More Apple Notebook Details: Clickable Glass Trackpad, GPUs, Pricing

[rtdunham]

the forgotten "brick"

not much here about the "brick". I thought this post from Computerworld was worth a second thought:

"Don't underrate the brick as wireless power. Almost everyone I know with a mac laptop calls the power adapter the power brick. I'd be shocked if that vernacular hadn't travelled to Cupertino."

Remember, at one point we were told the "brick" was a big deal. But reviewing the laptop casing photos we've seen, it's easy to imagine that the process is new, but hard to imagine that the benefits would be significant. So there may still be a brick surprise in a couple hours.

 

[fleshman03]

make that 6 hours and 20 minutes - let's not forget that Jobs will be talking about iPod sales, all the new features of Leopard, the 2050 countries in which the iPhone is now sold ........

I believe it's 2051 now.

 

[JayTapp]

I hope the glossy only is the wrong information.

I'm a professional photographer and I use a macbook *PRO* to do my work, which cannot be achieved with a screen that enhances reality.

I do no know *any* photographer doing editing on a glossy screen. This would be a serious limitation.

I sold my matte MBP just yesterday, knowing I would always have the option to re-buy the 'old' one at a discounted rate.... I may just have to do this as all the new features are offset by this glossy screen :-(

I know several pro photographers who works with a macbook. Stop kidding yourself, lightroom and photoshop works perfectly with an integrated GPU. Thay have a glossy screen and they don't whine like lillte spoiled child.

I never had any problem with glossy screens. Remember, 500 person on a forum aren't necessarily a good sample of the buying population.

 

[fleshman03]

I'm getting the joke... off course
but I just want that MBP grrr

hahaha grrrr. I think we all know how you feel. I was/am hoping for a mbp/imac-like dock. Once that happens, I'll sell my now highly desirable matted MBP.

 

[withnail]

Turd is the new bumper crop

This puts to rest months of rampant speculation over Jobs' health. Obviously, he had acute diarrhea, which served as the inspiration for the new line of MacBook Pros.

 

[MikeELL]

A theory that ties some threads together

I was trying to think of what could be announced today that would also be relevant to the iPhone (given the "spotlight on notebooks" theme). The conclusion I came to is that now that all the macbooks and macbook pros are getting multitouch, it can't be too far fetched to suppose they may be introducing the advanced multitouch gestures spoken about here: (https://www.macrumors.com/2008/02/1...ltitouch-gesturing-control-panel-in-mac-os-x/)

and if they do that then the gestures would also be relevant to all iphone functions too. There are a few features that are obviously missing from the iphone (cut/paste, video capture) and I believe the reason they have been holding them back is so that they can implement them as core functions in multitouch.

It might not be introduced today but the inclusion of multitouch on the trackpads gives me hope it could be soon

Any takers?

 

[chaosconan]

Wow, is that corner ugly. I think its about an inch thick.
It reminds me of the $100 notebooks. Did apple get advice from them?

 

[Lictor]

Call me crazy, but I think $900.00 is still a bit much for a 24" display.

Not really, it all depends on what is inside of it.
If it's an IPS pannel, it's a perfectly normal price, IPS pannel are expensive (and very good at what they do).
If it's a VA pannel, it's indeed expensive, you can now find alternatives in the $600 range.
If it's TN, then, it is indeed a rip of. But TN on a 24" LCD is so bad I actually prefer to stick to my 19" 4/3 MVA LCD until there is enough competition in the non-TN 24" pannels...

You can get a 1080p 32" LCD TV for about that much.

Yes, but it will be a TV, not a multi-purpose monitor. As a monitor, it will be crap. Just try to color-calibrate your TV for fun...

 

[ts1973]

make that 6 hours and 20 minutes - let's not forget that Jobs will be talking about iPod sales, all the new features of Leopard, the 2050 countries in which the iPhone is now sold, the iPhone's new killer feature (auto-correction that can be disabled, in stores by Christmas for an upgrade price of 10$), how well the NBC HD series are selling in the one country where they are available (but which, incidentally, is the only one that Apple gives a crap about) BEFORE there'll be any kinds of announcements of new notebooks that will be available in the US next week and in Europe before Christmas.

Great post.

One can only hope that he cuts the crap a little short this time, as it's not MW or WWDC.

 

[olikid]

Wow, is that corner ugly. I think its about an inch thick.
It reminds me of the $100 notebooks. Did apple get advice from them?

Sooooo Fugly.

The one thing I was really keen on was the idea of a smaller bezzle and they make it bigger?

I'll still get one, but god, what a let down in terms of aesthetics if this is it.

 

[sterlingindigo]

I'm dancing in my chair...4 more hours!

