MacBook Pro Upgrade At Photokina?

[ThunderLounge]

Well, #1 We're just finishing with the back-to-school notebook season -- would Apple want to p** off all those recent purchasers?

But isn't that how any update goes, regardless of the manufacturer? There is always someone who buy's today's model and then an update is launched the following day. It's just the breaks of it.

Where I'll applaud Apple, is that if there is an update to a product that you have purchased, they will either ship you the updated version if the price is the same (or close), or if there is a big difference they at least contact you with the option.

I bought a G4 iMac 3 years ago, that was originally a 17" 1GHz. While the order was in processing they pushed delivery back a few days (a week maybe, I can't remember exactly) and shipped me the "new" 1.25GHz updated one, with a bigger HD, etc. The specs were better than what I had originally ordered, but the overall price was the same.

 

[Multimedia]

C2D MacBook By November 23 Thanksgiving

Argh i really want a macbook for uni cos its under a grand but i keep havin to wait until the newer version is released with the Merom chips. MBP are too pricey 4 me. Cmon apple make it happen for me on the 25th!

Long Shot Virtual. Chances are very slim Apple has enough Meroms to add C2D MacBooks before November. I hope I'm wrong. But anytime sooner than after Halloween would surprise me.

Maybe Tuesday October 31st will be Apple's Treat to us.

BTW Ellen gave everyone in her audience Zunes yesterday.

 

[Reach]

What Apple's stores say: (Delivery times on Macbook Pros September 21st. "1-3" days listed as "3" etc.)

For anyone that is interested. Seeing how I actually compiled this information I think it's safe to say that I NEED a MBP to get my mind on something else soon.

 

[HecubusPro]

BTW Ellen gave everyone in her audience Zunes yesterday.

She did that for iPods before as well. Maybe she's just being fair to poor little Microsoft.

 

[Gurutech]

I still think MBP with merom is not worthy of holding special event even with new Aperture unless it gets significant design change ( and I mean SIGNIFICANT, not minor changes like magnetic latch or fw800 addition).

So I suspect one of follwings may happen.

1. MBP gets totally new design

2. new form facter introduced (12" or less)

3. Silent update of MBP C2D and radical new product (or software) to be announced at Photokina.

So.. what do you guys think?

 

[HecubusPro]

I still think MBP with merom is not worthy of holding special event even with new Aperture unless it gets significant design change ( and I mean SIGNIFICANT, not minor changes like magnetic latch or fw800 addition).

So I suspect one of follwings may happen.

1. MBP gets totally new design

2. new form facter introduced (12" or less)

3. Silent update of MBP C2D and radical new product (or software) to be announced at Photokina.

So.. what do you guys think?

Since apple didn't do anything special for the 24" iMac, I don't see anything significant happening for the MBP at Photokina, unless they do something extreme with the case design (not just easy access HDD bay, new gfx card, etc.).

That doesn't mean it won't be announced on the apple store on Monday or Tuesday though--a silent update as you said.

If anything, we'll see announcements for Aperture (duh... it's on the invite), possibly new iSights, and possibly new cinema displays.

I just don't see apple ever doing a 12" MBP. But that's just my opinion and I don't have much to back it up with.

 

[deputy_doofy]

For the fun of it, I decided to customize an HP laptop online. I picked the V6000T series.
Every chip up to, and including, the Core 2 Duo (1.83GHz) has an estimated build date of 9-29-2006. As soon as I change to the 2GHz version of the Core 2 Duo, the build date changes to 10-12-2006.

It seems as though the higher-clocked chips w/4mb cache may be delayed. The 2GHz on the HP page is listed as the T7200. The other chips are T5500 and T5600 (1.66 and 1.83, respectively, and 2mb cache). I'm sure Apple wants the 2GHz and higher (2.16 and 2.33) for the MBPs.

 

[macintel007]

Well...I have now read nearly thirty pages worth of painful, deluded wishful-thinking. ...but all that means is that i'm more committed than ever. i will check for updates with true apple fan-boi obsessiveness.


From the people who know me, I am really a Mac fan (everyday I try to make people switch to mac) but not as obsessed as some people here.

I have a life, a good one and I can live without knowing what is happening in the Mac world (at least for a week).

Have faith!

 

[ThunderLounge]

Every chip up to, and including, the Core 2 Duo (1.83GHz) has an estimated build date of 9-29-2006. As soon as I change to the 2GHz version of the Core 2 Duo, the build date changes to 10-12-2006.

So while they're still already being offered, they aren't shipping yet. What that says to me at least is that Apple isn't really that far off (yet) with the current line, but more like they just haven't told you "officially" about it yet.

