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MacBook Pro Update Due for Launch as Soon as Tomorrow?

nomad421 said:
Write CUDA programs taking advantage of compute 1.2 and 1.3 functionality. Namely, this means current CUDA programs on the MBP are limited from doing any of the following:

  1. Supporting atomic functions operating in shared memory and atomic functions operating on 64-bit words in global memory
  2. Using warp voting functionality
  3. Using 16384 registers per multiprocessor
  4. Using more than 24 warps per multiprocessor
  5. Using more than 768 threads per multiprocessor
  6. !!! Using double precision floating point numbers !!!

There are other things the current MBP is incapable of doing that I would expect the new one to do, but this seems a sufficient list for my needs right now.
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I admit I have no idea what CUDA is. However, even you don't know whether the new ones will be able to do these things. Even if they can, you are in a vast minority of users who even care about this. Apple is not even considering the updates so you can do these tasks.

Sometimes the only way to perform serious tasks is to use a serious machine (macpro seems a possibility?)
 
CUDA stands for Compute Unified Device Architecture and its the basic GPU arch which has defined Nvidia GPUs for the past 4 years. It has become widely used in computational science and high performance computing and allows one to write very high performance, very high throughput computational code for Nvidia GPUs in a C like language (C for CUDA).

Check Appendix A of this bad boy. In particular pages 101-103. You'll clearly see that the old mobile nvidia parts are only CUDA compute 1.1 capable. However, the new 300M series (which I'd expect to see in the updated MBPs) is compute 1.3 capable; thus lifting many of the stubborn limitations of the previous generation of CUDA capable devices. I'd agree that I'm in the extreme minority here; but I do need these capabilities as I'm a Comp Sci grad student and write a significant amount of research code in CUDA.
 
KPATT18 said:
There are at least two customers Apple is losing revenue on:

1. The "angry" enough person that has bought elsewhere.

2. People like me who will buy eventually but not June '09 hardware at March '10 prices OR until the new MBP comes out. And if anyone says that doesn't matter because "they'll eventually get my money" they have never even run their own lemonaid stand let alone any other business.
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Or for me:

3. The window for buying a new computer came and went. No new nothing for me.

s.
 
Pantoffel said:
Amen to that.
Others can say what they want, but imo, it's just criminal to ask such prices for the current MBP's.
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No ones making you buy them (or a Mac for that matter). I'm a Linux guy at heart, and I love Debian GNU/Linux, and their motto is "it's done when it's done". Blizzard is the same way (with Diablo & StarCraft as examples).

Dave
 
Apple lives outside the tech mainstream. I have enjoyed their computers for years. Beginning with the PowerBooks I bought each time they were refreshed or renewed. The 15" Unibody MacBook Pro I'm currently using is less than six months old by time, but ages old (technologically) by Internet time and comparison to the Core i Series Windows Laptops, that run the large scale businesses of the USA.

Apple has carved out a niche market that is unique, and gives them the freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they want. By creating a brilliant marketing machine, luring loads of followers that will buy anything "cool" made by Apple, and shaping the company to an image, they've been able to do some very different things.

If they are leaders or introduce a new product like the iPad their followers brag how great they are.

If they fall behind, like with the current MacBook Pro, the followers defend Apple by saying ... shucks who needs the latest technologies?

So it's a culture of always being right, always being the best, even if only in the minds of some of the fan base.

And for that I give them lots of credit, after all, who else could still sell Core 2 Duo notebooks for the prices that Apple charges? In the PC Space only the cheap entry level laptops even offer that old chip anymore. The Core i3, i5, i7 series have been readily available, and are being used everywhere.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not being critical of Apple, after all look at the Cash Cow they are! They hold out for gross profits that are the envy of the industry. No matter how small their market share is, they command everyone's attention. They have accomplished feats that other companies only dream of. They are the darling of Hollywood, an entertainment company in their own right. Once known as Apple Computer, now morphed into Apple Inc. A highly influential company that garners attention on the back of mere words uttered by the CEO.

Very interesting indeed.
 
I do understand your point, but the current range isn't that bad value. The 9400m video card isn't that bad. I think my Toshiba A200 laptop uses the same card. It's powerful enough to play Oblivion with reasonable settings. Very few laptops are going to be real gamers machines (including PC based units). The vast majority of laptop users aren't gamers, and tonnes of power isn't required.

Yes, the products might be overpriced now (hardware wise), but - Apple isn't going to drop prices for several reasons:

1) it has a responsibility to its stakeholders to maintain profits

2) doesn't want to lose money (it's in business to make money)

3) doesn't want to telegraph a new range by price drops which are typically used by manufacturers to get rid of obsolete stock.

