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Snow Leopard Evidence of Built-In 3G in Future Macs?

Edit: Read the rest of the thread. So it's an artist's conception. What was the point of that?

They could have easily just SAID that instead of mocking up what it looks like. How much imagination does one need to picture what it would look like, seriously...
 
Yeah, BABY!

It looks like a complete revamp of 3G data pricing is in the works. Historically data rates from USB dongles have been around 60-70USD/mo and that was ok for businessmen on the go. Now, they are wanting this service to appeal to the masses. They know they have to drop the price. My guess is there will be a 5GB cap at 30USD per month - which would explain why they would want to drop the cost of data on the iPhone to 20USD as the experience between the two are very different.

As far as the artist rendition/photoshop thing... read what Arn wrote... Appleinsider has a real screen grab that looks EXACTLY like the rendition posted above. But, Apple could make them take it down. So, to get around that, they did an illustration of what it looks like so they can't be forced to remove it. The important distinction is that WWAN is not under "USB devices", meaning it's built-in.
 
Hemingray said:
Edit: Read the rest of the thread. So it's an artist's conception. What was the point of that?

They could have easily just SAID that instead of mocking up what it looks like. How much imagination does one need to picture what it would look like, seriously...
Click to expand...

A picture is worth a thousand words.
 
I strongly disagree with the assertion that this would lead to subsidized hardware. If you look at the offerings from HP, Dell and Lenovo, you often pay MORE for the integrated carrier wireless with specials from time to time that lets you get the add-on for free.

Coming form someone with a GOBI chipset in his HP tablet. Works great, but there have only historically been subsidizes on cheap-o garbage netbooks.
 
With all the crap Apple has had to contend with from AT&T, I think they deserve a Kindle-like agreement with the company (unlimited data service with a purchase of a computer).

It might only be internal for the new tablet they're going to announce, which will then be able to contend with the Kindle and tablet PCs, having brought together the best in both of them with the added bonus of Apple's multitouch. Questions? Comments? Personal attacks? Quote me.
 
joeconvert said:
I strongly disagree with the assertion that this would lead to subsidized hardware. If you look at the offerings from HP, Dell and Lenovo, you often pay MORE for the integrated carrier wireless with specials from time to time that lets you get the add-on for free.

Coming form someone with a GOBI chipset in his HP tablet. Works great, but there have only historically been subsidizes on cheap-o garbage netbooks.
Click to expand...

This is true considering that historically this feature has been primarily for businessmen "road warriors". And the 3G chip was more expensive, etc. No contract - so they made them pay for the chip. Apple would follow the newer business model - of adding the 3G chip whether you used it or not - but like the phones, if you're willing to sign a 2 year contract, they'll subsidize the cost of the device. This is already being done by others...
 
PutzMan said:
Sorry, but that image is photoshopped. The font is nowhere near the same as the rest of the category names.
Click to expand...

I agree, that image is clearly a fake but AI did mention that it was a mockup. Why the need for a mockup is another issue entirely!
 
PutzMan said:
Sorry, but that image is photoshopped. The font is nowhere near the same as the rest of the category names.
Click to expand...

shopped_3.jpg
 
pismodude2 said:
With all the crap Apple has had to contend with from AT&T, I think they deserve a Kindle-like agreement with the company (unlimited data service with a purchase of a computer).
Click to expand...

That's right, AT&T is really going to donate gigabytes of bandwidth to you personally because you bought a computer.

All I'm holding on to at this point is the wild hope that if this is true there will be no exclusivity contract. What is this, 1999?
 
I think this is exciting. I currently tether my phone to my laptop via bluetooth, but the battery on my phone gets zapped in the process. At the moment 3G internet is a growing force - all the phone shops here in the UK are pushing 3G dongles in their shop windows. A few years ago all the main carriers bid crazy amounts of money for the right to use the 3G networks thinking that we would all be using video phones by now - bringing mobile internet to the masses would allow them to make their money back at last and bring the price down for everyone too.

Sitting reading the news (on my laptop) on the train is brilliant, and I've seen various student/teenagers twittering/facebooking on the train too. I can stream Spotify with a good signal (did it as a test, chews up my monthly download allowance!) People say they don't need internet access everywhere, but once tried, you quickly get used to it. Just look at the rise of smart phones so people can check their emails all the time...

Not only that, but with Apples constant stiving for design perfection I imagine seeing ugly dongles sticking out of laptops must send shivers up Steve Jobs' back!!!
 
Hopefully Apple will build-in a future-thinking implementation with EDGE/UMTS/HSPA/LTE/EV-DO/Wi-Max so the consumer will be covered for the near future and have some CHOICE!
 
My prediction is this feature will be used for tethering the iPhone! 🙂 They said in the iPhone 3.0 update, this would be available.

Can't wait....3G internet is always better than no internet in my opinion.😎
 
8CoreWhore said:
Yeah, BABY!

It looks like a complete revamp of 3G data pricing is in the works. Historically data rates from USB dongles have been around 60-70USD/mo and that was ok for businessmen on the go. Now, they are wanting this service to appeal to the masses. They know they have to drop the price. My guess is there will be a 5GB cap at 30USD per month - which would explain why they would want to drop the cost of data on the iPhone to 20USD as the experience between the two are very different.

As far as the artist rendition/photoshop thing... read what Arn wrote... Appleinsider has a real screen grab that looks EXACTLY like the rendition posted above. But, Apple could make them take it down. So, to get around that, they did an illustration of what it looks like so they can't be forced to remove it. The important distinction is that WWAN is not under "USB devices", meaning it's built-in.
Click to expand...

At&t could barely handle the new usage that came with the 3g iphone you really think they could handle the load if they made it cheap enough for people to use as their main internet(lighter simple surfing users)
 
libertyforall said:
Hopefully Apple will build-in a future-thinking implementation with EDGE/UMTS/HSPA/LTE/EV-DO/Wi-Max so the consumer will be covered for the near future and have some CHOICE!
Click to expand...

Choice?! Choice?! C'mon man... this is Apple were dealin' with now, that word isn't in there vocabulary 😉
 
Do you put a SIM card in the notebook?

how does this work? will there be slot for the SIM card? I know the USB modems have a SIM inside them, how will this work? providers here give you a data only card to use, how does this work with other notebooks from other manufactures?
 
Chase R said:
Choice?! Choice?! C'mon man... this is Apple were dealin' with now, that word isn't in there vocabulary 😉
Click to expand...
Lols! A second ago you said that this was fake (no duh the picture is photoshopped it's a mockup) now you're saying that we won't have a choice.

Come on!
 
why do people that jump on this always tie it in with subsidies? The two aren't connected.

In the UK you can already get the macbook on a subsidy if you take a 3G USB dongle. Having the 3G built in wouldn't make much of a difference.

Unless you'd buy it directly from a mobile operator, which doesn't make a huge amount of sense for a computer IMO - I'd rather buy from a computer store

All this is is a cosmetic change - possibly because Apple realise how popular 3G dongles have become but how ugly they look sticking out of a macbook
 
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