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MacBook 'Brick' Codename Speculation

new mini?

VoR said:
Hello,
I would like 'the brick' to be a new mac mini system with a range of the fastest intel cpus and tonnes of space for ram. I would also like at least intel's newest gfx chipset. I'm not interested in an optical drive and don't mind what there is in terms of storage. It has to have digital a/v, usb and an ethernet port.
If it's not going to fit in my pocket, I still like the look of the old mini. I'm sure apple will wind those wires tight and make as small a psu as possible.

Goodbye.

ps. I'll buy a mini revision that is nice and cheap. Should ditch the apple tv and make 'monster' cash selling a/v extension cables.
Click to expand...

A new, beefed up mini would be nice. I believe, as others have mentioned here, tablets and revolutionary products will wait until January. Maybe not, but it kinds makes sense ( which is why they won't do it :) )

But a beefed up mini that could grow ( i.e. video card, hard disk or memory bumps that the end user can do ).

I have a mini 1.66 core duo and need just a smidgen more horse power. I don't want to have to buy an iMac since I have everything else I need, just need the speed boost.

I've researched doing the CPU upgrade and I would get a fairly nice speed bump, but it's just a hassle compared to upgrading a more 'desktop-like' machine.
 
"Brick" is a dumb name for an electronic product.


..... (*remembers the Macbook Air and arguably some other Apple naming decisions*) ....


Guess that makes it all the more likely to be true :p

Knowing Jobs's obsession with curves at the moment though, I'd say it's probably just a way of referring to competing laptops as he unveils the new thinner and more curvy range. No doubt with an accelerometer in it, so that it can tell how much it's rocking on the desk as you type on it ;)

Or of course it could be referring to a new firmware release...
 
dwcasey said:
Cool ad from 1984.

If it is something related to breaking windows ( literally, figuratively, whatever ), what is it? New software, laptop, netbook, desktop, etc, etc.???

Also think about Vista now and where it's headed. Today you read that Windows 7 will have a lot of it's accessory apps pulled, stripped out.

Mac has iLife, iWork, plus lots of little goodies built-in and MS is pulling stuff out?!? Future doesn't look bright for MS ( their new ad campaign is awful! ) at this time and I think Apple sees this as a perfect opportunity to 'break' windows.
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they are pulling those apps out because they want people to download what they need/want from windows live. Windows live, on the other hand has gone down hill. Latest versons of mail and photo gallary have a toolbar with no icons just text. Plus a number of other complaints in the ms newsgroups.

Plus with the removal of those apps, it means windows will ship faster and less security holes. Internet explorer was removed from windows explorer because it caused huge security holes. you really only need the core, os and download what you want/need..
 
something like a slingbox?

I´m thinking about buying a slingbox and when I have seen the brick rumor I have begin to believe that "the brick" could be something like a slingbox, and this could be becuase the slingbox player it´s not in the apple store, because could be a problem in the Apple plans, could be? Really would be easy for Apple to do a hardware device like the slingbox -a Apple TV factory modded-, and upgrading the Remote software you could see the brik´s contents all over the world. This device would have hard disc like the Apple TV, and could be tv tuner too.
 
macipod said:
I´m thinking about buying a slingbox and when I have seen the brick rumor I have begin to believe that "the brick" could be something like a slingbox, and this could be becuase the slingbox player it´s not in the apple store, because could be a problem in the Apple plans, could be? Really would be easy for Apple to do a hardware device like the slingbox -a Apple TV factory modded-, and upgrading the Remote software you could see the brik´s contents all over the world. This device would have hard disc like the Apple TV, and could be tv tuner too.
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no offense but that will only excite a few people, otherwise its a big collective YAWN from most consumers.
 
Both the apple TV and the front row could merge and add support for a dual TV tuners with a DVR... meaning all macs would get a TV tuner option.
 
"Brick" reefers to the new designed battery. And possibly more 90 degree angled edges.
 
NT1440 said:
no offense but that will only excite a few people, otherwise its a big collective YAWN from most consumers.
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No problem, but if you see a slingbox it´s like a brick and could be that similar Apple hardware had the same form factor, and today there is mini USB TV tuners (analog and digital) that could be fitted easily to an Apple TV, and with a HDMI cable you could control AV devices.

You could see your video library from anywhere, and more exciting, in your iphone. With Simplify you can access to your music library but no video.

Many manufacturers are selling phones with TV tuners, and I think: a internal TV tuner in a phone it´s more battery consuming that wifi streaming so tecnically it´s more affordable TV streaming that fit a TV tuner in the next iphone and would be compatible with the first gen iphone by wifi and 3G iphone with 3G&wifi. You could see the TV in your iphone from any country in your language and your favourite programs, and schedule the recordings. With a internal Tv tuner in the iphone you wouldn´t access to your cable programs. Obviously we would need a piece of hardware that could convert the video to h264 or other codec in realtime for internet streaming. The Apple remote software would be the media player in your iphone -now only have statics images-

You can think that see the TV in your iphone it´s not exciting, but if I could buy now an application in the Apple Store to see the TV in the iphone I would buy inmediately.
 
Apple & Thin

Scandals said:
"Thick" is the new "thin".
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If Apple made a brick it would be at most a 1/2" thick face brick, not the 2-3+" that is needed for a real touch brick. The thin face brick is all about looks, not about toughness & usefulness, i.e. real guts, the real thing. Function over form is not Apple.
 
omega21 said:
The other thing that would be cool is if Apple made a computer with upgradable components that are like Lego bricks. A ram block, processor block, hdd block, for easy upgrades. It won't ever happen, but cool thought. :)
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Why wouldn't it ever happen? :confused:
 
Ooh Ooh Mr. Kotter! - I think I know what it is

I suspect BRICK is just an in-house project name and will not be the official product name.

