Apple Finishing Up Work on an Ultra-Thin 15" Notebook

[SPEEDwithJJ]

It is always nice to read that Apple are going to make their products thinner & thinner. However, my only one wish is that Apple's obsession with thinness is not going to cause the Ethernet port (the most used port on my current MBP) to be eliminated.

 

[AppleDroid]

I beg for an Air/Pro hybrid:
Pro enclosure but with Air-style SSD and RAM, making room for better CPU and GPU and perhaps better speakers. A display with the Air displays pixel density would also be sweet.

I'd love for a smaller SSD module/drive (64GB) for the boot/applications drive and a separate HD for files. This has to at least have FW800 on it though to be useful for me until TB really takes off.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I keep thinking that they're crazy for eliminating the optical drives. Especially with the Mini.

Then I realize that I've only used my drive about 4 times in the year I've owned my MacBook Pro.

On the mini attaching an external is actually BETTER than using the mini's internal. On a MacBook Pro, even if you only use it twice, having the drive be external is a far greater pain in the ass.

Awesome how they have soooo much choice in their laptop line. I want a 15' for around a thous..... nevermind. haha

Going thinner and thinner more form over function crap. I have already moved a majority of my stuff to the Windows camp where I get a lot of choice. Will keep a Mac around for niche stuff perhaps.

If you find 5 lbs heavy and the models currently available as being fat, you need to see a doctor immediately. Psychologist for the latter.

+1

This is totally my next machine

I would like it if my job gave me one for work, but if I couldn't return home to a real MacBook Pro, I'd be quite sad.

 

[Liquinn]

This is how I see it panning out:
There will be a MacBook line, which is the convergence of all the MacBook lines of current - notice how there is no 13" Pro rumour.

It's possible that Apple decides to cull all desktop devices except the iMac, they don't make up much of their business anymore and the iMac seems to be the most Appley desktop they do (everything included, just works, no fiddling with wires). They may keep the Mac Pro as a business/server device...

iPods are seriously scaled back, maybe to just the iPod touch.

This would create a very clear distinction between their products and cut any waste, but cover all markets.

iPod --> iPhone --> iPad --> MacBook --> iMac

And then the Apple TV as another branch, as such.

Yeah good idea, I totally get that. But what about the Mac Mini?

 

[Trauma1]

If only Apple would make it possible to import the DVD movies I already own into itunes like I can do for music CDs...

They won't touch that because it's a legal/DRM issue. Why are you waiting when many, many, many third-party solutions exist?

 

[rotorblade69]

Just to clarify.

If its a MBP 15" that looses the Optical drive but keeps the power of the processor and stand alone good graphics card, OK. Add in an extra HDD say 500 GB whether standard or option, along with extra batteries.
Its go time.

Now if it is an Airized 15" with reduced power processor I don't see the point.

I have always said if your going to go desktopless get a 15" Laptop, add a iPhone or iPad and be done with it. You'll have more computing power than you will ever need.
Unless you edit or render 2k or higher vid. In which your not even running FCP10 your using avid by now.

 

[G33and]

YES!!!!! This is exactly what I need, 15" with a 1920x1050 display would be a dream, I don't even care too much about the specs apart from that. 2010 Specs are perfect for my needs.

 

[manu chao]

If only Apple would make it possible to import the DVD movies I already own into itunes like I can do for music CDs...

Try RipIt or MacX DVD Ripper Pro (and let them handle the compression or use Handbrake to have more controls over settings like subtitles).

It is always nice to read that Apple is going to make their products thinner & thinner. However, my only one wish is that Apple's obsession with thinness is not going to cause the Ethernet port (the most used port on my current MBP) to be eliminated.

The already did so on all the Airs since the beginning. They also offer a USB-to-Ethernet adaptor (that however is hobbled speed-wise by USB 2) and the new 27" display has a TB-to-GbitEthernet adaptor built-in, likely there will be a standalone TB-to-GbitEthernet adaptor available at some point.

 

[goinskiing]

Of course. But most of the members on macrumors and Apple evangelicals dont have a hand in it, which is why I don't understand this obsessive praise for Apple based on anything and everything the company does, be it good, bad, two steps forward one step backward, with some grey area, etc.

It seems as if objective reasoning doesnt exist with the majority of Apple fans (and I say that as a heavy Apple consumer).

