Apple's Next MacBook Due in Q3 2008?

[CWallace]

The only flaw to this argument is that the brick and mortar Apple stores only service about 5 to 10% of all Apple users. Most of the US and all international users don't have a convenient Apple store near them.

But it's still an option for some folks and it's an option that is well-received by them.

Also Apple charges an additional $250 for 3 years of phone and warranty support where as dell and toshiba generally includes 3 years of support in the price.

On their "business lines", yes. Their "consumer lines" are usually one-year, same as Apple. And that extra support is factored into the higher cost of the "business line" machine, even when it has identical specs (and even components) to the "consumer line" model.

I agree to a point. But for $500 more? I just don't see the value in that. Fortunately there isn't a 50% premium/OSX tax on the Mac Pro desktops which I consider an excellent value and will be purchasing soon.

It is true that value is in the eye of the beholder. In my case, every day I work with Windows is another day I come to appreciate OS X that much more.

 

[gadgetguy08]

Stainless steel?

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but would stainless steel not be like five times heavier than aluminum?

 

[Davy Rocket]

and this is why apple rocks.

 

[Teclis]

In my case, every day I work with Windows is another day I come to appreciate OS X that much more.

Agreed. The first time i tried OS X, I could swear I heard angels sing.
I will never buy a windows machine again. (No offense to windows people. Ignorance is bliss )

 

[marbles]

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but would stainless steel not be like five times heavier than aluminum?

And so what if it is ... ...come on !!

Wouldn't you rather have something that is sturdy , well built and most important durable ?

I just don't get the fascination with small and light computers , I'm partially disabled just now ( due to RTA some years ago) but I would definitely have no issue carting round a computer that was a bit heavier ....especially if it was because the materials used where more durable !

 

[targat]

That is cool. And this would mean our late 2007 MacBook would absolutely obsolete.

 

[Teclis]

And so what if it is ... ...come on !!

Wouldn't you rather have something that is sturdy , well built and most important durable ?

I just don't get the fascination with small and light computers , I'm partially disabled just now ( due to RTA some years ago) but I would definitely have no issue carting round a computer that was a bit heavier ....especially if it was because the materials used where more durable !

I like the aluminum notebooks just the way they are. They're absolutley great! Notebooks are supposed to be portable and nok bulky and heavy. Buy a Panasonic Toughbook. Apple could sure make a sweet model, but the should definetly not replace the current aluminum models with stainless steel.

 

[marbles]

I like the aluminum notebooks just the way they are. They're absolutley great! Notebooks are supposed to be portable and nok bulky and heavy. Buy a Panasonic Toughbook. Apple could sure make a sweet model, but the should definetly not replace the current aluminum models with stainless steel.

I like the look of them too but the sad fact is that they are not very durable .

Yes notebooks are meant to be portable ... an extra couple of pounds for added durability though shouldn't be a problem for anyone..if it is you need to go the gym more

If the toughbook ran OSX I would !

So to recap ....
I personally wouldn't mind what Apple laptops are made of as long as they where more durable than they currently are .

 

[k2spitfire88]

I like the look of them too but the sad fact is that they are not very durable .

Yes notebooks are meant to be portable ... an extra couple of pounds for added durability though shouldn't be a problem for anyone..if it is you need to go the gym more

If the toughbook ran OSX I would !

So to recap ....
I personally wouldn't mind what Apple laptops are made of as long as they where more durable than they currently are .

I guess you will have to keep waiting for that cast iron macbook than, right?

 

[Laco]

I like the look of them too but the sad fact is that they are not very durable .

Yes notebooks are meant to be portable ... an extra couple of pounds for added durability though shouldn't be a problem for anyone..if it is you need to go the gym more

If the toughbook ran OSX I would !

So to recap ....
I personally wouldn't mind what Apple laptops are made of as long as they where more durable than they currently are .

If they were to increase the weight my next mac laptop would be the air for sure. Weight and size are very important to me.

I feel like I'm the only one who likes the design of the Macbook anymore.

 

[teasphere]

I admit, i overreacted a bit, and I do apologize, and he is entitled to his own opinion. However, I just think that it would not make sense for them to use the Atom processor in the MB, but it may make sense in a smaller, multitouch device (future iPhones, etc.) That seems to be what makes the most sense to me. Again, apologies for over overreacting!

Thanks for the apology, yes your reaction was a bit extreme... however in response to the others who came to my defense, I'm certainly not a kid. I have been a system designer for over 14 years and currently run a fairly large University network. I have thick skin.

Look, I could flog the same crap that everyone likes to debate ad nauseum: ~$1k tower, BD, They are too expensive/no they're not, Should I buy/oh, crap I just bought one and now new ones came out, etc.

