Apple Prepping for Notebook Refresh?

[macbook123]

On

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/

They still call it the "new, more powerful" MBP. Does that mean in their eyes it's not time for a re-fresh?

Also note (by looking at the buyers guide here on macrumors) that the MBP/Powerbook has been refreshed last in Feb, which might not be far enough in the past for a new refresh.

Of course I'm hoping they'll do it anyway.

 

[andiwm2003]

Sorry but I like my white Macbook. That thing you came up with looks awful in my opinion.

assuming it's a 13.3 inch screen and with a real keyboard (not touchscreen keyboard) it would be nice. maybe less black and more siver in the keyboard area.

to put it in a nutshell: totally different but that size please

 

[whatever]

There are now £600 laptops with Blu-ray drives.

I'd say it was overdue in supposed 'pro' products, but that's not quite the right phrase. My desktop PC now has a BR drive. If my next laptop choice is between an MBP without, or a PC laptop with...I'm afraid I will seriously consider ' un ' switching.

Doug

And what are you going to do with that Blu-ray player. Back up data? Blu-ray is slowly disappearing. Between Apple TV, xBox supporting NetFlix, upscaling technology of DVDs equaling Blu-Ray and price of storage dropping, the need for Blu-Ray is disappearing.

 

[whatever]

HDMI output would be amazing. It seems to be sensible as nearly all HDTVs have HDMI input and it would make the process of hooking a laptop up much simpler.

Am I wrong in saying this? Is there any distinct benefit/reason for using a DVI connection instead of HDMI?

DVI is the computer industry standard. If Apple's goal is to use only one port then they should do DVI and then sell a DVI to HDMI cable.

The video on an HDMI cable is DVI. So all you would lose is the audio.

 

[BullMooseFilms]

They still call it the "new, more powerful" MBP. Does that mean in their eyes it's not time for a re-fresh?

Also note (by looking at the buyers guide here on macrumors) that the MBP/Powerbook has been refreshed last in Feb, which might not be far enough in the past for a new refresh.

Of course they'd say that - it is a promotional type site, they're not going to say "the soon to be replaced MacBook Pro"

And the buyers guide is based on nothing but math and averages, the confirmed case pics, and things like these board increases are specific.

The update is coming - before mid-August, they can't fall too far behind every other manufacturer who has Centrino 2 out, and if you go by the original date of mid june, then end of july/early august is 6 weeks and fits in with previous patterns. It's likely that Intel's delay didn't affect Apple's plans too much, and so they would be able to keep to something close to the original plan.

They've updated during BTS before as well, for the people that cite that as the rationale for a Sept 16 date. I've read that the BTS promotion is to get more Touches out there to support the installed base for the app store (and to clear out the old gen) That makes sense why they'd have the Touch and the Nano only and not the regular iPod. The amount you get back is $100 more for a Touch (because they cost more) and that has to be part of the plan to get people to take a Touch over a Nano. I'd have probably gone for the regular iPod for the larger storage, but I'll for sure take a Touch over a Nano. Their plan worked

 

[Nik]

Nehalem (the generation after the next generation) will provide a speed increase of 40% in 3rd Quarter 2009, right?

 

[Restrictor81]

Okay Apple, give me a nice aluminium MacBook (I really don't need a Pro for my mobile use) and i buy it on the spot.

 

[hewcardpacklet]

I just bought a refurb 2.2 BlackBook and it is the perfect machine - even for decoding 720p mkv videos (I just watched Batman Begins that way ... as preparation for tonight... , connected to my LCD TV) it does not stutter one bit. And the form factor is perfect.

However, if the new MacBook has an LED screen, a backlit keyboard and an HDMI out... it will be extremely tempting - but not a new one, or a rev A unit -a year from now, I will get a refurb rev B.

 

[notjustjay]

The current MBP keys look like cheap silver spray-painted plastic crap.

Well, to each his own - I happen to think the PowerBook/MBP keys are far better than the plastic square keys on the MacBooks and the new aluminum keyboards. They might not look as fancy, but they have a great feel for typing. If the new MBP's are going to go in the direction of the plastic keys, then I'm glad I bought a previous-model MBP so I can have that keyboard for a little longer.

 

[BullMooseFilms]

And what are you going to do with that Blu-ray player. Back up data? Blu-ray is slowly disappearing. Between Apple TV, xBox supporting NetFlix, upscaling technology of DVDs equaling Blu-Ray and price of storage dropping, the need for Blu-Ray is disappearing.

