Apple Sub Notebook Hints: External Optical Drive, MultiTouch Trackpad?

[mergatroidal]

MacRumors has heard reliable confirmation about some features in upcoming Apple notebook releases due at Macworld San Francisco 2008.

...

Macworld Expo kicks off on January 15th, 2008 with Steve Jobs' keynote address.

Article Link

I'm of the opinion the better spy has pictures to back up their claims, or at least a reproduction from their superb photographic memory.

Then again, I remember General Lee acting on the unsubstantiated reports of Union troop movement from a mere theatrical actor, a spy named Harrison and employed by General Longstreet, just before the battle at Gettysburg began. I suppose then, one should not be too cautious.

!!!!!!!! I went back and read more posts and ...!!!!?

greenrabbit, my imaginary General Longstreet now hands you a cigar. Please, accept it.

(I refer and make mention of a scene to Ted Turner's excellent documentary movie, Gettysburg.

 

[torn80]

That is some big trackpad button!

...and yet, only one mouse button still!

 

[2A Batterie]

I don't buy into the photo at all. Still, Christmas is coming for me on January 15th.

 

[ThinkGeek]

If this MacBook Slim/Nano is the only new product announced at Macworld I will be deeply saddened. It does not seem to be revolutionary enough. Also with all the rumors of a Touch Mac Tablet/Laptop..

 

[bjett92]

...and yet, only one mouse button still!

I like the one mouse button on my macbook. I hardly ever need to right click, and if i do, i just tap with two fingers.

 

[gifford]

"apple would never drop the optical drive" I recollect people saying to me when I mentioned this before!

This is great news.

 

[tMac85]

...and yet, only one mouse button still!

then go buy a PC

i never think the one button is a problem.
it takes less time to put two fingers on the pad and click.

 

[swagi]

Strange businesses

Not having an optical drive built in is a really bad idea. It's going to cut out a lot of potential buyers in the business world. If you travel a lot, you won't want to deal with having to plug in an external device to read CD/DVD's, especially if you're on an airplane. What if you want to watch a movie that you buy on a whim during a layover at the airport? It would suck to hookup another device just to watch a DVD!

When I'm at a clients office and they want to transfer files, they usually hand me a CD. It's going to be a hassle to carry around an optical drive, and it will be embarrassing to say you have no way to read their CD.

However, if this is a sub notebook that is not much bigger than a Palm or Newton, then that's a different story.

Excuse me, but optical media is so old-fashioned. I mean, come on, gimme a break. Handing over a CD or DVD for data transfer in 2008 is like using a floppy disk in 2000!

Any of you ever heard of USB-Flash sticks? And given the amount of data, your clients transfer, they or you should consider setting up a VPN-connection with your laptop anyway.

Bottom-Line: By the time, the Lead-In on your optical media is written, you should have the most data on your laptop depending on transfer method.

I wouldn't mind leaving behind the optical drive. I barely use it. And to the nay-sayers: Apple could very well include a USB-stick for software restore. That'd be freakin' cool.

And on another note: We are talking about a sub-notebook, aren't we? In my mind a sub-notebook is a very nice and neat travel companion to access and modify data fast. But the real work is done on the office desktop, which is perfectly synced with the sub-notebook. Am I wrong here?

If you have your synced dektop Mac at the office, especially combined with Leopards Mac sharing features, then you even don't need optical media to access your media files anyway!

Gee...I'd love to have that nice little fellow, if it has enough power to do the basic work on the road!

 

[mrgreen4242]

Would this subnotebook be the tablet we are all expecting. By tablet I mean:
-full multitouch keyboard
-stylus input
-two OSs - Standard Leopard when in 2 screen mode, Touch Leopard when in 1 screen mode.
-two 9" screens
-foldable display

what would you think Apple will surprise us with this year...?

I want to see a tablet from Apple, but not that. A touch screen keyboard would be a horrible waste of space and money. Tablets have really failed to catch on, and I think it's because they've (almost) all been more or less laptop sized and weight. They're not particularly handy to carry around and use standing up, but if you're going to sit down and use it, mind as well get a regular laptop.

