MacBook, MacBook Pro and Ultra-Portable Updates

[kingofkolt]

What do you think the chances are of the Macbook Pro's being updated next week? Or do you think it will be more likely to be updated at Macworld in June?

I got the impression this rumor did not come from reliable sources at all. I'd bet you my iPod that the MBP won't be updated until June. Because if I lose the bet, at least I'll be comforted by a new MBP earlier than I expected.

It's WWDC by the way, not MacWorld.

 

[kajitox]

What do you think the chances are of the Macbook Pro's being updated next week? Or do you think it will be more likely to be updated at Macworld in June?

The flurry of rumors for last week and now this week is promising plus a bunch of other evidence like the shortage of MacBooks in stores, the fact that Leopard and iLife are going to fill WWDC, the whole "average time between updates" factor, etc...but I think some of those might just be like finding reasons to "prove" your horoscope correct...

I still have high hopes, though...the rumors are pretty convincing and it really makes sense for them to do it before another graduation/new school year season.

 

[Digital Skunk]

If it doesn't have a backlit keyboard then take it back to the drawing board.

 

[Digital Skunk]

All I want for the "new" Macbook to have is:

1. Santa Rosa
2. LED display (please make it brighter)

+ the stuff it has on it right now, or even better.

I agree but can we get some hardware specs updated? Like this new 200GB 5400rpm or the 250GB one. How about dual HDD in the 17inch model... what they hell will I be selling my old laptop for... a barely faster chipset and a brighter display... the glossy is fine for me, but the HDD is so small.

 

[jouster]

Why in the name of GOD on ultrapotable laptop you need optical and 160GB hard drive???? It is NOT primary computer its for traveling you know....

Speak for yourself. It would be for me.

 

[aswitcher]

If it doesn't have a backlit keyboard then take it back to the drawing board.

Not a deal breaker for me but I really would like this. If battery life is upped due to LED backlight then this shouldn't be a huge drain.

 

[miniConvert]

If it doesn't have a backlit keyboard then take it back to the drawing board.

This would be a great defining feature. I think Apple would include it, if it's a Pro machine (I assume it would be).

 

[aswitcher]

I got the impression this rumor did not come from reliable sources at all. I'd bet you my iPod that the MBP won't be updated until June. Because if I lose the bet, at least I'll be comforted by a new MBP earlier than I expected.

It's WWDC by the way, not MacWorld.

I tend to think they will release a MBP if it has no major form factor change because
a) its ready
b) they can still mention it in the keynote but it wouldn't really deserve that much attention
c) they can use the keynote time to talk about real revolutionary stuff like Leopard Secrets, new iPhone stuff, and other new hardware

 

[aswitcher]

I would love Apple to finally adopt GPS. An ultralight notebook with GPS would be great but I figure Apple will use the iPhone for that even though it wouldn't cost a bomb to put GPS in.

 

[hooch]

MB this Tues. and MBP following Tues.

I just returned from the huge electronics store that also sells Apple products. The sales guy said he can no longer order Macbooks until this coming Tuesday (they are all out). He also said that he is running low on Macbook Pros. He said the supplier thinks that Macbooks are this Tuesday and that Macbook Pros are the following Tuesday. Take it for what it's worth.

Now, this doesn't make sense to me because I would think MBP would come before MB. Well, that is how has been historically anyway.

 

[failsafe1]

Speak for yourself. It would be for me.

Funny how people say you don't need an optical drive on a super portable. Wow speak for yourselves. I shoot on assignment around the world and carry camera gear and laptop. I routinely need to burn DVD's of the photos I shoot for the people on site that I am working for. I would love to have a 12 MBP that has a drive plus small footprint. If it was a workhorse I could put an external monitor on it at home.

 

[Cindynjgirl79]

how can they do it? can the MacBook be any thinner? more light weight? maybe

 

[failsafe1]

how can they do it? can the MacBook be any thinner? more light weight? maybe

I think a MBP at 12 inches would be the best portable around. I almost bought a 12 inch Macbook but realized it would be obsolete without the Intel guts. So I picked up the Intel MBP instead.

 

[Cindynjgirl79]

If it doesn't have a backlit keyboard then take it back to the drawing board.

amen to that one!

 

[dongmin]

#1. This was using a Core solo not a Core 2 Solo.
#2. This was using 10.4.5 Apple has released several versions since that time.
#3. Intel's latest graphics is a FAR and away better then the crap they put out early last year.
#4. The CPU speed is probably going to be in the 1.8Ghz-2Ghz range. That's assuming Intel even releases the solo in such a configuration since the C2 Solos aren't even out yet.
#5. The G4 sucks at this point in time. Deal with it.

In reverse order...

