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Are Apple Laptop Updates Still on Track for October?
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This couldn't be further from the truth, as far as their computers as of late. When was the last time Apple updated their computers, besides launching the Air? This is part of the complaint. Apple DOESN'T stay up with technology. They keep selling the same exact thing for months (and in some of these cases over a year) while PCs are updated continuously, which is why Dell, etc don't have special keynote presentations. If they can buy bigger hard drives, they put them in as options. More RAM, more options. Apple has sold the same HDDs in their MBs for months now and kept their prices the same, while PC manufacturers constantly update things like this.
I for one am glad to hear that the financial crisis will have begun to subside by November allowing Apple to release a new MacBook then.
The economy good or bad will not stop Apple from updating products, in fact it is a reason to update more frequently rather than less or not at all.
Worst thing Apple can do right now is nothing at all, people are going to be much more picky when it comes to making big purchases, Apple can offer you a more expensive MBP that hasn't been update in some time or you can go with a Windows based laptop where most get updated every few months as new things are released.
I know Apple won't fail, but not updating products is a good way to encourage people to look elsewhere. It doesn't need to be the complete overhaul or any amazing new tech. A bump to a current/brand new processor to get a good speed boost, increase the HDD space/speed, maybe tewak the graphics to a newer chipset and you are current again for a few months till the really new whizz bang unit is ready.
Worst thing Apple can do right now is nothing at all, people are going to be much more picky when it comes to making big purchases, Apple can offer you a more expensive MBP that hasn't been update in some time or you can go with a Windows based laptop where most get updated every few months as new things are released.
I know Apple won't fail, but not updating products is a good way to encourage people to look elsewhere. It doesn't need to be the complete overhaul or any amazing new tech. A bump to a current/brand new processor to get a good speed boost, increase the HDD space/speed, maybe tewak the graphics to a newer chipset and you are current again for a few months till the really new whizz bang unit is ready.
I think a lot of you are missing some key information on apple here.
1) Apple does keynotes when they have something big to show. This causes the stock to go up. Last event was meh, and they stock dove. So if there is a release of new notebooks, don't look for a keynote.
2) The updates that are coming will likely come in at a lower price point as well. Apple has already stated they will be cutting into pre-christmas margins to be able to be more competitive. Last keynote was a LOOK LOWER PRICES, and NEW PRETTYNESS. That didn't work out well for shareholders.
3) There needs to be a serious refresh. Apple notebooks are not competitive and sales will slow now that school has started up. They cant wait till 2009 as then you will have the same tired notebooks out when Snow Leopard is out. Even a new month would be cutting it close.
4) Apple needs to start gearing up products FOR Snow Leopard today. Before 2009 so they can say IT WILL WORK AWESOME ON THE NOTEBOOK YOU BUY TODAY, during the 2009 keynote. Would anyone have bought Leopard up if they were told the notebook they bought 9 months prior would not use 1/2 the features. I think it's safe to say, look for some sort of GPU rather then X3100 in the updates. I think the rumors of an Nvidia chipset fit in VERY well here.
This is just my 2 cents though and pure speculation, JUST like a Chinese Blog speculating on an American Keynote ;P
Edit: PS about the economy. It's going to keep getting worse. The longer apple waits the worse it becomes. Look for 12-18 months of recession. I don't think they will wait that long for an update. Anyone who thinks this is going to be a green X-mas... is in for a shock!
1) Apple does keynotes when they have something big to show. This causes the stock to go up. Last event was meh, and they stock dove. So if there is a release of new notebooks, don't look for a keynote.
2) The updates that are coming will likely come in at a lower price point as well. Apple has already stated they will be cutting into pre-christmas margins to be able to be more competitive. Last keynote was a LOOK LOWER PRICES, and NEW PRETTYNESS. That didn't work out well for shareholders.
