Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Next MacBook and MacBook Pro Updates in June?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Case redesign?
Just wanted to draw attention to the end of the DisplayTech article in the first post:
"since the thermal envelopes will not change between Penryn revisions vendors will be able to keep the existing form factors"
Doesn't mean a case redesign won't happen, but it doesn't mean it has to. We can still hope.
Just wanted to draw attention to the end of the DisplayTech article in the first post:
"since the thermal envelopes will not change between Penryn revisions vendors will be able to keep the existing form factors"
Doesn't mean a case redesign won't happen, but it doesn't mean it has to. We can still hope.
Quit propagating this ridiculous assumption.
First Apple doesn't offer true high-def downloads. Yeah I know that they are 720p but they are so highly compressed that they are not really a true high-def bitrate. They are really only slightly better than DVD quality.
Compare Apple TV 720p to blu-ray 1080p on 50 inch HD TV and the difference is staggering. Blu-ray makes Apple TV look like broadcast 480i.
Also the majority of the country (USA) does not have adequate broadband to support true HD downloads. Blu-ray is a much better delivery method, rather than tying up internet bandwidth for days downloading a few movies.
Then you have the people who like to collect their favorite movies for their own video collection. It won't take too many 35 GB HD movies before you fill up that Apple TV HDD.
Also Apple is big into pro level apps like Final Cut Pro for high-def authoring. Are you telling me that they aren't going to support blu-ray authoring now that HD-DVD is dead.
Look Blu-ray won the high-def wars. Please lets all move on behind this standard so that prices can finally drop and video title libraries increase.
Please don't go trying to cloud the issue with a bogus, "Apple doesn't support blu-ray because they are pushing a download model" argument.
For starters, you will not be seeing a Blu-Ray drive in any Mac, except for Mac Pros, which will have R/W one, in the foreseeable future. Both Apple's and Microsoft's strategy is move users away from hard media and to digital delivery. The HD format war is far from over and now that Sony has blown so much money on HD-DVD, we will see a totality different outcome. HD format is streaming in the living rooms via the Apple TV and the Xbox 360 today.
As far as higher resolution (or 1080P) on a 15" screen, let's get real.
Here is a great article on 1080P and human vision:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/1080p-and-the-acuity-of-human-vision
And one of my favorite quotes from the article:
"Put bluntly, from 8 feet away while watching a 50 inch plasma TV, the human eye is generally incapable of reliably distinguishing any detail finer than that shown on a true 720p display! "
Demanding Blu-Ray on a laptop is like demanding HD-Content on an iPhone (sure some day technology will allow it, but at the end of the day you're still looking at a small screen). As far as using larger capacity drives to transfer data, I can see the argument for the need of Blu-Ray, but then again as the price of Flash Drives come crashing down around us (you can currently get 32 GB pretty cheap) that may be a better option (between the price of the blank Blu-Ray discs and the burners....) and they're reusable.
The MacBook Air is the way we're moving (remember Apple was one of the first to release without a floppy and everyone thought they were crazy and now we have whole generation that don't even know what a floppy disk is).
I dont know why people are upset? This is what the PC industry does. And dont say that Apple isnt in the PC industry. They are a computer corporation. Whats wrong with them updating with the newest technology that is available to them?
Its too bad if your new MacBook Pro is outdated every 4 months. Its not like just because a new one came out that your 4 month old MBP is slow now.
We all should be cheering about all the Options we are getting.
Apple and Intel have a great relationship. Lets hope it contiunes. I rememebr first wanting a Powerbook, and everyone was waiting for the G5. And it seemed like years and years that they went from a G4 1.0GHz to like a G4 1.6Ghz... Bleh. At least you are getting something new from Intel and dont have to use old tech all the time.
Its too bad if your new MacBook Pro is outdated every 4 months. Its not like just because a new one came out that your 4 month old MBP is slow now.
We all should be cheering about all the Options we are getting.
Apple and Intel have a great relationship. Lets hope it contiunes. I rememebr first wanting a Powerbook, and everyone was waiting for the G5. And it seemed like years and years that they went from a G4 1.0GHz to like a G4 1.6Ghz... Bleh. At least you are getting something new from Intel and dont have to use old tech all the time.
LTR! The article specifically says Acer EXPECTS TO HAVE 2 in the SECOND QUARTER of 2008 ("expects to have", indicating some doubt). Q2= April through June; in traditional marketing hypespeak this means "our current plan says we are hoping to have this in June".
Changing the size of the trackpad and incorporating a Macbook style magnetic latch would require some redesign of the casing. It would be minor, but it would change the general look of the book (sorry for the rhyme). I think the lack of a larger touchpad in this latest version of the MBP is telling. They added the functionality of an enhanced but multitouch, but did abolsutely nothing that would change the casing even the slightest amount. If the MBP design overhaul were more than a year out, you might think they would make this small adjustment to the case to take full advantage of the new feature.
