Apple Releases the MacBook Pro

[viggen9]

Looks like Apple has decided to go Core Solo in the iBook. Last I heard those are supposed to be released by Intel around March? iBook is nearing the end of its upgrade cycle according to MR buyer's guide, so it makes sense that these would be upgraded to intel once the cheaper single core proc is released. Plus this distances the consumer and pro lines; in the old g4 days, the specs were painfully similar... I think we will see the iBooks (MacBooks) shipping by 1st of April with single core yonahs.

 

[Stella]

Wrong!
MBs start from #1429, in U$ its $1999.

The top model is #1779, where as the top model in US is $2499

Rubbish? It's INSANE

$1999 in the US, £1779 in the UK. That's over $3100 according to xe.com.

My credit card's going back to bed too, particularly with nothing smaller than a 15.4" model - that's too big for a portable IMHO. Roll on the MacBook Amateur...

 

[DakotaGuy]

The way Intel works this thing should see a speed bump in a month or two after it is released. Just something to keep in mind if you can hold out a little while to order.

I would say speed updates by April on this and the iMac.

 

[BENJMNS]

I thought I might be the only one, but I can see on the thread that there's a lot of disappointment. Ok, props where they're due: the speed is pretty amazing, the power adaptor thingie is pretty cool too, and buil-in iSight pretty much represents a $150 discount (granted, on something some may not invest in to begin with).

BUT...

1) Only marginal size reduction. Reeks of a rush job, as many other signs indicate. And it doesn't matter that it was small to begin with. The iPods were too, but their sizes just got slashed in the last update.

2) Loss of Firewire 800. People have been defending the loss here citing FW800 as something most people don't need. That is just bogus. New tech products are supposed to look ahead, and as FW800 gear prices fell, people would most definitely embrace it. When FW400 first came out, I bet a lot of people said they didn't really need it either. Just like most people don't really need a notebook that is 4 times faster than their current one, or a screen that's brighter. Things are supposed to get better, and in the computer world, offer of a better product plus competition eventually creates demand.

3) Single layer DVD. Next... the new MacBook Express with floppy drive!

4) Battery life. This is a HUGE one. Battery life on the PowerBooks is poor to begin with. After years of perfecting a line, they're coming back with something that may be even worse than what they have now, even on a processor that's supposed to be more economical? If they haven't mentioned it, the gain can't be more than marginal, if not a loss. I'm hoping to eat my words when the stats come in, not because that would make me defend this Frankenstein of a machine, but because it'd give better hopes to what's ahead.

5) The biggest one for me, though, and I recognize it won't be important for many people, is that THIS THING COMES IN THE SAME CASE WE'VE BEEN SEEING FOR YEARS! Someone said it'f fine because they've perfected it. You gotta be kidding me. Great, innovative while still highly functional design is probably Apple's greatest battle flag as of the last few years. It's what kicked the return of Apple with the color iMacs, it's what made the iPod the flagship it is today, and it's what keeps making every iMac cooler than the previous model, and what made the Nano a success where the Shuffle to some degree failed. Nothing is so perfect that it can't be scrapped and built again better than before. We've all come to expect that Apple will wow us with not only the best machines for our needs, but with design to leave everyone else's chins on the ground. Call it curb appeal, call it what you will. It is majorly important, and they definitely did not deliver.

Back to the drawing board, guys. Maybe that July deadline wasn't such a bad idea after all.

touche

 

[dreamcast]

Im Disappointed with the Macbook pro, and ill tell you why...

First, NO Firewire 800 port, what are they thinking??? Now instead of backing up my external harddrive, it will take 7 hours instead of 2 hours...How lame is this... first they get rid of the firewire support for the video ipods, and now with macbook pro's too???? why sell out to cater to the needs of all the windows swithcers and family's that use theyre laptops to sell junk on ebay.....pleassseeeeeee..

Second, No Dual Layer DVD burner!!!!!!!!!! Need i say more...

Third, why the lower resolution duller screen.....

Fourth, where is the slimmer, sleeker, lighter design that we all wanted....????????? This computer lacks any innovativness in design and is only a rehashed powerbook with an intel belly. STILL 5.6 pound anchor.... Look at what Sony has done with theyre lightweight laptops and get a clue....Why didn't Apple use a new design or Carbon Fiber material to make it lighter... WHY WHY WHY>?????

I have owned almost every Powerbook type that has come out except the 17 inch, and i even bought the last two revision of 2005, but NO MORE upgrading to this sell out computer for me....

 

[aswitcher]

Don't forget folks this is the Mac Book Pro so I'd hazard a guess the iBook may be replaced by the Mac Book. Perhaps that will be better than the current line of iBooks and I may consider one of those when they reach Rev C.

iMacbook is a strong possibility to lever off "iMac" rep... as the consumer model.