FWIW I'd be willing to bet that the process of getting the C2D into the MBP has been going on for quite a while. Development/testing chips were delivered in June, and I'm sure they had the specs to build around before that. It's not like Intel releases the chip to the general public, and then design processes take over. So, if there were some "big" issues in the design, they have had the time to deal with them. The question is, if there were some problems, what was the extent of the problem(s).

Let's say Apple doesn't announce anything until mid October, as an example. That still isn't off by much at all from the real shipping dates of other lines. The only difference seems to be the way it's handled.

Apple likes to say, now shipping/available. Meaning you can go get it right this minute. The other manufacturer's announce it, but don't realistically deliver for a few weeks. Granted there is some variance in each case, but overall that seems to be the big picture.

 

[bep207]

The invite isnt necessarily Aperture
I agree it has a very strong resemblence. But what if it is a Macro picture of the new cinema displays with iSight.
Pretty boring but it could be the new hardware being shown

I NEED A NEW MBP
reading these rumor sites and incessantly checking store.apple.com has had negative effects on my college education.

 

[HecubusPro]

The invite isnt necessarily Aperture
I agree it has a very strong resemblence. But what if it is a Macro picture of the new cinema displays with iSight.
Pretty boring but it could be the new hardware being shown.

The box art and the invite are pretty much the same. The only difference is that the invitation is closer in on the lense than on the box art for the product. Couple that with the macrumors story linked below, and it's Aperture for sure.

As I've said, I also think new iSights and new Cinema displays could be announced as well, but there's no other rumor information to corroborate that. It's just what I think.

https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060914090209.shtml

 

[macman2790]

The invite isnt necessarily Aperture
I agree it has a very strong resemblence. But what if it is a Macro picture of the new cinema displays with iSight.
Pretty boring but it could be the new hardware being shown

I NEED A NEW MBP
reading these rumor sites and incessantly checking store.apple.com has had negative effects on my college education.

same here. I can't keep thinking about a new macbook pro. It takes so much time out of my day. Barely ever have time to study because im consantly reading this sight. I think we all need counseling considering that most of us have been watching this and other sights since before WWDC.

 

[Pressure]

same here. I can't keep thinking about a new macbook pro. It takes so much time out of my day. Barely ever have time to study because im consantly reading this sight. I think we all need counseling considering that most of us have been watching this and other sights since before WWDC.

You guys will be so disappointed when it finally arrives...

 

[HecubusPro]

You guys will be so disappointed when it finally arrives...

Not as disappointed if it doesn't arrive.

I'll be slightly disappointed if they just do a simple processor swap. If they don't add the easy acccess HDD bay, new gfx card, mag latch, etc. I'll be bummed, but I will still go ahead and grab one.

 

[YunusEmre]

Could Apple be working on an iPod with a digital camera?

What are the chances of Apple introducing a Digital Camera + iPod kind of device? May be that is why they are attending the show. Or may be a brand new version of Aperture? Why else would Apple participate?

In any case I hope the MBPs with the new chips come out soon so I can buy my first 15" MBP (hopefully with a dual layer DVD drive).

 

[Pressure]

What are the chances of Apple introducing a Digital Camera + iPod kind of device? May be that is why they are attending the show. Or may be a brand new version of Aperture? Why else would Apple participate?

In any case I hope the MBPs with the new chips come out soon so I can buy my first 15" MBP (hopefully with a dual layer DVD drive).

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't Aperture Apples own software?

 

[ergle2]

For the fun of it, I decided to customize an HP laptop online. I picked the V6000T series.
Every chip up to, and including, the Core 2 Duo (1.83GHz) has an estimated build date of 9-29-2006. As soon as I change to the 2GHz version of the Core 2 Duo, the build date changes to 10-12-2006.

It seems as though the higher-clocked chips w/4mb cache may be delayed. The 2GHz on the HP page is listed as the T7200. The other chips are T5500 and T5600 (1.66 and 1.83, respectively, and 2mb cache). I'm sure Apple wants the 2GHz and higher (2.16 and 2.33) for the MBPs.

I don't think it's delayed so much as just in short supply.

Conroe and Allendale are two different die sizes - 114mm^2 vs 111mm^2 and the latter has in tests been show to overclock better and stay cooler -- not that surprising, given L2 is often a major source of heat.

Now, everything I've read suggests that Merom uses Conroe/Allendale dies that have been successfully tested as stable at lower voltages -- ie, they're the same piece of silicon in a different package.

The two basic die types - 2MB and 4MB - will be from different lines, and I'm guessing that more of the 2MB dies pass the lower voltage tests than the 4MB dies.

Bear in mind the 2MB part will be the more popular, since that's what Dell et all will be pushing in their low-end systems soon enough (tho' it's probably still P4/Pentium-D for the next 6 months) I'd expect there to be more lines of those.