#5. I agree. In no way am I advocating returning to the G4 days (dark, dark times those were). However, the Core Solo ULVs aren't all that much better, as far as computational performance goes. My original point was simply that the price-performance ratio of the Sony TX line is really BAD.

#4. Core 2 Duo ULVs top out at 1.2 ghz. Core 2 Duo LVs top out at 1.6 ghz, but you're really starting to compromise battery life with the C2D LVs.

#3. I was talking about CPU performance. Look at the CPU-bound benchmarks in the links I provided. IF Apple does include the new Intel GMA, then it'll be a big boost, I agree.

#2. Show me some benchmarks that show a Core Solo making big gains with the new OS X updates.

#1. Core 2 Solos currently only exist in the ULV variety and top out at 1.2 ghz. I doubt that a 1.2 ghz Core 2 Solo will give you a performance advantage over a 1.33 ghz Core Solo. The next performance rung would be the LV Core 2 Duos, but then your TDP jumps from 5.5 W to 17 W.


For your reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_microprocessors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Future_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors#.22Merom.22_.28standard-voltage.2C_65_nm.29

 

[kingofkolt]

I just returned from the huge electronics store that also sells Apple products. The sales guy said he can no longer order Macbooks until this coming Tuesday (they are all out). He also said that he is running low on Macbook Pros. He said the supplier thinks that Macbooks are this Tuesday and that Macbook Pros are the following Tuesday. Take it for what it's worth.

Now, this doesn't make sense to me because I would think MBP would come before MB. Well, that is how has been historically anyway.

I don't think store supplies at an electronics store or even an Apple store are indicative of an update. I mean, what, is Apple just going to ship the store newly updated laptops without letting the store know ahead of time that the prices and specs have changed? On the other hand, if Apple DID tell the stores that they were going to update the Macs, somebody would have leaked a much more solid rumor than the ones we're hearing right now.

This discussion is all pointless in three days. Either there will be an update, or there won't.

But doggone it, here's to hoping there will be one. Preferably a MBP with an option for a 512MB video card *dreams*

 

[AidenShaw]

...it's just that i'm expecting current ultraportable to perform wee bit better than my old PC.

I completely understand the roles of ultraportable, please don't try to explain it to me.

Your first sentence contradicts the second.

An ultra-portable is about (d'oh) portability and battery life. Not performance. Not low price. Not huge drives and writable optical.

My manager would gladly accept 68030 performance to get 12 hours of battery life in a 1.5 kg package.

______________________

Sorry if I come off harsh, but there are far too many people who seem to think that "Well, I don't want that, so Apple shouldn't make it."

It's really OK if Apple makes something that you're not interested in, as long as enough people are interested in it to make it worthwhile.

Myself - I'd never want a 17" laptop - it's just too big for my life. I'd never suggest that nobody should make a 17" though....

 

[kajitox]

I don't think store supplies at an electronics store or even an Apple store are indicative of an update. I mean, what, is Apple just going to ship the store newly updated laptops without letting the store know ahead of time that the prices and specs have changed?

Prices probably won't change, and I talked to an employee there and she said they are hardly ever told of updates until after the fact. Also, I think that in previous updates, the running out of stock thing has been indicative of an update. (I think.)

 

[hooch]

I don't think store supplies at an electronics store or even an Apple store are indicative of an update. I mean, what, is Apple just going to ship the store newly updated laptops without letting the store know ahead of time that the prices and specs have changed? On the other hand, if Apple DID tell the stores that they were going to update the Macs, somebody would have leaked a much more solid rumor than the ones we're hearing right now.

This discussion is all pointless in three days. Either there will be an update, or there won't.

But doggone it, here's to hoping there will be one. Preferably a MBP with an option for a 512MB video card *dreams*

I really don't think speaking with a sales person is a bad source. Don't get me wrong, they don't have the exact info we would all like. However, the suppliers can gauge from past experiences better than anyone when a new product is going to be released based on tendencies from previous releases. He sounded pretty confident something is going to be released on Tuesday.

 

[sachamun]

http://vaio-online.sony.com/prod_info/exclusive/vaio_g_video/index.html

Cool video on how carbon fibre structure increases ultraportable's durability.

Haha there's something funny about the screen open/close video!

 

[kingofkolt]

Prices probably won't change, and I talked to an employee there and she said they are hardly ever told of updates until after the fact. Also, I think that in previous updates, the running out of stock thing has been indicative of an update. (I think.)

I really don't think speaking with a sales person is a bad source. Don't get me wrong, they don't have the exact info we would all like. However, the suppliers can gauge from past experiences better than anyone when a new product is going to be released based on tendencies from previous releases. He sounded pretty confident something is going to be released on Tuesday.

