Just think of the connections needed to make that division work speedily and reliable. Hardly a job for, say, USB.
Yup.
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MacBook 'Brick' Codename Speculation
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Yup.
Well I wasn't exactly thinking of a USB daisy chain. More of a direct chipset-to-chipset connection or some kind.
The Macbook and Macbook Pro are becoming one line, the Macbook air will see an upgrade and price cut to fill the Macbook void, and new to the Apple family will be the Macbook Net/Ultrabook/whatever.
The portable line will be: Macbook Netbook, Macbook Air, Macbook (basically the old MBP).
I'm sorry, I wasn't suggesting you were thinking of using USB. I was thinking a long the lines of what the pictures suggested: Essentially a group of connected Mac Minis.
What about something like this?...
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.
You son of a...........I hate you!
You stole my idea. Very good dude. In fact, my idea is even more elaborate. Imagine being able to swap out or add modules of ram or storage, etc. like a jigsaw puzzle. But even with your design imagine if your editing something in final cut and the processing of some large movie is just moving along too slowly. Just add a few more modules ON THE FLY AS THE PROGRAM IS STILL RUNNING and watch as the project is finished way faster!
*Note to self: Don't EVER let olteraut anywhere near your computers!*
C'mon, ya know its a cool idea.
Now imagine over time as modules get outdated that newer modules are BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE. So when Steve hits the stage with new modules you just plug them on top of your old ones to keep increasing your overall computing power!
C'mon, ya know its a cool idea.
Now imagine over time as modules get outdated that newer modules are BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE. So when Steve hits the stage with new modules you just plug them on top of your old ones to keep increasing your overall computing power!
Steve: "I give you the Sega--er, Excuse me, Apple MegaDrive!!"
What about something like this?...
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.
Who needs to pay marketing gurus when brilliant fans not only come up with ideas of things that would be practical/awesome, but also take the time to create mock-ups and borderline ad campaigns for said product? That's a really cool concept... Now if you could make a profitability flowchart or ppt presentation, we'd really be in business...
RE:
Okay, just to ellaborate a little, here is the sort of connection I'm thinking of. The underside of the mini/brick would have a little flap with a slot pcb thingy that connects straight into...
(forgive the technical inaccuracies)
...Actually, the GPU could more easily just be on-board with no bridge connector necessary. This would be more optimal as far as waste is concerned because onboard GPU's share the Central Processor and System Ram anyway.
One top or bottom machine would be the "master" and all the others "slaves". All the primary connectivity will be assigned to the "master", but also expand available usb and FW ports to optimise further and lessen resource waste.
I've actually been kicking this little idea around for a while. What with multi-core processors, multiple GPUs, DDR ram, HDD arrays... Every PC component has divided to allow further expansion and therefore Every PC component could perhaps be extended/upgraded in this way.
I made that mock-up as a silly little "perhaps" idea, but the more I think about it, the more I think it could happen. If a company can mass produce and turn a profit on each cheap stand alone machine, then imagine how many they could sell. Multiple machines to single users ...and imagine the bragging rights of having the tallest stack of "bricks"!
Also, this mass production could mean that single module users would be able to pick one up VERY cheaply ...At a price that just wouldn't be possible if it was a singular product.
A very appealing little machine for many many light users at £165/$300. A low-end "PC" market killer product and it covers high end too.
The one reason I can see that it may not be profitably viable is "Universal product Capitilisation" (I just made that term up ) ...The way that a (for example) GPU vendor will cripple the same product at different levels to capitalise on all ends of the market. Therefore a product like a graphics card that costs roughly the same to manufacture can be sold at £100, £150 AND £200 and getting the maximum profit margin from every class of customer.
This sales model is used a lot by apple. imacs, ipods... The higher model always has a much higher % profit margin for apple
...With the above model, the profit margin % is always the same no matter which demograph is buying. Might work that way, might not.
