New Apple MacBook on Tuesday? GMA X3100?

[JSpence]

He/She has been a member since April 2007. By that time on these boards, they should know that MacBooks traditionally drop in April/May and October/November.

Besides, I always triple check on all of these pages before I make an Apple purchase to be sure that nothing is coming out soon.

That's how I got my 4GB iPhone. After reading all of the stories and posts leading up to the iPod conference, I decided to wait to buy my iPhone, and in turn I got it for $299 in the discontinued store.

Why else does Arn bust his ass to feature the BUYER'S GUIDE tab at the top of the page?

Okay, I'm not getting the point across. What I'm getting at is, yes, it's their mistake for not researching it. I'm not arguing that point. But don't jump all over him/her about it. Just tell he/she can return the item for a restocking fee, just like we do when 947 other people ask the same question. No need to be rude. Everyone on this board love's . Common ground.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Hate to rain on your parade, but the machine is still made in China. And all the internals are from Intel and who knows where they're designed..

All Apple does anymore is slap some premade stuff together. Nothing like the old PPC days.

The system top to bottom is designed by Apple oversight on Intel. The assembly is outside the states.

 

[hayesk]

What's apple's policy with new purchases being made obsolete? Is it 8 days? 10? Anyone know definitively?

10 days. If it's already been shipped, they usually credit you some money. If it hasn't shipped, they typically automatically upgrade your order. I don't believe they'll take back an opened machine. Though does it matter to you really other than bragging rights? If the Macbook you have doesn't satisfy your needs, then why purchase it?

 

[hayesk]

I'm interested to see how Apple prices the new MacBook in Canada.

Apple typically sets prices to the proper exchange rate when that model is introduced. Then the price stays the same until it is updated. They don't change prices when something isn't updated. That is why we're still being ripped off with .Mac - it's been the same boxed product with the same SKU for years. But notice Leopard is $129 CDN, and the new iPods are just a bit more in $CDN. When they were introduced, the price was set fairly. So when the next Mac comes out, I expect it to be priced fairly too.

 

[talentedmrxo]

I'm about to buy a new Macbook Pro,
anyone heard of any updates for the pro?
I would hate to order it this week and then
the new one comes out a week later.

 

[depi]

New MacBook

I'm also the one of those who wants to order a MacBook very soon. I've planned it for this week, but as soon as I find this information on Digg and these forums I realised that it's the end of the cycle and the new MacBook should be really released. So I'm now waiting and hoping for the new "upgrade".

Go on Apple, we want new MacBooks!

 

[Nitromaster]

Guess Im going to order one of these soon

 

[Snide]

WiFi reception: Macbook wipes the floor with Macbook Pro

come on…aluminum case, aluminum case

Boo, aluminum. I'm really hoping this doesn't happen. I like the look and feel of the aluminum on my PowerBook, but it's absolute **** for wifi reception - my friend's 1st Gen MacBook got a much better signal from my building's network and picked up a full five networks my PowerBook couldn't see. Aluminum is nice and pretty, but very impractical.

It's true - the Macbook has vastly better WiFi reception than any of the metal-cased 'books,
which is why I have high hopes for the Santa Rosa chipset and GMA X3100 with current design.

If the Macbook ever goes metal, I will be hanging on to the highest-spec plastic Macbook for a very long time...

 

[Farani]

Apple is not going to do a speed bump now and a design change in January. The iPod and iMac have gone from plastic to aluminum and glass so I expect the MacBook to ditch the plastic and get aluminum and glass. The iBook morphed into the MacBook without any fanfare, so changing the case design won't be anything "special". Steve will use MacWorld to introduce new hardware such as a new notebook and/or another tower model.

Here's what I'm thinking. I have no answer for the aluminum case, but...

