Aluminum MacBook and MacBook Pros Spotted?

[Loge]

Are you sure they reintroduced a proper firewire controller?

It was discussed here, and in other places.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/523579/

I don't have that model, but I read that the Penryn MBPs reintroduced the TI controllers, instead of the Agere ones that caused problems with many FW audio interfaces.

Hopefully they will stick good ones in the update; they had so many complaints before it is hard to believe they would not.

 

[thirtytwopaths]

while I am also skeptical of this picture, the table that this computer is on is very very similar in material to the wood ones that are used in ALL of the Apple stores. This is either pure coincidence, or this picture is infact real and was taken at either Apple HQ (where I imagine such tables are used also) or at an Apple Store.....

 

[k2k koos]

Not sure if I like the 'spyshot'... That black bezel in combination with the alu seems to look like something I think I've seen before, an older Sony Vaio design had similar color schemes.. Apple needs to up the ante a little more on the design front, altough there's only so much you can do within the laptop concept, but I do miss design inovation like the old table lamp G4 iMac for instance, we've seen similar cases for a long time now, both the portables, iMac, and Mac Pro haven't changed much externally over the past 4 to 5 years, which in computing terms is an eternity..

 

[Explorz]

All I can say is PLEASE NO don't put only glossy glass screens on these devices. If they are glossy only MBP's people just will not buy them.

I totally agree. I simply can't stand glossy screens on laptops. But of course they are already shipping so the only thing that we're doing is praying really, really, really hard.

 

[jcrowe]

Anecdotal FW 800 boot problems....

Booting from FW800 is buggy and not-reliable. Which doesn't make sense because FW400 is amazing. I have several drives that are external and have both ports and several macs that have both ports and FW800 does not boot quickly or work as well. It is possible, but not as reliable as 400.

Interesting. Can you give specifics? I have a G-Tech drive from which I
can boot my 2006 MacBook Pro via FW400 or FW800. For my needs, the
issue with having a single FW port are somewhat different. I like to use Final
Cut Express to import video directly from my Canon GL2 to a FW drive. With
a single port that's not possible. So, for my purposes, a single port is
problematic. Of course, I could still do the imports on my old G5 iMac, but
it's getting a little long in the tooth....

If it is backwards compatible w/ 400 then this should be moot.

That would solve the FW400/800 problem but not the multiple
simultaneous FW connections problem.

 

[Anuba]

I really hope they don't uglify the whole friggin line with that ugly black "contrast" around the screen.

I beg to differ... if the MacBook looks like a tiny alu iMac, I may actually buy one. They have to move away from the all-silver look some time, it's getting rather old.

they can't remove dual-link DVI or else the macbook pros won't work with the 30 inch Cinema Displays.

There have been many things on Macs over the years that Apple "couldn't" remove, but did anyway. SCSI, 9-port, parallel, floppy drive, VGA port all went out the door without regret (or advance notice)... and in the case of MBA, CD drive, Ethernet port and all but one USB ports...

There could however be another explanation: They may be introducing a must-have docking station with a full sized DVI port + Firewire 400/800 + USB hub. That way they can slim down the computer without cutting off the possibility to hook it up to a 30" screen and such. Personally I would love that. Dell has this thing called D/View which is a notebook stand, and the D/Port dock snaps onto the stand. I've used that thing for years and I couldn't live without it, I have like 10 different peripherals plugged into it. I'd love to switch to an MBP, but Apple doesn't have a dock/stand combo and those crummy 3rd party stands with built-in USB hub don't cut it.

 

[Malooga]

I really would hope so!

me too! why cant they just come out already?! or leak some pictures...or give everyone in the world a machine that makes dreams come true.

seems like the machine is more likely than any of the others.


(i hope for sept.30th but it will probably be oct.14th, please dont be any later than that)

 

[Whiternoise]

No OMGBLURRYCAM?

For shame!

 

[kabunaru]

MacBook Pro = "Advanced" MacBook
So, really just drop the "Pro" name and unify the Mac laptop line.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Oh geez. I hope they don't dump the FW400 port and full DVI. That would suck royally. Sure FW800 is backward compatible BUT you still need an adapter. Just want I want to do...schelp around an adapter. Keep both the DVI, FW800 and 400 ports pleeeeze. If I wanted to sacrifice weight or thinness I'd buy an Air or MB.

