'MacBook Air' Design Considerations

[solipsism]

Apple has been making notebooks that hinge at the very back of the machine. If the hinge for the display is slightly forward then the back of the machine can be as thick as the entire thickness of the base and display when closed. This would the same amount of thickness—if not more—to mount all the typical ports along the back of the machine.

Or

Instead of placing the ports straight in the side, like we are used to, Apple could put them on the lower-back of the display so when the display is up the cables are running out the back perpendicular to the open display.

 

[Grey Area]

I think they used it in their X40 series, and people could definatly feel that it was slow. They now use 2.5'' drives again in their latest X6x series.

Indeed they do, and the X4* are heavily criticized for their drives on Thinkpad forums to this day - people who are looking for used X-type machines usually get the recommendation to buy an even older X3* so they won't have to suffer the slow disk. And the 1.8"-drive in the X4* was actually faster (4200rpm) than the more energy-conserving drive in the Ipod (3600rpm), so I really hope we won't get such a hard drive.

 

[salmon]

I just wanted to get a random guess in before the show. Unfortunately, I have no artistic talents or ability with photoshop, so I can't provide a mockup.

What about something between the tablet and the laptop? I've seen mockups for thin laptops with touchpad keyboards, but instead, try and picture this.

• Two identical halves
• each approximately 8" wide x 6" long
• each is a touch display
• the two fold apart like a regular laptop
• it operates in two different modes - when partially open (in laptop mode), the lower display works as a touch keyboard
• when fully open, the device auto-switches to tablet mode, and the whole device acts as a single screen.

It could utilize rare-earth magnet to make the opening/closing aspect nice and seamless. Not sure how the designers would handle the hinge line, but that's why Ives et. al. make the big bucks, right?

And they could put a mini-screen on the outside (like some cell phones have), so it could operate in iPod mode as well.

Anyone like this idea enough to try and make a mockup?

PS: And ideally, it would have a dual mode display - full colour and low power black and white (like the XO laptop), so it could work as an ebook reader, and the keyboard wouldn't be a large power drain. If Apple could do for ebooks what it did for digital music, that'd be fantastic.

 

[sunfast]

If ethernet went on a USB dongle I guess it would only be 10/100, no gigabit?

 

[nickane]

Its a notebook and a Mac. What else would you call it?

A Mactop. An elided name that suggests the superior integration of hardware and software that we associate with Macs (especially the notebooks, that seem to function better as a whole rather than as the sum of their components in a fancy chassis as with Windows machines) whilst putting a positive spin on the idea that you can either get a Personal Computer or a Mac by reapplying it as if it wasn't intentional by Apple's marketing dept (pretty sure it wasn't, since I've often read that Apple invented the PC).

 

[dbwie]

Durability

Having a superthin laptop is great, but it had better be durable and scratch resistant. Any speculation on the materials used for this laptop?

 

[nickane]

If ethernet went on a USB dongle I guess it would only be 10/100, no gigabit?

good point. For that reason alone, I would assume they wouldn't do that. Apple was Gig-E across the board for over a year before it bizarrely released the new Airport Extreme without it (which it has since updated - not sure what happened to early adopters).

 

[nickane]

The real problem with all the hinge ideas is that no one wants to unplug their ethernet cable every time they close their laptop.

I change my bid to ipod-like dock connector with seperate attachment that includes any ports that don't fit.

 

[bobob]

As to the name MacBookAir - I would suggest that although "Air" might be a great name for light shoes, that for computer products, using the homophone "Error" may prove to be just a little too tempting for pundits and critics...

 

[EagerDragon]

So this is just a set of design guesses that may or may not apply given that we do not know what materials Apple is using, nor do we know which patents they are using either.

 

[Jocko]

Is it possible that Apple would get rid of the ethernet port? They were the first to do it with floppy drives, they've dropped the laptop-modems, it seems they are getting rid of the optical drive too - so is it too far fetched that they get rid of the ethernet port and rely on wireless?

I could definitely see them doing this. It's a totally Apple thing to do. It's a totally Apple time to do it. Plus it's about the only thing I can think of that would justify the name "Air." For those saying this wouldn't fly in the business world, most businesses DO have Wifi networks and for those that don't, Apple has other product offerings for purchase!

 

[emotion]

...however FW400 being removed from this new mac would stop many serious potential suitors from forking out the cash. i'd certainly think twice about a Mac without firewire.

Me included. It might rule out a lot of purchasers from the video, photographic and audio markets.

... sure a laptop with both: a small solid state drive for operating system and a 1.8" for the files used as combination might be a solution thoug hthe space saved then wouldn't be as big

Two types of storage used with ZFS perhaps?

