Apple October 2008 Notebook Media Event Coverage

[johnsy]

The point is that the first 10 minutes of the presentation today focused on the aluminum block, thats like focusing on a car frame to sell a car, no one cares, so i think all this aluminum business is an overpriced gimmick. Was the durability of MB and MBPs a problem before to necessitate this much attention? You see, it's a gimmick. I'm not saying Blu-Ray is a big advance over DVD, its not, but it is becoming more and more standard so why wouldn't you include it in your new notebooks? Instead, they make an aluminum chassis and sell it as something you need or some great advance in the manufacturing process? I don't buy it. The only way to sell the new manufacturing process is to actually make the products cheaper, which they didn't do, so again, its a gimmick.

EPA and Greenpeace was giving apple bad ratings, so they decided to go with aluminum, I would care about car frame more than about macbook frame- good car frame might save your life but I think your macbook will die if you will drop it anyway. Computer life span is 5 years max so the only benefit is recyclability.

I wish apple introduced gold frame macbooks- could smuggle gold bars from usa

I want firewire!!!!!! and matte screen!!! I wish you could pay more and get not backlit keyboard but firewire and matte screen...

 

[BenRoethig]

Apples not stupid and knows optical is on its way out. Why adopt a medium when you know its going to die out in the next 5+ years anyway.

They've been saying they for a while, while digital movies have been held back by technical limitations, DRM restrictions, and the lack of both choices and an open format.

 

[pointycollars]

The point is that the first 10 minutes of the presentation today focused on the aluminum block, thats like focusing on a car frame to sell a car, no one cares, so i think all this aluminum business is an overpriced gimmick. Was the durability of MB and MBPs a problem before to necessitate this much attention? You see, it's a gimmick. I'm not saying Blu-Ray is a big advance over DVD, its not, but it is becoming more and more standard so why wouldn't you include it in your new notebooks? Instead, they make an aluminum chassis and sell it as something you need or some great advance in the manufacturing process? I don't buy it. The only way to sell the new manufacturing process is to actually make the products cheaper, which they didn't do, so again, its a gimmick.

The durability of the MacBooks was definitely an issue, with the cracking and discoloration. I'd also say the durability of the MBP casing was an issue with how easily the aluminum could be dented along the edges where that plastic seam is.

 

[steve_hill4]

Love the look of the new MacBooks. Still not overall keen on the glossy displays (working on an iMac now and barely notice it for everyday usage as it it's one of the best implementations of glossy, but still not great for Pro users).

I could smell a MacBook Classic. Say one 15" model with high specs and non-glare screen, but consumers would pay a premium for it. Might be one way of Apple continuing their commitment to Pro users on the go and yet taking all other models in a consumer led direction.

Prices though really put me off with the new models. £949 for the new low end AlBook and it's about the same weight as my 5 year old 12" PowerBook G4. [sarcasm]In it's favour though it will probably browse the internet at almost the same speed.[/sarcasm] Apple perhaps need to bite the bullet and bring out a glossy model with a restricted spec and lower the price. Maybe look at models which are £499 from HP and charge £599 for the same (and 15" if possible). They won't though as sales will be buoyant and they will realise they can continue to sell as they wish not vastly improve market share in one generation.

 

[BenRoethig]

True. There is no Federal tax on sale of computer equipment.



False.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 1,3:

“ The Congress shall have power . . . To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes; ”

The Federal government does in fact place "excise taxes" on select items including gasoline, communication services (your phone bill), and quite a few other items.

For use of federal highways and federal airwaves.

 

[johnsy]

And apple gave everyone THE BRICK!

Brick to everyones windows...

 

[NT1440]

They've been saying they for a while, while digital movies have been held back by technical limitations, DRM restrictions, and the lack of both choices and an open format.

Im not sure what the point of that was.

Because future technologies arent here yet, apple should just jump on board now for a format they (as well as other members of the bluray board) know will be dead soon?

 

[Adjei]

and u dont think the alu back is nicer than the plastic apple wanted to get rid off?

No I don't and this doesn't make it a "step back".

 

[dorrik]

Overall I'm disappointed by the replacement models.

++ They look good (Oooh shiny!), the bezels a bit like some HP laptops I've seen but without the tacky LEDs everywhere. Aluminium always looks the part.

