Rising Mac Sales and Subnotebook Plans

[RedTomato]

In fact, I hope it has no HD at all. Even if it means limited capacity and high price, I want flash storage! Light, fast, power-efficient, and no moving parts! 64 GB would suit me fine. I have a 60 GB iPod to attach when I need more space.

I have a PB15 1.5ghz. It was top of the range, Apple's best, a mere 2 or so years ago. It only has an 80GB drive.

A subnotebook with 64GB flash would suit me fine for 90% of my computing needs. For the times when I need a large HDD, I'm happy to attach a small external. Ditto the optical drive.

Hell, aren't the 1.8'' drives up to 120GB now? Why not have one of these PLUS 32GB flash memory? The system with the most frequently used applications (MS office, firefox etc) and data could stay on the 32GB flash, and the 1.8'' drive could stay turned off, and only come on when needed.

 

[CWallace]

How close do you think it will be to the Intel Metro - the world's thinnest laptop?

I was wondering why would Apple want to put a MultiTouch trackpad on the new machine (as some rumor sites have suggested), but then I realized the Metro has that second LCD embedded on the outside of the main display. That would be a perfect place for a MultiTouch screen...

 

[gnasher729]

I think that if Apple is serious about this subnotebook, then Flash would be the only viable storage solution. Here's hoping

What's wrong with transplanting one of these 80GB or 160GB 1.8" disks from an iPod?

 

[nagromme]

Hell, aren't the 1.8'' drives up to 120GB now? Why not have one of these PLUS 32GB flash memory?

That's what Intel (and others) have been up to, and it does seem likely. A good compromise, and one that saves wear on the HD.

I might prefer a 2.5 HD over 1.8 if the 1.8's are truly not designed for prolonged use, but I seem to recall that the FIRST 1.8's were not meant for constant use, but that this is no longer true. I believe current 1.8" HDs have a very high MTBF compared to the old ones, suitable for daily computing.

(I know I booted OS X off my iPod and used it as my main and only drive for weeks a couple years ago, and it never even got hot. Still runs great.)

 

[CalBoy]

What's wrong with transplanting one of these 80GB or 160GB 1.8" disks from an iPod?

Energy. The subnotebook's battery can't be too large or heavy, so in order to give it decent battery life, a lot of good stuff is going to have to be used. I'm talking LED backlighting, Flash, and probably a lower clock CPU (maybe an SR 1.8?).

 

[tjcampbell]

My iphone is going to be my sub notebook when I get my hands on it. But if apple impresses me with something extremely portable and without the need for a stupid optical drive then I'll also be gittin that too. TC

 

[iDAG]

It's great to hear that Apple could sell over 2 million Macs and knowing that 10.5 will only help when it comes out next month. Apple could sell 2.5 million during the holidays. The sub-notebook I have no idea where that's going to go.

 

[Passante]

TheStreet=bull sheet. After all the bs about TheStreet making up stories to pump up or deflate a stock why reprint it here?

 

[p2rjade]

Mbp

"Personally" a smaller MBP would do me no good, I have noticed a lot of my friend want smaller laptops, maybe I just need my eyes checked.

 

[JoeG4]

Why is it, I predict the new MacBook will have a *stunning, unique two tone black and aluminum finish with black keyboard, black trackpad, and black screen bezel.

Perfect, if it follows the iMac design language, it'll look EXACTLY like an HP laptop.

Am I the only one who's scared?

 

[Fluffymuff]

"Personally" a smaller MBP would do me no good, I have noticed a lot of my friend want smaller laptops, maybe I just need my eyes checked.

Given the miniaturization wizardry in the iPhone, the excess bulk of the MBP is as embarrassing as Brittany Spears' excess bulk.

If the new MBP is going to headline at next year's VMA and wear nothing but a bikini, let's hope it slims down more than she did.

 

[TurboSC]

Given the miniaturization wizardry in the iPhone, the excess bulk of the MBP is as embarrassing as Brittany Spears' excess bulk.

If the new MBP is going to headline at next year's VMA and wear nothing but a bikini, let's hope it slims down more than she did.

I'm sure Apple will take great care seeing as this is their Professional laptop. I didn't really like the MacBooks when they first came out, but I can see from a budget standpoint how efficient it is... but for the MacBookPro's I'm sure they won't overlook any detail.

 

[MacTheSpoon]

Man, I hope these sub-notebook rumors are true, even though I know the thing is going to be really expensive. I''ve been hoping for one for so long; this 15" MBP is cool, but my 12" Powerbook was so convenient, and this 15" has never really been the ideal replacement. It's cool that it has a graphics card and therefore I can play 3D Windows games on it very well... but honestly I rarely do it and probably wouldn't miss that capability with an integrated graphics subnotebook.

And I'm really excited to see what Apple would do with their design for this!! I bet it will look great. Black aluminum option, please... And insanely great battery life, a la Sony Vaios, please...

 

[Macinposh]

I have the 2000$ squeezed in sweatty hand.

Hopefully the apple would release the Maclap soon.They have a quite big product gap in their lineup in that area.


10"
LED display
option of 32 or 64 NAND
no optical
sub 2pounds

Base 32GB 1299$ and 64GB1599$.

 

[MacsAttack]

What's wrong with transplanting one of these 80GB or 160GB 1.8" disks from an iPod?