 

[jojo13]

thats the real deal

 

[dawindmg08]

Er, ALL laptops back then weighed a tonne. By comparison, the pismo was actually not that heavy.

I never carried any of the modules with me. I chose before I went. Usually I just had double batteries.

I thought the Lombard was light at first too, but after a few months of carrying it around my back told me otherwise; I never owned a PC laptop to compare it to, but there are still some beasts out there NOW (Dell Precision M6400: 8.5 lbs.) And I was never sure what modules would come in handy so I would usually pack the Zip module (remember those?) and the DVD-ROM and the battery, just to be sure. Add in the yo-yo adapter brick and it all adds up to something I don't want to go back to.

 

[heisetax]

Mini-DVI & NO FW400 means NO SALE!

AppleInsider provides some reassurances that MacBook and MacBook Pro updates must be imminent with the new models having reportedly been spotted by sources.

The new 13" MacBooks, 15" MacBook Pros and 17" MacBook Pros are said to share similar Aluminum-based look "as if they were members of the same product family". The current MacBooks and MacBook Pro are very distinct from one another with the MacBook housed in a white or black plastic enclosure. In an effort to further reduce the notebook footprint, the new MacBook Pro is said to be eliminating the Firewire 400 port and the 28-pin DVI-I (Dual Link) port. Instead, the cases will contain the smaller (but still backward compatible) Firewire 800 port and "what appears to be" a mini-DVI port.


Article Link

Being an owner & user of a 30" DL display that is connected to a USB KVM
Switch for use with my Intel Mac Pro or any of my laptops. This would be the actual item that would cut my planned purchase of a new 17" Intel MacBook Pro model. The elimination of the FW400 port unless it is replaced by a FW3200 port is a step in the wrong direction by Apple. Most of my external hard drives are FW800 types. But I still have many FW400 drives, iSight camera, 3rd Gen iPod that still uses FW400 as its preferred method of operation. Also my iPod FM transmitters both have FW400 that I can use to charge the iPod 60 & 160GB iPods while keeping them disconnected from my Mac. I'm not happy with mixing FW400 & FW800 devices on the same line.

If Apple does these changes it will probably because they are all about form over function. That means if it can be made thinner let's do it even if it means removing major external connections. Most of these connections are needed by the many Mac Pro Users when using a Mac laptop.

Steve Jobs has eliminated my planned iPod/iPod Touch purchases. Now it seems like they may be cutting out any plan of a new Intel Mac Pro. Since we need to by US to help our economy, I guess Steve Jobs is just trying to make us more patriotic. My bank account will look much better if this second SLIM decision is made by Apple under the eye of Steve Jobs.

I would like my FUNCTION & less STYLE!! There has to be a better functioning middle ground.

 

[digitalbiker]

i find it funny how peeps can already hate the glass trackpad that these new laptops may have, but no one actually knows how they will work. No one knows

- how actions/icons will be invoked.
- whether or not the display will be configurable
- how apple will implement it

people are entitled to their opinions, but an informed opinion surely cannot be made until we actually find out exactly what it can do.

just my 2p worth.

Yeah, and the really funny thing is that seconds after the new model with the glass trackpad is released, everyone will

1) Download the Apple Store demo.
2) Rush to their nearest Apple store [if available] to check it out in person.
3) Either purchase immediately or drool and pout that they can't afford one right now!

Finally everyone will be happy with their new purchase for at least 1 month. Then they will be hitting the boards to see when/what the next MBP or MB update will be. That's life as an Apple fanatic.

 

[Anuba]

Oh geez. I hope they don't dump the FW400 port and full DVI. That would suck royally. Sure FW800 is backward compatible BUT you still need an adapter. Just want I want to do...schelp around an adapter. Keep both the DVI, FW800 and 400 ports pleeeeze. If I wanted to sacrifice weight or thinness I'd buy an Air or MB.

