Accessory Manufacturer Claims 15-Inch MacBook Air Coming in April

[Riemann Zeta]

I also don't understand Apple's rush to eliminate the ability to read/burn optical discs (particularly in their "Pro" lineup, which I guess is now the same as the "Air" lineup). Discs are still useful and still serve a purpose. First and foremost, they are so cheap that they are disposable: I can burn up to 8GB on a DVD and give it to a friend or coworker without any pause. Flash drives are considered the replacement for discs, but I can't see giving away an 8GB flash chip in the same way (what a waste of money/resources/raw materials for data that only need to be read or copied).

Switching topics a bit, I also don't consider ultra-super-mega thinness to be the most important factor in a laptop. It is as if Apple is turning into a fashion design company: every year, they'll release a new line of functionless clothing no rational human could wear or afford, modeled by anorexic stick figures who look like dope fiends that just shot up. I don't need a paper-thin computer. I want a laptop that actually has more than one port and I don't want to have to buy and carry a new external dongle for every single possible device (imagine having to carry around dongles for Thunderbolt to Ethernet, Thunderbolt to HDMI, Thunderbolt to USB, Thunderbolt to Firewire, Thunderbolt to external DVD, etc...). What good is having a micro-thin computer if you also have to remember to lug around 4-5 external dongles, a thunderbolt hub with AC adaptor and an external disc drive? This rumor does provide some context for Apple's decision to just gut it out and go with Intel's crappy on-die GPU instead of a discrete GPU for the MBP, however.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

People do realize that with OS Mountain Lion that is looking towards streaming the Mac OS and iOS to TV via TV. Consider majority of the bulk ports removed and eventually only having USB 3.0, TB, SDXC, audio I/O and MagSafe connectors on a laptop.

WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.0, Mic, FaceTime, SSD will all come standard if not in this revision the next. HiRes Displays possibility.

People complaining here about the ODD, ethernet and any other port are in for an initial shock. That being said they will adapt or have to move to something else. No point complaining about it on a forum, if you feel strong about these changes voice your concern to . No guarantee that apple takes MR into consideration.

Look at the MacMini its is supposed to be a mini desktop, however it has mobile components and it has done away with the ODD. Seems the MacMini is a project device similar to the TV.

My iPad 2, has replaced over 90% of my day-to-day requirements on a laptop. Now is there was a decent Office application, I will almost be there.

 

[jmgregory1]

I do need a new battery, in fact this thing has gone through 3 of them despite me following Apple's guidelines, shocking! Optical drives I do need as I burn DVD's, granted digital storage is the future, and infinitely easier to carry... but ....

I disagree, Apple sell Time Capsule but your telling me I can't back up my machine because it's eating up all my space, Lion is a joke, complete joke, i hate to think how 64gb SSD users get on!!

My Macbook is optimised, but truth is Lion = Vista!

P.S. I DO have 4gb ram!!

Although Lion is keeping snapshots of local backups, which does eat into your drive space, the system frees up what it is using for local snapshots if needed. It's one of those things - if you look at your drive, you freak out thinking wth is happening with my storage, but the reality is the space is there or will be made available as needed. That being said, I've turned off local snapshots because I am one of those people who watch what's happening with my air.

 

[KnightWRX]

All my crashed RAM came from Crucial, not Apple.
That said, can you provide a link to a 8 GB MacBook Air RAM upgrade? I didn't find one, but I did find this forum which said 'no'.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1232449/

What makes you think the 2012 MacBook Air won't have a 8GB option ? Because the last one didn't ?

How about we wait and see what Apple actually ships before we start whining uh ?

The reason they didn't offer a 8 GB option before was because it was soldered on to the motherboard and ordering 8 GB logic boards would have either been too low volume, or they would have gotten stuck with unusuable boards as people wouldn't have been purchasing these.

What made sense in 2011 maybe won't in 2012, so it's really just dumb to whine about it before Apple shows its cards.

 

[D.T.]

All my crashed RAM came from Crucial, not Apple.
That said, can you provide a link to a 8 GB MacBook Air RAM upgrade? I didn't find one, but I did find this forum which said 'no'.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1232449/

Sorry for the confusion, the OP I quoted was talking about having 8GB of RAM and potentially needing 16GB, so my assumption was he was talking about a MBP (thought it would be helpful if he was unaware of the 3rd party 16GB upgrades) ... apparently he was just saying that as a comparison point for a new MBA model.

No RAM upgrade options on the current MBA product.

