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MBP + MB Air = <3

Adokimus

Adokimus

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 2, 2007
842
3
Boston, MA
I believe Engadget said it best:

It's now just a matter of time before other Mac laptop lines benefit from the technical and engineering advances that made this thing so thin and light. Give us the lovechild of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, and it's all over.
Click to expand...

I have been waiting for a 17" WUXGA MBP for some time now. Honestly, the only thing that has held me back is the lack of an LED screen. They are just so much brighter, the colors are better, battery lasts longer, and the screen stays brighter over time. Seems nitpicky, but I already have a laptop, so I'm not in the "need" boat, but rather the "want" boat.

So, I'll probably be making the plunge regardless around Montevina. How likely do you think the chances are that the MBP will see a modest redesign by this time. I love the current design, and don't want it to stray much, but things I'd like to see:

-Completely aluminum case (virtually seamless like the MBA)
-Larger multi-touch trackpad (I would hope this is a given)
-Thinner design (0.8" inches & non-tapered seems feasible, but for the heat concerns, though I don't know why the display couldn't be as thin as the MBA's)
-LED display (across all laptops, please apple)

Also:

-I'm indifferent, but a magnetic latch might be nice
-I'm back and forth on the keyboard, and it's not a deal breaker/maker, but I know it's on some people's minds
-Has nothing to do with MBA, but I'm ready to go blu-ray BTO

What do you think? Good ideas? Likely ideas? Anything I left out?

Thanks,

Ado
 
It sounds like you're asking for a 17" MBA with the horsepower of an MBP. I can say with certainty that this will not occur...ever. The next 17" MBP will look just like the current model, except with (perhaps) an LED screen, extra trackpad features, and the regular faster processor/bigger drives/etc.
 
Adokimus said:
-Completely aluminum case (virtually seamless like the MBA)
-Larger multi-touch trackpad (I would hope this is a given)
-Thinner design (0.8" inches & non-tapered seems feasible, but for the heat concerns, though I don't know why the display couldn't be as thin as the MBA's)
-LED display (across all laptops, please apple)

Also:

-I'm indifferent, but a magnetic latch might be nice
-I'm back and forth on the keyboard, and it's not a deal breaker/maker, but I know it's on some people's minds
-Has nothing to do with MBA, but I'm ready to go blu-ray BTO
Click to expand...
-How much more Aluminum can it get?
-larger trackpad is entirely possible...would be nicer if they just updated the firmware so all current macbook/pro's could use multi-touch, but that seems unlikely
-thin or powerful, pick one. MBP's are incredibly thin for the amount of power they pack right now.
-LED 17" Display: yes, this would be nice, but as far as we know the only LED screens being produced are 15.4" and 13.3". So the Macbooks should at least be getting them.

-Magnetic latch = bad idea. The physical button is safer, and I think preferable because it allows the surface to stay flush on the front instead of forcing them to make an indentation.
-Keyboard ought to stay the way it is, as it's better than the Macbook's.
-BR is probably more of a possibility now that the format wars seem to be leaning in a direction, but I still think it'll be awhile.
 
come on...

heatmiser said:
It sounds like you're asking for a 17" MBA with the horsepower of an MBP. I can say with certainty that this will not occur...ever. The next 17" MBP will look just like the current model, except with (perhaps) an LED screen, extra trackpad features, and the regular faster processor/bigger drives/etc.
Click to expand...

First off, that's not what I'm asking for. But, if I were, I wouldn't say it won't happen forever. The MBA is more powerful than the first powerbook, and eventually some thin little sliver of a notebook will blow away the 2007 MBP. Again, not what I'm asking for. I just want a modest redesign.

wallaby said:
-How much more Aluminum can it get?
-larger trackpad is entirely possible...would be nicer if they just updated the firmware so all current macbook/pro's could use multi-touch, but that seems unlikely
-thin or powerful, pick one. MBP's are incredibly thin for the amount of power they pack right now.
-LED 17" Display: yes, this would be nice, but as far as we know the only LED screens being produced are 15.4" and 13.3". So the Macbooks should at least be getting them.