That's just me guessing wildly, though.
Everyone seems to be missing the point of WHY Intel pushes these upgrades. When you move to a smaller size, say from 65nM to 45 maybe the device uses a little less power but the real point is that now Intel can put more of the devices on the same ten inch wafer. This means basically more CPU processors can be made at the same cost. Intel makes more money. It's little wonder that Intel is pushing their new chips so hard.
I'll second that! That's what I use now and it's great. I don't know why they didn't continue making updates to it. My need to upgrade is to get better performance and the ability to run Windows to check web site updates across all browsers. I've been thinking I'd sell my 12" when I get a new one, but it will be tough to give up.
I hope that if there is a case redesign in the near future then it is very subtle. I think the mbps look great, and the fact that they do so after 5 years or so is testament to the great design. If it ain't broke don't fix it. What do the pro-case redesign people want? Flashing lights? Tapered edges so it looks thinner and apple can say it's 0.16 inches thick?
All I'd like to see in a redisgn is a magnetic latch, the new keyboard (keys the same colour as the case, please), easier upgrade of RAM and HD and a niftier design to let more wireless waves through. Keep it looking the same.
The macbook also looks great but could do with not being white and having a smaller bezel around the screen.
Edit: yeah, and bring back the 12"!
All I'd like to see in a redisgn is a magnetic latch, the new keyboard (keys the same colour as the case, please), easier upgrade of RAM and HD and a niftier design to let more wireless waves through. Keep it looking the same.
The macbook also looks great but could do with not being white and having a smaller bezel around the screen.
Edit: yeah, and bring back the 12"!
As a fellow Apple Share Holder (I bought at under $15 before the last split) I can tell you that one has nothing to do with the other.
I for one hopes it drops a little bit further (under a hundred would be golden), because I'm in for the long haul and expect to see it break $200 again in the next 18 months. They have a lot of good products in the pipeline and have really good traction with existing products.
And the best part is that the Halo effect really worked and Apple is selling more and more products into different and more difficult markets. I've been talking with several different CIO's who seriously thinking about dumping their Exchange servers for OS X 10.5 Server (and they're not even Apple shops). Sales people are buying iPhones with their own money and asking to use them instead of their Blackberries. Yeah, things are changing!
(goes to cancel refurbed MacBook order...)
Item: MacBook 2.2 Black, Refurbed
Status: Shipped.
And if the new MacBooks in June are Aluminum and look like the MacBook Air...
(runs off crying.....)
(check my location and signature - that's life for me...)
Get a life, I'm usually ignore all whine, negative post, though.
If you don't like it then return to Apple with 14 days date of your purchase.
Here is what I expect (these are guesses, no hard data):
Mini and iMac bumb March/April
MB and MBP July
Mac Pro August
As Moorestown comes in Early 2009, I expect an upgrade of MB and MBP in Feb/March WITH A CASE REDESIGN. Case mod more likely for MB than MBP. Less heat more functionality/better integration requires less guts and less cooling. They may even use a single fan, better construction based on lessons learned from Air, but don't expect it to be a lot thinner or substantialy less heavy. However likely we see the Mag Latch and the removable disk drive.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Given that I am broke right now, and if all goes well I get a bonus in Dec, I will be waiting for the Moorestown laptops before I buy. However I may get a Mini (if still around) July/Aug.
Mini and iMac bumb March/April
MB and MBP July
Mac Pro August
As Moorestown comes in Early 2009, I expect an upgrade of MB and MBP in Feb/March WITH A CASE REDESIGN. Case mod more likely for MB than MBP. Less heat more functionality/better integration requires less guts and less cooling. They may even use a single fan, better construction based on lessons learned from Air, but don't expect it to be a lot thinner or substantialy less heavy. However likely we see the Mag Latch and the removable disk drive.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Given that I am broke right now, and if all goes well I get a bonus in Dec, I will be waiting for the Moorestown laptops before I buy. However I may get a Mini (if still around) July/Aug.
Please! Apple is moving no such direction. The lack of an optical drive was a compromise to reduce size and weight in the MBA. It definitely is not a feature choice that Apple intends to implement over the entire laptop line.
Hard media is not going away! It is the best way to archive, and exchange mass storage. It is the best way to package,sell, and deliver software to the masses. It is the best way to store uncompressed Highdef movies. It is the best format for video exchange at rental stores.
Digital delivery of high-def is still a pipe dream. The US just doesn't have the bandwidth to properly support this model. Also compressed 720p video is very borderline high-def. Most videoohiles are trying to get the word out to the masses that compressed 720p is no where near the quality of true 1080p blu-ray quality.