I didn't. I tried to bring something new up for discussion. Sure, I understand they are single core. Sure Apples doesn't outwardly "care" about price. BUT, Atom is actually very well suited to the average Joe and their needs which is light use, heavy web use, word processing, photos, and very long battery life. All of which Atom could do at a substantial price savings, space savings, etc. Will it happen? who knows. To take it one step further, maybe they will simply make the lowest end MB Atom based, and then step up the middle and top edition to Montevina.

The thing is that right now the product line is becoming to homogenous. So a 15" screen and a video card will now be all that define "Pro." There is a certain point which we are approaching quickly where Apple has to switch focus from a design company who makes computers to a computer company with great design, regardless if they or you differ in opinion. A natural progression will be a lower priced laptop and a lower priced expandable desktop/tower. Sure, right now it doesn't make sense and they do not have the resources to support such an architecture, but they soon will, they will have to regardless if they make the move to lower realms or not.

Everyone is entitled to opinions, I enjoy discussing technology, I don't have a need to be right nor do I feel the need to defend or become fiercely loyal to any company. I am happily looking forward to owning my first OS X Mac, will I ever blindly back or defend Apple? Nope.

 

[marbles]

I feel like I'm the only one who likes the design of the Macbook anymore

.


no your not ... I like it for sure , I owned one a while back ...nice looking machine ...its the durability that I have problems with.

Functionality over form for me ...ie: something strong and sturdy which runs OSX
....I'm just a practical guy & appreciate good build quality and will be happy to pay for it ...(which we do when buying Mac)

...just the BQ is not all that at the moment from what I am reading on the web ......don't bash me!! .

I love Apple machines but something is a bit 'off' at the moment with regards to QC

.

I guess you will have to keep waiting for that cast iron macbook than, right?

hehe yeah Don't get me wrong guys I do love Apple and have only ever used OSX !

 

[Teclis]

I feel like I'm the only one who likes the design of the Macbook anymore.

Of cours, you are not, my friend! personally i love the design too. it's brilliant! Magnetic closing and everything. i love it, although i am looking forward to seeing the new design.

By the way, a little off topic: check out this clip on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cxbstn2IZM

 

[MikeTheC]

I guess my question here is who really wants another metal notebook from Apple?

Having owned both an iBook G3/600 and a PowerBook G4/1.5, I really just don't know if I'd ever want to go back to metal again.

Of course, that makes the assumption that my next computer would be a laptop, but that's a whole other story.

By the way, a little off topic: check out this clip on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cxbstn2IZM

Awesome!

Favorite line: "[Announcer 1]: The PC is still trying to shut down. [Announcer 2]: We may be here all night." Heh heh heh...

 

[Teclis]

i know

MikeTheC I guess my question here is who really wants another metal notebook from Apple?

Having owned both an iBook G3/600 and a PowerBook G4/1.5, I really just don't know if I'd ever want to go back to metal again.



-i agree. i also like the fact that there are two totally different designs to choose between in adittion to specs. i also like the keybord on MB better than MBP.

By the way, a little off topic: check out this clip on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cxbstn2IZM

You might want to click "view in high quality," below the Views count.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I have to say that personally, most people that don't like the keyboard on one machine versus another must not type very often. I guess I just get used to them pretty fast.

If I had to take a pick, then it's be the MBP only because it doesn't have cheap plastic keys, but honestly, while everyone else is whining over keyboards, I will say that I want a new Apple notebook that has some true performance in it. And some great battery life.

Bickering over plastic and metal is cute, but I hope Apple stops under-clocking the GFX cards and adds some extra FIREWIRE ports, not USB.

As for those that have had problems with metal cases and WiFi signals, you are in a very small group. There were problems with the PBG4 wifi cards but the reception wasn't that bad. With the MBP Apple fixed it in more ways then one. Getting a metal case from Apple now isn't that big of a deal.

 

[MikeTheC]

Bickering over plastic and metal is cute, but I hope Apple stops under-clocking the GFX cards and adds some extra FIREWIRE ports, not USB.

Sadly, dear Digital Skunk, you misunderstand my comment.

Metal cases are stylish and all, but having owned one I far prefer a polycarbonate case. It seems more durable (cosmetically, that is), and the whole thing isn't some kind of radiator. There's nothing worse than having a mobile computer and not being able to set it one's lap because it's just too d*mn hot.

 

[samkupo]

help

this is doing my head in, I really want to get a mac but if I buy one now and then 1 month later a new design comes out im going to be pissed.

I will have to sell my current laptop after I've ordered a macbook but I don't want my new macbook to be reduced in value when the redesign comes out with maybe better screens and better spec.

is it worth waiting for it or just jumping in now? I'm really impatient but this will annoy me to the point where I end up selling the macbook to get the redesign.

if only I could like... rent a laptop whilst waiting for the new designs to come out? lol

 

[Teclis]

Metal cases are stylish and all, but having owned one I far prefer a polycarbonate case. It seems more durable (cosmetically, that is), and the whole thing isn't some kind of radiator. There's nothing worse than having a mobile computer and not being able to set it one's lap because it's just too d*mn hot.