-Magnetic latch = bad idea. The physical button is safer, and I think preferable because it allows the surface to stay flush on the front instead of forcing them to make an indentation.
-Keyboard ought to stay the way it is, as it's better than the Macbook's.
-BR is probably more of a possibility now that the format wars seem to be leaning in a direction, but I still think it'll be awhile.
Click to expand...

How much more aluminum can it get? Well, not much, but just like the 2nd gen iPod nano had plastic caps, the current gen MBP has plastic ridges. And much like Steve-o made a big deal that the 3rd gen iPod nano had a completely aluminum enclosure, he said the same exact thing about the MB Air in his keynote. Better for receycling he said. Check out my pic to see what I mean. I think the MBP would look a lot slicker in a fully aluminum case with smoother edges a la MB Air.

MacBook_Pro.jpg

For the rest...

-Larger trackpad I would think is a given, at least on the MBP (though likely on the MB)
-I'm picking powerful. The size reduction I mentioned was to 0.8", non-tapered, or tapered down from 1.0"-0.8". The current MBP is 1.0". If the screen lid of the MBP was as thin as the MBA, they would reduce it by at least 0.1", bringing the size to 0.9", and that just means I hope any R&D from the MBA might allow them to reduce the case by one tenth of an inch. I'm not asking for the same dimensions as the MBA by any means.
-I believe LG and samsung have already made 17" LEDs, and oddly enough 16" displays in the widescreen hdtv format (1080p not 1200p).
-And why exactly is the magnetic latch a bad idea or unsafe? Some people thought it was the aluminum that prevented it (will ruin the HDD, etc.). That was incorrect, and the MBA is even more evidence that was incorrect. And the flush surface argument is simply taste. I think the magnetic lock has a nice minimalist look to it.
-Keyboard: like I said, I'll use either.
-Blu-Ray, I admit is a bit of a day dream, but fingers are crossed.
 
heatmiser said:
It sounds like you're asking for a 17" MBA with the horsepower of an MBP. I can say with certainty that this will not occur...ever. The next 17" MBP will look just like the current model, except with (perhaps) an LED screen, extra trackpad features, and the regular faster processor/bigger drives/etc.
Click to expand...
Steve Jobs is in LOVE with Apple's new keyboard (sported by the MacBook, MacBook Air, and the new Apple keyboards). I would be totally shocked if it didn't make it into the MBP by summer. (in nearly the exact same, backlit form as in the MBA)
 
heatmiser said:
It sounds like you're asking for a 17" MBA with the horsepower of an MBP. I can say with certainty that this will not occur...ever. The next 17" MBP will look just like the current model, except with (perhaps) an LED screen, extra trackpad features, and the regular faster processor/bigger drives/etc.
Click to expand...

Well the LED alone shaves some weight and thickness off the top. So say .85 is not unreasonable if it isn't tapered.
 
The only feature of the MBA that looks interesting is the SSD, whten the capacity goes up and the price comes down.
 
wallaby said:
-How much more Aluminum can it get?
-larger trackpad is entirely possible...would be nicer if they just updated the firmware so all current macbook/pro's could use multi-touch, but that seems unlikely
-thin or powerful, pick one. MBP's are incredibly thin for the amount of power they pack right now.
-LED 17" Display: yes, this would be nice, but as far as we know the only LED screens being produced are 15.4" and 13.3". So the Macbooks should at least be getting them.

-Magnetic latch = bad idea. The physical button is safer, and I think preferable because it allows the surface to stay flush on the front instead of forcing them to make an indentation.
-Keyboard ought to stay the way it is, as it's better than the Macbook's.
-BR is probably more of a possibility now that the format wars seem to be leaning in a direction, but I still think it'll be awhile.
Click to expand...

This is all opinion Some people like the macbook keyboard better some people think magnetic Latch is better.
 
Here is a mockup of a new MBP I made last week. It has no plastic borders and the rest of what would come on this MBA+MBP love child...
 

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