Yes, Apple did away with the floppy drive but they also had the cd r-w drives to replace it with. The networked optical drive option on the MBA did not eliminate the optical drive. It simply moved it to the network. By the way, if you have tried this feature on the MBA you would know that it is incredibly slow and inconvenient. It also has lots of compromises.
No one knows the future of Apple laptop design. But the MBA is a unique laptop designed for a a small niche of consumers. I don't see the need to compromise the optical capabilities for the mbp or the mb and I don't see Apple promoting this as good for future designs.
thoughts...
1. The MBA is sweet, but currently satisfies a relativly tiny niche because of its small, slow hard drive and relatively slow CPU. With montevina, the CPU should become the same as what is in the black macbook, the graphics will get bumped from X3100 to X4500, the hard drive will likely get bigger or get bumbed to 5400rpm (if possible by june). This will make a laptop that has fewer "cut corners", and much better performance. I could also see them adding a external blu-ray burner for like $300, thus making the MBA a very worthy successor to the 12" Powerbook (especially if they add one more USB port)
2. I know everybody wants a MBP redesign (even I kind of do), but the current design is so refined, it borders on legendary, and if montevina isnt going to bring me any necessary additional speed, i will be snatching up the current gen 2.6 15" on the refurb page the day the newly designed MBPs are out. It is more speed than i will ever need. The only thing that would make me reconsider is if the new ones are siginifcantly thinner, or if blu-ray comes standard on the base.
1. The MBA is sweet, but currently satisfies a relativly tiny niche because of its small, slow hard drive and relatively slow CPU. With montevina, the CPU should become the same as what is in the black macbook, the graphics will get bumped from X3100 to X4500, the hard drive will likely get bigger or get bumbed to 5400rpm (if possible by june). This will make a laptop that has fewer "cut corners", and much better performance. I could also see them adding a external blu-ray burner for like $300, thus making the MBA a very worthy successor to the 12" Powerbook (especially if they add one more USB port)
2. I know everybody wants a MBP redesign (even I kind of do), but the current design is so refined, it borders on legendary, and if montevina isnt going to bring me any necessary additional speed, i will be snatching up the current gen 2.6 15" on the refurb page the day the newly designed MBPs are out. It is more speed than i will ever need. The only thing that would make me reconsider is if the new ones are siginifcantly thinner, or if blu-ray comes standard on the base.
Ok one more question ..... Will they keep the mini (upgrade or not) or get rid of it?
I think you are being too cynical.
If you look at the buyers guide, you will see that several apple products were up for a refresh. Its also not the first time that apple has released a hardware update only a few months from a previous one.Mac Pro is difference from iMac, MB, MBP and Mac mini because of Mac Pro does contain desktop CPU, I don't think that update would be big but just speed bump or related.
What? This does not make any sense. Why would someone after spending money on Mac programs simply abandon the ecosystem due to (in your mind) a price increase.
People want Blu-Ray, guess what, that costs more than a superdrive.....then people will want a BR writer, guess what, that costs even more.... BUT people in their dillusional worlds will expect these features to be cheaper than the current model.
I approve of the nerd tax!
I have owned the revA mbp for almost two years now, never had even an inkling of a problem with it. I have a developer discount waiting for me, so I am going to get the next rev anytime before oct, not coz i have a problem with my current mbp, but coz i am greedy for shiny new mbp
Forget about Montevina. You gotta wait for the update after Montevina. Intel doesn't even have a name for it yet. Maybe it's not even in development yet. Who cares. And if that update comes out in a new enclosure, you gotta wait for the next update because then you'll be buying a Rev. A product. You feel me? By then it'll be Macworld 2009, but you can afford to wait (nevermind that whatever Apple sells now is more than fast enough for email and browsing).
Correct, I never said it was a big jump. However there is a chance that those 6 core babies may end up on the Xservers (4 X 6 = 24 cores) and Mac Pro (2 X 6 = 12 cores). If we can get Adobe and Apple to use the SS4 instructions, these babies will be more than sweet for a pro or a render farm.
Maybe tempted to sell my first born to get one. (FYI he is 30 Years old).
Correct. Average cost per chip drops and Intel achieves economies of scale. Now, there is a significant capital investment in order to bring the new technology to market including R&D and investment in new equipment that can produce the chips at 45nm. Overall, the cost reduction is either taken by Intel (as pure profit) or extracted by the computer vendor (not passed to the consumer).
I would welcome Apple MacBook & MacBook Pro price drops moving forward but I doubt we will see them as one thing working against Apple is a declining US dollar. Note that Apple outsources the manufacturing of Macs.