Aluminum MacBook and MacBook Pros Spotted?

[chrissturgis]

Why cant apple just update to HD and throw a HDMI port in. Mini dvi is old technology. Time for something new. Although either way i am buying the new Macbook pro they should also throw a esata port in too, just for the hell of things.

 

[dAlen]

Guess no HDMI.
That would be nice with that new Canon 5D Mark II (HD video)

At least they have a backwards compatible FireWire 800...to bad that isnt something that is on these cameras from what I have seen.

Peace

dAlen

p.s.
Would love a wacom on the macbook pro like the new Thinkpad W700.
(Never owned a PC...always mac...but I have to admit, they have some cool stuff...like blu ray. Sorry steve not into downloading itunes movies just to trash them, or clog up my harddrive...oh wait, you cant use itunes in Hungary anyway...oh well.)

And yes, I use my laptop (hooked up to a large monitor) to watch movies.
Used to do that all the time.

Peace

dAlen

 

[Tosser]

What if macbooks and macbook pro's shed most ports and the optical drive (allowing for cheaper prices), and apple comes out with a new "brick" that contains the ports and optical drive, which would work wireless with all laptops. Just an idea

Good idea, keeping in mind that the ports that seems to be missing is firewire 400 and DVI. That won't be a bitch to make use of over wireless

 

[Pressure]

Mini-DVI would be a problem since it can only support up to 1920 x 1200 pixels.

On a different note the only Apple retail chain in Denmark (Humac) is selling MacBooks at a $200 discount if you buy now...

 

[dudup]

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?

It's clear to me they spotted only MacBooks, not MBPs. Perhaps we're seeing different size MacBooks?

Hmmmmm...

 

[Courtaj]

im sorry but you make no sense. if you read any of the previous posts, you would realize that this would add an external optical drive... much like the current Air. so, you would still have the optical drive, its just it would be an accessory, ie. not part of the actual notebook.

Macbooks be damned. Where's the new MINI?!

 

[digitalbiker]

While the whole profit margin statement is true, the quarter ends next Tuesday. Apple would have to start selling them RIGHT NOW and dirt cheap to affect margins significantly before then.

It is possible that Apple planned to release the laptop line earlier but delays in the Montevina Chipset and iphone 3G, mobileme problems delayed the release.

Apple needs a price cut in the entry level macbook. Prices have dropped dramatically for laptops this past year. In addition, Apple is using the exact same components as many of the new laptops on the market and the only differentiating factor is OS X. People will pay more for OS X but not $300 - $500 more.

Besides Steve mentioned that Apple was going to blow away the competition in future updates by supplying terrific products at a lower price point.

 

[Voidness]

Have you seen the price of it?

Yes, but the high price is likely due to the DUAL 128GB SSD drives with RAID.

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

exactly. now i have to have another cable just to hook up my damn camera. hopefully this part of the rumor is false.

Holy hell... buy one for $4 on eBay.
It can go along with your new $1,000+ laptop.

 

[chedda]

Hard Copies

Every software installation I do is downloaded from the net. And I don't burn DVDs or CDs ever, nor do I imagine most people do. So why do most people need to carry a burner around every time they want take their computer somewhere? Just in case they need to burn a DVD at the coffee shop? Do you carry blank DVDs with you everywhere you go?

Do you need a DVD burner in your iPhone? Why does it need to be an integral part of your computer instead of something that you can plug in when (or if) you ever need it.

Hard copies are infinitely superior imho no internet means your finished and work stops ? I believe you are in the minority most people especially in the work environment burn discs i know i do.
Is the iphone a desktop replacement ? Is it designed to integrate into the professional work place ?
The brick thing has some merits but i'd always sacrifice slimness for power. What's wrong with big strong and sturdy crammed with power ? I for one and am not so vain or fashion conscious to put slimness high on spec list. Slim equals heat equals death and a performance hit. Come on Steve bulk up !
Previously i had always thought i'd get a refurbished older model if the new mbp's where unsuitable however with the graphic card timebomb this is no longer an option.
I cannot believe they will drop dual link support that would surely drop 30" support unless they have found a way to support dual link through mini dvi. Otherwise the dropping of FW 400 is a disappointment for me i like to have both ports available. These are just rumours anyway we shouldn't take them as fact i know , i just hope no power and functionality is lost through the pushing of slimness.
Anyway these are highly exciting times the cash is burning a hole right now and my powerbook is starting to feel a little betrayed .

 

[pito189]

Instead you can get rid of that ExpressCard slot and whist you are at it move the USB port away from the magsafe port.

I agree with that. It should go Magsafe, audio in, audio out, usb, usb, usb. I could stand having the express card slot if the remote was able to be stored internally.

Unless the magnets for the magsafe would screw up the audio?

 

[theBB]

and instances of black material to contrast the largely aluminum motif of the new notebooks.