3) There needs to be a serious refresh. Apple notebooks are not competitive and sales will slow now that school has started up. They cant wait till 2009 as then you will have the same tired notebooks out when Snow Leopard is out. Even a new month would be cutting it close.
4) Apple needs to start gearing up products FOR Snow Leopard today. Before 2009 so they can say IT WILL WORK AWESOME ON THE NOTEBOOK YOU BUY TODAY, during the 2009 keynote. Would anyone have bought Leopard up if they were told the notebook they bought 9 months prior would not use 1/2 the features. I think it's safe to say, look for some sort of GPU rather then X3100 in the updates. I think the rumors of an Nvidia chipset fit in VERY well here.
This is just my 2 cents though and pure speculation, JUST like a Chinese Blog speculating on an American Keynote ;P
Edit: PS about the economy. It's going to keep getting worse. The longer apple waits the worse it becomes. Look for 12-18 months of recession. I don't think they will wait that long for an update. Anyone who thinks this is going to be a green X-mas... is in for a shock!
What if the just posted a quick 2 minute video of Jobsy on the home page? I think that would suffice!!
They could have it like Alan Partridge after being crushed by a cow... except Steve J would be talking from his hospital bed... complete with stand-in arms !
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MrOBqn0asug
They could have it like Alan Partridge after being crushed by a cow... except Steve J would be talking from his hospital bed... complete with stand-in arms !
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MrOBqn0asug
I expect an update next week - although it might not be Tuesday - and I hope that Apple also deigns to update the Mac Mini at that time with the NVIDIA chipset as well as I'm in the market for something like this.
I don't think there will be a major announcement - it will only be a product update. Even if there was a new manufacturing process, I don't think it would be that exciting for a presentation.
Apple need to get updates out sooner now that they're using Intel. I'm talking about incremental bumps every 3 months even if that is only small improvements to the CPU speed, HD capacity, RAM capacity and so on. Alternatively they could drop the prices as the design gets older so that the products stay good value over the vast amount of time it often takes Apple to get around to releasing even minor updates.
If there's no announcement, then there's no tablet mac, no subnotebook mac, no large-ipod mac, no nothing. Glass trackpads however are still a possibility, but don't be upset if they're delayed to January/February.
I don't think there will be a major announcement - it will only be a product update. Even if there was a new manufacturing process, I don't think it would be that exciting for a presentation.
Apple need to get updates out sooner now that they're using Intel. I'm talking about incremental bumps every 3 months even if that is only small improvements to the CPU speed, HD capacity, RAM capacity and so on. Alternatively they could drop the prices as the design gets older so that the products stay good value over the vast amount of time it often takes Apple to get around to releasing even minor updates.
If there's no announcement, then there's no tablet mac, no subnotebook mac, no large-ipod mac, no nothing. Glass trackpads however are still a possibility, but don't be upset if they're delayed to January/February.
I suspect Apple has a one-day lead on the new NVIDIA chips... so they get to release on the Tuesday before anyone else can get their hands on them on the Wednesday!
Im not understanding the pessimism here. In fact, in my opinion, all rumours add up beautifully.
a) The Taiwanese blogger Apple.pro most probably had authentic prototype images of the MBP, but by no means (assuming the blogger has some form of insider contact) that either Taiwanese manufacturer had the go ahead to produce these cases, which then confirms...
b)...the Brick and all of its connotations of a new manufacturing process based in the USA, ruling out any form of participation by the Taiwanese companies. Apple.pro probably states that there wont be any event on the 14th most likely due to the fact that the companies have not been reinstated as manufacturing partners of Apple and have no idea of Apples plans.
c) I do remember the rumour about a shipment. Unless I missed out something, I didnt hear anything about shipments coming from China
d) I dont see why they have to set up an event for the new Macbooks. I cannot imagine Jobs going on about the new *laser beaming* manufacturing process for 30 minutes without both the audience and himself dropping dead to the floor with boredom.
