MacBook Pro Specs Leaked? SSD, Better Battery, New Technology?

[xVeinx]

...And also for accountants, scientists, mathematicians, they are better off with a PC...it is what it is, but a MAC feautures Aperture, LOGIC, and FiNAL Cut, I think its safe to say it's mainly marketed for those PROFESSIONALS even though it can be used for other things.

Macs are used regularly in the sciences. If you bother going to a conference for systems biology or the life sciences, you'll see at least half of the users have a Mac laptop, not to exclude the machines they use in the office or in lab. There is plenty of work that is done using Linux, Windows, or on PC's in general, certainly. However, a lack of awareness about the software put out for Macs for use in the sciences (especially since more and more of the heavy lifting is via open-source software designed for unix/linux) doesn't mean that no scientist uses a Mac. Check out http://www.apple.com/science/ if you don't believe me .

 

[manu chao]

If they included the external drive for free? Sure! Otherwise who wants to carry an extra drive out so you can do what you can used to do without such hassle?

And who wants to carry an external HDD with you if you could put a second HDD inside?
Does Apple include a second HDD with every notebook? No. But almost everybody needs a second HDD for backups. Only if you do online backup only, you do not need a second HDD. A
Does Apple include an ODD with every notebook? No. Not with Air, not with some models of the future MBP. Does everybody need an ODD? If you watch DVDs only on your home entertainment center, download all your software and music, you do not need an ODD. A significant number of people will need it but 'almost everybody'? No.

In short, more people need a second HDD than need an ODD. Yet Apple ships almost computers without a second HDD and only a small portion without an ODD.

 

[Full of Win]

Do you guys think that rumored 16GB SSD to hold the OS will be soldered to the logic board or will it be a "snap-on" type & user replaceable?

Soldered.

 

[DrJohnnyN]

Some sanity...thank you. Not everyone needs the latest.

Read: Not everyone can afford the latest. I kid.

 

[Funkymonk]

what are the chances of the base mbp 13" being $999? maybe even $1099?

 

[neko girl]

One thing I hadn't thought of before..
If Apple has an internal SSD (16 GB), then they have a regular HDD, then they have an ODD slot/second HDD.. then wouldn't they be using 3 SATA ports out of Cougar Point (the chipset connected to Sandy Bridge). Didn't this chipset have an issue where all but 2 ports were affected by an issue that made Intel stop shipping these?

Since these MBPs are available now, and not delayed, for this reason alone I think the 16 GB SSD for OS X rumor is probably not true..

 

[StoneyG]

I do agree with you I just don't agree with those who said it should be eliminated for good, it should be an option and for a big spectrum of the people who do utilize and depend on it.

In my opinion people who don't really need these features are wasting their money it is what it is, but hey Apple does a great job at marketing their models and I guess you can say confusing the customer into buying a higher level model when they don't even need to, it kind of plays with their psychology.

Yeah.

I guess it comes down to: they can't cater to everybody's needs, all of the time. So, naturally, eventually, the optical drive will no longer be a standard component in these machines. Even the desktop machines, I reckon. That WILL suck for many of us, but it will force people to adapt to other options. Just like the floppy.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Its pretty pointless to update the screen resolution if you are not including a blu-ray drive.

 

[applefanDrew]

what are the chances of the base mbp 13" being $999? Maybe even $1099?
:d

0-10%

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Does everybody need an ODD?

At this point in time, the only individuals who DON'T need the ODD are MBA owners, because their software is already on a USB disk. Unless 10.6.7 is also released on flash disk, it will be necessary for new MBP owners.

What's even funnier is that Apple includes disks with the Mac Mini Server, and there is no disk drive! Remote server setup is a breeze in every sense of the word, but it's still an issue.

 

[ECUpirate44]

At this point in time, the only individuals who DON'T need the ODD are MBA owners, because their software is already on a USB disk. Unless 10.6.7 is also released on flash disk, it will be necessary for new MBP owners.

What's even funnier is that Apple includes disks with the Mac Mini Server, and there is no disk drive! Remote server setup is a breeze in every sense of the word, but it's still an issue.

I bet the 2011 MBP will have the OS and apps installed on a flash drive instead of a disc whether the buyer includes an ODD or not.

 

[SPEEDwithJJ]

And who wants to carry an external HDD with you if you could put a second HDD inside?
Does Apple include a second HDD with every notebook? No. But almost everybody needs a second HDD for backups. Only if you do online backup only, you do not need a second HDD.