++ Easily removable hard drive, about time on the pro machine.

++ 9400m intergrated graphics are huge improvement for macbook owners. Points to the importance of OpenCL in snow leopard.

++ The new macbooks seem good quality notebooks good features and specs.

-- No Matt screen option on the pro models, I admit mine is full of smudges but at least I don't see reflections.

-- No firewire on the macbook, apple have always been presented media friendly computers, and what about target disk mode?

-- Price rises at least here in the UK, I can understand the price rises on the macbooks they're a big improvement on the outgoing model, but the pro models will be only marginally faster than my macbook pro, with more negatives than benefits to my mind.

-- Trackpad - I two finger touch to right click on the touch pad but it's not 100% accurate. I don't know until I try it but I wouldn't like to have to rely on it, even if you can assign areas of the surface for different function.

I'm sure they'll be a success they appeal to the masses. I was sure they'd cut prices to boost sales especially with the world economy in the state it is.

Personally I'm relieved I bought my macbook pro at the last revision, I got a mouse button, matt screen and two firewire ports, a dvi port (not really a benefit but I don't have to shell out on an adaptor) and it cost me £50 less than todays equivalent model.

 

[Rassybat]

No their sales will actually rise like they've been doing for awhile now.

Umm...no. No they won't. ESPECIALLY not now.

Which is a GOOD thing because I'm hoping we'll see a price reduction in the near future on these new models.

 

[MrJingles]

Why do you care? I'm sick and tired of these whiners.

And we're tired of you, there I said it for everyone.

I love apple products but the blind following is insane! If no one ever complained about macbooks cracking you wouldn't have the new 'brick' metal case, or consumers demanding LED screens that don't look like mountain dew yellow stained onto them so they replace them. Customer feedback /comments are what help make products better. Blind following leads to lower quality and higher prices because you will pay for whatever they sell.

 

[steve_hill4]

I want firewire!!!!!! and matte screen!!! I wish you could pay more and get not backlit keyboard but firewire and matte screen...

Apple will argue you can. Just buy a 17" MBP and BTO with a non-glare display. Problem solved. It's the reality distortion field they live in remember.

 

[Adjei]

Umm...no. No they won't. ESPECIALLY not now.

Which is a GOOD thing because I'm hoping we'll see a price reduction in the near future on these new models.

You wanna bet, seems Apple knows something that you don't, they're smarter than you, which is why they are able to run such a company, if you know so much why don't you go run and see how you're able to do.

 

[NT1440]

And we're tired of you, there I said it for everyone.

I love apple products but the blind following is insane! If no one ever complained about macbooks cracking you wouldn't have the new 'brick' metal case, or consumers demanding LED screens that don't look like mountain dew yellow stained onto them so they replace them. Customer feedback /comments are what help make products better. Blind following leads to lower quality and higher prices because you will pay for whatever they sell.

So not being overly dramatic about things you dont like or dont affect you means you are a blind follower?

You realize there are many people that are happy with this update? The cons for you dont effect everyone.

I like this update, i dont give a damn about the GPU, im a little dissapointed ill never get to use FW but over all i like it. Am I a blind fanboy?

 

[Gasu E.]

For use of federal highways and federal airwaves.

So what's your point? Fact: The Federal government is empowered under the Consitution to regulate interstate commerce. In any case, whatever you are trying to say, apparently this can be extended to pretty much anything:

"U.S. Federal statutory excises are (or have been) imposed under Subtitle D ("miscellaneous excise taxes") of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 4001 through 26 U.S.C. § 5000, relating to such things as luxury passenger automobiles, heavy trucks and trailers, gas guzzler vehicles, tires, petroleum products, coal, vaccines, recreational equipment, firearms (see National Firearms Act), communications services (see Telephone federal excise tax), air transportation, policies issued by foreign insurance companies, wagering, water transportation, removal of hard mineral resources from deep seabeds, chemicals, certain imported substances, non-deductible contributions to certain employer plans, and many other subjects."

