Ultra-thin 12'' MacBook Pro?

[Piarco]

do we really think steve is gonna unveil:
iLife 07
full Leopard preview
bumped ipods
iphone
true video ipod
mactablet
ultra thin macbook
iTV

iLife 07 - probably
Leopard Preview - more than likely
Bumped iPods - nope. They've been done fairly recently.
iPhone - we'll see... but I have a doubt about it being released in Jan. I think it'll be its own "Special Event" when it does happen. Because it's kinda a big deal.
True Video iPod - another "Special Event" IMHO.
MacTablet - seems to be quiet(ish) on the rumour mill for this. So I'd say probably a small chance of seeing anything in the short term. So no for Jan.
Ultra Thin MBP - well obviously we're hoping so in this thread...but...
iTV - well Steve did say early 2007 (or specifically Jan?)

Isn't the January event typically about software and hardware updates/new products rather than iPods? If so the iTV may well be yet another "Special Event" and would be well tied into an True Video iPod release...

 

[jholzner]

I'm not sure on this. All physical media (for the distibution of content at least) is going to "become legacy" at some point over the next few years.

Remember when people scoffed at machines with no floppy?

True but I don't think that is a fair comparison. The floppy was for comptuers only. DVDs are for movies that don't require a computer at all.

 

[kddpop]

iLife 07 - probably
Leopard Preview - more than likely
Bumped iPods - nope. They've been done fairly recently.
iPhone - we'll see... but I have a doubt about it being released in Jan. I think it'll be its own "Special Event" when it does happen. Because it's kinda a big deal.
True Video iPod - another "Special Event" IMHO.
MacTablet - seems to be quiet(ish) on the rumour mill for this. So I'd say probably a small chance of seeing anything in the short term. So no for Jan.
Ultra Thin MBP - well obviously we're hoping so in this thread...but...
iTV - well Steve did say early 2007 (or specifically Jan?)

Isn't the January event typically about software and hardware updates/new products rather than iPods? If so the iTV may well be yet another "Special Event" and would be well tied into an True Video iPod release...

right. my point (and i think we're agreeing here) is that to expect to have all these things at a macworld is setting one's self up for a big dissapointment. and there are, indeed, folks here who are expecting (or at least hoping) for all of these things.

~kyle

 

[cecildk9999]

i get as excited about macworld as the next guy. ok, maybe that depends on who the next guy is...but...

it has happened before and it will happen again. every existing rumor makes it to the "definately this macworld" stage. then, when apple releases some software and hardware updates before steve's "one more thing", people get upset that this "one more thing" does include all of their pet rumors.

do we really think steve is gonna unveil:
iLife 07
full Leopard preview
bumped ipods
iphone
true video ipod
mactablet
ultra thin macbook
iTV

all of that??? really?? i think not.

Hmm...I say iLife, iTV, and some more leopard to be previewed at Macworld. The iPhone will be the 'one more thing,' and I'm guessing we'll see this portable unveiled at a special event in February or March. Probably no new iPods until spring/summer at the earliest. But that's just my thoughts. ::shrug::

 

[Clive At Five]

do we really think steve is gonna unveil:
iLife 07
full Leopard preview
bumped ipods
iphone
true video ipod
mactablet
ultra thin macbook
iTV

iLife 07 and iWork 07: obligatory.
Leopard Preview: not obligatory. I see no problem with a debut event or month-before preview or something. Not a MWSF necessity.
bumped iPods/video iPod: I think this item is an either-or with the PhonePod. Releasing both simultaneously wouldn't make much sense so due to a lot of recent fire, I'm putting my money on...
PhonePod: If Apple doesn't release a music-capable phone soon, they will miss the boat... or will REALLY need a fantastic product to catch up.
Tablet: No. Won't happen. This maket is sufficiently eaten by the smart-PhonePod/MacBook Mini double-team... At least at this time.
"iTV" (TelePort): I think this is where the money is. This is near obligatory. Then again, an Apple special event is also acceptable.

So to sum things up, I think it'll be iWork, iLife, (maybe a small mention of Leopard), TelePort and OneMoreThing: PhonePod (surprise surprise, eh?)

*whew* Now I officially have my MWSF predictions out of the way. On to more relevant business.