 

[Terrador]

This contradicts everything we have heard so far. When apple says the spotlight turns to notebooks, they don't mean the spotlight turns to the 15" MacBook pro only and all you other laptops are screwed. We have seen photo after photo of the aluminum cases with real trackpads. There has been no real evidence of a $1299 base MacBook.

Don't worry guys, Apple isn't going to let us down. They aren't so dumb they'd MAKE you use a glossy screen.

 

[jnc]

No matte screen or DVI?


...


Really?

 

[drexciya]

APPL stocks will sink deeper than last week if this is all Steve is coming up with

 

[fleshman03]

This contradicts everything we have heard so far. When apple says the spotlight turns to notebooks, they don't mean the spotlight turns to the 15" MacBook pro only and all you other laptops are screwed. We have seen photo after photo of the aluminum cases with real trackpads. There has been no real evidence of a $1299 base MacBook.

Don't worry guys, Apple isn't going to let us down. They aren't so dumb they'd MAKE you use a glossy screen.

At least we hope not.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Guess all we can do is wait and see what comes out later today and hope for the best. A MBP with only glossy just isn't what I'm looking for or will even part my money with
That's been a reason why I still have my 20" iMac with the "super hero chin" since the matte screen is perfect, too bad I can't stuff more memory in it but it's been great for me thus far I'm more interested in seeing what will happen with/to the 17" MBP. As far as the MB and the thought of it lacking some features such as FW, that would be stupid on Apple's part but again, who really knows until press time…

 

[Srai-W]

Well it is 9pm here in Singapore so I will either have to wait up for the next four hours... or wait until tomorrow morning when I am in the office to check out what the actual announcements are. I still have a feeling we may be surprised by what it actually is. Hopefully in a good way though dammit as I have been waiting for some time now to upgrade my 12" Powerbook G4.

 

[137489]

I almost wonder something....

These rumors seem very schzophrentic, with unfinished updates/work, price and configurations that just do not make sense for an update of the MB/MPB lines.....

I wonder if we were clammering so much for an Oct 14th date, that Steve could not take it anymore and said - "Here -will this just shut you up for now??? to show you we are doing something!!!! """ wouldn't it be intersting if he came out and showed us this and then at the end said:

" Oh by the way, these are prototypes of what may be to come - you will see the real ones in January at macworld and then I will have a shipping date for you..."

Apple's stock would tank seriously, but would that all kick you in the pants for keep demanding something happen today....

 

[obibobi]

There will be a free sheet of fine sandpaper provided with every MBP.
Just rub your screen and it´s matte.

And for the vivid colors, just add a 50% transparent layer of grey in photoshop on every picture.

This will stop people from whining...

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

not much here about the "brick". I thought this post from Computerworld was worth a second thought:

"Don't underrate the brick as wireless power. Almost everyone I know with a mac laptop calls the power adapter the power brick. I'd be shocked if that vernacular hadn't travelled to Cupertino."

Remember, at one point we were told the "brick" was a big deal. But reviewing the laptop casing photos we've seen, it's easy to imagine that the process is new, but hard to imagine that the benefits would be significant. So there may still be a brick surprise in a couple hours.

I think the new casing will be a lot lighter.

 

[emotion]

APPL stocks will sink deeper than last week if this is all Steve is coming up with

Time to buy then....

The stocks will also dip if all the models are considered premium price devices.

 

[iMav]

Forgive me if the point has already been made . . .

Having the trackpad be "clickable" (as in, physically moving and acting like a button) seems ridiculous to me. I hope that is false and that someone simply misunderstood the standard tap functions.

 

[zorinlynx]

They aren't so dumb they'd MAKE you use a glossy screen.

Oh really? If you want an iMac you MUST have a glossy screen. They took matte away completely from that line.

Macbook? Glossy screen.

I don't know WHY this obsession with glossy. Everyone was doing displays right for over a decade, then some MORON came up with this glossy idea and it set us back 20 years, into the days of CRTs with *no* anti-reflective coatings.

I've always wondered why bad ideas tend to spread like wildfire sometimes.

 

[chaosconan]

Sooooo Fugly.

The one thing I was really keen on was the idea of a smaller bezzle and they make it bigger?

I'll still get one, but god, what a let down in terms of aesthetics if this is it.

I'm going to the apple store to see how it feels in my hand and how it looks overall before I can buy this THING. Yes, this monstrosity. I'm not sure I can call it a macbook right now. I guess everyone has their frankenstein one of these years. Maybe this is apples turn.

 

[bolen]

Come on, don't patronize us that way. You stated you prefer the glossy one anyway, so how can you claim it's not a big deal for others?

I do prefer the glossy screen most of the time.. But I also like the matte one. I've got two big matte monitors at work (24+20), my Dell 12" is matte and my work laptop (HP 15.4) is matte.

The "no big deal" is primary ment to the "ooh color accuracy" bla bla whining. It's the same panel beneath the surface = no actual difference in performance. It's just something to get used to.