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

[Ephmreal]

Yeah imagine this:

Desk setup: 2012 MacBook Pro with Air form factor, powered USB hub for Ethernet adapter and external disc drive.

Compared to:
2011 MacBook Pro (don't need an Ethernet and/or USB DVD drive as they're built-in)

So much for a laptop.

Exactly, i really dont think weight and thinness (which arent issues anyway!) are good enough reason to drop an element of the MBPs functionality. Candy floss maker is the only excuse I'll accept for removing the ODD....

 

[Jocko]

Choice is bad. Uncle Steve said so. OSX is a good operating system as is Windows, especially Windows 7. I still have an old desktop that's running Windows XP problem free. It's not that hard. I think that many of the Mac converts had no technical ability at all, and with Windows you need some type of anti-malware protection and they just couldn't overcome something that simple.

LOL I love how in trying to tell us how smart you are (calling malware prevention "simple"), you actually showed you don't know much about it at all. Classic.

 

[AppleScruff1]

LOL I love how in trying to tell us how smart you are (calling malware prevention "simple"), you actually showed you don't know much about it at all. Classic.

Malware prevention is quite simple on a Windows machine. I'm not making any statements about my intellect, I'm stating something that is true. I think your statement shows what you know about it, absolutely nothing. And thanks for proving my point.

 

[cmaier]

Malware prevention is quite simple on a Windows machine. I'm not making any statements about my intellect, I'm stating something that is true. I think your statement shows what you know about it, absolutely nothing. And thanks for proving my point.

That how come my in-laws' windows machines are constantly gummed up with viruses?

 

[Eidorian]

That how come my in-laws' windows machines are constantly gummed up with viruses?

Is browser vulnerability drive by installation still a popular answer?

Otherwise I have seen far too many gambling/game website installers, search bar installs, video-plugins, Limewire, and even something as mundane as a smiley package or gift card printer go bad.

Did I mention porn? There is quite a bit of user intervention required. It is not like sitting idle behind your router gives you the AIDS. Though many people appear to have that impression.

 

[cmaier]

Is browser vulnerability drive by installation still a popular answer?

Otherwise I have seen far too many gambling/game website installers, search bar installs, video-plugins, Limewire, and even something as mundane as a smiley package or gift card printer go bad.

Did I mention porn? There is quite a bit of user intervention required. It is not like sitting idle behind your router gives you the AIDS. Though many people appear to have that impression.

Up until recently they were using a dial-up modem and still were constantly calling for help removing viruses. I've never found porn or illegally-downloaded mp3's on their machines.

If just using the computer the way they use the computer is enough to repeatedly infect them, then I submit getting malware on windows is still too easy.

 

[AppleScruff1]

That how come my in-laws' windows machines are constantly gummed up with viruses?

I have no idea without knowing more details. Inexperience? Lack of updated av/antimalware? Not using a good Av/antimalware? Not paying attention and making user errors? It's really not hard to prevent this, even on older versions of Windows such as XP.

 

[cmaier]

I have no idea without knowing more details. Inexperience? Lack of updated av/antimalware? Not using a good Av/antimalware? Not paying attention and making user errors? It's really not hard to prevent this, even on older versions of Windows such as XP.

Got news for you - if something the user does can result in software being installed without their knowledge that dials a jamaican 900-number in the middle of the night to rack up phone bill charges, it isn't "user error." If I press the wrong sequence of digits on my microwave oven it shouldn't explode. If the Opteron I designed is subjected to a series of instructions I hadn't contemplated, it shouldn't drain the user's bank account. If I turn my TV to the wrong channel, it shouldn't automatically start making QVC purchases.

Further, users shouldn't have to decide whether their "av/antimalware" is "good" or not. And if "av/antimalware" is required in order to avoid these problems, it should be included in the system and foolproof.

I suggest that you are setting the bar way too low.

 

[Eidorian]

Up until recently they were using a dial-up modem and still were constantly calling for help removing viruses. I've never found porn or illegally-downloaded mp3's on their machines.

If just using the computer the way they use the computer is enough to repeatedly infect them, then I submit getting malware on windows is still too easy.

It sounds like an XP based machine that was not being updated. Dial-up updates was suffering in my recollection.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

What does anyone need an optical drive in 2011 for? USB sticks FTW!

I don't recall seeing boxed software with a USB stick for one thing. I realize Mac software is rare compared to PC software at retail stores, but still. Logic Studio came on 8 DVDs, for example and that would be one hell of a download and quite a bit pricier for Apple to put on a USB stick. All PC games I've ever bought have been on DVD or CD and I'm sure more than a few Mac owners here have booted into Windows to play games on their Intel Macs. There's also the question of encoding DVDs and CDs for an iTunes collection (I've converted all mine, but if you get a $3 DVD in the bargain bin at Wal-Mart or something, it'd be nice to be able to encode it).