Apple realizes that everything is moving toward wireless and over-the-air communications so the BRICK that Apple is working on is a wireless laptop docking station.

Check out this video of the Toshiba Wireless Docking Station
--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRlYYI9hCS8

Imagine walking into your home office where only a Cinema display, wireless keyboard and mouse are visible on your desktop. Place your laptop anywhere in the room within range and it automatically docks, your Cinema display comes to life and displays your laptop desktop. The BRICK connects to all of your periferals (display, external drives, usb, wifi network, etc) and your laptop connects to the BRICK wirelessly.

Undocking is as simple as picking up your laptop and walking out of the room. Apple is just the company to bring this to market in a well thought-out, well designed, and dare I say sexy way.
 
gr8ful said:
I suspect BRICK is just an in-house project name and will not be the official product name.

Apple realizes that everything is moving toward wireless and over-the-air communications so the BRICK that Apple is working on is a wireless laptop docking station.

Check out this video of the Toshiba Wireless Docking Station
--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRlYYI9hCS8

Imagine walking into your home office where only a Cinema display, wireless keyboard and mouse are visible on your desktop. Place your laptop anywhere in the room within range and it automatically docks, your Cinema display comes to life and displays your laptop desktop. The BRICK connects to all of your periferals (display, external drives, usb, wifi network, etc) and your laptop connects to the BRICK wirelessly.

Undocking is as simple as picking up your laptop and walking out of the room. Apple is just the company to bring this to market in a well thought-out, well designed, and dare I say sexy way.
Click to expand...
I really like where this is going. Apple is in desperate need of a laptop dock as well.
 
What about something like this?...

bricks261.jpg


You could upgrade with ease to whatever level you like. Even build a powerful server like this...

10bricks336.jpg


..Or you could join your "brick(s)" up with your friends/colleagues "brick(s)" when you want to do some multi-CPU intensive stuff.
 
docking station +

Ok, I should just do other things than contributing to speculations at the moment, but what about this:
(sorry to bother if this had been mentioned already)
Docking station, yes but also external graphics card
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/06/06/amd_launches_xgp/
or a bit more old-school
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49286742,00.htm

would make sense for the macbook+air lineup though it might require some new connector magic.

[EDIT] The recent news about a new/different display connector might also point in this direction. Though why o' why would they do that to the Macbook Pro?


Regards
 
pubjoe said:
What about something like this?...

bricks261.jpg


You could upgrade with ease to whatever level you like. Even build a powerful server like this...


..Or you could join your "brick(s)" up with your friends/colleagues "brick(s)" when you want to do some multi-CPU intensive stuff.
Click to expand...

Just one huge problem with that:

If you buy a boat with a single engine revving at, say, 3000 RPM, it will STILL be revving at at 3000 RPM no matter how many 3000 RPM engines you add.

In other words, no matter how many 1 GHz processors you put together you will STILL be running at 1 GHz.
 
Tosser said:
Just one huge problem with that:

If you buy a boat with a single engine revving at, say, 3000 RPM, it will STILL be revving at at 3000 RPM no matter how many 3000 RPM engines you add.

In other words, no matter how many 1 GHz processors you put together you will STILL be running at 1 GHz.
Click to expand...

LOL! Way to piss on my parade you Tosser!! :)

I'm aware of that, but there is a looong way to go with multi-cpu software optimisations (and fact is, it is where computer processors are heading fast) perhaps apple has made a breakthrough with their latest OSX.

...multiple low power 1Ghz processors is actually quite a good configuration for many heavy tasks (ie: render farms). And a single 1Ghz processor is a modest amount for most light computer usage.

Tbh, I don't really expect my idea to turn up at all. But simple modular computer upgrades like that will probably appear one day. Combined with a very cheap entry price like in my mock-up and I think it has a large place in the market.
 
pubjoe said:
LOL! Way to piss on my parade you Tosser!! :)
Click to expand...

He, he – Anytime ;)


I'm aware of that, but there is a looong way to go with software multi-cpu optimisations (and fact is, it is where computer processors are heading fast) perhaps apple has made a breakthrough with their latest OSX.
Click to expand...
Yup, multiple processors are neat.

Tbh, I don't really expect my idea to turn up at all. But simple modular computer upgrades like that will probably appear one day.
Click to expand...

It might work for some things, but I doubt it would work in anything but the rarest circumstances.
For instance, what do you get by putting four of those bricks together? If the OS is aware, yes it could make use of the four (or more) processors, it propably couldn't make use of the multiples of ram, considering it is placed in different computers, you will have four GPUs, three of them obsolete, four optical drives and so on, but in reality only gaining what amounts to more processor power (IF the OS were aware) and more HDD space.

I highly doubt that would be competitive in the long run.
 
Tosser said:
It might work for some things, but I doubt it would work in anything but the rarest circumstances.
For instance, what do you get by putting four of those bricks together? If the OS is aware, yes it could make use of the four (or more) processors, it propably couldn't make use of the multiples of ram, considering it is placed in different computers, you will have four GPUs, three of them obsolete, four optical drives and so on, but in reality only gaining what amounts to more processor power (IF the OS were aware) and more HDD space.

I highly doubt that would be competitive in the long run.
Click to expand...

Well the essence of multi-processor optimisation is to break large jobs into many smaller ones. In theory, the ram, HDD, even GPU tasks could be divided in this way to great benefit. Many hands make light work.

...Long way into the future maybe?
 
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