In short, more people need a second HDD than need an ODD. Yet Apple ships almost computers without a second HDD and only a small portion without an ODD.

First of all, kindly forgive me for my stupidity & ignorance.

Wouldn't you want to do backups on a HDD to be stored elsewhere & not on the same notebook? Touch wood, but what if something bad happens to the notebook (that also holds the 2nd HDD with the backup)? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having backups?

 

[Jphillippe]

Macs are used regularly in the sciences. If you bother going to a conference for systems biology or the life sciences, you'll see at least half of the users have a Mac laptop, not to exclude the machines they use in the office or in lab. There is plenty of work that is done using Linux, Windows, or on PC's in general, certainly. However, a lack of awareness about the software put out for Macs for use in the sciences (especially since more and more of the heavy lifting is via open-source software designed for unix/linux) doesn't mean that no scientist uses a Mac. Check out http://www.apple.com/science/ if you don't believe me .

Again you need to quote my whole comment to make a statement, grabbing a portion of it otherwise is basically changing the context of what I said. I never said scientists don't utilize it, it's obvious, every sample of every profession uses a MAC, i'm just stating that MACs are a highlight for those art professionals which is obvious in their marketing of art software in music, video production, and music production, and that these users and the professions that come about highly depend on an optical drive...that's all!

 

[Winnychan213]

I think that the SD cards will replace the CDs and DVDs. The new ones can hold alot more info. They are smaller and more portable, won't scratch etc.

In fact I think some movie rental kiosks are already employing this technology. Instead of renting a DVD, you just insert a SD card and load the movie onto it which expires in a set time. But even that is going to be replaced in time by downloaded and streaming movies. People will have movies stored on their computers/tvs in the future and not on bookshelves in endless DVD cases. Plus if you travel and can't stream movies....you can just load your computer with the movies you want to watch before you go. I mean, who wants to carry a bunch of DVDs with them when they travel when they can just store em on their HD?

I remember how I used to bring a notebook full of audio CDs with me when I went on a long trip. Then the iPod came along, and NOBODY carries their entire CD collection with them anymore. Doesn't make sense.

Now the same thing is happening with video. I know it hurts people who spent insane amounts of money on a huge DVD collection...but that's progress for ya. I think it's a good thing. I was getting so sick of the studios forcing people to constantly replace their DVD libraries with DVD, then Blue Ray. What was next? Super Blue Ray? Digital libraries are soooo much easier. Not to mention more environmentally friendly.

More and more software is being downloaded too. And I think really large programs will make the shift from CDs to SD cards as well.

Download is not very practical option for people like me, takes me hours just to download a gigabyte of info. You know optical disc is still the cheapest way to distribute info, right? SD card might eventually catch up but right now DVD is still the cheapest. And who wants to rip their movies to their hard drive and uses all their hard drive space and somewhat slows down their computer? I would still want to have the phyiscal copy for the movie, especially when its still cheaper than the one available in itunes.

Your theory on progression doesnt work too. Imagine me telling you that cars are making the shift from gasoline to electric, and you have to accept electric today, despite the infrastructure isn't available just yet. You have to use electric now because its the future. You of course will laugh at me for making such statement.

 

[mozumder]

So waiting a pathetic year for an update got us what?

A little SSD flash for the OS (big deal), i3 (lol) and a THIRD usb port (WOW! ), a matte option that should've been there in October 2008, an option to replace what we will assume was meant to say optical drive (big deal), and a screen resolution bump on the 13" that should've been there in 2008 too, an extra what, 1 hour of battery life, and 8 GB or RAM on the 17" standard?

I mean let's break this down:

--Flash drive for the OS. Big freaking deal, the world is leaving that behind by just going with pure SSDs for the whole shebang. It's hardly worthy of a thumbs up for a crappy 16 GB partition of flash/SSD combined with a dinosaur mechanical hard drive. So, in other words, you can do better than what Apple can offer, by just buying an SSD and putting it in, or getting Apple's optional SSD they already had.

--Matte option? Where the hell was this 2.5 years ago? Now we should all bow down to how great Apple is that they gave us a "feature" that should've been there all along? Of course note that it only says it's on the higher end 13, meaning Apple's going to screw you into the high end model, and everyone will complain here.

--Core i3? Wow, that's not really that big of a deal. 3 USB ports? Not happening, on the 13" of all machines. If it did, again, should've been there 5 years ago.

--Replacing the optical drive with an SSD? Optibay beat Apple to that by a few years. Again, Apple's screwing the consumer into the 15 and 17" model only. More complaining here to ensue.