Just my two (euro) cents
a) The Taiwanese blogger Apple.pro most probably had authentic prototype images of the MBP, but by no means (assuming the blogger has some form of insider contact) that either Taiwanese manufacturer had the go ahead to produce these cases, which then confirms...
b)...the Brick and all of its connotations of a new manufacturing process based in the USA, ruling out any form of participation by the Taiwanese companies. Apple.pro probably states that there wont be any event on the 14th most likely due to the fact that the companies have not been reinstated as manufacturing partners of Apple and have no idea of Apples plans.
c) I do remember the rumour about a shipment. Unless I missed out something, I didnt hear anything about shipments coming from China
d) I dont see why they have to set up an event for the new Macbooks. I cannot imagine Jobs going on about the new *laser beaming* manufacturing process for 30 minutes without both the audience and himself dropping dead to the floor with boredom.
Just my two (euro) cents
Blu-Ray in the MBPs?
I know that this will sound LUDICROUS but when the #$%^ can we expect to see a Blu-Ray drive in the MBPs?
No one is talking about it...there are several PC laptops with a Blu-Ray drive wth are they waiting for? Isn't Apple part of the "Blu-Ray Consortium" (or whatever it is called)?
I am not a TV watcher (no cable, satellite, etc) but I would love to have a Blu-Ray player to make use of the HD tv that I have and watch movies in high-def. Pre-emptive strike: don't mention a PS3. I'm not a console gamer and I'm not spending $300 (or whatever) on a PS3 just for the Blu-Ray player. I have to be smart with my money and I used my laptop before getting a standalone DVD player in the past-it worked just fine.
The other capabilities of the Blu-Ray drive (burning, etc.) would be fantastic as well. Why is this so hard to do? How can Sony afford to put a Blu-Ray player in a PS3 (a $300 device) and Apple can't figure it out for the MBPs? I understand that hundreds of thousands (millions?) of PS3's get sold but a crapload of MBPs get sold too! Come on Apple-get off your @ss!
CNET review of Blu-Ray PC laptops:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-3121_7-6566399.html
my $.02
I know that this will sound LUDICROUS but when the #$%^ can we expect to see a Blu-Ray drive in the MBPs?
No one is talking about it...there are several PC laptops with a Blu-Ray drive wth are they waiting for? Isn't Apple part of the "Blu-Ray Consortium" (or whatever it is called)?
I am not a TV watcher (no cable, satellite, etc) but I would love to have a Blu-Ray player to make use of the HD tv that I have and watch movies in high-def. Pre-emptive strike: don't mention a PS3. I'm not a console gamer and I'm not spending $300 (or whatever) on a PS3 just for the Blu-Ray player. I have to be smart with my money and I used my laptop before getting a standalone DVD player in the past-it worked just fine.
The other capabilities of the Blu-Ray drive (burning, etc.) would be fantastic as well. Why is this so hard to do? How can Sony afford to put a Blu-Ray player in a PS3 (a $300 device) and Apple can't figure it out for the MBPs? I understand that hundreds of thousands (millions?) of PS3's get sold but a crapload of MBPs get sold too! Come on Apple-get off your @ss!
CNET review of Blu-Ray PC laptops:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-3121_7-6566399.html
my $.02
So then Apple won't refresh their products till Summer of 2009? This isn't the mac mini we are talking about ;P
Though it WOULD be nice to have a brand new alu macbook - I find it more important to have a laptop thats to "todays standards". I wouldve dished out the cash for the current basic macbook a year ago- but right now it's definetly not worth it's price tag.
You can flame all you want about "spec kiddies" or how you "dont need 3Ghz" to web browse...But I'm not going to buy an apple horse at the price of a new dell sports car, just because both of them can get me from A to B.
You can flame all you want about "spec kiddies" or how you "dont need 3Ghz" to web browse...But I'm not going to buy an apple horse at the price of a new dell sports car, just because both of them can get me from A to B.