MacBook, MacBook Pro and Ultra-Portable Updates

[Digital Skunk]

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.

Yes... just like the 12" PB. It was the fastest of the PBs at the time but it was still lighter and smaller than any other Apple notebook. Even if they made the 12" MBP a tad bit thicker than the current ones people would flock to it...

Especially if it had three main things

1. BACKLIT KEYBOARD! (yes I am shouting... Cupertino can hear me now)

2. Decent HDD... not 40GB... let's start with 80 and work our way up.

3. Great --> mediocre graphics card... my girlfriend wants to play Sims 2 on it... she would buy one tomorrow if it could run Sims 2, have enough HDD to hold all of the expansion packs, could be used in a dimly lit enviroment, and is as small or smaller than her current 12" PB G4.

 

[wichtb01]

Apple will have a solution for the choices they make. If no optical drive they might make a restore partition like Dell, and others.

 

[Erasmus]

I think maybe people need to be reminded about what this rumour is actually saying.

1) Apple might release Macbook Pros on Tuesday (hooray!)
2) The new Macbook might not see a decent update (doubt it though)
3) Apple might release a super thin and light low power computer without an optical drive

And my opinions...

•1) Macbooks and Macbook Pros are still going to have optical drives in them. It is stupid to think they won't.
•2) The ultralight notebook is not for you if you need an optical drive. If you think it's a stupid idea, buy a Macbook/Pro. Other people here think it's a good idea, and although I wouldn't want one, I can see that some people would.
•3) An ultralight notebook is not going to be made to be someone's only computer. I doubt whether it will even be available with an Apple branded external optical drive.
•4) This thing is going to be small and light. It is also going to be really, really expensive. It will probably come with Santa Rosa with its X3100 GPU, a really slow and ultra low voltage CPU, ie. far closer to 1GHz than 2GHz. It will probably have 2GB RAM, and I would take a bet and say it will come with at least the option of a solid state hard disk.
•5) I doubt whether it will be released at least this year. SSHDs are still way too expensive, and I don't think Apple would think enough people would buy them. ie. no Kentsfield gamer's box either.

 

[BrianMR]

Yikes, this is officially an Ultra-Portable thread now!

Am I the only one excited about a MacBook Pro update?

No, I am skimming through this thread skipping every post that mentions Sony or 11" vs. 13", or whether or not they need an optical drive.

 

[kingofkolt]

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.

Thanks! This was helpful... So, if I buy a MBP right after the update (which I will.. I'll seriously order it within 3 hours of the announcement ) and then I experience problems with it that Apple ends up addressing in Rev. B, would Apple fix the problems on my MBP for free? If they had to replace my whole computer, would they transfer files (including my Windows partition of the hard drive) over to the new comp?

I'm really excited about the MBP update. I've never had a Mac before, and I'm currently using a 3-year-old Dell Inspiron 9100 with 64MB of video and 512MB RAM, and trying to play games like Battlefield 2 on it. Ugh...

 

[Erasmus]

Thanks! This was helpful... So, if I buy a MBP right after the update (which I will.. I'll seriously order it within 3 hours of the announcement ) and then I experience problems with it that Apple ends up addressing in Rev. B, would Apple fix the problems on my MBP for free? If they had to replace my whole computer, would they transfer files (including my Windows partition of the hard drive) over to the new comp?

I'm really excited about the MBP update. I've never had a Mac before, and I'm currently using a 3-year-old Dell Inspiron 9100 with 64MB of video and 512MB RAM, and trying to play games like Battlefield 2 on it. Ugh...

If your MBP had a flaw which was recognised by Apple as their fault (ie. not yours. "Their Fault" actually includes faults from other companies that Apple buys products from, ie. Intel, AMD, nvidia, etc.)

Apple will replace machines under warranty that have major flaws, or at least organise an on-site repair. Of course, all Apple machines come with a year standard warranty, Applecare boosts it to 3.

I have no idea if Apple will transfer data for you. I would guess no. But if you don't back up all your data before sending in your computer to get replaced or fixed, you are an idiot either way.