 

[d.f]

Looks like Apple has decided to go Core Solo in the iBook. Last I heard those are supposed to be released by Intel around March? iBook is nearing the end of its upgrade cycle according to MR buyer's guide, so it makes sense that these would be upgraded to intel once the cheaper single core proc is released. Plus this distances the consumer and pro lines; in the old g4 days, the specs were painfully similar... I think we will see the iBooks (MacBooks) shipping by 1st of April with single core yonahs.

this is what is bothering me. all the talk of the Core Duo enhancing Hi Def movies, music, front row, etc.... so iBook owners aren't going to benefit from any of this 'new tech' even intel had likened the new chip being like 2 Pentium M's in one machine. if that's the case, i'd prefer apple to just give me a well designed pentium m laptop. at least it would be cheap.

you hit the nail on the head. the iBook was a good maching compared to the top of the line powerbook.... apple has gone back to crippling thier machines to benefit thier profits and the consumer looses out.

i wish they'd just give in, make the powerbook a bit thicker (only enough) so they can give it the full 2.+ghz Intel (like all their competitors have managed) and then the ibooks could get a 1.5 or so Core Duo.

hoenstly, i love the ibook i am typing on and the software, but i really don't like this update. i thought going to Intel was also going to benefit market share and the halo effect. not likely now methinks.....

 

[MattG]

Wow...

Apple didn't disappoint. Good show.

(mmmmmmmmmmmm lusting after new MacBook...must...have...)

 

[Austin.xstone]

I was rather hoping for a iBook to be released but i guess we cant have everything - does anyone know when that may be released?

The MacBook Pro looks good but a little to far out of my price range!

 

[leosantos]

I don't think Apple had a choice. I mean this in the sense that if they can make these machines look almost identical, it gives some face-validity to their claims about how easy it all is and that it doesn't matter which chip it has.

The more people believe these things are almost identical, the more comfortable existing Mac users will be when switching to Intel... AND people will still be comfortable buying PowerMac G5s. I hoped Apple would do that with their initial Intel releases.

ps. I agree with your 1-4 points.

I'm not sure I agree, Greg. If the goal is to stimulate migration to Intel, I don't think the way to do it would be to make it the same, but rather to make it better. I don't think anyone has ever avoided jumping in as Apple ship for fear of new design. I think this is part of trying to get good news out before good news were actually ready, which unfortunately made good news (processor speed, software compatibility advances, iSight, etc.) lame in context. Fingers remain crossed for the real new MacBooks, whenever they may come. Hopefully this is just a good jumping board for whenever that may be. Now, let's give this a week for the dust to settle and then start that guessing game.

 

[bennyek]

Anyone want to buy a website?

www.macbookstuff.com

 

[mr_flibble]

lets face it...

It appears that FW 800 is dead, unless the PowerMacs see it, That new power cord alone is worth it.

Lets face it: Apple won't ever be the same again. Why they dropped fw800? In fact they didn't, they just have minimal influence to motherboard design now and Intel chipsets do not include fw800. Apple has no choice and they have to use what Intel offers to everyone, Intel is not gonna create special boards for Apple. Now there will be a bit problem for Apple to differentiate in the hw part of their solutions, additionaly when they will prepare 1.7GHz notebook there will be always someone with 2.0GHz one already and for less.. and here is the problem of PC customers, they are usually overestimating CPU and believe than quicklier CPU will bring them more responsive system..kinda religion. Forget special features for Mac world only, it is the past, Powerbook is dead, long life MacBook Pro (just please change that stupid name, pleaseee, Powerbook name doesn't deserve such a cruel future..), one of PC notebooks with great design and OS X!

And here we have another questions: What else Apple had to give up to get Intel to their machines? Is there still OpenFirmware or we have BIOS now? Does FireWire Target mode work? Is it possible to install Windows/x86 Linux beside OS X now? Answers, answers please!

 

[Maestro64]

Boy will this thing Smoke

You want to know what happen to yor DL superdrive, it got pulled due to power consumption.

Old Powerbook - 65 watt power adapter 58 watt hour battery
MacBook - 85 watt power adapter 60 watt hour battery

Boys and Girls be prepared for this thing to not live long on batteries and to heat up your lap like you have never felt before.

It looks like this thing is using about 20 watts more to run the system and charge the battery at this same time, since the battery is not that much more you can figure the addition 20 watts is going into you lap.

You ask what happen to PCMCIA slot, FW800, modem and the DL superdrive well it was all giving up up in order to give you a faster Intel Processor which you all have been screaming for.