Dave

nomad421 said:
dpastern,

I think the point a lot of us are trying to make is that the "power" of a machine is a relative thing. In particular, when considering the value of a MBP, one must consider not only the absolute specifications, but also the power of the system in relation to its price point. This is where the MBPs have really begun to show their age. They have been statically priced for many months now, and while they provided a very reasonable value when they were initially released, a strong argument can be made that this is no longer the case. Also, while the newer core i3,i5 and i7 chips have only started showing up in laptops in the past month or so, the 9400/9600 video cards in the MBPs have been outdated for quite a while.
Click to expand...
 
rhinosrcool said:
I already stated that No Way does Apple release the updated mbps before the iPad is released. I stand by it.
Click to expand...

i 100% agree. people keep over-analyzing the benefits of releasing together/why apple is secretly planning a joint release. thats all garbage. ipad will go first. then mbp. i dont think there is a point checking these threads until at least april, when new, legitimate leaks are out.
 
Adding fuel to the rumours

As I stated in an earlier thread, I ordered a MacBook Pro 13" last Saturday. I was told that it was out of stock local, but it would be ordered, should be in by this Thursday, and could pick it up then. I already paid for the 13" outright, pending delivery. Between last Saturday and today, I decided that I'd go for the 15" instead and rang my local supplier today to see if this would be OK. Well, well, well, interesting news.

I was basically told that there is no stock at all for any of the macbook pro units. None. And, their Apple sales rep had told them that a new range of MacBook Pro units WILL be introduced next week. This guy was 100% certain.

Intel's recent stuff up advertising i5/i7 MBPs, special prices in different countries, lack of stock in different countries, and an overdue update all point to something about to happen. When resellers are telling me that new units are just around the corner, and to hold on, as I'll get a better unit for the same, or better price, is onto something.

I'm hedging my bets on next Tuesday, 23rd March. And I don't usually hedge my bets.

Dave
 
evarian said:
i dont think there is a point checking these threads until at least april, when new, legitimate leaks are out.
Click to expand...

I respect your point, however I find it fun to read all the speculation and the opinions. That's what a forum like this is for, to enjoy the viewpoints of others and share one's own.
 
I agree

dpastern said:
As I stated in an earlier thread, I ordered a MacBook Pro 13" last Saturday. I was told that it was out of stock local, but it would be ordered, should be in by this Thursday, and could pick it up then. I already paid for the 13" outright, pending delivery. Between last Saturday and today, I decided that I'd go for the 15" instead and rang my local supplier today to see if this would be OK. Well, well, well, interesting news.

I was basically told that there is no stock at all for any of the macbook pro units. None. And, their Apple sales rep had told them that a new range of MacBook Pro units WILL be introduced next week. This guy was 100% certain.

Intel's recent stuff up advertising i5/i7 MBPs, special prices in different countries, lack of stock in different countries, and an overdue update all point to something about to happen. When resellers are telling me that new units are just around the corner, and to hold on, as I'll get a better unit for the same, or better price, is onto something.

I'm hedging my bets on next Tuesday, 23rd March. And I don't usually hedge my bets.

Dave
Click to expand...


I am going to agree with this guy. Not only that but Macmall has had a special sale on macbook pros ending 3/16. I went to the apple store today and they were extremely pushy on the macbook pros. Sounds like they are trying to get rid of the inventory before something new comes along. If not tomorrow, next week for sure.

Hopefully because I am one impatient SOB and I really dont want to spend this amount of cash on an old processor.
 
mski349 said:
If you need it, buy it! Otherwise just gotta be patient. No need to gripe about apple this & apple that. I'd love to see them release something rushed out to meet a deadline & to hear all you griping about all the imperfections & glitches? Give it a rest! & the current MBP is so outdated? REALLY? Tell me exactly what you are limited from doing with the current MBP's that the new one will supposedly allow you to do? BEAT IT NERDS! Geeze. Just admit it that you only want the new ones bcuz they are, well.... NEW!!! Obsloete tech. my you know what..... haha
Click to expand...
i want a mbp 13in to make music, i am sure that the ones out at the min are fine and will suit my needs and some people on this site might be nerds but mbps are an expensive machine so i think people do have a right to be pissed off. for people who need them now but also know that as software develops they will probably need a better one, i think they are right. they are out dated but that may not matter for now but that will matter in the future. if i get one now and then in a couple of years a game comes out that only i3, i5 or i7 can handle i will be angry so i think i am going to wait but i am pissed off because i want to start making music as soon as possible. do you see what i mean.
 
does anyone know if the high end mbp 13in will handle logic pro 9 well. i know it will handle it fine on simple tunes but what about when your using plugins and stuff. memory intensive things and such, will i eventually encounter problems down the line or will it work well and fast. i think i am going to wait anyway but i really dont want to.
 