Interesting you had RAM problems with Crucial, they’re pretty well reviewed, but that’s one reason I’m glad I got my MBP15 with 8GB from Apple, no issues, and it’s covered by AppleCare for 3 years.

 

[dBeats]

Anyways, most of the concern here is regarding the potential that the Pro as we know it goes away.

Fair enough. I can see this be in addition to a pro model that's not as thin. Who knows, I'm sure we'll be wowed somehow.

Tom

 

[adbe]

Wireless N is fast enough.

1) No, it isn't.

2) I need a static IP, which due to the way my place of employment is configured, that means Ethernet.

WiFi is not an option for me, and will not be an option for a number of users for a variety of reasons.

This thread is fast turning into one of those "I don't need it so I don't see any reason why you should" affairs.

 

[Skoopman]

You can video conference just fine with a 100Mbps connection.

Many people need 1 Gbps for very big data transfers for work. We don't speak about video conference calls here. If you don't need it that doesn't mean that others don't as well. I for one don't need gigabit ethernet, but others do.

 

[xinu]

Many people need 1 Gbps for very big data transfers for work. We don't speak about video conference calls here. If you don't need it that doesn't mean that others don't as well. I for one don't need gigabit ethernet, but others do.

Yes then ThunderBolt --> 10gb/s ethernet adapter is a good choice for you!

 

[minnus]

I don't think slimming the 15-Inch will be the end of the world for Pro users if they bundle the Ethernet Dongle and the DVD (maybe even Bluray?) drive. My thought it why have either devices leach even a watt of power when it doesn't need to? Plug it in when you need it.

Try video conferencing for one.

How about client support.

By the way some hotels have extremely fast networks. I've spent sometime in a few Vegas hotels with networking performance unmatched by business connections. Shockingly fast compared to some business connections and so much faster than personal networks as to not be worth even discussing. Of course these are higher end hotels but these sorts of connections are very valuable.

A gigabit ethernet adapter through USB 2 can in theory transfer up to 480Mbit/s . Even at HALF, it is still more than Fio's highest tier 150/35Mbits plan.

The only time someone needs a gigabit connection is if there are needs to transfer large sets of data within a network with a gigabit backbone.

 

[nutmac]

I welcome 15" MBA if:

• With 8 GB RAM and 512GB SSD, it should cost under $2500 (currently $3200).
• Thunderbolt Dock accessory (for those that do not want 27" Thunderbolt display) that adds gigabit Ethernet and other ports. Integrate into external SuperDrive if desired.
• Quad core CPU.

 

[adbe]

Well, here's the press release. It's out in 2Q and they haven't announced a price yet.

http://www.sonnettech.com/news/pr2011/pr041111_thunderbolt.html

Belkin has a many-port dock rumoured to be $299 that is also launching 2Q.

For immediate GigE availability, see Apple's docking station:

http://www.apple.com/displays/

Or get a $2 USB adapter and slum it at 100Mb.

Thanks for the info.

 

[xinu]

1) No, it isn't.

2) I need a static IP, which due to the way my place of employment is configured, that means Ethernet.

WiFi is not an option for me, and will not be an option for a number of users for a variety of reasons.

This thread is fast turning into one of those "I don't need it so I don't see any reason why you should" affairs.

You can get static IP with WiFI it is just how you configure your routers.

I have static IP with my PowerBook G4 WiFi at home. 192.168.xxx.xxx and you can lock it with your laptops MAC adress.

 

[adbe]

The only time someone needs a gigabit connection is if there are needs to transfer large sets of data within a network with a gigabit backbone.

Which is hardly an uncommon scenario.

----------

You can get static IP with WiFI it is just how you configure your routers.

Read my post. *I* don't control the routers. The company I work for does. They have WiFi configured as open DHCP. If I want static IP I need to use Ethernet.

I do need static IPs because many servers I connect to are locked by IP address.

 

[mabaker]

They're making the MBPs thinner and thinner with each iteration until they'll be so thin people will buy just air in the boxes hence the name.

The only thing remaining tha is tangibly thick will be the NEW iPad.

 

[adbe]

Small price to pay for the diminutive size that the MBA has.

I totally agree, and if I were in the market I'd snap up an Air, and live with the compromises for the same reason I love my iPad. I'm just hoping that Apple don't follow their historic norm, and cull the MBP family.

The Air trades some convenience for portability, battery life, and in many cases that's a decent trade. In some cases it simply isn't. However, the 17" MBP is too far in the other direction, not to mention too damn expensive.

