbook air's this annoyance will hopefully go away!!
Click to expand...

why not use your iPhone as a modem - just $29 a month for 3gb and the tethering is free.
much cheaper than a 'dongle'
 
I reckon it will look a lot like this. (without the botched apple logo :D)

macbookair2010.jpg


macbookair2010-2.jpg
 
Mr. Savage said:
Except thinner.
Click to expand...

halledise said:
with all due respect, it looks like a Sony slab
Click to expand...

The one that I made the image from is 17mm across its whole thickness (not tapered in any way like the current air). My point is the I think thats the way the styling is going to go if they redesign. Smooth and flat, with no taper, and a single aluminium band right around the edge (much like the iphone 4).
 
Adidas Addict said:
I reckon it will look a lot like this. (without the botched apple logo :D)

macbookair2010-2.jpg
Click to expand...

Perhaps, square is useful for squeezing in a slightly bigger battery but it should be a bit thinner - that is without your curved-in bottom. I also imagine they'd keep the characteristic black keyboard (or promise white but then not deliver :rolleyes:). I also think that if the updated Air remains at 13" (pleasepleaseplease) then, even as a concept piece, it will come to replace the 13"MBP. If it shrinks into the (gasp) netbook sizing of 11.6" then they will remain independent units for some time.
Prediction -> 4GB, Discrete GPU, no glass (heavy) except on the trackpad, new battery tech, 256 GB SSD option, just just maybe liquidmetal to differentiate it and cause it to flood all the tech sites (but I have doubts they could have implemented this so fast given their other engineering obligations :cool:). Imagine the press with a liquidmetal Air!
 
Adidas Addict said:
I reckon it will look a lot like this. (without the botched apple logo :D)

macbookair2010.jpg


macbookair2010-2.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks exactly like the LG x300...

I agree, that is the direction Apple will go. It leaves so much more room not just for components, but also for COOLING. It doesn't add weight but it adds space for cooling.
 
Scottsdale said:
Looks exactly like the LG x300...

I agree, that is the direction Apple will go. It leaves so much more room not just for components, but also for COOLING. It doesn't add weight but it adds space for cooling.
Click to expand...

I just had deja vu, I am sure we have discussed the LG X300 before, yes thats what the picture is ;)
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

Speculative headline next Tuesday: "SuperDrive gets BlueRay, but no sign of new MacBook Air".

Just thinking... if the SuperDrive did... they could sell them as an accessory to other notebooks, too. Without the BlueRay licencing fees disturbing the prices of those notebooks.

Strange that they sent store stock on them back to the warehouse... but not the stock on the Airs. Is there any precedent for anything like that?
 
CaoCao said:
I think an Express Card /34 would be awesome because then you could have a very adaptable MBA if they included a way to have mini batteries that rapidly juiced the MBA at like 0.5w/minute (basically MBA at maximum consumption)
Click to expand...

Awesome? Maybe for some.

Personally, I hardly ever even use the USB port on my MBA, and haven't used the external drive since day one.

I can tell you one thing about the Express Card option on an MBA though.

It will never ever happen.
 
netdog said:
Awesome? Maybe for some.

Personally, I hardly ever even use the USB port on my MBA, and haven't used the external drive since day one.

I can tell you one thing about the Express Card option on an MBA though.

It will never ever happen.
Click to expand...

I mean a way to juice the MBA up for extra battery life
 
thinkdesign said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

Speculative headline next Tuesday: "SuperDrive gets BlueRay, but no sign of new MacBook Air".

Just thinking... if the SuperDrive did... they could sell them as an accessory to other notebooks, too. Without the BlueRay licencing fees disturbing the prices of those notebooks.

Strange that they sent store stock on them back to the warehouse... but not the stock on the Airs. Is there any precedent for anything like that?
Click to expand...

I agree, pulling the drives is difficult to explain by a rumor that the Airs will be updated.
 
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