[Edit:]

Hmm...I say iLife, iTV, and some more leopard to be previewed at Macworld. The iPhone will be the 'one more thing,' and I'm guessing we'll see this portable unveiled at a special event in February or March. Probably no new iPods until spring/summer at the earliest. But that's just my thoughts. ::shrug::

damn you, you clever bastard. You beat me out of the gate on that one. Nice predictions though, [/Edit]

-Clive

 

[Rocketman]

Maybe Apple willl have a version with optical drive and a version with RAID and a bigger battery?

I guess I am on the side of folks who say optical external since ultra-portable is all about weight and width vertically of the screen to fit on narrow spaced from your body. A lighted keyboard would be mandatory indeed.

I mainly hope it addresses more than 3GB of memory since the market for this device certainly includes folks running flavors of Windows in virtualization.

However, neither I nor my company is a prospect for this machine. MacBooks have a big piece due to low price point and high capabilities, and MacBook Pros to a lesser extent. Both are currently memory crippled.

Rocketman

 

[Nakki]

T

I disagree with you about 12" being too narrow, though. I used to have a 12" MacBook and it never seemed too narrow for me. And that was at 1024x768 resolution. I expect the 12" MBP will be fairly pixel-dense at 1280x800.

I think you mean you used to have a 12" Powerbook. I might be wrong, but I thought it was 4:3?
I'm not sure if narrow is the right word for it, but what I mean is the height of the screen. 12" in 4:3 is just fine, but in wide screen format it might get quite low. 13" is still usable, although you need to scroll up and down quite a bit already. I know the difference is not actually that much, but I hope the screen size will be usable.

 

[twoodcc]

wow, this would be great for Apple. get that marketshare up!

but i don't know, i'll believe it when i see it, but hopefully it's true

 

[fraggle]

The 13" MB is not very light, and not powerfull enough.

Ok, it does have the shared memory GPU but CPU wise it is a very fast machine. I have a 17" PB (1.67 GHz or something) and a MB runs circles around it!

 

[Chosenbydestiny]

I call
MacBook Inviso

People have been dishing these titles conceptually way before this post started, heh.

 

[failsafe1]

Oh no! I am going to my local Apple store tomorrow to buy a Macbook Pro. What should I do? Just kidding. Love the 12 form factor but would never use one for my main laptop. I would love to have one to complement the Macbook Pro I will have in one more day!!

 

[LastZion]

Ultra thin notebook would be great. Need to replace my wifes ibook that was just stolen

 

[freebooter]

I want compact size and quality build. Macbook doesn't quite do it for me.

 

[rxse7en]

12" BuliMAC
Just can't keep a good computer down®

*crickets*

 

[Yvan256]

12" or 13" still doesn't make it "ultra-portable" or "Macbook mini/nano".

The thickness of a laptop doesn't make it "ultra-portable" either. I'd rather have a laptop that's 1/4" thicker if it meant getting a real ultra-portable, i.e. drop the optical drive, drop the full-size keyboard.

Bring me a real "Macbook nano", a bit bigger than a Nintendo DS Lite (5.25 x 4.00 x 1.00"), then we'll be talking about "ultra-portable". Isn't Intel supposed to have ultra-low-power processors by now? Put one or two USB 2.0 ports, maybe 1 FireWire 400, Wi-Fi, maybe BlueTooth 2.0, 1GB of RAM directly on the motherboard along with an ultra-low-power, shared RAM integrated graphics processor hooked up to a 1024x600 5.5" touch-screen display (for the mouse/virtual keyboard) and we're good to go. And while we're at it, make it a small tablet. At that size, it'd be small enough to replace a PDA. Add a docking station with a DVI/VGA port and you've really got a "portable desktop solution".

In the meantime, I'm planning to use my Nintendo DS Lite with Opera DS, though I'm still waiting for Opera DS to be sold in Canada... I'm tempted to order one from europe since it can be set in a number of languages (including english and french).

Edit: got my Opera DS cart today. It may not be a "Macbook mini", but IMO it's the next best thing for "portable web computing".

 

[Clive At Five]

I want compact size and quality build. Macbook doesn't quite do it for me.