 

[mlrproducts]

While perhaps no one cares at this point, or whether or not you believe me, but my inside Apple source says new MBPs this Tuesday. They said nothing to me about the MB or others, but they may just not have that info.

 

[kingofkolt]

If your MBP had a flaw which was recognised by Apple as their fault (ie. not yours. "Their Fault" actually includes faults from other companies that Apple buys products from, ie. Intel, AMD, nvidia, etc.)

Apple will replace machines under warranty that have major flaws, or at least organise an on-site repair. Of course, all Apple machines come with a year standard warranty, Applecare boosts it to 3.

I have no idea if Apple will transfer data for you. I would guess no. But if you don't back up all your data before sending in your computer to get replaced or fixed, you are an idiot either way.

Cool, thanks. I would of course back everything up, but I was just wondering.

While perhaps no one cares at this point, or whether or not you believe me, but my inside Apple source says new MBPs this Tuesday. They said nothing to me about the MB or others, but they may just not have that info.

NO I DON'T BELIEVE YOU *covers ears with hands* I don't want to believe you! Cause if I do, I'll just be more disappointed if it doesn't happen... lol

*whispering* Your source didn't mention anything about whether they would have LED backlighting, Santa Rosa, or a better GPU, did s/he?

 

[mavherzog]

How does one live without an optical drive?

If you need to re-install OSX, what do you do? (Considering you do not have an external drive)

Why carry around the added weight of an optical drive if the only time you'd need it was to reinstall the OS? I own a ThinkPad X60s and the only time I used my external USB optical drive was to install the OS (linux, btw). Passed on my MacBook to the wife because it was too big and heavy for my tastes (plus, I absolutely HATE trackpads...man do I wish Apple would come out with a trackpoint).

When stationed on a desk with external mouse (Trackman Marble is my external of choice), the MacBook was my favorite laptop to date. But when I was on the go, I longed for the smaller form factor of my 12" iBook and the trackpoint of my previous ThinkPad's.

 

[SLiM620]

 

[A is jump]

I'm excited for this MBP. I'll be upgrading my powerbook as soon as they release it.
hooray!

 

[naco]

Why not 802.11n for the external optical?

Rocketman

I’m starting to think this way too. But not for the optical part. I’m starting to think that this new lightweight laptop will be like an Apple TV type computer. It will sync with your home Mac if you have one. So it can get all the Apps you want to transfer over, and it can still be a useful whole computer. I still cant think of a side where you don’t have a home Mac to sync with though...Like, how will new things be put on it? I like Apple's idea of making all of their products intertwine with each other, just as long as they aren’t codependent on each other to work properly. I still think a Program Downloading service would work pretty good though, slow…but good.

*And what kind of hardware do you people see this as? Consumer (white/black), Or Pro (Silver)?

 

[GanleyBurger]

.

We're still assuming that Apple is going to stick to Tuesdays.

If I remember correctly, the OCTO option came out on a Wednesday.

 

[GanleyBurger]

Small, light, new design, no CDR.... smokin'!!!

.

 

[GanleyBurger]

I'm being a posting hog...

.

How come no one is talking about a 17" MBP?

I remember the morning, last year, when that puppy hit the Apple website (drool, drool) I can't remember if the 15" MBP came out first, or the 17".

Could they release a 17" in the near future? If it had Santa Rosa, an updated graphics card, and a 7200rpm drive at 120 to 160 gigs, it would be my main computer.

 

[pnyc]

Woow possibly a new MBPro on Tuesday. I can't wait to see what it's like.

 

[Erasmus]

.

We're still assuming that Mac is going to stick to Tuesdays.

If I remember correctly, the OCTO option came out on a Wednesday.

The company is Apple Incorporated.

Mac is one of their products.

"So when is iPod going to release the new nano?"
"Radeon is going to release the new 2600 on Tuesday"
etc.

Nitpick, but it's important, and annoying.


The 15" was announced in January last year. The 17" was announced at NAB in April? The Macbook was announced later, I think.

 

[Evangelion]

It's not the sort of ultra-portable or even tablet that most uses here seem to want but I could really go for something like the Mac Mini tablet that this guy made.
It's much better than the Nokia internet tablets and can run iTunes. Awesome!

well, i'm typing this from nokia 770, but... i really don't see that tablet as being better than the nokia ones are. for starters, it.s huge, whereas nokias are tiny.

