Apple to Launch Retina MacBook Air Later This Year, According to Supply Chain Sources

[michaelsviews]

Although I think this will be nice, I am really finding that I can live without a laptop at this point. If they can improve the ipad to provide multi tasking (multiple windows) and an integrated keyboard cover, I would have no need for a laptop.

My wife loves her Mac air and I have yet to convert her to an ipad, but I truly believe we are either 1 or 2 generations away from the ipad being a true laptop killer. I still keep my iMac to do the heavy lifting and as a storage device, but I find myself using the ipad 90 percent of the time.

Funny you say that in regards to iPad vs Laptop, I've seen that allot in the local Best Buy Apple section and the apple store's I've been in. A couple bought the 128GB "Maxed Memory" iPad's with the keyboards instead of buying new laptop's.

And the biggest gripe is the IOS not being a multitasking IOS, you get what I mean the wording may be off a little.

It's a thought.

New Macbook Air's , IMHO by summer at latest maybe earlier like the end of April middle part of May, but not in the fall.

Have a great day everyone

 

[639051]

Just great, and I just got a new 13" Maxed MBA
Within a couple of month's is great, 3rd or 4th Qtr hmmmm not sure the old one will work that long

Wonder if there in production or even close to production at this point

More coffee

Or you know .. you could just be happy with what you have.

 

[bpcookson]

Don't forget, even basic-ass Wintels have HDMI out. It is a differentiator here. And the clock speed is not so different. And 5000 and Iris aren't so different. And won't it have thunderbolt 2 too?

Comparison to Wintels is irrelevant, but I'll grant that the HDMI port is probably the least interesting differentiator. More importantly, the rPro gives you a second Thunderbolt port; that's big for anyone interested in docking regularly.

But to minimize the clock speed when it is nearly twice as fast is nonsense, nevermind minimizing the difference between 5000 and Iris. The critical difference related to both of these, the thing that makes this a big advantage for the rPro is a higher thermal ceiling. The rPro uses a 28W chip while the air is stuck at 15W. Under nominal conditions, the performance difference may prove marginal, but that's going to balloon into a significant advantage in practical, everyday usage.

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Although I think this will be nice, I am really finding that I can live without a laptop at this point. If they can improve the ipad to provide multi tasking (multiple windows) and an integrated keyboard cover, I would have no need for a laptop.

My wife loves her Mac air and I have yet to convert her to an ipad, but I truly believe we are either 1 or 2 generations away from the ipad being a true laptop killer. I still keep my iMac to do the heavy lifting and as a storage device, but I find myself using the ipad 90 percent of the time.

Ha! I'm in the same exact boat with my wife. She sticks to her Air, I use my rMini all the time, and my Mac Mini is mostly just a media storage hub.

 

[barkmonster]

Because that's all we need. Open up Activity Monitor and tell us how much of your CPU is idling. I bet it's over 95%.

Presumptious egotism won't give you a point but here you go. I'm sure that 3% CPU left over is going to make a big difference and I wouldn't benefit from a faster CPU and more cores. I mean it's only running 369 threads over 59 processes, no high CPU load at all

(Just incase anyone's wondering why I'd run reaper and Pro Tools LE at the same time, I haven't got the cash for VE Pro and use it as software synth host via Rewire).

 

[tuxon86]

I'll buy one and velcro it to my upcoming Cintiq 13HD pen display for when I'm on the road...

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Retina screen means big battery means a retina 13" MacBook Air would be hardly distinguishable from a Retina 13" MacBook Pro. I'd be more inclined to believe that the rumored 12" MacBook is the supposed "Retina MacBook Air."

Note that the rumored display resolution of 2304x1440 is 4x of 1152x720. That's significantly below both the 1366x768 native resolution of the 11" MacBook Air and the 1440x900 native resolution of the 13" MacBook Air. It's even below the 1280x800 native resolution of the original MacBook Air.

It would make sense for Apple to drop the total number of (4x) pixels in this way so that it can still get by with a relatively smaller battery compared to the Retina 13" MacBook Pro, keeping it slim and light to justify the "Air" moniker.

For awhile the 13" MBP was actually eclipsed by the 13" MBA so that's nothing new.

 

[iMacmatician]

Because that's all we need. Open up Activity Monitor and tell us how much of your CPU is idling. I bet it's over 95%.

I looked at my Activity Monitor for about a minute straight and the idle % never went above 90%. I was playing a music video in another Space for about half the time though, but no single more intensive task.

