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Apple to Release Thinner MacBook Pro at WWDC

cmChimera said:
I always find it amusing when someone tells me that, because I don't need an ODD or ethernet, a Macbook Air would satisfy my needs. I can't express how asinine that is.
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If anything, I hope that this demonstrates how asinine both arguments are; the fact of the matter is that most of the people on here wanting a machine without an optical drive and Ethernet, don't really have a use for any other MacBook Pro feature other than the larger screen sizes. For those that do have uses for such a hybrid of the two lines as they currently stand today, they are in the minority; which doesn't make their wants and/or needs invalid, just unlikely to be served by Apple. Stupid really, they should have more options.

KnightWRX said:
Or, we can have a thinner, lighter MacBook Pro, complete with high-res display and dedicated GPU and plug in an external Ethernet adapter and ODD.
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Come on Knight, this is so unlike you. You know that won't fly logically. Dedicated GPUs require space in all dimensions. Plus which magical interface is going to give me full gigabit ethernet? Thunderbolt is impractical and unless USB 3.0 is going to be able to give me that kind of performance through Ethernet (which it very well might; I don't know the speed of USB 3 off the top of my head), I don't see where a dongle is going to help me out here.
 
Yebubbleman said:
Come on Knight, this is so unlike you. You know that won't fly logically. Dedicated GPUs require space in all dimensions. Plus which magical interface is going to give me full gigabit ethernet? Thunderbolt is impractical and unless USB 3.0 is going to be able to give me that kind of performance through Ethernet (which it very well might; I don't know the speed of USB 3 off the top of my head), I don't see where a dongle is going to help me out here.
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USB 3.0 is 5 Gb/s. I am already seeing current USB 3.0 drives peak at around 225 MB/s (1.8 Gb/s) transfer rates. Maybe it is a controller issue or maybe we hit the maximum.
 
Eidorian said:
USB 3.0 is 5 Gb/s. I am already seeing current USB 3.0 drives peak at around 225 MB/s (1.8 Gb/s) transfer rates. Maybe it is a controller issue or maybe we hit the maximum.
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Could be a limitation of the enclosed drive and not the USB 3 controller...or do you know something I don't know to disprove that theory? It's just a theory, I don't admit to know what I'm talking about there.
 
Yebubbleman said:
Could be a limitation of the enclosed drive and not the USB 3 controller...or do you know something I don't know to disprove that theory? It's just a theory, I don't admit to know what I'm talking about there.
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These are flash based drives. I am just not aware what the bottleneck is.
 
skatementle said:
I really hope they keep ethernet. I really need ethernet in the places I work (using it right now) : (.

Im sure they can still make it as thin as the rendering and keep an ethernet hole
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Have you looked at the size of an ethernet port recently?
 
Since Apple hath decreed that Thunderbolt is our future, how about a smaller TB monitor at a price point that is easier to swallow, say 24"/$500? Love to see that at the same time as the new MBP.
 
jpmack said:
Since Apple hath decreed that Thunderbolt is our future, how about a smaller TB monitor at a price point that is easier to swallow, say 24"/$500? Love to see that at the same time as the new MBP.
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Unlikely at that price unless it is eIPS or worse...
 
jpmack said:
Since Apple hath decreed that Thunderbolt is our future, how about a smaller TB monitor at a price point that is easier to swallow, say 24"/$500? Love to see that at the same time as the new MBP.
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I think they'd be more likely to introduce a 21-inch version (economies of scale with the smaller iMac)
 
Don't Hold Your Breath

Dear MacRumors Netizens,

The most striking thing that I have seen in this newly release mockup image of the redesigned MacBook Pro, is that only one side of the machine is visible. How do we know for fact that Apple has done away with the Ethernet port? For all we know, the port may have been moved to a different location on the machine. This is reminiscent of how Apple has relocated the power button several times throughout the history of the MacBook/MacBook Pro. If in fact there is no more SuperDrive on the machine, there is a lot of space for some new ports and other doodads that Apple thinks may be in order.

Don't hold your breath,

--Daniel
 
Concorde Rules said:
I use my ethernet port far far far more often than I use a superdrive.

Pro level machines need it.

Dongles are irritating.
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Maybe Apple should just say "there's no built-in ethernet port, we're not going to call it a 'pro level machine', ta-da". Would you stop complaining then?

They'll still sell millions to actual professionals who will get on just as well as before of course, but you won't have to face the horrendous contradiction of a 'pro level machine' without an ethernet port.
 
So excited that it will be introduced before I go to college in the fall! The Ethernet bit bugs me a little, though. Do I use it much? No. But it has always been there in case an issue came up with the wireless & I needed to be hard wired

Who am I kidding? I'll still upgrade even if they get rid of it, just like the hundreds of others who complain. :p
 
Maybe they will have different designs for different size mbp...

for example, get rid of ethernet port, and odd from 13 inch mbp but keep the ethernet port for 15 inch and 17 inch models... I am only guessing here, but I have a feeling people who are complaining about lack of ethernet port are the users of 15 inch or 17 inch pros.. correct?

I currently use a 2009 15 inch mbp, and I would be all over a 13 inch mbp with usb3, dedicated graphics, and high-res screen (1920x1080 will be plenty). Last time I used my odd was when I upgraded from leopard to snow leopard, and just like others, I only use ethernet port when I need to configure a router...
 
First thing I do when I get into the office? Hook up the power and ethernet cables to my MBP....

An adapter just seems a bit much to be honest, but I suppose I'll get used to it.
 