I really agree in the temerature issue, allthough I don't know the heat difference in polycarbonet vs. aluminum. But i think we all can say that laptops that go to meltdown teperature at avarage is really irritating.
Once i even borrowed an HP-laptop from a friend that, and it was so hot that you had to take a cooldown pause for your fingers because the mousepad held such an extreme temperature.

 

[marcg007]

if I didn't know you were kidding...

I like the look of them too but the sad fact is that they are not very durable .

Yes notebooks are meant to be portable ... an extra couple of pounds for added durability though shouldn't be a problem for anyone..if it is you need to go the gym more

If the toughbook ran OSX I would !

So to recap ....
I personally wouldn't mind what Apple laptops are made of as long as they where more durable than they currently are .

Speaking as someone with a bad back, who has to carry a textbook that weighs 6 pounds by itself, I would be just as happy if the laptops didn't get any heavier than they are now. One of the great things about the 12inch powerbook was that it managed to stay under the 5 pound mark and it isn't bulky or too wide like and underpowered like the Air. Don't get me wrong, I like the Air but I wish it had a smaller footprint and could take more than 2GBs of RAM. The 12 inch powerbook which I am typing this on is great because it has a full sized keyboard and doesn't take up much space in my book bag. I would love to see an MB, MBP, or MBA in a form factor like this one that could take 3 or even 4GBs of RAM and weighed a pound less than it does which would bring it under 4 pounds. Heck, if the current line of Macbooks weighed less than 5 pounds, I would probably get one but when I think about the fact that they are 5.4LBs, my textbook for just one class is 6LBs, and my actual notebook and other textbooks could mean I am carrying around 20LBs, that is just too much.

 

[marbles]

Speaking as someone with a bad back, who has to carry a textbook that weighs 6 pounds by itself, I would be just as happy if the laptops didn't get any heavier than they are now. One of the great things about the 12inch powerbook was that it managed to stay under the 5 pound mark and it isn't bulky or too wide like and underpowered like the Air. Don't get me wrong, I like the Air but I wish it had a smaller footprint and could take more than 2GBs of RAM. The 12 inch powerbook which I am typing this on is great because it has a full sized keyboard and doesn't take up much space in my book bag. I would love to see an MB, MBP, or MBA in a form factor like this one that could take 3 or even 4GBs of RAM and weighed a pound less than it does which would bring it under 4 pounds. Heck, if the current line of Macbooks weighed less than 5 pounds, I would probably get one but when I think about the fact that they are 5.4LBs, my textbook for just one class is 6LBs, and my actual notebook and other textbooks could mean I am carrying around 20LBs, that is just too much.

I hear you , I mentioned in a thread ( not sure if it was this one or not) that I had a RTA a few years ago which has left me partially disabled.

The weight does not bother me as I don't have to carry anything else around with me except the notebook
....surely for your situation the Air would be perfect as I imagine it is way more powerful than the machine that you are on currently , even with it's current specifications.

I hope you don't ake me in the wrong way ( I'm not too good at getting myself across using text just yet.The thing is I just want to be able to buy a machine that I can trust not to dent, crack, etc ..that's all

 

[Digital Skunk]

Sadly, dear Digital Skunk, you misunderstand my comment.

Metal cases are stylish and all, but having owned one I far prefer a polycarbonate case. It seems more durable (cosmetically, that is), and the whole thing isn't some kind of radiator. There's nothing worse than having a mobile computer and not being able to set it one's lap because it's just too d*mn hot.

Oh no, I get you and agree about the heat. I am just more worried about Apple taking away more functionality and under-clocking more CPUs then the case. I don't mind the poly cases either, having loved my "stolen" iBook G4, and finding the MBs far more durable than the MBPs.

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but would stainless steel not be like five times heavier than aluminum?

yeah, but the computer certainly wouldn't be five times heavier

 

[echosmyron]

this is doing my head in, I really want to get a mac but if I buy one now and then 1 month later a new design comes out im going to be pissed.

I will have to sell my current laptop after I've ordered a macbook but I don't want my new macbook to be reduced in value when the redesign comes out with maybe better screens and better spec.

is it worth waiting for it or just jumping in now? I'm really impatient but this will annoy me to the point where I end up selling the macbook to get the redesign.

if only I could like... rent a laptop whilst waiting for the new designs to come out? lol

im in the same situation as this guy.

 

[teebs]

With this new update that is supposed to be coming in 3Q of this year, will there be a price drop in the macbook and macbook pro lines? Is this common for apple to drop pricing while upgrading systems? If so, approx. what is the average drop?
thanks