--Since when is 1440x900 or 1680x1050 HD? Oh, and 1680x1050 is already there, so no improved offering there. The 1440x900 should've been there from October 2008.

--An hour of battery life, whoop-de-doo.

--8 GB of RAM on the 17"? Not like you can't already have this too.

So if this is true, what's in this update? Basically nothing. Basically nothing you can't already option from Apple, or easily get equal or better with an aftermarket solution. The only real "upgrades" here are the 1440x900 on the 13, and the matte option, both of which should've been there all along. So what's the update, just making some of these things standard? Whoop-de-doo, look at that innovation.

If this is the kind of lame update Apple makes lemmings wait a year for, this is just pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.

Sounds like this is going to be an awesome update. I can't wait to get one!

 

[nylonsteel]

If the news is true - pretty darn cool
If light peak on top of all the specs named - impressive

 

[manu chao]

You're very rude for mocking me, I find it disrespectful.

In other words, when you are a TRUE professional then an optical drive is a must because those other features you use manifest upon it. As a video editor I need to burn DVDs, as a photographer I like to make copies for those who I photograph or I'm interested in showing my portfolio and as a music producer I'm interested in making demos and distributing them.

Ah, a true professional is someone who needs to burn optical media on the go. Any professional who does not do this should be ashamed to call himself professional.

If your arguments can very easily be made fun of, maybe there aren't such great arguments.

 

[ldellx3]

all im saying is that i cant wait for tomorrows news! and especially tomorrow night..because then we will know if this is goin' down ahah

 

[AcesHigh87]

Will hopefully have the money this summer to get one of the new models. I've got a 2 and a half year old macbook white and would really like an update. Especially if these specs are true.

 

[StoneyG]

At this point in time, the only individuals who DON'T need the ODD are MBA owners, because their software is already on a USB disk. Unless 10.6.7 is also released on flash disk, it will be necessary for new MBP owners.

What's even funnier is that Apple includes disks with the Mac Mini Server, and there is no disk drive! Remote server setup is a breeze in every sense of the word, but it's still an issue.

From what I personally saw, about one out of four people who bought Airs in the last couple of months took the external SuperDrive as well.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I bet the 2011 MBP will have the OS and apps installed on a flash drive instead of a disc whether the buyer includes an ODD or not.

I hope so. Installing from a quick usb disk (mine is the Patriot XT which has the 10.6 install as well as some Apple Service Diagnostic Images) to a quick SSD is quick and painless.

From what I personally saw, about one out of four people who bought Airs in the last couple of months took the external SuperDrive as well.

Sorry. I didn't mean to say that Air Owners don't need an external drive; that's not a call for me to make. I mean from a strictly system recovery standpoint, the only ones who don't need the ODD to perform the very basic task of reinstalling the OS are MBA owners because of their flash based software, although we could also lump in network admins who have configured netbooting for their mac clients.

 

[Winnychan213]

And who wants to carry an external HDD with you if you could put a second HDD inside?
Does Apple include a second HDD with every notebook? No. But almost everybody needs a second HDD for backups. Only if you do online backup only, you do not need a second HDD. A
Does Apple include an ODD with every notebook? No. Not with Air, not with some models of the future MBP. Does everybody need an ODD? If you watch DVDs only on your home entertainment center, download all your software and music, you do not need an ODD. A significant number of people will need it but 'almost everybody'? No.

In short, more people need a second HDD than need an ODD. Yet Apple ships almost computers without a second HDD and only a small portion without an ODD.

Thats why i think its better for Apple to allow us to choose SSD or optical drive in the optical bay, to give people choice. I don't have problems with that at all.

 

[bretm]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148a Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm annoyed that they're not 16:9. I thought all Apples displays were 16:9 like everyone else now.

 

[mlayer]

Calling BS on the i3

There is no mobile Core i3 that is being sold by Intel. Only i5's and i7's are. The i3 that is being cited as possibly going into the new MBP's is a desktop processor. Not gonna happen.

 

[Jphillippe]

Yeah.

I guess it comes down to: they can't cater to everybody's needs, all of the time. So, naturally, eventually, the optical drive will no longer be a standard component in these machines. Even the desktop machines, I reckon. That WILL suck for many of us, but it will force people to adapt to other options. Just like the floppy.

I guess I see your point of view, but I don't think this should be Apple's call it should really be in the hands of those who produce media that's meant to be used in an optical drive. I think Apple plays too much the role of revolutionizing when their not even adding new technology just including as standard features that should've existed a while back