Demonofelru said:
Sorry to be nit picky but they aren't the most profitable company on earth. I think you meant they are the largest publicly traded company by market cap. Big oil/gas/energy companies like Chevron make tons of profit, that's not even including state owned corporations like Saudi Aramco that some estimate would have a market cap in the trillions if it were public.
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Thanks for the correction! :)
 
Poisednoise said:
Really? The fact you've been up-voted suggests that you may have a point, but this is not my experience in the UK. Of course there are going to be businesses, or more specifically certain areas/departments of a business who will consider wi-fi security not good enough, but in my experience the average business/educational establishment isn't counted amongst them. And I'm afraid it is the antiquated nature of the connection that is part of the problem. The fact that the ethernet plug and socket are both so delicate means that I believe most businesses that use laptops habitually jumped onto the wireless wagon years ago. And as many others have said, those who need ethernet will no doubt be able to avail themselves of a USB3 adapter.
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maybe my company is just more advanced then. it's a 100,000 people company w/ offices in every country but we ALL use wifi. ethernet is only for IP phone.

but my friend who works at HP did tell me she has to use ethernet in her office, so i guess not every company is the same.

but again, it's good that Apple gives us the choice to use ethernet or not. i rather NOT have it wasting my laptop form factor, and have the option to use it by buying a dongle, because i haven't used it at all for the past n years.
 
Dongle-shmongle, I bet I won't be able to set up an ip camera via this dongle in my growing global chain of brothels. Apple is too mainstream and too busy with i toys to implement modularity to more specific, more individual needs. It is a growing form over function, and I don't give a crap what anyone says.

In my business I have something for everyone.
 
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Yebubbleman said:
Come on Knight, this is so unlike you. You know that won't fly logically. Dedicated GPUs require space in all dimensions. Plus which magical interface is going to give me full gigabit ethernet? Thunderbolt is impractical and unless USB 3.0 is going to be able to give me that kind of performance through Ethernet (which it very well might; I don't know the speed of USB 3 off the top of my head), I don't see where a dongle is going to help me out here.
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USB 3 is 5 Gbit/sec. It can handle Gigabit Ethernet just fine. And we'll see what won't fly logically. A dedicated GPU could very well fit in a thinner MBP. The chips aren't that thick and usually require much less active cooling than the Intel CPUs that power these things.

It's not unlike me. Apple is not removing Ethernet or ODDs. My MacBook Air has both, albeit, as external options. If it had a dedicated GPU, it would be even better. A smaller, thinner MBP is just what I would purchase as a next laptop, built-in Ethernet and ODDs be damned. I'll just get external options when needed.

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Concorde Rules said:
I use my ethernet port far far far more often than I use a superdrive.

Pro level machines need it.
Click to expand...

Pro level machines need an OS that supports the protocol. They don't need the built-in port at all.

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dukebound85 said:
both sides were supposable shown in the mockups
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By definition a mockup is a fan made rumor of what might be. To base any kind of speculation on a mock up is ridiculous anyhow.

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Konrad said:
Dongle-shmongle, I bet I won't be able to set up an ip camera via this dongle in my growing global chain of brothels. Apple is too mainstream and too busy with i toys to implement modularity to more specific, more individual needs. It is a growing form over function, and I don't give a crap what anyone says.
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Why would a dongle prevent you from setting up an ip camera ? It's seen by the system as another Ethernet interface.
 
codo said:
You're a smarter person than me, what can I say?! :)
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Hardly. I have been using an ancient Kensington ADB numeric keypad with an iMate ADB to USB adapter for years. Not completely a parallel situation since I'll never have the need to connect to another ADB device, whereas Ethernet is ubiquitous.

Speaking of adapters, here's an interesting one for $12, even sports a 3 port USB hub:


http://tinyurl.com/7ntdqkw
 
KnightWRX said:
By definition a mockup is a fan made rumor of what might be. To base any kind of speculation on a mock up is ridiculous anyhow.
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That mockup wasn't from a "fan" per say, though it may yet prove to be inaccurate. If this is all ridiculous, then this thread and all rumor discussion is pointless.

9to5Mac reports that it has received specific information on the new 15-inch MacBook Pro's design from a source who has handled prototype casings and other components.
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manu chao said:
Simple question: how low would the proportion of users be that clearly preferred a built-in Ethernet port before Apple would be morally allowed to drop the port?
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I never really thought about that. It wouldn't be too high but all I was trying to get at was that there are some places where wifi isn't an option. And as many have said previously the small decrease in the thickness of the laptop isn't worth the loss of the Ethernet port, unless Apple were to include an adapter in the box. I'd hate to have to spend another $30 or so when I get my ~$1500 computer and see everyone else with computers half the price of mine not having to worry about it.
 
Yebubbleman said:
If anything, I hope that this demonstrates how asinine both arguments are; the fact of the matter is that most of the people on here wanting a machine without an optical drive and Ethernet, don't really have a use for any other MacBook Pro feature other than the larger screen sizes. For those that do have uses for such a hybrid of the two lines as they currently stand today, they are in the minority; which doesn't make their wants and/or needs invalid, just unlikely to be served by Apple. Stupid really, they should have more options.
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No, you're simply making generalizations. There is nothing to imply that, because someone doesn't need an ODD or ethernet cable, that a discrete graphics card, significantly greater processing capability, higher resolution, more ports, or the ability to upgrade may not be reasons they buy a Macbook Pro.

ds. said:
I never really thought about that. It wouldn't be too high but all I was trying to get at was that there are some places where wifi isn't an option. And as many have said previously the small decrease in the thickness of the laptop isn't worth the loss of the Ethernet port, unless Apple were to include an adapter in the box. I'd hate to have to spend another $30 or so when I get my ~$1500 computer and see everyone else with computers half the price of mine not having to worry about it.
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Those computers wouldn't have an aluminum chassis, the reliability, the OS, screen quality or, you know, an unprecedented screen resolution. Which user has more reason to be jealous?
 
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