Corpus_Callosum said:
10.6.3 does not contain support for i3-i7 embedded graphic chips, which are built in. The earliest we may see these chips supported is 10.6.4.

Steve Jobs is not happy with Intel's decision to force their substandard graphics chips on their customers. He may refuse to use these chips.

I know, that would suck, because the processors are awesome. But that is the way Steve rolls and we all know that.
Click to expand...
I built a PC for my Windows needs last weekend with a Quad Core i5, you can buy them with and without the graphics on the processor itself.

Here's to hoping it's within the next 2 weeks, I don't need to buy it now, but I will before a big conference in 3 weeks and don't want to spend $3000 of my company's dollars on outdated hardware.
 
Here's hoping Dave!

dpastern said:
As I stated in an earlier thread, I ordered a MacBook Pro 13" last Saturday. I was told that it was out of stock local, but it would be ordered, should be in by this Thursday, and could pick it up then. I already paid for the 13" outright, pending delivery. Between last Saturday and today, I decided that I'd go for the 15" instead and rang my local supplier today to see if this would be OK. Well, well, well, interesting news.

I was basically told that there is no stock at all for any of the macbook pro units. None. And, their Apple sales rep had told them that a new range of MacBook Pro units WILL be introduced next week. This guy was 100% certain.

Intel's recent stuff up advertising i5/i7 MBPs, special prices in different countries, lack of stock in different countries, and an overdue update all point to something about to happen. When resellers are telling me that new units are just around the corner, and to hold on, as I'll get a better unit for the same, or better price, is onto something.

I'm hedging my bets on next Tuesday, 23rd March. And I don't usually hedge my bets.

Dave
Click to expand...

Dave if your right - I am going to be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited! :eek:
I have been waiting since Sept 2009 - I thought, I will wait to the key note in early 2010 as people had been saying - they are about to release new MBP's when that didn't happen, I've kept waiting and waiting and waiting :rolleyes:
When they were not released this week as I thought people had rumoured they would update them with the Mac Pro - I thought stuff it! I am just going to buy one this weekend!

But now......you have given me hope!

I am going to hold out until Tuesday 23rd and then if it isn't here as you predict then I may have to settle for the old :mad:
 
aussiegirlsusan said:
Dave if your right - I am going to be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited! :eek:
I have been waiting since Sept 2009 - I thought, I will wait to the key note in early 2010 as people had been saying - they are about to release new MBP's when that didn't happen, I've kept waiting and waiting and waiting :rolleyes:
When they were not released this week as I thought people had rumoured they would update them with the Mac Pro - I thought stuff it! I am just going to buy one this weekend!

But now......you have given me hope!

I am going to hold out until Tuesday 23rd and then if it isn't here as you predict then I may have to settle for the old :mad:
Click to expand...

Hope indeed.
 
i don't really have a clue when it is coming out but i think if the ipad is preventing it, well that is stupid. ipad already is doing really well in pre orders, plus more people might go to the store. that may help, idont know. something i never thought off till now but maybe apple dont want the ipad to steal the thunder of the new mbps rather than the other way around. dont think anyone has thought off that yet as a possibilty i really hope though that apple dont consider any of them to be getting in each others way. it could be that they are having disputes with intel which is why it is taking so long. looking at the way steve jobs loved his ipad i think he might be going mad. he thinks it is he best way to use the net though i did see some worrie in his eyes. if he was worried well he sure knows how to lie. i love the touch screen but he was looking at it like touch screens did not exist, i suppose that is just part of the marketing. i just hope he recognizes its flaws and also recognizes its about time for an update for the mbps. think he knows that the ipad could have been better but wants to make even more profit by releasing them again in 6 months or something like that with a camera maybe. some people that already own them will buy them again. he is cleaver but not very honest.
 
Hi Susan,

The guy I spoke to was absolutely confident. He told me that there was no way they could provide a current MBP to me, but he couldn't sell me the new units as they hadn't been officially announced and they had no SKUs in their systems yet.

Having worked for Apple Australia (tier 1 support) in the past, I know how close mouthed Apple is, even to staff as a rule. Of course, sales guys, and multi billion dollar customers do "talk". JB Hi Fi is a MASSIVE customer for Apple.

I'm pretty confident that what I've been told is on the money.

If I can score a i5/i7 MacBook Pro 15" for a few hundred bucks more than what I've currently paid, I'd be stoked!