I'd love to see a super thin 7-8" tablet that's a cross between a sub-notbook and an iPhone/touch, though. Small enough to carry around with you and use comfortably, but powerful enough to be more computer than PDA. But, it's not going to happen. I don't think there would be enough market demand for it to make it worthwhile.

The multitouch trackpad is a neat idea, though. I can see pinching to resize windows, or of course zoom photos and other documents, being handy. Mac laptops already know the difference between a one and two finger drag/swipe, though right?

I think they'd have to make the trackpad a bit bigger than standard to make it work right, and I'm wondering if it'll have it's own little LCD (or LED, I suppose) display under it.

 

[steve jr.]

A Mac sub-notebook will not coming with an internal optical drive. This omission is presumably due to Apple's ongoing efforts to reduce the size of their laptops.

This is GREAT news! Thin is in.

I think this is the beginning of the next data storage shift. First Apple cut out floppy's and went to Combo/Superdrive. Now they are doing this because flash drives (jump drives) are becoming so affordable and are even smaller, and external. I think Apple started this with iTunes, and making music digital rather than on CD, and I think this is somehow in their plans.

 

[DesignerOnMac]

I want to know how Apple will connect the external drive to the main machine.
You need to plug a firewire or USB2 cable ?
It's too un- and too 1990-ish. They must have a nicer way.

Apples Lombard Laptop, had choices for drives. All were the same size and they slide into the compartment. The Compartment had a protective door to cover it. Since this new thin laptop is going to be thin, I am assuming it might have a similar arrangement??

 

[Manatee]

Great news!

The last time I put anything in the optical drive on my MacBook Pro was when I installed Leopard.

I hope I can have this subnote in hand by the end of January.

 

[plumbingandtech]

I think this is the beginning of the next data storage shift. First Apple cut out floppy's and went to Combo/Superdrive. Now they are doing this because flash drives (jump drives) are becoming so affordable and are even smaller, and external. I think Apple started this with iTunes, and making music digital rather than on CD, and I think this is somehow in their plans.

I agree. They may be a little ahead of the curve. (although I would say it is the right time.) but death to opticals that make things thick and are not used MOST of the time by MOST people.

(yes. some people use them all the time. but they are a small minority of overall users.)

 

[swagi]

O.K. Somone has to start it

So me, as a non-photography expert, has to say: FAKE! This is with my barren understanding of picture setup, but:

- note the absolute linear gradient on the wide trackpad
- the exact linear gradient on the trackpad doesn't correspond with the obliquie linear gradient on the keyboard
- on the left side of the notebook it rather looks like an old-school female power-connector, not MagSafe
- note the distorted pixels in both Leopard screens, the are perfectly the same despite leading you to believe, that they show differing desktops
- note the screen on the 'ptototype' looks that oblique, that it nearly hides behind the latch in the lower left corner

So, as long as I don't see an elevator, I don't believe it.

Real question: Will Safari be snappier on this one?

 

[mrgreen4242]

People won't whine about the external drive. People will whine because it will just be a combo drive and it will be 2008.

Haha. That has been my biggest Apple complaint for years now - even beating out the GPU selection.

don't you remember that weird patent which showed a optical drive on the bottom of the notebook? Of course the picture was stupid, but patent pics usually are.. I think they are going to do something innovative with the optical drive no one has ever done before.. Having said that.. I wouldn't mind if the drive was external since you don't use it much anyway..

That's an interesting idea. I think they might try something like that for a 12" MBP and leave the drive external for an ultraportable.

External optical drive is actually blu-ray and also plugs into the AppleTV.

Now that'd be something...

Now THAT is an idea. The ATV has been waiting for an upgrade for a long time, so announcing new models at the same time could be a pretty big deal. If the Apple TV was a bit better priced at the 160gb+ range, had (or at least supported a USB) HD tuner/hardware h264 realtime compressor, and had an optional BluRay drive (I'm a fan of HDDVD, but I'd jump ship for this) it would literally replace everything connected to my TV (except my XBox, which is on a different TV anyways). If they could swing it for, say, $300 for the ATV, $100 for the tuner/encoder dongle, and another $150-200 for the optical drive I would bite. I'd find the cash somewhere and buy it.

