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Apple Prepping for Notebook Refresh?
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feigning curiosity, as I kept up with the rumors surrounding the air..
how many people expected apple to release an external optical drive?
edit:
as well as a laptop without an built-in optical drive?
my point is: apple broke the recent mold (ignoring the imac dropping the floppy drive ages ago) with the air, and I would not be surprised to see them break it a few more times.
Seems Unlikely
I don't think you could have a "Pro" laptop without an optical drive. The air is one thing, not meant to be your main computer, but a MBP is marketed as a desktop replacement and such, don't think I'd want to lose the optical drive. All too often I have to crank out a disc for a class, while I'm in that class (my own fault, usually forgot to do it ahead of time). Though I wouldn't mind the weight drop!
I don't think you could have a "Pro" laptop without an optical drive. The air is one thing, not meant to be your main computer, but a MBP is marketed as a desktop replacement and such, don't think I'd want to lose the optical drive. All too often I have to crank out a disc for a class, while I'm in that class (my own fault, usually forgot to do it ahead of time). Though I wouldn't mind the weight drop!
With regard to the possibility of the Macbook becoming aluminum, I personally think it would be a nice look, however Apple would lose the clear distinction between its consumer and professional lineup. Even though the Macbook Air is of lower numerical specifications than the Macbook, it is primarily still aimed at the professional market. A traveling executive, or a business-person doing lots of presentations.
Although, the iMac has always been plastic and has since been converted to aluminum, like the Mac Pro, which is definitely NOT aimed at the consumer market. I personally have no conjecture as to why they removed their "appearance seperator"... So, I could see them dupicating a move to aluminum for the macbook- It just doesn't make sense to me.
Although, the iMac has always been plastic and has since been converted to aluminum, like the Mac Pro, which is definitely NOT aimed at the consumer market. I personally have no conjecture as to why they removed their "appearance seperator"... So, I could see them dupicating a move to aluminum for the macbook- It just doesn't make sense to me.
And I want to compare the Nehalem MBP to an equivalently-equipped HP (when they come out), and decide which I will buy, based on how much more the MBP costs than the HP. I already have a MB, but want to run Windows for games.
i said this somewhere else i'd rather buy an "old" version of a macbook than buy a new macbook as soon as they come out. . it'd be nice, but i'd rather get one where all the kinks are worked out (mainly). i'm not a mac pro, nor do i know anyone who knows much about macs. so if something breaks, i'm searching the net taking advice from people who cannot see my mac or relying on my "common knowledge" of macs.
Incase shell stock
This could be a stretch and likely due to other factors, but I have been looking to buy a MBP over the past month and wanted to buy one of those Incase hard shells for it. It seems like every other day the black and white ones are unavailable, then available, then unavailable again and so forth. In the case of the iPhone 3G I remember some rumors of case manufacturers getting the design to prepare stocks of cases. It could be as simple as a manufacturing snafu or something, but it seems odd for a company to keep such low stocks of a relatively new product. Anyone else think this signals a redesign, or has anyone else noticed low stock levels for other accessories? Just throwing it out there.
This could be a stretch and likely due to other factors, but I have been looking to buy a MBP over the past month and wanted to buy one of those Incase hard shells for it. It seems like every other day the black and white ones are unavailable, then available, then unavailable again and so forth. In the case of the iPhone 3G I remember some rumors of case manufacturers getting the design to prepare stocks of cases. It could be as simple as a manufacturing snafu or something, but it seems odd for a company to keep such low stocks of a relatively new product. Anyone else think this signals a redesign, or has anyone else noticed low stock levels for other accessories? Just throwing it out there.
That's enough right there to make me not want the Macbook line to be dropped in favor of the Air. I want integrated 1394, dual USB, and optical drive.
But to add to that, 80 GB drive vs. 250 GB (the Air will probably go to all SSD before long anyway), and a max 1.8GHz vs. 2.4GHz processor.