There's no way Apple will update in Nov then again in January (unless they decide to only update the case in Jan to aluminum?). They'll wait again until May. So, Apple has to think 1 of 3 things:

1. They want to differentiate the MB from the MBP and, thus, MB will always be plastic (seems unlikely)
2. They want to differentiate the MB from the MBP for XMAS since a hardware bump will take the MB closer to the MBP, so they'll stay plastic until May 2008.
3. Apple will go Aluminum this November because they want a unified design throughout their line-up, they're not worried about the case differentiating the MB and the MBP, and they feel that they can sell more MB's for XMAS with Aluminum.

I think I laid out my logic there. I don't know what Apple wants to do. I think they want to move away from plastic on all their product lines so it's just a matter of when and why they want to time the change. It's really a matter of what they're going to do in May 08 that will determine what they do now. If May 08 will be a complete overhaul of the MB, then I say they go Al now. If it's not, then they may hold off until then.

Anyone else see my thinking in this pointless rant which will probably be proven terribly and horrifically wrong within the next 2 weeks?

 

[A*ROCK]

I have a few questions that might be a little newbie-ish:

First off---
dcorban (post 251) said "I will immediately place my order online and be happy with my 2% coupon." What is this magical coupon. Every percentage off helps...

Secondly---
I was unable to find the post that this refers to, but... Someone mentioned that the educational -- or perhaps it was school -- discount ends on 10-30-07, which is why they will be dropping the new update. What does this mean? I am a grad student and was intending on using my educational discount. I thought that the discount I receive is year round. Could someone clear that up for me? It might necessitate some budget-amending.

Third---
Is the discounted price on .mac only available the moment I buy the mac or is there a grace period similar to Applecare where you can purchase anytime within a year. I know there is a 60 free trial, I have used this already and am ready to buy but if I get the discount I want to wait until purchasing the new MB.


Finally---
Depending upon the size of the HardDrive offered in the updated MB, I may want to upgrade. I know I can purchase RAM from Crucial and save money over the Apple Store price of RAM upgrade. Are there any suggestions on upgrading HardDrive size that will be a better price, not too difficult, and won't void any sort of warranty?

Thanks a lot everyone in advance for your assistance. Have a good Monday!

-Aric

 

[Farani]

2. The Oct 30th refers to end date of the buy a puter get a free ipod deal in the uk... not an educational discount

3. Buy a new mac and get $30 off of a .mac subscription. Mac and .mac have to be on the same bill (ie bought at the same time). This goes until Jan 12th, 2008 I believe.

 

[droo94]

yeh sorry i didn't mean 'mean'.. lol. i was merely stating he's probs a noob and probs wants to get some money back or at least the best product available at the time. i feel for him...

Reminds me of this...

Question: Does this dress make me look fat?

• A) Yes (Honest)

• B) I think it doesn't quite agree with your body shape. (Subtle)

• C) It sure does you big fat cow! All the workouts and diets in the world won't save you! (Mean)

• D) No, you look great! (Wise, or Married)

• E) No, but you can lose a couple of pounds by taking it off. (Pickup)

 

[HLdan]

I use my dvd burner pretty often. Im just curious why people dont like a combo drive and what are the other alternatives. Thanks

Maybe you don't understand what a Combo Drive is in the Apple world. It's just a DVD player CD burner. A Superdrive is a DVD/CD burner.

 

[veneficuss]

Hate to rain on your parade, but the machine is still made in China. And all the internals are from Intel and who knows where they're designed..

All Apple does anymore is slap some premade stuff together. Nothing like the old PPC days.

umm where did I ever say that it was MADE in America? I said it will be nice to buy from an American company, two completely disjoint statements in today's world economy.

 

[HLdan]

That's just the name of the game though. I felt bad for this couple that were in the Apple Store and were buying an iPod... Three days before the new ones were released. I knew about the new ones, but some people just don't pay attention to upcoming releases.
/QUOTE]

Did you tell them about the new iPods before they walked out? If you didn't then you weren't feeling too bad for them.

 

[iDAG]

I need one so bad! Don't let me down Apple!