 

[xinu]

Which is hardly an uncommon scenario.

----------



Read my post. *I* don't control the routers. The company I work for does. They have WiFi configured as open DHCP. If I want static IP I need to use Ethernet.

I do need static IPs because many servers I connect to are locked by IP address.

Ask your companys network administrator to lock your laptops MAC adress to use always the same IP, no big deal.

and it is not such big deal to use ethernet with some adapter either.

But we will see soon what ports will there be on new MBA/P's lets agree that even you have to use an adapter, or external DVD it is not end of the world?

Keep the wheels of evolution rolling or else we are stuck with DVD's forever.

If there is optical drive it should be BluRay-RW SuperDrive of course.

 

[The Samurai]

Must. Come. Quick.

Hope it doesn't lose ethernet though.

 

[minnus]

Which is hardly an uncommon scenario.

I don't disagree. I was just making sure people are aware that a true gigabit ethernet port isn't really necessary for connections going out into the internet -- especially for video conferencing in a hotel.

 

[BlackbookGuy]

Because the logical reasoning and truth hurts them. And I always slam the truth on peoples faces and they get upset and vote me down.

There is no need for optical drives anymore. They are bad for mother earth too, millions of tons plastic CD / DVD garbage everywhere and it is useless.

USB Sticks are best for installing everything they are cheap, ecological re-usable, durable, fast.

Hey, not sure if you're serious or not... but if you aren't joking and really do enjoy slamming peoples' faces with truth.. well, that may be indicative of a personality disorder and you may want to get some help with that. Bad things can happen if such things go untreated.

Anyways, I do appreciate your addition of an ecological perspective to the debate. As with the potential "shrinking" of the MBP, less is better, especially in regards to plastic usage etc. I don't need the disk drive though.

 

[bobobenobi]

Many people need 1 Gbps for very big data transfers for work. We don't speak about video conference calls here. If you don't need it that doesn't mean that others don't as well. I for one don't need gigabit ethernet, but others do.

I wasn't talking to you.

Gigabit Ethernet is useful for large file transfers? Please tell me more!

 

[JohnDoe98]

Read this carefully. I think it makes explicit where Apple sees things going:

http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/

Here is the important section folks. And sorry, but you will just have to learn to adapt.

One small port. One giant leap in possibilities.
MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini now give you access to a world of high-speed peripherals and high-resolution displays with one compact port. That’s because Thunderbolt is based on two fundamental technologies: PCI Express and DisplayPort.

PCI Express is the technology that links all the high-performance components in a Mac. And it’s built into Thunderbolt. Which means you can connect external devices like RAID arrays and video capture solutions directly to your Mac — and get PCI Express performance. That’s a first for any computer. Thunderbolt also provides 10 watts of power to peripherals, so you can tackle workstation-class projects. With PCI Express technology, you can use existing USB and FireWire peripherals — even connect to Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks — using simple adapters.

All that power and blazing-fast data transfer flows through the Apple Thunderbolt Cable, one of the most advanced cables ever made. No single cable has been able to do so many things and do them with such astonishing speed. It doesn’t just connect high-performance devices. It is one in its own right.

And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, the video standard for high-resolution displays, any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port. To connect a DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA display, just use an existing adapter.

 

[doelcm82]

I don't think slimming the 15-Inch will be the end of the world for Pro users if they bundle the Ethernet Dongle and the DVD (maybe even Bluray?) drive. My thought it why have either devices leach even a watt of power when it doesn't need to? Plug it in when you need it.

They shouldn't bundle the accessories. Reduce the price by as much as or more than the price of the accessories, and allow those who don't need them to pocket the savings.

If you already have an external DVD (e.g., for the Mac Mini) you probably don't need a second one.

If you need an optical drive or ethernet dongle, get one. If you don't need one, keep the money. If you find you need one later, buy it later.

 

[adbe]

Ask your companys network administrator to lock your laptops MAC adress to use always the same IP, no big deal.

You have a funny definition of 'no big deal'.

and it is not such big deal to use ethernet with some adapter either.

There's that phrase again. Spending a few hundred bucks which seems to be the going on this thread for TB 1GbE adaptors is a lot of money to obtain a feature that is:

a) present on far older Mac gear

b) not adequately replaced by any new technology. This isn't floppy drives all over again. WiFi is not clearly better than Ethernet.

 

[GermanyChris]

Yes then ThunderBolt --> 10gb/s ethernet adapter is a good choice for you!

provided you didn't need that TB port for something else.