 

[littldough]

Well when you say the average shopper, you must mean the shopper at Best Buy, because the shopper at an Apple store is there to buy an Apple product. And at Best Buy, you can't pick up the laptops or anything, they're bolted to the counter, so I fail to see your point there about aluminum over plastic being a big deal. And I don't care if its one piece of aluminum or 100, the same dents and dings will occur on these as well, that's physics (in particular material properties). Aluminum won't crack, but neither will my plastic notebook if I actually take care of the damn thing. The point of my post was that this aluminum manufacturing process is a gimmick, and you have not said anything to refute that.

Ask people about cracking/chipping in plastic macbooks.

Ask them about dents and dings in aluminum ones.

The new process is a great feat in my mind, though its true no average joe is going to give a damn, up until they feel how well built the thing is. Engadget says it feels like its built like a tank (paraphrasing here).

And the transition to metal over plastic would be huge in the eyes of your average shopper

 

[Adjei]

And we're tired of you, there I said it for everyone.

I love apple products but the blind following is insane! If no one ever complained about macbooks cracking you wouldn't have the new 'brick' metal case, or consumers demanding LED screens that don't look like mountain dew yellow stained onto them so they replace them. Customer feedback /comments are what help make products better. Blind following leads to lower quality and higher prices because you will pay for whatever they sell.

Well I'm sick of your lame self, you aren't complaining about any issues with the laptops since you haven't used them, just complaining because Apple didn't release your $200 netbook.

 

[icymountain]

I do not think the Macbook Air should be in the "Buy now" category, on the buyer's guide page, since the new one will be available next month.
Right now, I would rather consider it in the "do not buy, updates ahead" zone...

 

[johnsy]

OK after venting out here for a few hours I can say what Steve did for me:

1 he lowered price (but in a tricky way- instead of reducing macbook pro price he increased macbooks price)
2 user replaceable HD.(anyone figured out if memory is replaceable?)
3 reduced size and weight (only applies macbook)
4 increased battery life
5 gave a better graphics.

but he totally ignored me on glossy screen issue and took off firewire...

Steve, when is next revision???

 

[NT1440]

Well when you say the average shopper, you must mean the shopper at Best Buy, because the shopper at an Apple store is there to buy an Apple product. And at Best Buy, you can't pick up the laptops or anything, they're bolted to the counter, so I fail to see your point there about aluminum over plastic being a big deal. And I don't care if its one piece of aluminum or 100, the same dents and dings will occur on these as well, that's physics (in particular material properties). Aluminum won't crack, but neither will my plastic notebook if I actually take care of the damn thing. The point of my post was that this aluminum manufacturing process is a gimmick, and you have not said anything to refute that.

If you cant recognize the improvement of aluminum over plastic, or one piece aluminum over many parts aluminum, im suprised you know what a gimmick even is. Did you even follow the keynote? this aluminum casing is much stronger against things like dents.

Improving productivity/lowering manufacturing costs is NEVER a gimmick for a company.

 

[BenRoethig]

Im not sure what the point of that was.

Because future technologies arent here yet, apple should just jump on board now for a format they (as well as other members of the bluray board) know will be dead soon?

Who says it will be dead soon? The digital/HD conversion is just starting to begin. Of course Apple could have a major role in this, but Jobs's own biases leave apple short sighted. Blu-Ray as it stands now has a much more promising immediate future than iTunes/AppleTV

 

[Bubba Satori]

Pity the new cinema display doesn't allow you to operate the MB/A/P closed. Most other docking solutions I've used/seen allow this basic concept.

Also...

# Contrast ratio (typical): 1000:1
# Response time (typical): 14 ms

Specs seem a little cheap for the price

Those would have been good specs 3 years ago and they're selling it for $899.

 

[Rassybat]

You wanna bet, seems Apple knows something that you don't, they're smarter than you, which is why they are able to run such a company, if you know so much why don't you go run and see how you're able to do.

Clever fanboy is clever.

...or not.

But...whatever. I've been eyeballing that little Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Not bad for $350. I'm still keeping my sexy iMac, but something like the Inspiron might be just what I need for mobile emailing and IM chatting.

*watches apple stock nosedive*

 

[johnsy]

Now I am watching keynote. I understand that imac became a laptop (or should I say that it always was) and that is why new macbooks looks like that.

 

[jennyp]

It might look "techno pretty" but there's no way I could work on one of those to do serious photographic work.

Matte screens are much better on your eyes.

When is His Jobness going to announce some new Mac Pros?