Okay, just to ellaborate a little, here is the sort of connection I'm thinking of. The underside of the mini/brick would have a little flap with a slot pcb thingy that connects straight into...
(forgive the technical inaccuracies)
...Actually, the GPU could more easily just be on-board with no bridge connector necessary. This would be more optimal as far as waste is concerned because onboard GPU's share the Central Processor and System Ram anyway.
One top or bottom machine would be the "master" and all the others "slaves". All the primary connectivity will be assigned to the "master", but also expand available usb and FW ports to optimise further and lessen resource waste.
I've actually been kicking this little idea around for a while. What with multi-core processors, multiple GPUs, DDR ram, HDD arrays... Every PC component has divided to allow further expansion and therefore Every PC component could perhaps be extended/upgraded in this way.
I made that mock-up as a silly little "perhaps" idea, but the more I think about it, the more I think it could happen. If a company can mass produce and turn a profit on each cheap stand alone machine, then imagine how many they could sell. Multiple machines to single users ...and imagine the bragging rights of having the tallest stack of "bricks"!
Also, this mass production could mean that single module users would be able to pick one up VERY cheaply ...At a price that just wouldn't be possible if it was a singular product.
A very appealing little machine for many many light users at £165/$300. A low-end "PC" market killer product and it covers high end too.
The one reason I can see that it may not be profitably viable is "Universal product Capitilisation" (I just made that term up
) ...The way that a (for example) GPU vendor will cripple the same product at different levels to capitalise on all ends of the market. Therefore a product like a graphics card that costs roughly the same to manufacture can be sold at £100, £150 AND £200 and getting the maximum profit margin from every class of customer.This sales model is used a lot by apple. imacs, ipods... The higher model always has a much higher % profit margin for apple
...With the above model, the profit margin % is always the same no matter which demograph is buying. Might work that way, might not.
Aside from pin 3, this kind of looks like a brick. It could also be backward compatible with a magsafe adapter and act as a USB connector with an optical drive integrated into the power supply. This way, you get two options:
1) new "brick" power supply, with optical drive built in, or
2) current magsafe power supply for those of us that already have an optical drive that we would rather use.
This way, the Mini, MB, MBP all get updated! MBA is already there.
If this isn't it, I need to get to the patent office.
1) new "brick" power supply, with optical drive built in, or
2) current magsafe power supply for those of us that already have an optical drive that we would rather use.
This way, the Mini, MB, MBP all get updated! MBA is already there.
If this isn't it, I need to get to the patent office.
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That would be a great idea...You son of a...........I hate you!
Very good dude. In fact, my idea is even more elaborate. Imagine being able to swap out or add modules of ram or storage, etc. like a jigsaw puzzle. But even with your design imagine if your editing something in final cut and the processing of some large movie is just moving along too slowly. Just add a few more modules ON THE FLY AS THE PROGRAM IS STILL RUNNING and watch as the project is finished way faster!
Would this be separate product line from the MacBook or would this replace the MacBook?
Some... but if it were cheap enough, it would simply extend Apple's sales.
Think of having one of these lying on your livingroom couch, and another in your bedroom. Maybe a third in your kitchen.
Instead of having a computer, why not have tablets lying around which you can grab and use as you need?
my pocket's going empty if they release that!
I love the concept, but they would have to change the software on it, because some things like the red, yellow and green buttons on the top of every app are too small for the fingers to press. But then again, apple innovates all the time, i'm sure the tablet they release one day will be great!
I love the concept, but they would have to change the software on it, because some things like the red, yellow and green buttons on the top of every app are too small for the fingers to press. But then again, apple innovates all the time, i'm sure the tablet they release one day will be great!
Just been wondering about the all about the brick slogan. Do you reckon that they all ship with buggered firmware?
What about something like this?...
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.
Only comment would be whether they'd processors would be daisychaining between units, suspect that information flow between units would be a bit compromised like this. Parallel perhaps? But I'm no hardware engineer so I could be wrong.
Fantastic concept regardless.