 

[Mickinator]

What's that under the little laptop? A biz card?

Look under the little laptop. What's that black card sitting there, with an Apple logo? Could that be a business card? Is that a clue for us?


(my first post here!)

 

[gotohamish]

It's gonna be slow. Every true ultraportable (11.1" or smaller) has an ultralow voltage chip in them.

For example, this notebook by Sony is $3,599 AUD, and it has a 1.2GHz chip.

If you're looking for power, get a MacBook.

But what is FAST for? If you're in the field and you need the fastest laptop, you're likely doing video or audio, and for that you're likely quite grounded, so a regular macbook or macbook pro would suffice. If, like me, you want a machine to have in your bag every day for little 10 minute updates and email/web/organization, then this laptop would be gold.

Plus, the external drive would allow for either a format-friendly combo, or leave that up to the end user with an OS update for HD-DVD and BRD burning. But that's another discussion.

 

[plumbingandtech]

I thought the pic was uploaded in jest.

I mean it is a total fake. Why the doubt?

(The person did do a great job though.)

 

[Mekgek]

Wow, I want one even if it's fake

Honestly can't tell for sure if its fake or not.

 

[DaBrain]

hm. sounds like an interesting set up that will have a lot of people whining.

OR a lot of people whining about all the people that are whining!--)))

 

[gotohamish]

Excuse me, but optical media is so old-fashioned. I mean, come on, gimme a break. Handing over a CD or DVD for data transfer in 2008 is like using a floppy disk in 2000!

Any of you ever heard of USB-Flash sticks? And given the amount of data, your clients transfer, they or you should consider setting up a VPN-connection with your laptop anyway.

Bottom-Line: By the time, the Lead-In on your optical media is written, you should have the most data on your laptop depending on transfer method.

I wouldn't mind leaving behind the optical drive. I barely use it. And to the nay-sayers: Apple could very well include a USB-stick for software restore. That'd be freakin' cool.

And on another note: We are talking about a sub-notebook, aren't we? In my mind a sub-notebook is a very nice and neat travel companion to access and modify data fast. But the real work is done on the office desktop, which is perfectly synced with the sub-notebook. Am I wrong here?

If you have your synced dektop Mac at the office, especially combined with Leopards Mac sharing features, then you even don't need optical media to access your media files anyway!

Gee...I'd love to have that nice little fellow, if it has enough power to do the basic work on the road!

I agree. Apple is seriously trying to ditch media.

With iTunes, and the rumored movie rentals, coupled with general web services (be that iDisk or the—honestly—better alternatives) or flash drives, what do you need the disks for.

Better education in web services alone would eliminate the need for the drive over time.

 

[plumbingandtech]

Wow, I want one even if it's fake

Honestly can't tell for sure if its fake or not.

Why would apple release a notebook where the button would be in the same place as the palm rest? The long button is the obvious give away.

 

[Mekgek]

Why would apple release a notebook where the button would be in the same place as the palm rest? The long button is the obvious give away.

Hmm indeed, the long button doesn't make sense

 

[137489]

I am not a fan of flash usb sticks for permanent storage.

1. The life span is still not that long. We seem to kill at least one or 2 a year.
2. They are not large enough for permanent storage (ie 4.7 gig DVD's are pretty cheap (100 for $17), but a 2 gig USB stick still costs about $50.
3. How do you label a USB stick?
4. CD/DVD's are thin to store in a notebook, where as USB sticks are still thicker making storing them a little bulkier.

If CD/DVD are on the way out, then we need better ways for permanent storage. I am a big user of documents, pictures, videos, etc.

I am also not a fan of external drives either. With all that said, a sub-notebook is ok for taking to school or to meetings, but for everyday use, I like having things built in and power. I really do not like being tied to a desk, I want the freedom to use my laptop where-ever.

However I do agree with one thing - the smaller and light-weight the better.
Laptops lately are the size of small desktops (look at the monsters from Dell and Toshiba).

I am excited to see what Steve Jobs shows us.... Steve usually has some innovative announcements that just blows away our expectations.....

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

You're not a fan of external drives but you have a lot of photos, documents, video and audio.....