I stand corrected. That is a good point that they would be able to tell patterns of supply when an update is pending... Off-topic question, though: What is the "Rev. A" and "Rev.B" and so on that everyone keeps talking about? I've been reading some posts saying that some people would wait until Rev. B. Does Apple make updates to a line just weeks after the first update? According to the buyer's guide, updates have been at least 3 months apart. So what are the "Rev"'s referring to?

 

[verticalforce]

Your first sentence contradicts the second.

An ultra-portable is about (d'oh) portability and battery life. Not performance. Not low price. Not huge drives and writable optical.

My manager would gladly accept 68030 performance to get 12 hours of battery life in a 1.5 kg package.

______________________

Sorry if I come off harsh, but there are far too many people who seem to think that "Well, I don't want that, so Apple shouldn't make it."


It's really OK if Apple makes something that you're not interested in, as long as enough people are interested in it to make it worthwhile.

Myself - I'd never want a 17" laptop - it's just too big for my life. I'd never suggest that nobody should make a 17" though....

I understand that it's expensive, heck i'm willing to pay up to $3000 to have ultraportable that does thing just a little bit better than my 3 years old Pentium 4... what i'm saying is that 3 years is a long time for technology to matures, ultraportable should be faster than it actually is, the only thing holding them back is because the demand for this thing is only great in countries like Japan...

Ultraportable macbook will NEVER have 12 hours of battery life if they use the normal core duo... if they did use the ULV one, I expect the highest speed they'll reach is probably 1.2 Ghz... and they won't even reach 8 hours (real time) unless they use flash-disk.

I won't mind paying $2500 for an ultraportable mac, as long as it's innovative in its approach.

 

[Erasmus]

I stand corrected. That is a good point that they would be able to tell patterns of supply when an update is pending... Off-topic question, though: What is the "Rev. A" and "Rev.B" and so on that everyone keeps talking about? I've been reading some posts saying that some people would wait until Rev. B. Does Apple make updates to a line just weeks after the first update? According to the buyer's guide, updates have been at least 3 months apart. So what are the "Rev"'s referring to?

Revisions is a semitangible concept that really doesn't have an exact meaning, and everyone thinks differently. Some would say that each new product Apple releases after a major, major redesign is a new rev. That would make Core Duo MBPs Rev A, Core 2 Duo MBPs Rev B, and Santa Rosa MBPs Rev C.

Apple does slightly modify their computers in the 8 or so months between updates though. ie. Macbooks mooing, Apple fixed it with later models. Exploding batteries, Apple uses different batteries that don't explode as soon as they can get them. Therefore, Rev B would be released a few weeks after the original ones ship, once Apple has had time to get some feedback on what's wrong, identify it as a legitimate problem that they can fix, tweak the designs to fix it, and manufacture the new units. When Apple says something like "Battery recall on 15" MBPs. Model numbers xxxxaa to xxxxbb are eligible for a replacement battery." This means these models are one rev, and ones with numbers greater than xxxxbb are a new rev, where the problem has been fixed. You will also hear people talking about "I have a week 12 model" or "week 3 model" for similar reasons.

Expect the first few weeks to have higher percentages of dodgy units and a wider range of faults than units bought a month or two after release.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Funny how people say you don't need an optical drive on a super portable. Wow speak for yourselves. I shoot on assignment around the world and carry camera gear and laptop. I routinely need to burn DVD's of the photos I shoot for the people on site that I am working for. I would love to have a 12 MBP that has a drive plus small footprint. If it was a workhorse I could put an external monitor on it at home.

Think about that statement a second. If you are already carrying camera gear with you what difference is an external drive going to make? Seriously. Those bitching about a theoretical Mac not having an optical drive. You have the option of taking one with you if you want. Unlike the rest of us who are stuck with the added weight and thickness that an optical drives adds to the system. To put it another way I'd rather have the option of not taking it along vs. not having the option at all. God knows I don't use my optical drive more then once a week as it stands. And if someone needs a data file I have several uber cheap o 128MB Kingston drives I picked up for $2 a peice a few months back at Microcenter. Hell at that price I have no problems giving the damn things away if needs be. My 1MB, 2GB, and 4GB on my keychain is another matter though. Alternatively I'll e-mail them the file, or they can use my FTP site, or I can sent it to them wirelessly, or. The options go on and on.
Seriously if the optical drive is one of the biggest roadblocks to a thinnner MBP then dump it to an external device.

 

[Sped]

What is the "Rev. A" and "Rev.B" and so on that everyone keeps talking about?

The reference is to the revision of the product. For example, the first Intel mac was the Core Duo iMac. That would be revision A. The second revision is the core 2 duo iMac which would be revision B.

Many folks believe Apple's first stab at hardware (actually any company's first attempt) is going to have issues which will be corrected with a second release.