Dell called. He wants his designers back...

I hope this does not mean black keyboard on an aluminum laptop. I quite dislike that kind of design.

 

[Tosser]

can someone confirm whether or not you can boot off an external drive using FW800?

the thing about the MBA is it has no FW ports at all, so you can't boot off an external drive.

why would you want to do this, you may ask? for troubleshooting purposes. if your laptop's hd crashes, you can boot if off an external drive via FW.

AFAIK, you can't do it via USB.

IDK if FW800 works.

FW800 works just as well as FW400 for booting (i.e. it works splendidly).

 

[Chic0]

my prediction

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".

I predicted back in end July that they would probably merge both macbook and macbook pro lines : https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/5930978/

Basically have range of sizes of laptop with varying configurations. from smaller , cheap, basic specced model going up to larger, powerful and more expensive specs.

They will also just call them all macbooks.


Still think I'm right

 

[digitalbiker]

Yes, but the high price is likely due to the DUAL 128GB SSD drives with RAID.

Agreed.

Blu-ray is not adding that much to the price tag. Dell is offering blu-ray player BTO offerings for some of their low-end line at a reasonable price.

The SSD drives are the reason for the high price.

I am wondering if Apple is going to offer SSD options with this MBP update.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Hi

It's a terrible idea. Everyone on here is so hung up on Apple ditching the optical drives and ports on the new notebooks - that isn't going to happen. They might reduce them, as the article states, but for serious use, a MBP without an optical drive and ports is entirely useless to me, and I'd rather not carry around a 'brick'. I want everything in one nice, shiny case.

I second and third that. I will not use USB for my backup drive, unless I'm desperate. One of the reasons I have no real interest in the MBA.

 

[smooth]

Except there was a warning at the last quarterly shareholders meeting about less profit margin from a future product update.

It is speculated that this means Apple is going to target the macbook for under $1000.00 to be competitive with other notebook manufacturers.

If they truly wanted to compete against other manufacturers, I think Apple really needs to expand their selection. What if these aluminum 13" inch MacBooks we're hearing about are now apart of of the Pro lineup - and they come with all the features that have previously been lacking, ie the graphics.

The big surprise is the "Rainbow" of MacBooks which are more competitively priced and are offered in the same sizes as the Pros.

I doubt this is the case, but it would be nice to see more selection.

 

[hogfaninga]

I predicted back in end July that they would probably merge both macbook and macbook pro lines : https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/5930978/

Basically have range of sizes of laptop with varying configurations. from smaller , cheap, basic specced model going up to larger, powerful and more expensive specs.

They will also just call them all macbooks.


Still think I'm right

You and many, many, many others. I still don't think it will happen. They will have the Pro model and Macbook separate. They might look similar, but that's it.

 

[RoDe]

Hope the FW800 is actually a FW3200 port. And the mini DVI port doesn't make sense since, as many on this forum have noted, it doesn't support a 30" display.

 

[hogfaninga]

Agreed.

Blu-ray is not adding that much to the price tag. Dell is offering blu-ray player BTO offerings for some of their low-end line at a reasonable price.

The SSD drives are the reason for the high price.

I am wondering if Apple is going to offer SSD options with this MBP update.

If they are going slimmer like everyone is saying they will then those "cheap" blu-ray players won't fit. They have a very slim one, but that is way too expensive.

Blu-ray won't be on the new ones.

 

[Tosser]

I think most of us can agree that the chances of Apple phasing out FireWire are remote at best... FireWire still beats USB hands down on actual throughput...and let's not forget that FireWire can be used to boot a Mac. This isn't an interface Apple will be getting rid of anytime soon. Especially with the new specifications coming out soon. After all, something has to show up USB 3.0...

Saying it's "remote" is at best very optimistic, considering Apple put out a MBP recently that "magically" didn't have a FW800, but merely a FW400 port. So, they already tried getting rid of it, and they also nixed it on the iPods.

 

[Erindipity]

I hope this does not mean black keyboard on an aluminum laptop. I quite dislike that kind of design.

Co-freaking-signed. But I have to say, as much as I dislike that style, it wouldn't stop me from buying one.

 

[Greenbook]

Dell called. He wants his designers back...

I hope this does not mean black keyboard on an aluminum laptop. I quite dislike that kind of design.

I guess you wouldn't be a fan of this look then.

 

[captnfun]

Yet another reason to make the optical drive external. People who want to fork out that cash can, people who don't won't have to.

I hate to state the obvious, but if this is what you want Apple makes this product, its called the Macbook Air. If you want an optical drive and ports you buy a Macbook or a Macbook Pro.

 

[digitalbiker]

Still think I'm right

No, I don't think you are right.

Apple will keep the Pro moniker for the upper end laptops. The case design is only a small factor in distinguishing a MB from a MBP.