 

[fossicker]

Nobody's mentioned no built in modem anymore. I understand they probably needed to save space, and it's less used these days, but it's nice to have it built in for those times when you can't get a high speed connection for some reason. the usb modem is just one more thing you have to remember to carry with you.

 

[PtMD]

Battery Results

These are for the Centrino Duo (Yonah). It seems it gives better battery life compared to older Centrinos. The Battery Life - Business Applications was promising offering 30 more minutes than the old model while giving 16.6% increase in performance.

So the ASUS laptop has a 48W battery and the MacBook has a 60W. So we can expect 25% longer battery life?

 

[eVolcre]

Well, I'm a little disappointed. This might seem trivial but the biggest negative is that it has the same design as the old line. I mean, this is a ground breaking shift for Apple and all they did was switch the chip out and add an iSight. No way I'm going to spend that kind of money if people don't know what I have.

And for those of you that say its all about the perforance, it's NOT> If it were you and I wouldn't be on a MAC site at all.

I was hoping for a 17" powerbook with a new design.

Any ideas on when we might see a 17" version? Since the MacBook looks the same as the PB's, would the different sizes also have to look the same?

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to pick up a used 17" machine to tide me over for 2 years and then when the blazing machines come out with a NEW design, I can make the jump then.

Thoughts?

Anyone have a gently used i7" PB for sale?

ev

 

[Randall]

Im Disappointed with the Macbook pro, and ill tell you why...

First, NO Firewire 800 port, what are they thinking??? Now instead of backing up my external harddrive, it will take 7 hours instead of 2 hours...How lame is this... first they get rid of the firewire support for the video ipods, and now with macbook pro's too???? why sell out to cater to the needs of all the windows swithcers and family's that use theyre laptops to sell junk on ebay.....pleassseeeeeee..

You do realize that they took the modem out too, and that isn't catering to the "family's that sell their junk on ebay" is it? You can use the EC slot for all the FireWire 800 you want.

Second, No Dual Layer DVD burner!!!!!!!!!! Need i say more...

This, I agree with. A dissappointment, and I don't understand why it's not DL. WTF?

Third, why the lower resolution duller screen.....

What? It's got the same resolution as the 15" PowerBooks and a brighter screen.

Fourth, where is the slimmer, sleeker, lighter design that we all wanted....????????? This computer lacks any innovativness in design and is only a rehashed powerbook with an intel belly. STILL 5.6 pound anchor.... Look at what Sony has done with theyre lightweight laptops and get a clue....Why didn't Apple use a new design or Carbon Fiber material to make it lighter... WHY WHY WHY>?????

This is slimmer and sleaker. Carbon Fiber? You want to spend $3500 on a 15" laptop. I don't

I have owned almost every Powerbook type that has come out except the 17 inch, and i even bought the last two revision of 2005, but NO MORE upgrading to this sell out computer for me....

Sorry to hear that. Apple didn't sell out to anyone. They finally come through with a POWERFUL laptop, and you sit there and complain.

 

[joepunk]

I like very much.

Wish it still had FW800 or at least add another USB as a replacement.

I really like the new power adapter plug-in.

 

[sw1tcher]

Exactly my thoughts. I guess I won't be buying one in the near future.

A refurb 15" PB is starting to look better and better.

15" PB now $1399 (was $1449)
15" PB still $1599

 

[eVolcre]

A refurb 15" PB is starting to look better and better.

15" PB now $1399 (was $1449)
15" PB still $1599

aCTUALLY, if I'm going to buy something as a 'placeholder' a 15" machine might be better than a 17". Heck, I might even just use my Rev A 12" OB for now. I really really wanted to buy some cool gear before the summer but I don't thin kits happening.

 

[Alex Cutter]

What? It's got the same resolution as the 15" PowerBooks and a brighter screen.

Um. Wrong.

Sorry to hear that. Apple didn't sell out to anyone. They finally come through with a POWERFUL laptop, and you sit there and complain.

 

[denial]

£1429 for the "basic" model. That is a very hefty price for a 15" widescreen laptop with some nice bells and whistles. As much as I like the look of it it is just too much of a price differential over either a "normal" Powerbook or even a nice spec Sony with extras.

I'll pass on it for now and await further portable products. Now the imac is a different matter. Very nice indeed with a small £30 price rise in the UK for the entry level model.

 

[speedemonV12]

windows

i know that no real mac owner cares, but for some of us that are makin a switch, will the new mac book pro's be able to run windows?

 

[eVolcre]

The picture on Apple.com looks like gunmetal grey and not silver. Just lighting?

 

[Randall]

Um. Wrong.

MacBook Pro
15.4 inches (diagonal) 1440 by 900 digital display.

PowerBook G4 15"
15.2 inches (diagonal) 1440 by 960 digital display.

Sorry. I wonder why the 60 pixels are gone?