Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Prepping for Notebook Refresh?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
My other issue with Blu Ray is, well, how many movies are there out there that I'd actually want to watch in Blu Ray? All that come to mind are a few sci-fi and action/adventure movies. Do I need to watch comedies, dramas, documentaries, etc. in 1080p HD? Just don't see the benefit or the need... Lord of the Rings in Blu Ray for example would no doubt look even more amazing than it would in DVD, however do I need to see Get Smart, Miami Vice or Jerry McGuire in HD? Nope. Pointless.
Uh, is this the silliest thing I've read on MR in a long time? I think so.
"Why would I want to watch better quality, better looking movies?"
Um, I think the clue is in the question. I get you're trying to say that a lot of movies don't rely on their visuals, but still BR stuff does look significantly better than DVD. I, for example, got Click free with my PS3. It's a movie I normally wouldn't consider watching, but I did anyway to test out the BR playback. And I was very impressed with what I saw. Don't forget that movies are supposed to immerse you, and higher quality visuals and audio do that. It looks more real.
The main benefit of DVI right now is the same argument you are making for HDMI, it's the dominant and more compatible connection.
While it would be cool to connect your laptop to your big screen TV, the majority of use for video connections is still doing presentations and the majority of projectors and projector systems still use VGA and (sometimes) DVI.
Nothing to stop Apple from jumping on the bleeding edge and putting a HDMI to VGA converter in the box, but if they don't put in HDMI, it will be simply because it's still not used much anywhere outside of the consumer living room.
Personally, I'd love to see an all black plastic MacBook Pro with a MacBook air style keyboard. I'm not overly fond of the aluminum casing Apple is currently using.
Also, it would be awesome to see a widescreen 12" or 13" model added to the MacBook Pro lineup. I know chances of them offering a smaller screen pro notebook are extremely unlikely, but one can always hope.
Also, it would be awesome to see a widescreen 12" or 13" model added to the MacBook Pro lineup. I know chances of them offering a smaller screen pro notebook are extremely unlikely, but one can always hope.
Why? I'm stunned that Apple hasn't released BD drives in Mac's yet. I was looking at the Best Buy flyer and they have notebooks with Bluray drives, and close to Macbook Pro specs for the same price as a Macbook! If Apple wants to stay competitive, they better add BD. It really doesn't matter if they are pushing digital downloads, BD is the new standard. Either they add it now and promote the f^ck out of it, or they release it after being forced to by the industry.
I believe it has something to do with the fact that whether or not BR should or shouldn't be in an apple notebook this thread has been dominated by discussion of the stupid thing. MOVE ON!!!
How is it stupid?
Its proof that Apple is out of touch when it comes to specs and prices.
For less than the cost of the middle MacBook you can get a Windows system that puts the MacBook Pro to shame in terms of specs including blu-ray.
For less than the cost of the entry-level MacBook you still get specs that put all Apple notebooks to shame, just without blu-ray.
$1299 for 2GB of RAM and integrated graphics should be considered a crime.
Anyway, I didn't read the entire thread. But I can't be the first to say this:
Dedicated graphics across the board please? Apple TV has dedicated graphics so theres no reason ANY Mac should suffer with Intel graphics.
GOOD CALL. Despite the proclaimed "format war" being over (the winner being Blu-ray), it has still yet to be considered a permanent circumstance. Blu-rays largest competition is coming from standard definition DVDs. Apple wants you to get your movies from iTunes and not other media formats! They will be the last to drink the Blu-Ray Kool-Aid.
I am not asking for dedicated graphics, but it could have been given Santa Rosa last year when it got the Core 2 Duo. Hopefully, the reason it hasn't been updated is because Apple is moving it to Penryn/Montevina, because if they were going to be chintzy they could have already updated it with Santa Rosa.
Sorry, gotta throw this out there... The average is wrong. The Buyer's Guide counts the ADDITION of the Octore option as an update. The last update took 518 days to happen.
And while it may be "due", it can't and won't be updated until at least January.
this is somewhat exciting...
I bought an XPSM1330 a while back because I got a great deal on one and needed a computer but if Apple updates the MB I would gladly rid the dell and go back to Mac...
hmm express card slot, LED screen would be nice.. so would a back lit keyboard. maybe thats asking too much.
I bought an XPSM1330 a while back because I got a great deal on one and needed a computer but if Apple updates the MB I would gladly rid the dell and go back to Mac...
hmm express card slot, LED screen would be nice.. so would a back lit keyboard. maybe thats asking too much.
Stainless steel is heavy...
Metal keys!?
I agree on super drive. It's that one think keeping me away for the lowest spec Macbook
GPU: Spaces and stacks works well except when the computer is under heavy use. iMacs have the same problem. (PS: Apple should seriously bash Adobe for not adhering to any of Apple's user interface guidelines. Try to use Acrobat... the OCR locks up the app so you can't minimize, hide or control it. It just sits there's taking up your desktop)
Quieter cooling: My Macbook has a minimum rpm of 1500. I believe the current ones are a little higher. I'm actually more annoyed by the sqeaking (CPU?) noise. You won't find a lot of laptops that are as quiet as a Macbook. Ok, flash videos is a different story.
Bright LED: Bring 'em!
Covered in glass... errr... no. Heavy, fragile, out of place. There's already a super thin layer of glass in LCDs. The display needs to bend a little so it does not crack when the lid is closed and someone presses on the apple logo a little.
Smaller bezel: Sure, why not. Doesn't bother me. Macbook Air is comparable.
Better iSight: I believe all new Macbooks have that already. The original one is more like 320x240 anyway.