 

[hikinman]

prolly only an updte to existing

My prediction . . . .

with nothing to back it up except my own 'feeling' about it.

bump in processor
LCD backlit
new graphics

that's about it.

I think the touch technology won't be out quite yet on the laptops. i'm not sure i'd want the first rev.

Also, if they are really coming out tomorrow, i'd have expected to have heard more rumors about something really 'fancy' coming out.

just my thoughts.

Regardless, I can't wait for them to come out. I want to use it for work, but need VMware or Parallels to use the windows apps I need. I have been waiting for the new ones for 2 months now!

 

[SwiftLives]

MacBook is the only plastic case left in Apple's computer line, right?

I have a feeling they'll make the case aluminum. (And if we're lucky, they'll make a black and silver aluminum option.) Apple is attempting to make products that can be recycled easier.

I suppose the big question is whther or not a new case for the MacBook warrants merely a press release or a media-event.

 

[wookie919]

Read through the whole thread but couldn't find the Q&A relating to what I've been wondering for a while.

So this became my first post here. Hi.

I have never used a mac before and have been planning to give it a go for a couple of months now.

I was wondering, is macbook getting upgraded because the current macbook hardware is unable to handle the new OS X Leopard properly?

By "properly", I mean with all the features turned on?

 

[Farani]

MacBook is the only plastic case left in Apple's computer line, right?

I have a feeling they'll make the case aluminum. (And if we're lucky, they'll make a black and silver aluminum option.) Apple is attempting to make products that can be recycled easier.

I suppose the big question is whther or not a new case for the MacBook warrants merely a press release or a media-event.

I don't think it does warrant a media-event. And I think they will have to go to Aluminum. The only question is do they do it now or do they do it in May?

 

[hikinman]

Don't think so.

Just time for it to be upgraded in the standard schedule.

Read through the whole thread but couldn't find the Q&A relating to what I've been wondering for a while.

So this became my first post here. Hi.

I have never used a mac before and have been planning to give it a go for a couple of months now.

I was wondering, is macbook getting upgraded because the current macbook hardware is unable to handle the new OS X Leopard properly?

By "properly", I mean with all the features turned on?

 

[Eidorian]

Read through the whole thread but couldn't find the Q&A relating to what I've been wondering for a while.

So this became my first post here. Hi.

I have never used a mac before and have been planning to give it a go for a couple of months now.

I was wondering, is macbook getting upgraded because the current macbook hardware is unable to handle the new OS X Leopard properly?

By "properly", I mean with all the features turned on?

The current MacBook is fine. The new(er) MacBook will be a better value and have a little more graphical power with the GMA X3100.

 

[darthraige]

When the Intel Penryn is to be hitting the shelves you'll see a Mac Pro. To release before hand would be pointless.

Kinda like "Clovertown" ?

 

[tuc]

I was wondering, is macbook getting upgraded because the current macbook hardware is unable to handle the new OS X Leopard properly?

By "properly", I mean with all the features turned on?

Before the release of Leopard some people were worried that some of Leopard's eye-candy might be a bit slow on the GMA 950 (current macbook's integrated graphics). Now that Leopard is out, I haven't heard any updates. I'd be curious to hear any knowledgeable opinions.

If it's true, it makes sense that Apple would quickly be moving away from GMA 950 hardware. (Hence some people suggesting impending macbook update and macmini cancellation/update before there was any real evidence.)

If it's not true, it still makes sense for Apple to move away from GMA 950 hardware, since GMA 950 is old yet no cheaper than GMA X3100 (which is quicker by a factor of two or three).

In any case, current macbook can run Leopard with "all the features turned on." The question is to what degree (if any) those features are taxing the GMA 950 graphics subsystem.

 

[dbhjed]

If i bought my macbook on Friday(10/26) and the new ones come out (10/30)will i be able to return the macbook to the mac store without having to pay the 10% restocking fee?