(Specs: Late 2008 MBP, 15", 2.4 GHz.)

 

[sputnikv]

The REAL question here is the HUGE bezel that needs to vanish.

that's not a question

 

[flottenheimer]

I just want them to come out with a Retina Thunderbolt Display. I want a monitor that is like for like in quality to my rMBP.

Me too.
And I also wish for OS X to become truly resolution independent.

 

[Truffy]

A couple of months ago I was yearning to replace my MBA with a retina version. Ironically, I'm now considering a MBP to replace both that and my aging MP.

 

[Serban]

So are the ulv broadwel chips ready in april or may for macbook air be available for WWDC?

 

[flottenheimer]

... I mean it's only running 369 threads over 59 processes, no high CPU load at all :roll eyes:....

What is Firefox doing at +30% CPU?
How much faster are the same tasks/pages under Safari?

 

[dannyyankou]

I want a MacBook Air so badly, but it doesn't fit my storage needs. If they can fit 512gb, I'm sold.

 

[Gudi]

I mean it's only running 369 threads over 59 processes, no high CPU load at all.

So you've not been in the market for a MacBook Air in the first place. Those who are benefit greatly from the combination of a low-clocked CPU with a fast SSD. And now they won't even miss out on Retina.

 

[ouimetnick]

I would have one consumer machine and two "professional" machines.

MacBook Air 12" (Retina display) $999

MacBook Pro 13" (Retina display) $1299

MacBook Pro 15" (Retina display) $1999

They could offer other channel configurations of each such as a $1199 MacBook Air 12" and a $1499 and $1799 MacBook Pro 13" and the $2499 MacBook Pro 15"

 

[merrickdrfc]

I'd imagine it'll probably eclipse the rMBP 13" but will almost certainly cost more. Like it was with the pre-retina 13" MBP and 13" MBA

 

[mrples]

The REAL question here is the HUGE bezel that needs to vanish.

Completely agree. Can someone explain if there is a necessity for that bezel? The iPad Air has a narrower one, so I really don't understand. Is it the type of screen?

 

[pedromcm.pm]

Later in the year?

I wouldn't mind if they released everything hardware-related later in the year if they focussed on software in the first semester.

However, they should "really" focus on software. We should be seeing iWork, iLife and Pro apps, not to mentioned basic apps, icloud and both OSes improve weekly!

Otherwise, I'm not sure that only releasing products in the second semester is the best option. Cook should find another Cook for COO.

(PS: OS X looks old when compared with iOS 7. Beautiful, but old.)

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Completely agree. Can someone explain if there is a necessity for that bezel? The iPad Air has a narrower one, so I really don't understand. Is it the type of screen?

Maybe it is related with the other half of the laptop being that size, so the screen must match.

 

[barkmonster]

What is Firefox doing at +30% CPU?
How much faster are the same tasks/pages under Safari?

Displaying the page while I typed the reply.

Not checked how much safari would use actually. I was just using my Mac in the "I choose" to use it so it doesn't really mean anything.

EDIT: I just checked Safari and the whole 6% more surplus CPU is next to meaningless for my usage.

 

[dvoros]

updates

When will the iMacs be updated. We hear NO NEWs about them. Are they being positioned out of the line up?

 

[HurtinMinorKey]

Freakin finally! Uughh...

I know, right?

 

[Gudi]

Youthism

However, they should "really" focus on software. We should be seeing iWork, iLife and Pro apps, not to mentioned basic apps, icloud and both OSes improve weekly!

Once a year is enough for an OS upgrade.

(PS: OS X looks old when compared with iOS 7. Beautiful, but old.)

PS: iOS 7 looks ugly when compared with OS X. Young, but ugly.

 

[joeblow7777]

And while you're at it, make it black.
Back in the days, people had to wait multiple years for any innovation to happen.

They still do. You can't really claim that every year's release is innovative. A little thinner, a little faster, and higher resolution display is (welcome) improvement, but not innovation.

 

[Yelmurc]

Now they just need retina monitors for the iMac and Mac Pro.

 

[brianvictor7]

Retina screen means big battery means a retina 13" MacBook Air would be hardly distinguishable from a Retina 13" MacBook Pro.

I agree that battery life in a Retina Air would likely be less than the 12-15 hours we see in the current models, but keep in mind that the processor eats up a lot of power too. I would expect battery life to still be a step up from the MacBook Pro.