A little known issue that iPod users don't have, but which the user of a laptop will - performance. Smaller platter and spin speed = slower data transfer speed = bad performance

Flash memory is the way to go. If they made a 128MB flash drive I could fit in my MacBook for £300 or less - i'd buy it. Not there yet (bigger drives are too thick to fit - the best I can find is 32MB), but give it another year...

 

[aapl.jlo]

I could put down money that Apple is working on one of these now. Heck, they are probably working on their own like of other electronics and appliances. Consider it-the MacBlender, iSatelite (their own cable service-lol-sign me up), the iCook [stove]. Ah, what a wonderful Mac world.

One last comment, in reality, the MacBook Pro really is thin! How much thinner can you get!? Wait a minute, this is Steve Jobs we're talking about

​

 

[netdoc66]

People are using these small machines for other applications such as lifecasting now. If they came up with something in the form factor of a Sony Vaio TX series laptop with comparable battery life I'd be down for that. 2.5 of battery life on Apple's laptops are pretty lame and totally inadequate for the mobile generation...

 

[Scarlet Fever]

If they made a 128MB flash drive I could fit in my MacBook for £300 or less - i'd buy it

and i'm sure someone would be glad to sell it to you for that much

 

[JobsRules]

I think Apple won't bother releasing a subnotebook unless it can have some real wow factor.

I used to be one of the 'wanna Mac subnotebook' brigade when I still ran a desktop. Now I'm laptop only I'm pretty happy with the current range. A MacBook Pro hooked up to a load of LaCies and a nice TFT is pretty peachy.

A too-small latop really does start of become a gimmick. I was using the iPod touch at an Apple Store today and I really thought:

'Who the heck's really going to want to surf the web on this REALLY. Yes, they may do it a couple of times and feel cool but then wish they'd bought the iPod Classic for more capacity'.

Same with some ultrasubnotebooks - what are most people going to do with a titchy laptop that's fiddly to use? I think most people hope Apple come up with some superslim version of the PB 12" rather than go too crazy.

 

[OS X Dude]

Why is it, I predict the new MacBook will have a *stunning, unique two tone black and aluminum finish with black keyboard, black trackpad, and black screen bezel.

Perfect, if it follows the iMac design language, it'll look EXACTLY like an HP laptop.

Am I the only one who's scared?

I feel your pain - white = Apple, til death lol.

Seriously, the white look makes Apple stuff stand out (BlackBook looks like a Fujitsu lappy IMO).

Also, this could be for a mini MBP - as I have seen MacBook Pro's simply called MacBooks in many magazines and websites (probs as it was first Intel Apple Laptop). Maybe the site that submitted this rumour called the Macbook pro a macbook.

Also, there has always been a colour difference between amateur and pro Apple stuff (white and Aluminium respectively) - this may be changing with the iMac going aluminium - but having a MacBook become a MBP midget would confuse people - hence the reason I reckon it's a new entry level MBP or simply a new MBP altogether.

 

[robby818]

Apple could introduce the sub notebook (Macbook Pro) this October in time for the holidays, then update the 15" and 17" along the same design cues (imac like) in January. But then again the new intel processors being introduced in January are even better suited for a sub notebook so it would make sense to do everything in one shot in January.

My 15" Macbook Pro is on a fedex truck and is being delivered today so I need to decide whether I want to keep it or wait it out....

 

[Fluffymuff]

I think Apple won't bother releasing a subnotebook unless it can have some real wow factor.

Oxymoron, darling.

You had me at "subnotebook."

A too-small latop really does start of become a gimmick.

Just as they said about laptops, and GUIs before that. Trust me, subnotebooks are not a gimmick.

Same with some ultrasubnotebooks - what are most people going to do with a titchy laptop that's fiddly to use?

Buy it in droves.

 

[CalBoy]

Oxymoron, darling.

How is it an oxymoron? Are you saying that being a subnotebook and having a wow factor are opposing attributes?

 

[aaarrrgggh]

If they go sub...

...They better figure out how to make a fantastic docking station!

I'm not sure how Apple could do an elegant docking station, and that is really the key for me to be able to go with a sub-notebook. You could do inductive coupled charging for power, and maybe some very short-range networking could provide gigabit networking plus enough bandwidth for video. Completely wireless would be cool to market, but it still seems like it is some time off.

I would really hate for Apple to make a sub-notebook that I couldn't use in the office as well. My 17" MBP is a little hefty to carry around, but I couldn't give up the screen in the office.

 

[winterspan]

RE: Going to have to use an ULV processor

A sub-notebook in the 2 lb range is going to have to to use the ULV processors. Core 2 Duo 1.2 Ghz

Even at the 65nm node, I think its much more likely they would use a LV "low voltage" instead of the ULV "ultra low voltage". If they wait till Penryn @ 45nm, I think they will FOR SURE go with the LV as the TDP will probably be <10 watts

Right now the TDP of the LV chips is 17w vs 10w for the ULV. So its really not that much energy savings for the HUGE hit in performance you'd get (and i do believe they'll wait till 45nm anyways)

LV vs ULV:

# The LV chips go up to 1.8ghz vs ULV only to 1.2ghz
# ALL* of the LV chips have 4MB of L2 cache vs 2MB for the ULV
# the LV chips can run at 667mhz or 800mhz FSB vs just 533mhz for the ULV