I think the slim macbook (13" etc etc) and the Macbook Air could be two different products. The Air could be a small tablet that docs like the recent patent application perhaps, charging via inductance in that dock.

 

[fastbite]

I don't buy the injunction power, but I feel the philosophy would be to get rid of as much as possible, no connection of any type, nothing -- until it is docked, sort of like the iPhone or iPod.
The clever thing will be the dock and how it works.

 

[Lepton]

Standard iPod dock connector! Can be used for charging, video out, audio in/out... I don't know how many pins are still free, but maybe they can add Ethernet. Then they can sell us yet another specialized set of iPod cables!

Make this the only main connector on the device. OK, maybe add mini USB and headphones. "The device" being: Take a subnotebook. Take a saw. Saw it along the hinge and throw away the keyboard half, leaving only the ultra thin display top. Add multi-touch. If you want a keyboard and mouse, use the bluetooth ones. 32 or 64GB flash.

 

[BillyShears]

Induction power is a terrible idea

Induction is a bad idea.

Pros:

1. It looks seamless

Cons:

1. It wastes energy
2. You would have to carry around your charging station, not just a power adapter

As I said earlier, I think the MagSafe would make for a perfect docking connection, because you can easily connect and disconnect it.

 

[ifirth]

What about something between the tablet and the laptop? I've seen mockups for thin laptops with touchpad keyboards, but instead, try and picture this.

• Two identical halves
• each approximately 8" wide x 6" long
• each is a touch display
• the two fold apart like a regular laptop
• it operates in two different modes - when partially open (in laptop mode), the lower display works as a touch keyboard
• when fully open, the device auto-switches to tablet mode, and the whole device acts as a single screen.

I think this is bang on though I would go for 9" x 6" (widescreen), and the thing is wireless when away from a dock - having used an iPhone for a bit now I can't see them not using a touch pad somewhere. And I think form a look point of view... think iMac and iPhone - glass / black / and brushed aluminium.




As for a name... has anyone thought of Mac AirBook??? this fall into the Mac naming system and I think is snappier than MacBook Air IMHO or they could just keep the MacBook name and this is type of portable will be how all of the line will eventually end up

 

[Marx55]

A full handheld Mac OS X 10.5.1 computer is what is needed. And I mean full. But only about 5-inches or so.

 

[emotion]

Induction is a bad idea.

I agree. I'm not keen on the idea either. I might be persuaded by a very neat implementation though.

 

[0098386]

My final prediction is-

12 or 13" LCD
80gb and 160gb drives (dependant on model)
All the usual stuff. 2xUSB, Firewire.
No optical drive (we can be sure of)

Basically I'm thinking a 12" PowerBook without the lower half.


Why is it called Air? I don't think it will be. It'll be Mac-something. Whether it be Book, Pad or Brochure is another matter.

 

[fiftydollarshoe]

A full handheld Mac OS X 10.5.1 computer is what is needed. And I mean full. But only about 5-inches or so.

How would you the the entire OS multi-touch....? can't happen.... too hard to use without a mouse.......... it will be scaled down.......

 

[ts1973]

I wonder where all these induction powered rumors are coming from, I know where they are posted, but who "invented" them ?

To be honest induction based power is good for a toothbrush (yes I own one of these) : it has a power requirement of a whole 2 (two !!) Watts (yes, I looked ). Induction based power is only good for low power devices, like a toothbrush, or the magnetic field would just be too powerfull and it would have to be shielded pretty good inside some kind of connector, eliminating all advantages.

People thinking of transmitting any sort of real power, even by means of induction, through thin air would better think again : power means heat production - meaning you would get cooked slowly but very literally inside your own skin

 

[YoungCreative]

Images of my old Duo are dancing through my head. I had a Duo back in the mid 1990s that got me through grad school. I never did buy a dock. I just used AppleTalk to connect to my PowerMac and I never really needed the floppy drive. A drive would have been handy at times, but the smaller laptop size was awesome. Fellow students were jealous of how much smaller my Duo was than their laptops.

That Duo seems so large right now! The "Air" would really bring out major laptop envy! Couple slim with WiFi and I can see a dream machine for most college students.

 

[MacinJosh]

Whatever the new laptop will be, I'm only buying it if the mass storage is flash based.

Joshua.

 

[Mindflux]

Whatever the new laptop will be, I'm only buying it if the mass storage is flash based.

Joshua.

Goodbye reasonable pricetag.

 

[Palliser]

I'm in... just got a Macbook last August and plan to go PC free in my home and will get the new "Macbook Air" or whatever it ends up being at the store this weekend. The new one is perfect as I travel a lot and want an ultra portable, although the Macbook is quite nice as well!