I understand the Woodcrest die is substantially similar to the Conroe die, but does indeed have separate lines.

Anyway, that's my thoughts on why the T5xxx Merom is in more plentiful supply right now.

 

[ergle2]

What are the chances of Apple introducing a Digital Camera + iPod kind of device? May be that is why they are attending the show. Or may be a brand new version of Aperture? Why else would Apple participate?

In any case I hope the MBPs with the new chips come out soon so I can buy my first 15" MBP (hopefully with a dual layer DVD drive).

My guess is an update to Aperture. It could go side-by-side with new MBPs -- I've known a few professional photographers, and they all seemed to own PowerBooks...

 

[ergle2]

You guys will be so disappointed when it finally arrives...

Business as usual

 

[unstatusthequo]

What Apple's stores say: (Delivery times on Macbook Pros September 21st. "1-3" days listed as "3" etc.)

For anyone that is interested. Seeing how I actually compiled this information I think it's safe to say that I NEED a MBP to get my mind on something else soon.

What, no graph?

 

[ergle2]

FWIW I'd be willing to bet that the process of getting the C2D into the MBP has been going on for quite a while. Development/testing chips were delivered in June, and I'm sure they had the specs to build around before that. It's not like Intel releases the chip to the general public, and then design processes take over. So, if there were some "big" issues in the design, they have had the time to deal with them. The question is, if there were some problems, what was the extent of the problem(s).

The Merom specs have been around at least semi-publcially for at least a year. I'd assume significantly longer than that under NDA.

Merom can be dropped into an existing Yonah socket without any other changes, though to really take advantage of it a firmware update is also required.

So, unless there were some major issues somewhere - heat in 64bit mode, perhaps -- would that be a showstopper now? - it shouldn't be a huge engineering challenge.

That is, of course, assuming the new MBP is pretty much the same as the existing MBP with Merom swapped in for Yonah.

Bear in mind these systems will likely only be around 7-8 months before a major change is required -- that's when Santa Rosa will appear. The Santa Rosa platform should be stable for at least a year -- Penryn (Merom update) should appear 2H07 but that's just a die-shrink with more L2 and should if anything lower power usage/heat output.

 

[georgi0]

ok it could be true.....
they will anounce the new MB and MBP withe AMD's inside..

sometime in the next 10 years.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/21/amd-boasts-of-an-apple-future-gripes-about-intel/



I wont be albe to focus on the keyboard by then...

 

[aly]

What Apple's stores say: (Delivery times on Macbook Pros September 21st. "1-3" days listed as "3" etc.)

For anyone that is interested. Seeing how I actually compiled this information I think it's safe to say that I NEED a MBP to get my mind on something else soon.

Nice one, that is dedication to the cause!!!

What, no graph?

LMAO!!

No, but seriously, where is it?

Do we have nothing better to do with our time?

 

[ThunderLounge]

The Merom specs have been around at least semi-publcially for at least a year. I'd assume significantly longer than that under NDA.

Merom can be dropped into an existing Yonah socket without any other changes, though to really take advantage of it a firmware update is also required.

So, unless there were some major issues somewhere - heat in 64bit mode, perhaps -- would that be a showstopper now? - it shouldn't be a huge engineering challenge.

That is, of course, assuming the new MBP is pretty much the same as the existing MBP with Merom swapped in for Yonah.

Bear in mind these systems will likely only be around 7-8 months before a major change is required -- that's when Santa Rosa will appear. The Santa Rosa platform should be stable for at least a year -- Penryn (Merom update) should appear 2H07 but that's just a die-shrink with more L2 and should if anything lower power usage/heat output.

Exactly. They've had the time to work with the chip, iron out all the glitches, and even run a pretty rigorous test session. So it would seem logical that should a delay past Monday occur, that it is either a) completely intentional, b) there's a major problem in the design, or c) they aren't comfortable enough with their supply of chips yet to pull the trigger.

At least, that's what makes the most sense to me.

 

[ergle2]

ok it could be true.....
they will anounce the new MB and MBP withe AMD's inside..

sometime in the next 10 years.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/21/amd-boasts-of-an-apple-future-gripes-about-intel/



I wont be albe to focus on the keyboard by then...

I've figured it might eventually happen ever since I heard Apple was going x86 -- which was something else I figured would have to happen at some point.

I suspect AMD's purchase of ATI is at least in part to give them a complete platform. ATI currently makes most of the chipsets for AMD laptops. With their purchase, this should enable AMD to be in a better position to compete. The only other issues I see are Intel's got the better product right now and Intel has the greater fab capacity.

As you say, sometime in the next decade -- probably.