"Minus ports/drives" already makes it a deal-breaker, but in any case what about Montevina allows them to change the form factor? Montevina is just a chip upgrade; as far as I know there isn't any further integration over Santa Rosa.
The plastic is going away because of the environmental impact concerns. period. This has already been laid out, so there's no chance the plastic MB is sticking around for that fact alone. Apple has to appear concerned on this front consdering the proclivities of their most loyal customers...
I do hope the plastic goes. Although with the iphone 3g being plastic it might mean apple stick with the plastic design for a bit long. Hope not though. Sure, it will bring the MB closer to the MBP, but surely apple could then do something to the MBP to take it another step above the MB. And no, something different to blu-ray, before people start mentioning it again!
Oh, so its simply that the aluminum is more environmentally friendly. Fair enough. Thank you for the clarification.
I believe companies have developed the ability to send 1080p HD via wireless, so that should just about cover 1920x1200.
I personally think Apple should drop the "Pro" title, and just sell 13", 15", and 17" Macbooks that are completely customizable. You could choose between 5 different processors, 5 graphics cards, different resolution screens, different keyboards, different speakers, colors, ect. We should be able to customize our Macs more to what we want, rather than having so few options, and having to pay extra money for features we don't want, or paying less money and getting something less than we want.
Everyone would win, except Apple, because it would be realized that they currently charge $500 just for a dedicated graphics card.
Everyone would win, except Apple, because it would be realized that they currently charge $500 just for a dedicated graphics card.
I tend to agree that Apple should drop the pro label and give consumers more choice, bit I doubt that will happen.
Exactly. Less options mean more money for Apple. Apple know how to market. They make consumers buy way more laptop than they need, all because one or another critical feature is missing from the Macbook (i.e.: a bigger screen, or a dedicated GPU).
But then they could not sell them at an Apple Store as they'd all need to be BTO. And it would increase the production price so the sale price would rise, as well.
According to
http://www.funponsel.com/blog/archi...-refresh-and-montevina-notebook-pc-platforms/ (the first link google delivered from "santa rosa vs montevina":
And as far as the rest of your post is concerned, are you (assumingly) looking at the macbook solely for the price difference to the macbook pro? Because if you need all the extra space/ports/drives, then perhaps the pro would be the wiser purchase..
edit:
almost forgot your comment about the speed difference..again let me say if the montevina (and nehalem) were to be placed into the macbook air formfactor, it would have the same speed/integraded graphics, etc etc etc as the macbook.. =)
I don't believe that for a second. Apple is not going to let environmental concerns cut into their profits.
"Appear concerned" is the key. As long as being green adds to the bottom line, they'll be green. But if they don't see profit in it, they won't do it.
They could make standard-customized models that sell in stores that have similar specs to what is sold right now, but with the option for customers to go online to the Apple store and get exactly what they want. Simple enough. The models sold in Apple stores right now can also be customized online, just not enough.
Exactly. I am an avid opponent of environmentalism (let's not get into that right now, please). But if I were in charge of Apple, I would realize it makes sense to appear very friendly to the environment, and so attract environmentalist customers. It makes perfect economic sense.
As a followup, I also expect to see most laptops begin using SSD instead of HDD, with desktops perhaps having a large HDD for media storage.
SSD is the new technology, and the more it is incorporated, the faster the speed and storage can get up and the price can get down.
The switch from HDD to SSD is already happening, and it will be exactly what is needed to make blu-ray storage meaningful..much as dvd was to our HDDs at the millenium.
SSD is the new technology, and the more it is incorporated, the faster the speed and storage can get up and the price can get down.
The switch from HDD to SSD is already happening, and it will be exactly what is needed to make blu-ray storage meaningful..much as dvd was to our HDDs at the millenium.
I keep hearing this but I have never seen proof of why this is so!
Doesn't plastic recycle as easily as aluminum? I would think it would take a lot less energy to recycle plastic, since it has a lower melting point than aluminum.
I don't think landfill is an issue with Apple computers because most people either hang on to them in a closet somewhere or they recycle them don't they?