little rMBP features

[wundram]

I''ve noticed a few little features on the rMBP that improve on the old unibody design, and I'm wondering if there are more that I missed.

1. There is a rubber o-ring around the display, about 1-2mm thick. This keeps the display from making contact with the keyboard when closed, so no more finger grease key imprints on the screen.

2. It appears to use the eyesight camera as an ambient light sensor. For one thing, it turns off the keyboard backlight in a well lit room (when you press the backlight brightness buttons, you see a little padlock). Covering the eyesight with my finger turns the backlight on again, so that is the sensor.

3. Now that there is no glass in front of the screen the image appears to be right on the screen surface, rather than under it.

anyone notice anything else?

 

[Stetrain]

2. It appears to use the eyesight camera as an ambient light sensor. For one thing, it turns off the keyboard backlight in a well lit room (when you press the backlight brightness buttons, you see a little padlock). Covering the eyesight with my finger turns the backlight on again, so that is the sensor.

The unibody Macbook Pros also had an ambient light sensor right next to the isight/facetime camera. I would imagine that it's the same case here, rather than having to power on the camera just to determine light levels.

 

[darwinian]

O-ring and I thought ambient light sensor have both been in previous unibody laptops.

 

[macduke]

O-ring and I thought ambient light sensor have both been in previous unibody laptops.

This is true. Some of the new changes are:

- Fewer glass layers so display closer, less glare
- Side air intakes for improved cooling
- No IR receiver or battery indicator
- Keyboard keys appear to press differently
- MacBook name moved from bezel to bottom
- Dual microphones for better voice recognition (voice dictation in Mountain Lion anyone?)

 

[Bradllez]

- Keyboard keys appear to press differently

Can you explain what you mean by this?

 

[bioyuki]

Can you explain what you mean by this?

I'm not a fan of the new keyboard...compared to my mid 2010 MBP, the new keyboard has less travel and spring rebound. It feels mushy to me IMO.

 

[Simplicated]

This is true. Some of the new changes are:

- Fewer glass layers so display closer, less glare
- Side air intakes for improved cooling
- No IR receiver or battery indicator
- Keyboard keys appear to press differently
- MacBook name moved from bezel to bottom
- Dual microphones for better voice recognition (voice dictation in Mountain Lion anyone?)

Nor is there sleep indicator.

 

[akm3]

I know they are small touches, but the pulsing sleep indicator I always liked and will miss. I miss an IR receiver to control something like Keynote with an IR remote, but with the iPhone apps to control this function (or just present straight from an iPhone or iPad) it's not as important as it used to be.

Also no battery indicator is mildly annoying.

What was taken away seems to be more then made up for with what was added though. It's not an issue for me personally but for some folks not having built in Ethernet is a bear.

 

[7even]

Can you explain what you mean by this?

It's supposed to have slightly shallower key travel. I guess every mm counts when making the laptop thinner

 

[Aldaris]

I know they are small touches, but the pulsing sleep indicator I always liked and will miss...

I suppose since its all flash based Apple's thought it quick boots and near instant wake from sleep, why waste battery powering the little light... I agree, I'll miss its snooze light too.

 

[0000757]

- No IR receiver or battery indicator

Nor is there sleep indicator.

I like the sleep indicator and the battery indicator. It allows me to check my computer's status without opening it. I can't believe they took that out.

 

[wundram]

I like the sleep indicator and the battery indicator. It allows me to check my computer's status without opening it. I can't believe they took that out.

They said that the rMBP has a 30 day standby time, compared to about 3 days for my 2011 MBP. With that kind of time, the small current draw from the LED would make a big difference, so that might be why it was removed. This doesn't explain the missing battery indicator however.

 

[Queen6]

Nor is there sleep indicator.

Like the Air the new r-MBP doesn't sleep for extend periods, it will sleep for a short interval, then drop into full hibernation, all data is initially saved (SafeSleep) to the SSD, the system is effectively shut down after a predetermined time, so the pulsing sleep indicator has little function, I too will also miss this feature, as it was one of the MBPs signatures.

On the non Retina MacBook Pro`s the system will sleep until a minimum battery level is reached, only then will the system shut down, having previously saved all data to disk (SafeSleep), your data is preserved however the battery is exhausted.

I have a Late 2011 Air and the newer system for sleep/hibernation is much better, when you travel you have less to worry about, just close the lid and forget about battery management. The pulse was there to indicate the system was on in a low power state, now off is off it`s defunct, aesthetically I will miss it....

 

[darwinian]

I don't like a lot of the changes (such as lack of anti-glare option), but I truly hate the soft key power button. With Full Keyboard Access on, I'm bound to accidentally shut off my computer with the perfect storm of fast keystrokes (power+tab+spacebar) and not even know what hit me as my computer restarts. I know that dumb power key has been there in other laptops, but my late 2008 mbp still has the power button, tucked far, far away from action. Time will tell how quickly I adjust, haha!

 

[borisiii]

I don't like a lot of the changes (such as lack of anti-glare option), but I truly hate the soft key power button. With Full Keyboard Access on, I'm bound to accidentally shut off my computer with the perfect storm of fast keystrokes (power+tab+spacebar) and not even know what hit me as my computer restarts. I know that dumb power key has been there in other laptops, but my late 2008 mbp still has the power button, tucked far, far away from action. Time will tell how quickly I adjust, haha!

Even though the power button now resides on the keyboard where the eject button used to be, the effect of pressing it is the same - it brings up the shut down menu. I suppose you are more likely to press it by accident (although surely not much?) but it won't turn your computer off with a single press.