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A rMBA is not meant for performing processed-heavy functions like rendering video from mkv to mp4 for hours.

Well, yes and no. I mean, any Mac ships with iMovie. The assumption is it can handle the processing load you throw at it without shutting down or blowing up. Many people, myself included, can't necessarily afford task-driven device choices. I'd love a MBA for writing and email and a Mac Pro for Video Production/Photo processing, but it isn't going to happen.

I suppose in this case, the rMBP is the way to go.

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Overheating is somthing they would probably control by increasing the processing time of CPU-intensive tasks. As you pointed out, the iPad can do most daily things that a Mac can do. It is just that they take longer to, say, render a movie.

Hm. That sounds good on paper, but even my current iMac kicks in the fans pretty good when it's under load. I guess it's a wait and see.
 
The base 13 inch MacBook Pro and the 12 inch Retina Air are going to be mighty similar in their over lap at this point. :)
 
What's the point in matching the more powerful graphics needed to drive a retina display with a sub 2Ghz dual core CPU, a pitiful amount of soldered RAM and a tiny SSD?

That would make it the definition of middle class credit card millionaire emailing device.

To meet the needs of most users? Many people don't need a high end CPU, but would still value the appearance of a high res screen and better video playback. If you have different needs, you have other options available.

PS: Way to make assumptions on what all the specs will be.
 
The 11" MBA currently can be configured to have 8G of RAM and 512G SSD.

I don't consider that to be 'pitiful' and 'tiny'.

Your brain would be if you paid all that extra for the pleasure of using it with a 1.3 or 1.7Ghz dual core CPU. You'd be in MacBook Pro territory then and have more options open to you. There's £20 difference between an 11" MacBook Air with 8Gb, 512Gb SSD, a 1.7Ghz i7 and HD4000 GPU and a 13" Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.4Ghz i5, 8Gb, 512Gb SSD and Iris Pro GPU. Who in their right mind would want the 11" Air instead?
 
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End of the year? Okay, so the new iphone is EOY. The rumored iWatch & possibly Apple Television it at EOY.

Um...does Apple plan to release anything in the first half of the year??

That's an awfully long gap for any new products or updates. If they aren't gonna update the MacBook airs or pros, Hopefully they'll update the iMacs & Mac mini this spring at least. Something.

The real question is : do I need a phone /tablet/desktop/portable computer? If yes, you have a choice with products lesser than one year old. If the matter is only your personal hunger for new toys, then you'll never be satisfied
 
For those of you who are wondering about pixel density, it comes out to about the same as the current rMBP: around 220 ppi.

This is less than than the retina iPhones at 326 ppi, but presumably those live closer to your face.

Most important to me is the fact that it will be a dramatic improvement compared to what we have now!
 
With the current size of the MBAs, Apple could potentially introduce an edge-to-edge Retina display, which will bolster the 11" and 13" to 12" and 14", respectively. Failing that they'd keep the bezel size and just make the display Retina.

However with the addition of a 13" rMBA, that begs the question of why keep a 13" rMBP. So I'd imagine that they'd either drop the 13" rMBP in favour of the 13" rMBA, or they'd upgrade the rMBP to a Quad-Core processor. That way there will be a clear definition between the power of their consumer and Pro portable products, and Retina will be standardised in all their laptops.

All of the above is speculation, naturally -- very excited to see what Apple will do because I haven't a clue. :)

Look at the specs for the high end air and then the low end pro. The MacBook Pro is just that; a pro machine. That's the reason keep the 13-inch. It's more powerful than the air. Need a 13-inch but don't need much power? The air is perfect.
 
Seems like there is opportunity for a lot of convergence in this space.

If apple were to put retina into every MacBook, they could comminise all the components in the lid and except for size use the common lid across the entire line. If the wanted to still differentiate between consumer and pro they could add an additional camera to the front for stereo optical functionality or one to the back like on iOS devices.

The major differentiation would take place in the base with bigger batteries, more memory, storage and faster processors like today.

In all, with the slow overlapping of the upper and lower ends of the range feature wise, consolidation in the physical package space could be in the cards too.
 
Well, yes and no. I mean, any Mac ships with iMovie. The assumption is it can handle the processing load you throw at it without shutting down or blowing up. Many people, myself included, can't necessarily afford task-driven device choices. I'd love a MBA for writing and email and a Mac Pro for Video Production/Photo processing, but it isn't going to happen.