You're thinking of HD-DVD - that's gone. Blu-ray is just getting started.

Those of us working in film/video need Blu for our HD projects. As data files grow it will be a great backup source as well. Downloading isn't there yet for HD, and no matter what kool-aid Toshiba tries to sell you, DVD upscaling will never approach Blu-Ray.

Just because you might not use Blu to watch movies on the full 1080p screen of a 17" MBP you may need to render projects, maybe check a disc before you get it to a client. The need is there - and certainly not for everyone, so give us a BTO option and we'll shutup about it and leave you nice folks alone.

 

[137489]

I hope it looks something like this!

As much as i love the whole White apple thing that is current. I do agree with comments that its starting to look a little dated.
Does anyone know anything about Apples decision to stop using the white? or is it just because of reasons i've stated?

YUCK AND UGLY I rather have a real keyboard like now and my internal drive - otherwise it is just another air, but ugly.

 

[schubes]

Of course they'd say that - it is a promotional type site, they're not going to say "the soon to be replaced MacBook Pro"

And the buyers guide is based on nothing but math and averages, the confirmed case pics, and things like these board increases are specific.

The update is coming - before mid-August, they can't fall too far behind every other manufacturer who has Centrino 2 out, and if you go by the original date of mid june, then end of july/early august is 6 weeks and fits in with previous patterns. It's likely that Intel's delay didn't affect Apple's plans too much, and so they would be able to keep to something close to the original plan.

They've updated during BTS before as well, for the people that cite that as the rationale for a Sept 16 date. I've read that the BTS promotion is to get more Touches out there to support the installed base for the app store (and to clear out the old gen) That makes sense why they'd have the Touch and the Nano only and not the regular iPod. The amount you get back is $100 more for a Touch (because they cost more) and that has to be part of the plan to get people to take a Touch over a Nano. I'd have probably gone for the regular iPod for the larger storage, but I'll for sure take a Touch over a Nano. Their plan worked

QFT: sounds about right

 

[badcrumble]

And what are you going to do with that Blu-ray player. Back up data? Blu-ray is slowly disappearing. Between Apple TV, xBox supporting NetFlix, upscaling technology of DVDs equaling Blu-Ray and price of storage dropping, the need for Blu-Ray is disappearing.

DVD upscaling equaling Blu-Ray, are you serious? Don't be ridiculous, it's impossible to replace actual added detail. I'm pretty sure the near future will see lots of streaming SD media, a decent amount of heavily compressed streaming HD media (720p, 2.1 sound), and Blu-Ray for those of us who want 1080p video and uncompressed 5.1 sound.

 

[jamesarm97]

Well, to each his own - I happen to think the PowerBook/MBP keys are far better than the plastic square keys on the MacBooks and the new aluminum keyboards. They might not look as fancy, but they have a great feel for typing. If the new MBP's are going to go in the direction of the plastic keys, then I'm glad I bought a previous-model MBP so I can have that keyboard for a little longer.

Same here. I think the MBP keys feel much better than the new ones. I think it has to do with the sloped edge on the keys where the new ones have a huge gap that you can feel while typing.

 

[whatever]

You can't equate "Apple sells 1000$+ machines" and "there is more switchers than ever" with "switchers are buying 1000$+ machines".

For all we know, 99% of the switchers could be buying Mac minis!

It also wouldn't make sense for Apple to sell low-cost MP3 players (iPod shuffle) but only have 1000$+ computers. As far as marketing logic goes, if the Mac mini is no more (or there is no low-cost replacement), then they should kill both the iPod shuffle and the iPod nano.

What are you rambling about.

We do know what machines are being bought. They are MacBooks, MacBook Pros and iMacs.

As for iPods, people buy Shuffles and the Nano because they're great for cheap gifts and for working out.

So there is a marketing reason for having them.

Since day one the Mac Mini hasn't been a big seller.

If you include the Apple TV in Apple's computer line up, you will see that it has outsold the Mac Mini, which was released years earlier.

 

[schubes]

If this were anywhere near the actual design I would head straight to the refurb page to buy...

 

[hewcardpacklet]

DVI is the computer industry standard. If Apple's goal is to use only one port then they should do DVI and then sell a DVI to HDMI cable.