Really? Is it something that more RAM or a bigger HD can't solve? (USE NEWEGG.COM.) The difference between a 2GHz MB and a 2.33 GHz MBP is 16%... not that much.

Video card is the other concern... Beyond that, the only thing you'd be missing is the ambient light sensor, back-lit keyboard, and aluminum finish.

Perhaps reconsidering is in order before you drop $600 for those "premium" features.

-Clive

 

[iJawn108]

Unless they are updating the entire macbook proline up i highly highly doubt it.

 

[Josias]

i get as excited about macworld as the next guy. ok, maybe that depends on who the next guy is...but...

it has happened before and it will happen again. every existing rumor makes it to the "definately this macworld" stage. then, when apple releases some software and hardware updates before steve's "one more thing", people get upset that this "one more thing" does include all of their pet rumors.

do we really think steve is gonna unveil:
iLife 07
full Leopard preview
bumped ipods
iphone
true video ipod
mactablet
ultra thin macbook
iTV

all of that??? really?? i think not.
im not saying i know what they will release or show us. but im pretty confident that it will not be all of the above. perhaps a couple of these rumored products will be rolled into one (i.e. video ipod/phone/tablet) but even then there is not room for more that "ONE more thing."

i could be wrong. but if i am, it will definately be a departure from macworld's history.

grace and peace,
kyle

You forgot AirPort Extreme 2 with 802.11n

I think you can count out the video iPod and tablet. iPhone and Leopard are pretty sure, and AX2 is definitely. Perhaps a small MBP and iTV. iLife/iWork '07 are sure too.

 

[lmalave]

what is everyone hating on the macbooks for? it is the best computer ive ever used and fast as crap. i dont get it.

I second wholeheartedly.

Not only is it the MacBook the best computer I've ever used, but it's also the best laptop value currently available, IMO. This was reaffirmed when I helped my girlfriend shop for a laptop a couple of weeks ago. Most of the laptops she looked at were the same price and weight (e.g. the Sony Vaio C series at 13.3", 5.1 lbs, and $1349). She ended up settling on the Sony Vaio SZ260 for $1649, which is much lighter at 3.8 lbs. and was only available at that price because it's the older Core Duo model (the newer Core 2 Duo version is $2200).

And guess what? After owning the Vaio for just 2 weeks, she already has spyware she can't figure out how to get rid of. When you factor in OS X and incomparable design (1" thin, MagSafe, etc.), the MacBooks are a *far* better value than the PC competition, IMO.

 

[failsafe1]

Don't know about it being the best. But the only thing keeping me from a Macbook is the video card. Nothing else. Form factor alone is so tempting!!

 

[weg]

Macbook Nano. I called that first.

Macbook shuffle.
No screen ;-)

 

[dmaxdmax]

optical drive

The (other) best reason to dump the optical drive would be to buy an external LightScribe.

YMMV

 

[macjay]

12" BuliMAC
Just can't keep a good computer down®

*crickets*

I laughed. Very clever.

 

[emotion]

I second wholeheartedly.

Not only is it the MacBook the best computer I've ever used, but it's also the best laptop value currently available, IMO. This was reaffirmed when I helped my girlfriend shop for a laptop a couple of weeks ago.

We've just done the same. The PC that work bought my partner (13.3" fujitsu-siemens amelio S) cost the same as my black macbook. They are worlds apart in spec, design and build.

I'm super impressed with the build quality on this macbook (Rev B, that's important). Something I didn't expect to be saying tbh.

As for WWDC:

Software: iLife/iWork 07, Leopard preview
Hardware: Video iPod, iPhone and iTV

I don't think this rumour about 12" MBP currently holds water. I could be wrong as the L7400 C2Ds are out in Jan but all other signs point toward May/June for a machine such as this (Robson, 1.6GHz low voltage, x3000, update to case on all other macbook pros).

Don't forget a 12" mbp will show the older mbps for what they are: revamped powerbooks. They all need to have magnetic latches, user replacable HDs etc etc. This won't happen until Santa Rosa.

 

[spicyapple]

Apple should do away with the optical drive. I hardly use the Superdrive in my 12" PowerBook, and would prefer not to have it if I already have a tower computer from which I transfer files via wi-fi. An optional portable optical drive should be released by Apple for those still require the optical drive.