Sorry Mr. Audiophile, but CD isn't lossless. It's 44khz 16-bit compressed digital squared-wave crap. You can get much better from the web.

You obviously don't know WTF you're talking about. Squared-wave crap? I'd love to hear where you got this information from because it's the usual nonsensical BS about digital audio. CD is perfectly lossless and capable of perfect representation within the bounds of its digital limitations (i.e. <20Hz - 22kHz and 96dB dynamic range). There is no "square-wave crap". Go read about oversampling and the Nyquist sampling theorem (you know what all digital sampling is based on).

iTunes is set to start selling 24/96 very soon. Do you think anyone is bringing DVD-Audio or HDCD back from the dead?

There's a reason they're 'dead'. No one gives a crap about them. Not many rock recordings on the face of the earth have specs that go beyond CD and very few classical go much further. It's overkill for playback. Multi-channel is nice, but largely unnatural in most recordings and few seem to have proper playback setups to take full advantage of them anyway.

And anything iTunes sells will be lossy compressed (you know actual lossy)

 

[winston1236]

a macbook pro isn't a computer that ought to miss an optical drive. Apple is on an artificial crusade to get rid of optical drives because it will push more people to buy programs and software via itunes and the app store.

this isn't gentle nudging and giving consumers decisions, it is literally telling consumers what to do.

makes me think about windows 8 and what the more consumer friendly windows market and hardware looks like.

while i tend to agree about the optical drive windows 8 will be a complete and utter failure, thats proven microsoft history every other operating system is a huge pile of crap

 

[winston1236]

Choice is bad. Uncle Steve said so. OSX is a good operating system as is Windows, especially Windows 7. I still have an old desktop that's running Windows XP problem free. It's not that hard. I think that many of the Mac converts had no technical ability at all, and with Windows you need some type of anti-malware protection and they just couldn't overcome something that simple.

THERE IT IS!! woohoo!

i love it when a windows user comes out with the old "if its not difficult to use then its not as good" excuse for putting up with windows crap

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

THERE IT IS!! woohoo!

i love it when a windows user comes out with the old "if its not difficult to use then its not as good" excuse for putting up with windows crap

I still put up with Windows because OSX absolutely sucks for gaming. It's also starting to get very hard to find a hardware setup I'd want to buy for a new desktop from Apple. This is because Apple's "desktops" aren't really desktops (more like mobile or mobile hybrids) or in the Mac Pro's case, a pricey workstation.

 

[linux2mac]

Choice is bad. Uncle Steve said so. OSX is a good operating system as is Windows, especially Windows 7. I still have an old desktop that's running Windows XP problem free. It's not that hard. I think that many of the Mac converts had no technical ability at all, and with Windows you need some type of anti-malware protection and they just couldn't overcome something that simple.

LOL!!

"Every executive in the PC industry should use an Apple notebook," Sood tweeted today, implying that they were of higher quality than those that come with Windows by default.

Microsoft's Rahul Sood says every PC industry exec should use a MacBook
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/microsofts-rahul-sood-says-every-pc-industry-exec-should-use-a/

 

[dfelix]

except that I'm one of those "antiquated" audiophiles who won't settle for buying music in a lossy format (and without a physical booklet accompanying it) and will continue to buy all of my music on CD/movies on DVD until either of these formats have been completely phased out. if music companies offer a non-optical disc-based solution to this, then I'll gladly make the switch over, but until then, I don't like the idea of being forced to embrace everything Apple (i.e. Mac App Store vs. CD/DVD-based install media, or the iTunes Store vs., again, CD/DVD-based, lossless media) as a result of being a Mac user.

needless to say, if Apple phase out the optical disc drive in future MacBook Pro's before music/film companies have begun to offer a lossless-quality, solid state alternative to CDs/DVDs, then let's just say I'll be hanging on to my MBP for quite awhile! solid state components across the board might be the future, but I, for one, am not ready for it- and I can imagine I'm not alone in this.

1) Buy your CD's and DVD's.
2) Buy an external optical drive of your choosing.
3) Read up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec & http://handbrake.fr/
4) ...
5) Profit!

 

[dfelix]

Perfect would be 4 thunderbolt ports, 4 RAM slots, an ethernet port, sdxc port, external discrete videocard, 1 or 2 USB ports, dual (or treble) internal hard drives and 4 ram slots all of which are easily user replaceable, and hi-res screen.

But I'd settle with 2 'bolt's, 2 USB's, 4 RAM slots, external discrete videocard, an SDXC port, and dual hard drives (full size please, no msata nonsense) which I can get to easily when I want to perform upgrades down the road.

If I buy this theoretical laptop today, I'd expect to use it for at least 2016. Easy user replaceable ram and hard drives are essential for that. The thunderbolt could also be used for external videocards, like the one Sony put in a VAIO not so long ago. The heat generated by such a thing can easily handled in an external enclosure, and also I would not be playing games 24/7; therefore it makes just as much sense as having an external ODD.