I suppose in this case, the rMBP is the way to go.

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Hm. That sounds good on paper, but even my current iMac kicks in the fans pretty good when it's under load. I guess it's a wait and see.

Agreed. When I render a 4 minute movie on my iPhone, it warms up noticeably. I shudder to think of how long it would take to render a 60 minute movie and how hot the device grew. Hence I have a MBPr 13" and am not waiting for the new Air. I don't want to burn out the device or wait so very darn long for it to finish the job.

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I wouldn't get your hopes up too much -- Apple never listened to those of us who spent years begging them to bring back a low-priced, easily upgradeable tower, like the entry-level G4 Power Mac circa 2000.

Noisy hard drive gets replaced :D ... with an SSD! Okay, maybe that analogy fell apart. Seriously though, the VPs at Apple do pay attention to complaints and the more they hear on a given topic the more they will be inclined to seriously consider it.
 
Freakin finally! Uughh... :apple:

Yes, but the next day you’ll be griping about battery life and overheating. All those pixels take a lot of power which is why we haven’t seen a retina MBA yet. The retina iPads had to get thicker for the bigger battery. It’s all an engineering compromise. Rob Peter to pay Paul.
 
I'd like a 15-inch MacBook Air. That would make me happy! My 2008 15-inch MacBook Pro is heavy, and showing its age....and the sound doesn't always work without some terminal commands and a reboot...
 
Retina MacBook Air. For some reason, I have visions of the 1st generation MacBook Air, which was so criminally underpowered that YouTube videos made the thing overheat, and played at about a 1 fps rate. Nobody in his/her right mind should buy a 1st generation retina MacBook Air.
 
So are the ulv broadwel chips ready in april or may for macbook air be available for WWDC?

I don't think so. Maybe Apple will have special treatment from Intel and get some before everybody else...who knows.
 
I mean, the days of being prideful of having a Retina display are over as most screen manufactures are pushing out cheaper hi-DPI screens anyways. Most likely its just cheaper to make MacBook Air have Retina then the other way around. In fact Apple is going to have to consider dropping the Retina moniker in the near future because even PC notebooks and many tablets are offering higher DPI then a "Retina" device.

Unless Apple pushes way past the competitor's pixel density, there is no point to use Retina in a product name anymore.

yeah I agree. At some point they will most likely have to drop Retina. Also if they kept retina without boosting the current DPI they run the risk of getting an UltraHD lite reputation shortly since it seems most of the competing devices are standardizing at 4k.
 
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.

That's why the new MBA has to be noticeably thinner/smaller so that people like you will consider buying both again.

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

It does so now. The 11" MBA has a BTO 512G SSD option.
 
I would rather have a touch screen version the size of a iPad and the keyboard needs to be able to flip to the back. Needs to also have a IOS emulator since the Mac has very little software.

Then again just give me a iPad with a Keyboard AND MOUSE/Track pad support. Then I could use Microsofts RDP to log into my work machine and use the iPad stuff for all the other apps and games.

The Mac has very little software? Uhh, ok dude...
 
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?

Mechanical strength/support for the the thin display. The iPad is much thicker than the MBA display.
 
I would rather have a touch screen version the size of a iPad and the keyboard needs to be able to flip to the back. Needs to also have a IOS emulator since the Mac has very little software.

Then again just give me a iPad with a Keyboard AND MOUSE/Track pad support. Then I could use Microsofts RDP to log into my work machine and use the iPad stuff for all the other apps and games.

So until then still waiting, same story for my bigger phone.

Will get that this year you just need to make it soon.

That would be cool for the iPad pro. The only way the idea would work is if the screen flipped back, otherwise my hand would feel like it would fall off after using it for 5 minutes, lol
 
Good strategy from apple.
Announce the Macbook Air with retina this year, nullify the gains of Haswell in battery life(to some extent not all).
Upgrade to Broadwell next year and claim a 30% battery life jump(best case).

If I were to buy a Retina MBA. I wouldnt buy one without Broadwell.
 
Jobs has stated the iPad would never have support for mouse.

It has to be said: If Apple releases an iPad with mouse support, what is Steve Jobs going to do about it?

And an iPhone or iPad with Airplay connecting to a TV and wireless mouse and keyboard support with the right software would make a decent desktop computer).
 
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