Are Apple Laptop Updates Still on Track for October?

[Apple-Muck]

Looks more like it

I project these updates to mwsf09.

I agree with you , looks more and more like it although i don't like to say it !... and ....macbooks(pro) are starting to hump behind in specs compared to non apple alternatives

 

[jpfarley]

This is insane. I'm completely for the suspense, but this is crazy! It's hard telling what rumors have some sort of credibility to them now, there is so much speculation going on. I'm all ready to purchase a new Macbook Pro, but seems like I'm just in a waiting game. I don't want to buy a Macbook Pro and then be disappointed to find that they get an update a month later! Come on, give us some more info, Steve!

 

[meagain]

Seems to me this would be a MacWorld thing. That was always my thinking. IDK.

 

[840quadra]

Long term lurker compelled to post...

Very frustrated by lack of movement, slowly weakening and might pick up a refurb 2.4ghz macbook from refurb store on 15th if nothing is released.

Or, you could wait, save a bit more money, and buy a higher end model of the expected new release. Hard choice to make, but, you still have the choice!

Nice thing is, the used market for apple laptops will likely let you sell your refurb Pro for only a slight loss.

 

[TheQuestion]

If memory serves, the current generation of MacBooks was released w/o an event in 2006.

True. There was no media event, just a bunch of people refreshing Apple's front page at 9:00 a.m. eastern time...

 

[Orng]

If you were to ask my mother-in-law, she'd probably theorize that SJ doesn't want to release a new product line while Mercury is retrograde. So after the 15th.

I suppose astrology is as good a source as anything else.

...I have been telling everyone that the new MacBooks are coming out Next week! My reputation is on the line! I believe rumours too much and I need to stop telling people I have "inside" information when I'm simply a fraud haha

I guess the best way to deflect snark is to own your own self-directed snark!

 

[happydude]

Remember Monday is a US holiday. In the past Apple has held events on a Wednesday following a Monday holiday. Which would mean an announcement could come today, seven days prior to the event.

columbus day is no major holiday, just an excuse for banking/wallstreet execs and the post office to take the day off. i'm sure apple's announcement schedule won't be based off a day dedicated to some idiot who thought he hit india but "discovered" a continent already populated with advanced civilizations that was "discovered" a few centuries earlier by the vikings.

 

[mladenz]

I also think there won't be an event, as someone said in this topic, what do they want to show? Yes, it's a redesign, and you can say: "its pretty ain't it?" but is that worth a event?

Don't get me wrong here, i've been waiting 4-5 months now and i'm checking this damn forum every day, almost 20 times a day.

 

[jcb10]

Going to OZ, need a laptop

I leave Oct. 30 for a three-week trip to Australia and need a laptop. (My current iBook has a split screen and will not survive the trip.) I will buy whatever is available on Oct. 22 (as long as it will be in my hands on the 28th). Hopefully I will have a nice, new-model MB or MBP.

Failing that, any suggestions for a cheap but fairly durable Mac laptop that will be good for quick drops into Internet cafes for blogging, watching movies on a couple long train rides and can sync an iPhone?

 

[twoodcc]

well, it's not looking good for next week. unless an invite goes out today, i don't see it happening

 

[nick9191]

I leave Oct. 30 for a three-week trip to Australia and need a laptop. (My current iBook has a split screen and will not survive the trip.) I will buy whatever is available on Oct. 22 (as long as it will be in my hands on the 28th). Hopefully I will have a nice, new-model MB or MBP.

Failing that, any suggestions for a cheap but fairly durable Mac laptop that will be good for quick drops into Internet cafes for blogging, watching movies on a couple long train rides and can sync an iPhone?

12" Powerbook.

 

[RRRize]

I got my MacBook Pro last month and I couldn't wait for the updates because I required it for school. But I have been telling everyone that the new MacBooks are coming out Next week! My reputation is on the line! I believe rumours too much and I need to stop telling people I have "inside" information when I'm simply a fraud haha

You and I both are frauds! I've got 5 people at my job stoked about October 14th's MBP release. I've banded them all together and we've planned to order them on one invoice and have them shipped to work. What's worse, MY rumor has spread and at least 3 more people may join us. I am gonna look like a hot mess next week if there are no new MacBook Pros!

...oh well... such is the life of a rumor-monger.

 

[snake101st]

Ive been waiting since may, because of the July rumors... look where we are now.

Im inches away from ordering a thinkpad w500 and hackintoshing it. It wont be as pretty or as "ready" for OS X, but its so much better spec wise, and is more customizable. And it doesnt have a faulty video card.

If the MBP's dont come out tuesday, Im serious, Ill click the order button on the thinkpad site unless there are concrete rumors. No more "uh, I think they'll be out on X date!"

 

[Chris Rogers]

the current selection is great. Buy now and be happy.

 

[Apple-Muck]

Agree too

This is insane. I'm completely for the suspense, but this is crazy! It's hard telling what rumors have some sort of credibility to them now, there is so much speculation going on. I'm all ready to purchase a new Macbook Pro, but seems like I'm just in a waiting game. I don't want to buy a Macbook Pro and then be disappointed to find that they get an update a month later! Come on, give us some more info, Steve!