Massive win if Apple would pull this off.

 

[AppleScruff1]

THERE IT IS!! woohoo!

i love it when a windows user comes out with the old "if its not difficult to use then its not as good" excuse for putting up with windows crap

I don't put up with any Windows "crap" and I never said OSX wasn't any good, did I? And where did I say "if its not difficult to use then its not as good"? I said that it is beyond the technical ability of many Mac users to use Windows and not have problems, even though it is extremely simple to do so. And thanks for proving my point.

Got news for you - if something the user does can result in software being installed without their knowledge that dials a jamaican 900-number in the middle of the night to rack up phone bill charges, it isn't "user error." If I press the wrong sequence of digits on my microwave oven it shouldn't explode. If the Opteron I designed is subjected to a series of instructions I hadn't contemplated, it shouldn't drain the user's bank account. If I turn my TV to the wrong channel, it shouldn't automatically start making QVC purchases.

Further, users shouldn't have to decide whether their "av/antimalware" is "good" or not. And if "av/antimalware" is required in order to avoid these problems, it should be included in the system and foolproof.

I suggest that you are setting the bar way too low.

I still suggest the user is involved in 99% of malware problems and for a variety of possible reasons. Ask the Mac users who have gotten malware by installing it themselves. It's not foolproof either as long at the potential exists for having a fool behind the keyboard. You simply perpetuate a myth.

I still put up with Windows because OSX absolutely sucks for gaming. It's also starting to get very hard to find a hardware setup I'd want to buy for a new desktop from Apple. This is because Apple's "desktops" aren't really desktops (more like mobile or mobile hybrids) or in the Mac Pro's case, a pricey workstation.

Be careful, the fangirls will be upset.

LOL!!

"Every executive in the PC industry should use an Apple notebook," Sood tweeted today, implying that they were of higher quality than those that come with Windows by default.

Microsoft's Rahul Sood says every PC industry exec should use a MacBook
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/microsofts-rahul-sood-says-every-pc-industry-exec-should-use-a/

So that means Windows is no good. Gotcha.

 

[435713]

I don't put up with any Windows "crap" and I never said OSX wasn't any good, did I? And where did I say "if its not difficult to use then its not as good"? I said that it is beyond the technical ability of many Mac users to use Windows and not have problems, even though it is extremely simple to do so. And thanks for proving my point.

Words were certainly put in for you. I never saw you mention anything that person brought up.

So that means Windows is no good. Gotcha.

I think that guy brings up macs in normal conversation that has nothing do with computers at all. If you know the type I am speaking of. linux2mac.

 

[MacNewsFix]

I still have an old desktop that's running Windows XP problem free. It's not that hard. I think that many of the Mac converts had no technical ability at all, and with Windows you need some type of anti-malware protection and they just couldn't overcome something that simple.

This study seems to indicate the people using IE (and thus Windows) are the ones that may be impaired.

 

[435713]

This study seems to indicate the people using IE (and thus Windows) are the ones that may be impaired.

And thats the macnewsfix son!

PS they should use firefox.

PS2 or Opera from that study.

 

[ratzzo]

Out with the ODD. In with a good GPU. Down $100.

 

[AppleScruff1]

This study seems to indicate the people using IE (and thus Windows) are the ones that may be impaired.

Why not use Chrome or Firefox? Or if you are running Windows 7, IE 9. I'm sure there are plenty of "dumb" Windows users too, but they don't go online and brag about it.

Out with the ODD. In with a good GPU. Down $100.

Since there won't be an ODD in the 15" Air or whatever it will be called, this seems like a good idea. But I doubt there will be a price drop. It will probably have flash storage and integrated graphics. Who knows, perhaps Apple will get Ivy Bridge a bit early and this will be the first model to use it.

 

[MacNewsFix]

Why not use Chrome or Firefox?

Perhaps the more evolved move to a better browser (and likely operating system), while the others at the bottom of the bell curve cannot adapt and fall prey to FUD that IE (/Windows) is the only game in town. Simply tragic.

I, myself, am a fan of Camino.

 

[435713]

Perhaps the more evolved move to a better browser (and likely operating system), while the others at the bottom of the bell curve cannot adapt and fall prey to FUD that IE (/Windows) is the only game in town. Simply tragic.

I, myself, am a fan of Camino.

Wasn't IE9 supposed to be solid? Or at least above average? I use Safari on a mac and Firefox on Windows.

I got to point out your sig. Gates was right, he won going away Cash in the bank dont lie. Can't argue the current cap though of course.

 

[Eidorian]

Perhaps the more evolved move to a better browser (and likely operating system), while the others at the bottom of the bell curve cannot adapt and fall prey to FUD that IE (/Windows) is the only game in town. Simply tragic.

I, myself, am a fan of Camino.

I guess that those even further up go to Linux.