True, I would agree with you on that to some degree. Users are given several choices, first to buy or not to buy, if they buy and really need the media, there is an option for it, though non-ideal, yet an option however.

In a business sense the company cares because people vote with their dollars and they are voting very positively to these changes. They aren't taking the option away entirely, just moving it. For how often i use the optical drive (very little), the external usb is fine for my needs. Now i realise that may not be the case for everyone, but is there ever a case for everyone? Not really. Apple tends to be a bit controlling in a sense, but its a successful business model and people tend to like it.

I like the way of the trend and avoid physical media whenever possible as I lose it very easily and it breaks due to children etc.

 

[visor]

My MBP doesn't even have an optical drive anymore

I've replaced the superdrive with a SSD.
The Superdrive now resides in an external housing, waiting to serve, say, the next mbp - although I rarely buy Optical media anymore. Everything I did buy is readily available as download

 

[Yebubbleman]

Just to clarify.

If its a MBP 15" that looses the Optical drive but keeps the power of the processor and stand alone good graphics card, OK. Add in an extra HDD say 500 GB whether standard or option, along with extra batteries.
Its go time.

Now if it is an Airized 15" with reduced power processor I don't see the point.

I have always said if your going to go desktopless get a 15" Laptop, add a iPhone or iPad and be done with it. You'll have more computing power than you will ever need.
Unless you edit or render 2k or higher vid. In which your not even running FCP10 your using avid by now.

I wouldn't be stoked on no ODD, but if they have to kill it, then fine, as long as I'm left with a real computer and not an over-glorified Air.

 

[Yebubbleman]

It should be mentioned that Apple toys with many new designs all the time, many of which never see the light of day. This thing could be a new MacBook Pro, it could be a new MacBook Air; it could be neither and it has the possibility of not existing altogether.

 

[John-117]

post-PC ≠ sans-PC

I think a lot people think that way however I think many people will still want one for the larger keyboard layout and more versatile/expandable OS and hardware.

Tablets really falter, for me at least when they have to be used for extended periods of time on the go. When I commute to university or work I don't want to bring a keyboard dock and wireless mouse so that I can get proper work done. When I use tablets it's for light everyday tasks like checking my email or browsing the web.

With these new notebooks you have the light weight and portability of a tablet and the power of a 'traditional' computer. This PC can become a mobile workstation and it would simply need to dock into a number of thunderbolt devices to maximize the power it carries.

To the future! *raises glass*

 

[Yebubbleman]

I think a lot people think that way however I think many people will still want one for the larger keyboard layout and more versatile/expandable OS and hardware.

Tablets really falter, for me at least when they have to be used for extended periods of time on the go. When I commute to university or work I don't want to bring a keyboard dock and wireless mouse so that I can get proper work done. When I use tablets it's for light everyday tasks like checking my email or browsing the web.

With these new notebooks you have the light weight and portability of a tablet and the power of a 'traditional' computer. This PC can become a mobile workstation and it would simply need to dock into a number of thunderbolt devices to maximize the power it carries.

To the future! *raises glass*

Steve Jobs' truck analogy comes to mind.

 

[ajvizzgamer101]

If it is a 15-inch Air, it is more than likely to be expensive. If it is a slimmed down, optical drive-less Pro It probably stay reasonable. As long as they keep the price low I will be upgrading my Macbook Pro from 2007

 

[wovel]

I woud never buy a laptop without an optical drive, i don't feel we are at the point where they should be totally phased out. I wouldent want to buy an external optical drive either. I realize I can use another computers drive but much of a hassle especially if I'm out it traveling. That is why I like the fact that they now give you the option with the MacBook air and just the standard MacBook and MacBook pros. And from what I know many students buy the lower end MacBooks and MacBook pros, and I'm telling you it would be a major deciding factor.

Never? Really. Seems a little short sighted. I have not used an optical drive outside of my house in the past 3 or 4 years and I travel about 4 days a week 48 weeks a year...Travelling is the best reason not to care about an optical drive, who wants to carry around media.

The only thing I use one for at home is to rip old DVDs we own. Oh and to install Windows 7 in bootcamp. I burned the CD from an image and I am sure I could have used a usb stick.