Yeah, but that's the kind of connectivity you need at your desk, not when you're on the road or in your sofa/bed. So if they were to make a dock/port replicator they could do away with a lot of stuff that's overkill when you're using the MB as a standalone.

There were some rumors a few months ago about a dock... granted, it was a weird one that looked like an iMac where you slide your MacBook into a slot on the back of the screen, but still... they might be looking at some sort of docking solution. Some would argue that they wouldn't due to the DuoDock fiasco, but then again the Newton was kind of a fiasco and that didn't deter them from making the iPhone.

 

[jojo13]

Yeah, and the really funny thing is that seconds after the new model with the glass trackpad is released, everyone will

1) Download the Apple Store demo.
2) Rush to their nearest Apple store [if available] to check it out in person.
3) Either purchase immediately or drool and pout that they can't afford one right now!

Finally everyone will be happy with their new purchase for at least 1 month. Then they will be hitting the boards to see when/what the next MBP or MB update will be. That's life as an Apple fanatic.

+1

 

[hogfaninga]

Being an owner & user of a 30" DL display that is connected to a USB KVM
Switch for use with my Intel Mac Pro or any of my laptops. This would be the actual item that would cut my planned purchase of a new 17" Intel MacBook Pro model. The elimination of the FW400 port unless it is replaced by a FW3200 port is a step in the wrong direction by Apple. Most of my external hard drives are FW800 types. But I still have many FW400 drives, iSight camera, 3rd Gen iPod that still uses FW400 as its preferred method of operation. Also my iPod FM transmitters both have FW400 that I can use to charge the iPod 60 & 160GB iPods while keeping them disconnected from my Mac. I'm not happy with mixing FW400 & FW800 devices on the same line.

If Apple does these changes it will probably because they are all about form over function. That means if it can be made thinner let's do it even if it means removing major external connections. Most of these connections are needed by the many Mac Pro Users when using a Mac laptop.

Steve Jobs has eliminated my planned iPod/iPod Touch purchases. Now it seems like they may be cutting out any plan of a new Intel Mac Pro. Since we need to by US to help our economy, I guess Steve Jobs is just trying to make us more patriotic. My bank account will look much better if this second SLIM decision is made by Apple under the eye of Steve Jobs.

I would like my FUNCTION & less STYLE!! There has to be a better functioning middle ground.

Very good post and most buyers would agree with you. The kiddies and teens who want style over function will have fits though.

But, but , but it will be aluminum.

 

[TwinCities Dan]

MacBook Pro = "Advanced" MacBook
So, really just drop the "Pro" name and unify the Mac laptop line.

Why?

 

[NT1440]

Very good post and most buyers would agree with you. The kiddies and teens who want style over function will have fits though.

But, but , but it will be aluminum.

You realize not all of us are mindless walking trends right?


(just the vast majority)

 

[kabunaru]

Why?

Why not?

 

[J the Ninja]

Was it ever said there would be a screen under the trackpad? All we ever heard was "glass", I thought. What if there isn't anything under it?

 

[heisetax]

WHAT?!?!

they can't remove dual-link DVI or else the macbook pros won't work with the 30 inch Cinema Displays.

and if they remove the firewire 400 then they better provide a firewire 800 to 400 adapter or else I and a lot of other people will really be pissed off. And they will have to add another 800 port - many people need 2.

Plus isn't a firewire 800 port the same height as a 400? plus an ethernet port is taller than both so how can they reduce the footprint?

Taller ports just means a thicker laptop. Eliminating ports allows Apple to have a larger profit margin as well as the ability to reduce the motherboard size meaning smaller North-South, East-West size is possible. Or we could just say a smaller foot print.

 

[Anuba]

Why?

Because any name with "pro" in it is corny? Because it suggests the regular MacBook is the inofficial "MacBook Amateur"?

 

[Bubba Satori]

with no hdmi, does this mean blu-ray is off the table?

Yes, but not combo drives on the base model.

 

[digitalbiker]

I thought. What if there isn't anything under it?

You mean kind of like your skull with nothing inside it?

Sorry about that! But you just set that up so well I couldn't resist.