I agree with you too... But that's the price to pay when you jump onto the rumour and speculation train..... Waiting, Speculation, hope for a release, some more waiting, some more speculation and then all of a sudden you have that one slightly more credible story that pops out of nowhere which puts your hopes up again for a release ...etc etc etc .... Oh well that's part of the fun too... and addicted as I am, I will probably be checking it all out here again tomorrow

 

[tgildred]

If those case designs are accurate, I'm not sure that this is a major redesign of either notebook line. It seems more like a logical progression, like the transition from the iBook to the MacBook. Apple already highlighted their move to aluminum in their consumer lineup with the introduction of the aluminum iMac. If there are any design cues taken from the Air, then--again--it's already been showcased.

Of course I'm just basing these on the previously leaked images, which themselves don't tell you much. I'm just trying to say that even if the look of the new notebooks was significantly different, it may not warrant an event because Apple has already more or less announced the direction of it's industrial design. We're just waiting for the rest of the products to play catch-up.

I know the iPods got an event for their redesign, but then the iPod touch had some fairly significant new features, and I think Apple wanted to hype up the possibility of the touch as a gaming device.

 

[shirohagen]

I've been waiting almost two months for updates to the MBP, I need one badly:

http://www.holster.co.uk/blog/death-of-a-powerbook

I really do hope they're coming soon, I can't go on doing my freelance graphic design on the kitchen TV.



®

 

[highjumppudding]

yes, they are still on track for october. this is the best time to release them for the holiday. leopard was released october last year, perfect timing. It'll happen. It may not be an event but a subtle release is enough. if they do modify their production process, that alone will hit the news and media in a heartbeat even without an event. if that is showcased, then it is given that an image of the new computer designs will hit the news and media too. something like this doesnt need an event. people will see these new computers anyway when they go to apple for holiday shopping.

 

[SirROM]

My 2¢ Worth...

Apple likes to have the spotlight when they release products. This is why they release on Tuesdays rather than Mondays so the “other” news that happened over the weekend will not cloud the message. This is also the reason why they WOULD likely move the announcement to Wednesday if it is to be next week.

Furthermore, the economic crisis and presidential debates are dominating the news right now, so Apple is less likely to release a product that will get “lost” among other news right now. Given the poor economic outlook, they may just be willing to wait a little longer to prevent a new product (even of it is just basically an upgrade) from not selling well. Mindshare associated with strong sales is actually MORE important than the extra profit right now to Apple. They have the money in the bank and have probably decided it is just better to wait than give ”anal-ists“ a reason to downgrade APPL or predict doom and gloom for the company's future.

Regardless, I also hope for an updated and feature-rich MacBook next week or soon. I think there is too much evidence to suggest that they will wait until January, but it may be another couple of weeks given the outside factors.

 

[olikid]

Having been waiting for 2/3 months for a new MBP to compliment my current MB, I too am pretty keen on the idea of something happening on the 14th...

Dispite the lack of a press invite, I'm actually still pretty hopeful that we'll see something next week.

Main reason being, if the spy shots of the new cases are accurate (which according to appleinsider, they were), then it doesn't look like they've been built using any revolutionary 'brick' manufacturing process... They look pretty much identical in terms of overall construction - certainly not the 'revolutionary', 'screw free', 'single panel', case that the 'brick' event was supposed to show off...

Like a few blogs have mentioned - It's unlikely that Apple could build a new manufacturing plant without anyone knowing about it - so I'd (optimistically) assume that although we're certainly due an update - it's not going to be the groundbreaking revolutionary manufactured product some have been waiting for.

And to echo previous comments - the last MacBook refresh didn't get a huge event - so why should these?

So, roll on the 14th - I'd love a 15" (Or 16.1" whatever) MBP with a graphics card that works well, and a battery that lasts 5+ hours.

 

[nick9191]

agree 100%.

if they make an event without software, it will be relatively short since there is a major lack of anything to show... is that really worth inviting hundreds of people? i think not.

either way, it will be a silent release... the only question is when?

+1

"New Macbooks and Macbook Pro's, yeah there aluminium, thin as well, quite cheap, oh we're updating the Mini as well, NOT *sniger*. Okay bye then..."

 

[DaBrain]

Well perhaps the World's Economic current condition has changed things? Ya Think?

 

[jbrenn]

no event

i think the new macbooks will just show up in the store. yes they are a redesign but we all know that they will be alumium. If there are no new features for an event i dont see them holding one. I also have read that they will be using nvidea chips that are releasing on the 15 not the 14. is it possible for a wed or thurs release. according to the buyers guide macbooks have been updates on a wed and a thurs.

 

[snake101st]

the current selection is great. Buy now and be happy.

Only theyre really not.

I could get a W500 with this:

"ThinkPad W500 (customized) - $1,734.40

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 (2.53GHz 1066MHz 6MBL2)
Display type: 15.4" WSXGA+ TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight
System graphics: ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 with 512MB VRAM
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)

Pointing device: UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
Camera: 1.3 Megapixel Integrated Camera
Hard drive: 320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
Optical device: DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & PC Card Slot
Bluetooth: Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel WiFi Link 5300 (AGN)"

For cheaper than the base MBP, even with the edu discount. And its video card wont die. And it has DDR3 and a faster processor, etc.

 

[krye]

I can't remember the last time I saw a media event for a laptop release. There's one for the iPods in Sept, MacWorld in Jan, and WWDC in June. I think the new MacBooks will be ushered in on 10/14 with nothing more than a refresh to the Apple homepage.