Thinner: It's already thin as it is. If you want thinner you gotta get lower performance hardware and double the price. That's the Macbook Air! If your's overheats (mine did at some point), get it fixed at an Apple Store. Sometimes it's just sensor malfunction. My CPU is around 85°C when playing games and it's warm outside, doesn't really get any hotter.
Chances are good that the timing of the new product announcement will have nothing to do with the current promotion.
Hasn't this gone off topic?
Isn't this thread about new MB and MBP? I didn't know it was about Blu-Ray. I'm just saying...
Isn't this thread about new MB and MBP? I didn't know it was about Blu-Ray. I'm just saying...
So why not buy one of them? Vista kinda looks like OS X.
You can't just put in any old Blu-Ray reader or writer in a MacBook (Pro). The Windows laptops that have it are mostly thicker and often wider and deeper then the MacBook (Pro) so they have extra room. Also, most of them use tray-load drives while the MacBook (Pro) uses slot-drive. Slot-drive is less common so the component costs are higher.
I checked a few weeks back and a slot-load Blu-Ray reader that would fit in at least some of the MacBook (Pro)s retails for around $300 and a burner retails for around $1000. Assuming Apple might save $50 or so buying it direct, it's still going to be an expensive thing to put in. If Apple adds it as standard, they have to raise the price. If they add it as a BTO option, they have to way how many people will actually spend $300 or $1000 for it (as opposed to carping about how expensive it is on internet forums) and then factor in the cost to warehouse that product and such.
Apologies if I somehow missed reading a post that mentioned it (there are 300...) but I haven't seen many people complain about the HINGE. Apple could keep every single spec the same and if they just changed their notebooks so they could open closer to 180 degrees I'd buy one on the spot. I'm tall, but not THAT tall and it is absolutely ridiculous how hunched over I have to be to get a good viewing angle on either Macbooks or Macbook pros. It's either that or push it far away so I can't even read small text. And sitting/kneeling on a couch...most crappy Dell's I can at least fold open and sit comfortably with, but the best way I've found to use an Apple notebook is literally holding it above my head...shameful. I know these notebooks are thin and things of beauty, but to sacrifice the very ergonomics that are required to use it comfortably is pathetic.
Well, I just sold my MBA. Would LOVE an aluminum MacBook.
Using a Sony Vaio CR Series now. Good specs for an $899 computer. But then again it is windows. I think I'll hang on to this then return it in two weeks, then just hang on to that money until the MBs/MBPs are updated.
Using a Sony Vaio CR Series now. Good specs for an $899 computer. But then again it is windows. I think I'll hang on to this then return it in two weeks, then just hang on to that money until the MBs/MBPs are updated.
I'm definitely interested to see what they're going to do. I'd like to step up to a Macbook Pro from my Macbook.
Two things I just don't give a rat crap about, however, are:
1) Multi-touch trackpad and all that gesturing garbage. Two reasons: a) the trackpad, if left in the center position and parallel to the long edge of the machine, is in a very unnatural position for ergonomically sound *regular* use let alone all sorts of gang-sign-like gesturing. The alternative (to angle the pad(s) and slide toward the right and/or left of the machine would allow for a much more natural hand position for gesturing. But more importantly, b) I use a Mighty Mouse. I hate trackpads.
2) The sporadic talk about "touch screen" Macbooks or Macbook Pros. That would be a nightmare. Ugly, ugly, ugly smudges all over. Not to mention the idea that it would take two hands to use a touch screen Macbook or Macbook Pro - one to touch the screen and the other to hold the LCD in place so that your viewing angle isn't all screwed to hell the moment you touch it.
I just don't see touch screen notebooks as even remotely useful - UNLESS - we're talking about some sort of twist around screen design a la Gateway, which probably isn't going to happen.
Just my two pence.
Two things I just don't give a rat crap about, however, are:
1) Multi-touch trackpad and all that gesturing garbage. Two reasons: a) the trackpad, if left in the center position and parallel to the long edge of the machine, is in a very unnatural position for ergonomically sound *regular* use let alone all sorts of gang-sign-like gesturing. The alternative (to angle the pad(s) and slide toward the right and/or left of the machine would allow for a much more natural hand position for gesturing. But more importantly, b) I use a Mighty Mouse. I hate trackpads.
2) The sporadic talk about "touch screen" Macbooks or Macbook Pros. That would be a nightmare. Ugly, ugly, ugly smudges all over. Not to mention the idea that it would take two hands to use a touch screen Macbook or Macbook Pro - one to touch the screen and the other to hold the LCD in place so that your viewing angle isn't all screwed to hell the moment you touch it.
I just don't see touch screen notebooks as even remotely useful - UNLESS - we're talking about some sort of twist around screen design a la Gateway, which probably isn't going to happen.
Just my two pence.
What the hell let's throw in a pony, a keelber elf, and bobble head of Uncle Steve
And to go further...
Please standardise ATI cards on the Mac. No more Nvidia cards on the Mac.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
The fans on my MacBook are at 6200 RPM generally and sound so loud. I sent it in once and they replaced the logic board. Then I made an appt at the Genius Bar (2 hours away) and was turned away because the place had too many people in it (this last Sunday with iPhone frenzy), so I have to send it in again for the fan problem. My CPU temp is currently 72, not sure what it normally is, as I don't check that.
I understand what you are saying but we are talking about a redesign here.
If Sony is offering a Blu-ray drive in the new Montevina Vaio Z which is 1 in. thin and weighs less than 3.4 lbs. for $1800.00.
Why can't Apple?