 

[ghost187]

WOW, don't you people get it, Hard Drives/Optical Drives are DEAD to Apple. Stop saying you want a boot SSD and an HDD, lol even the current macbook pros don't have dual HDDs, what makes u think the thinner ones will? 15 & 17 inch Macbook "air" Pros will have similar processors, dedicated graphics, and 2 thunderbolt ports. You will loose ethernet and firewire, count on that. If you cannot afford to loose Ethernet port (there is an adapter), Firewire, or HDD, than buy a macbook Pro NOW!!! Like I did when the new models were released earlier this year. The current macbook pros are the biggest upgrade ever, processor and graphics performances are 2-3X better than last gen, and benchmarks are slightly better than Mac Pros!!! The HDD is connected via Sata III port so, you can upgrade to the fastest SSDs available and even put another one by replacing the optical drive. Ram is upgradable to 16gb (uses the same ones as mac mini), and you got 4core/8thread turbo boostable sandy bridge processors. To all you PROS, you will be disappointed because this years Macbook Pro upgrades seem like they were the "last" ones.

 

[Epic Xbox Revie]

The push for thinner and thinner devices as well as the induction of wireless syncing in iOS 5 makes so much sense. After iOS5, we won't need the Data Sync Cable to connect to our laptops, therefore not needing a USB port either!

Yes, I realize that USB ports are used for other things, but Apple is clearly trying to remove the need to use USB with their iCloud, Apple Display, etc... (Apple Display will have USB ports)...

I can see in a year or two the only ports that a mac will have will be a thunderbolt port, audio port, and a magsafe port, making room for the thinest laptops ever. Pretty exciting!

 

[mdgm]

likely there will be a standalone TB-to-GbitEthernet adaptor available at some point.

I don't want to have to use another adapter. A TB-to-GbitEthernet adapter would still be good though for an additional ethernet port for those rare occasions when one wants to use two gigabit ethernet ports.

 

[Eoco]

If these launch early next year, I wonder if they'll have Ivy Bridge.

 

[mrsir2009]

My next computer.

 

[yourstation]

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Can't see fw800 on next gens, sorry to disappoint...

 

[435713]

If it is a 15-inch Air, it is more than likely to be expensive. If it is a slimmed down, optical drive-less Pro It probably stay reasonable. As long as they keep the price low I will be upgrading my Macbook Pro from 2007

My thought is that Apple wants to call this a Macbook Pro, minimum price will be 1799.00 and replace the 15" current model. Specs will be what they are, in all honestly equivalent to a 1000 bucks on the other side, they won't give anything extra since people throw money at them. If people made them work you would have a better ball game.

Then kill off the the 13' Pro and that leaves the Air as the only option as an entry level laptop. If their webpage is accurate the Air is never on the top sellers list. It's not at BB or Amazon either, so they can force the MBA down peoples throats. It will be accepted and there ya go.

My theory at least.

PS: No firewire nor ethernet as well. Kiss that buh bye.

 

[Yebubbleman]

WOW, don't you people get it, Hard Drives/Optical Drives are DEAD to Apple. Stop saying you want a boot SSD and an HDD, lol even the current macbook pros don't have dual HDDs, what makes u think the thinner ones will? 15 & 17 inch Macbook "air" Pros will have similar processors, dedicated graphics, and 2 thunderbolt ports. You will loose ethernet and firewire, count on that. If you cannot afford to loose Ethernet port (there is an adapter), Firewire, or HDD, than buy a macbook Pro NOW!!! Like I did when the new models were released earlier this year. The current macbook pros are the biggest upgrade ever, processor and graphics performances are 2-3X better than last gen, and benchmarks are slightly better than Mac Pros!!! The HDD is connected via Sata III port so, you can upgrade to the fastest SSDs available and even put another one by replacing the optical drive. Ram is upgradable to 16gb (uses the same ones as mac mini), and you got 4core/8thread turbo boostable sandy bridge processors. To all you PROS, you will be disappointed because this years Macbook Pro upgrades seem like they were the "last" ones.

First off, the MacBook Air is a consumer device meant for the average Joe. the MacBook Pro is a prosumer device meant for people wanting to do more with their computer than the average Joe. For those of us wanting "features", we're not stupid nor living in the stone age; we're just not minimalists. This is why we go Pro.

Secondly, if the Late 2011 or Early 2012 MacBook Pro, whatever it'll be called, is a similar machine to the Early 2011 MacBook Pro line, that'd be fantastic as these MacBook Pros are maybe the best ever released.

 

[jbyun04]

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Can't see fw800 on next gens, sorry to disappoint...

Did you see a FW800 and Ethernet port coming on the Thunderbolt Display?