Kudos to Apple

[Alpinism]

As a main FCS2 + AE CS3, Maya and photoshop user, this is the best update yet from Apple.

- Increased size of the HD, less than $50 upgrade for 7200rpm (without voiding warranty for the DIY crowd).

- Increased L2 cache to 6mb, and 512 dedicated GPU.

I didint expect multitouch to make it , but that is icing on the cake.

I could care less for a redesign (aesthetic look), but I care about performance, and I think this is the best upgrade yet from Apple.

Even though I think there will be a new redesign in time for the 'Fall back to school' crowd and a free Ipod offer (or even a redesign as soon as developers conference), I could care less about rounded edges, lighter (usually more fragile) design, black keyboard ....etc.

As for Blue Ray, I think the first Mac blue ray will appear at mac world 2009 and it will be offered on the Nehalem's Mac Pro. Then maybe by 2009 Developers conference, Apple will put blue ray drives in the MBP.

Only thing that I wil miss is the faster BUS on Montevina but overall KUDOS to APPLE FOR THIS ROUND'.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I agree with you. A much better update than the Core 2 Duo --> C2D Santa Rosa that everyone was clamoring about.

I would have loved to see a redesign not for cosmetic reasons and more USB ports as many consumers and NON heavy users want, but for more hardware, dual HDDs, more FW ports, check the sig, etc; but I can live with just MT and much beefier hardware on the graphics and processor side of things.

I do love the hi res LED on the 17" though.

I did plan on buying an express card FW400 adapter for my next MBP anyway, so the same number of ports doesn't bother me that much.

 

[Eidorian]

I only see a reason to clamor over updates when you get a new hardware platform.

I'm holding out for Montevina MacBooks.

 

[Alpinism]

I hope they will put in HDMI and eSata to their new "redesigned MBP". Both that I can gladly live without for the work that I do with a Laptop.

Although I wish, Apple gives an option of having a 2nd HDD via a removable tray like the Lenovo/IBM Thinkpads. But for now, a RAID external FW800 drives will do, but 2nd HDD will give more flexibility when AC power is not available.