The video on an HDMI cable is DVI. So all you would lose is the audio.

That is the whole point of wanting an HDMI port on the machine! To have the Audio and Video and not having to hookup an adapter, an audio cable, and a DVI cable... So your reasoning is more valid reversed: They should do HDMI and then sell a HDMI to DVI/Audio cable. So when you hook up your MacBook to your TV or an external monitor, you have just one tiny little cable to connect to the 'Book.

 

[137489]

Looks more like a Timex Sinclair to me!

I remember those. only 2kb ram or a 16kb if you plugged a module on the back. once you ran out of memory, you lose the prior lines you typed so good luck with even the simpolest basic program.

Someone let my mom borrow one for me, way back when - for my first computer. After about 1/2 hr, I said nah get me a commodore 64.

 

[andiwm2003]

Nehalem (the generation after the next generation) will provide a speed increase of 40% early 2009, right?

i thought it was 25%. anyway the system gets slowed down by the hard drive a lot. so for average use it always ends up being 10%. maybe nehalem is a bit better but i wouldn't hope for 40% except for encoding. but how often do you do that? if you do that very often you'll feel the increase. if you don't you won't notice too much of the speed increase in day to day operations.

 

[Kar98]

And if non-Mac mini users think they've waited "long enough", let's remind them (from the Mac Buyer's Guide of MacRumors):

- Mac mini, days Since Update = 346 (Avg = 188)

That's "days since slightly upgraded specs", btw.
It's basically still the same machine as in early 2006.

 

[tmelvin]

Well, to each his own - I happen to think the PowerBook/MBP keys are far better than the plastic square keys on the MacBooks and the new aluminum keyboards. They might not look as fancy, but they have a great feel for typing. If the new MBP's are going to go in the direction of the plastic keys, then I'm glad I bought a previous-model MBP so I can have that keyboard for a little longer.

I agree a little with Filmamigo. I don't think the MBP keys are crap, but I don't like them as much as the MB's. I've used both, and the MBP's do have a nice feel, and quietness to them. But I do like the responsiveness of the MB. Especially when compared to non-Mac mobile systems.

 

[whatever]

You're thinking of HD-DVD - that's gone. Blu-ray is just getting started.

Those of us working in film/video need Blu for our HD projects. As data files grow it will be a great backup source as well. Downloading isn't there yet for HD, and no matter what kool-aid Toshiba tries to sell you, DVD upscaling will never approach Blu-Ray.

Just because you might not use Blu to watch movies on the full 1080p screen of a 17" MBP you may need to render projects, maybe check a disc before you get it to a client. The need is there - and certainly not for everyone, so give us a BTO option and we'll shutup about it and leave you nice folks alone.

No, I'm not confusing Blu-Ray with HD-DVD.

Companies like Kaleidescape (http://www.kaleidescape.com/products/) have products which upscale a DVD to 1080P that rivals Blu-Ray.

Flash drives are quickly approaching the same sizes of a Blu-Ray disc and at much lower price.

However, with said I do agree that some may need Blu-Ray drives, but I maintain my opinion that unless Blu-Ray prices come down (to below $200) along with the blank Blu-Ray disc prices, the technology will be dead faster than HD-DVD.

 

[Kar98]

We do know what machines are being bought. They are MacBooks, MacBook Pros and iMacs.

Since day one the Mac Mini hasn't been a big seller.

Mostly because it was only introduced to show that Apple can deliver a sub$ 500 computer (initially, now $599). But once you upgrade it to decent specs, you're already at $1,047.00, only a bit less than an iMac that starts at $1,199.00, has better specs than you can even upgrade the mini to and comes with a display and keyboard and mouse.

 

[diamond.g]

That is the whole point of wanting an HDMI port on the machine! To have the Audio and Video and not having to hookup an adapter, an audio cable, and a DVI cable... So your reasoning is more valid reversed: They should do HDMI and then sell a HDMI to DVI/Audio cable. So when you hook up your MacBook to your TV or an external monitor, you have just one tiny little cable to connect to the 'Book.

They would have to do both as HDMI carries no analog connection.

 

[RoDe]

OK i've said it once I said it twice. But man o man I can't wait to see what Apple is gonna do to the MBP.

I hope for Blu-Ray, easily accessible HD, Full HD display in the 15" as well and maybe eSATA. I all so hope it is lighter and that the change the keyboard to that of the MBA.