Dave

aussiegirlsusan said:
Dave if your right - I am going to be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited! :eek:
I have been waiting since Sept 2009 - I thought, I will wait to the key note in early 2010 as people had been saying - they are about to release new MBP's when that didn't happen, I've kept waiting and waiting and waiting :rolleyes:
When they were not released this week as I thought people had rumoured they would update them with the Mac Pro - I thought stuff it! I am just going to buy one this weekend!

But now......you have given me hope!

I am going to hold out until Tuesday 23rd and then if it isn't here as you predict then I may have to settle for the old :mad:
Click to expand...
 
Dave,

That is definitely encouraging news! I'm a little hesitant to jump on board with the "next Tuesday" band wagon, but lets all be honest with ourselves... by next Monday night we'll all be convinced, and be hedging our bets, crossing our fingers, salt over our shoulders and turning around three times certain that Tuesday is the day. We're either the most loyal bunch of idiots out there or they should make a commercial staring the people on this forum.

As it stands, I stopped by our local best buy in St. Petersburg, FL, tonight. They had just received a full shipment of current generation MBPs last Thursday and had at least ten of every configuration in stock. I don't know how that plays into your vendor not being able to acquire any, perhaps foreign distribution stops before domestic distribution (anybody know anything about this).

At this point I think it might be summer for me regardless (although that position might change once a release occurs). I'm considering picking up one of those Notion Ink Adams if they ever get released over here, seems like it might be useful in my line of work and my current Desktop/Laptop can hold out a bit.

Hopefully you're source is on to something real, guess we only have about 6 days to find out!
 
dpastern said:
Hi Susan,

The guy I spoke to was absolutely confident. He told me that there was no way they could provide a current MBP to me, but he couldn't sell me the new units as they hadn't been officially announced and they had no SKUs in their systems yet.

Having worked for Apple Australia (tier 1 support) in the past, I know how close mouthed Apple is, even to staff as a rule. Of course, sales guys, and multi billion dollar customers do "talk". JB Hi Fi is a MASSIVE customer for Apple.

I'm pretty confident that what I've been told is on the money.

If I can score a i5/i7 MacBook Pro 15" for a few hundred bucks more than what I've currently paid, I'd be stoked!

Dave
Click to expand...

Not to mention that your outlet is having a sale on some MBP's that end in 3/22. Though I find it odd that they would have a sale for an item that is no longer in stock...
 
mrskitch said:
Not to mention that your outlet is having a sale on some MBP's that end in 3/22. Though I find it odd that they would have a sale for an item that is no longer in stock...
Click to expand...

I know, it's weird. The sale ending 22/3 (which I also noticed but forgot to mention in my prior posts) is also a bit of a co-incidence. That Intel has prepared marketing material advertising i5/i7 MBPs is interesting, because marketing departments usually take their time organising marketing materials etc, they don't rush into things, especially large, multi national companies like Apple or Intel. Something like that would have been planned for months.

Dave
 
mski349 said:
If you need it, buy it! Otherwise just gotta be patient. No need to gripe about apple this & apple that. I'd love to see them release something rushed out to meet a deadline & to hear all you griping about all the imperfections & glitches? Give it a rest! & the current MBP is so outdated? REALLY? Tell me exactly what you are limited from doing with the current MBP's that the new one will supposedly allow you to do? BEAT IT NERDS! Geeze. Just admit it that you only want the new ones bcuz they are, well.... NEW!!! Obsloete tech. my you know what..... haha
Click to expand...


well, i guess people want the new one not only because of the specs ( that they may really need ) but also because of the fact that for a few hundred $ more they get the new apple stuff.

btt: here in germany it´s no problem to get the current mbp. I just hope next week, or at least the end of the month will bring us the new mbp.
 
Sounds promising!!

dpastern said:
Hi Susan,
..
The guy I spoke to was absolutely confident. He told me that there was no way they could provide a current MBP to me, but he couldn't sell me the new units as they hadn't been officially announced and they had no SKUs in their systems yet.

Having worked for Apple Australia (tier 1 support) in the past, I know how close mouthed Apple is, even to staff as a rule. Of course, sales guys, and multi billion dollar customers do "talk". JB Hi Fi is a MASSIVE customer for Apple.

I'm pretty confident that what I've been told is on the money.

If I can score a i5/i7 MacBook Pro 15" for a few hundred bucks more than what I've currently paid, I'd be stoked!
Dave
Click to expand...

Ah Dave this is sounding like good news to me!! :) I went to jb hifi several weeks ago who said there was only 1 15" MBP in the east coast..... I might check in with them again this weekend and see what they say!
I do hope your onto it and will be holding my breath until then!! Thanks again for the heads up!!
 
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