 

[Evangelion]

i can't help but feel that many people will be disappointed. i mean, the needs and wants for the ultraportable seem completely unrealistic. what kind of spec-demands have there been?

- internal optical drive
- big hard-drive
- long battery-life
- small screen with good resolution
- fast cpu
- small and light design
- all this for under $2000

yeah, and i want a pony. somehow i'm reminded by the old saying: "good, fast, cheap. pick two"

 

[kajitox]

Honestly, I consider the Rev A/B etc. to mean when they fix issues like the mooing/heat/blah blah blah, not so much a boost in technology. Yet, it does depend on the context that it is in. Where you heard it, they were probably talking about the former and that would almost always be covered by Apple, since they gave you a faulty product. The hassle comes in when you have to repair what you probably expected to be a perfectly fine, new machine.

I'm willing to deal with it if it happens.

 

[emotion]

There has been a lot of talk in this thead of ultraportables but I suspect that apple, if it working on one, will wait until next year for a release of this type when flash memory becomes mass-market. And even then may opt to have such a small machine be a tablet when they've Apple have access to cheaper touchscreens or high resolution

I think the rumours we're seeing the ripples of here are a machine that is a possible replacement for the much missed powerbook 12" (I had two, replaced one with a black macbook, which while nice is no 12" powerbook - a common sentiment among 12" powerbook owners). The 12" wss NOT an ultraportable machine as it is pretty much the same power as the larger powerbooks and has comparable battery life and an optical drive. And a normal computer price (ultraportables are always expensive!)

I'd like to see something like this (it's not an ultraportable!)

- 13" (or 12" but 13" makes sense economically to share with later macbooks) WS LED-lit display. I'd like to see the bezel of the macbook to be severely reduced whcih should bring the size down a lot.

- Low voltage 1.4/1.6GHz C2Duo santa rosa with 4MB cache.

- x3100 graphics or possibly discrete (it's not an ultarportable!)

- optical drive (though I wouldn't really miss one - not a deal breaker)

- backlit MBP style keyboard (the MB keyboard aint that great folks)

- small flash-cache, maybe even using those seagate hybrid drives.

- black anodized alu case (edit: ok might not be practical (scracthes!) but i love the idea of the look of my macbook black in aluminium)

- FW800

 

[scrambledwonder]

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

Who on earth needs a backlit keyboard?

Or an isight, for that matter. . .

 

[emotion]

Who on earth needs a backlit keyboard?

Or an isight, for that matter. . .

yeah no isight for me. though i think they cost pennies to include these days
i've had my macbook 6 months and used the isight once.

as for backlit. the smaller machines are used a lot by djs and lighting technicians in venues where lighting is very low (theatre, clubs etc). Backlit would be great. In fact even at home the I have my lights low ((what can I say I'm a lover not a fighter ) and a backlit kb would be great. Esp. if the machine is all black (anaodized alu).

 

[scrambledwonder]

yeah no isight for me. though i think they cost pennies to include these days
i've had my macbook 6 months and used the isight once.

as for backlit. the smaller machines are used a lot by djs and lighting technicians in venues where lighting is very low (theatre, clubs etc). Backlit would be great. In fact even at home the I have my lights low ((what can I say I'm a lover not a fighter ) and a backlit kb would be great. Esp. if the machine is all black (anaodized alu).

Oh yeah, DJs! Makes total sense. I'm just thinking that "Pros" would know how to touch type. . . But I know a lot of pro photographers and musicians who can't type worth a d*mn. . . Anyway, for me, the backlit keyboard and isight are just over the top. Now a good scratch-resistant, fingerprint resistant finish. . . THAT would be worth a hundred bucks extra!!

 

[arbroathsmokie]

Sounds like to me Apple are revamping an old idea to me. Anyone remember the Powerbook Duo?

I wonder if they'll release a dock for their new ultra-portable macbook aswell, to allow users to use their macbook as a desktop. If not have an external optical drive using FW800, using the macbook as the power source when needed.