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Ultra-Portable MacBook Likely at Macworld San Francisco 2008?
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It's as elaborate and accurate as most anti-Apple comments by Aiden Shaw, so don't be surprised...
THANK YOU!!
Finally somebody that's of my oppinion too
Frankly, I'm getting sick of people rumoring about the "tablet that nobody needs"Get me a new "ultra"-portable 11" or 12" laptop (WITH a keyboard, seeing as touch-typing is much faster and readable compared to handwriting) and I'm sold
I want one but...
I know people always talk about buying something when you need it - and nobody really needs one of these anytime soon. While I'd pay the typical Apple premium for a Pro-style, slim, 12" laptop/tablet (like that intel reference laptop) - I'd think I could easily wait until the price for SSD drives comes down a bit. The premium for one of these drives in a laptop is a bit too high right now. I couldn't see spending an extra 800 on an SSD drive equiped model...
I'll stick with my MBP for until the next generation...
I know people always talk about buying something when you need it - and nobody really needs one of these anytime soon. While I'd pay the typical Apple premium for a Pro-style, slim, 12" laptop/tablet (like that intel reference laptop) - I'd think I could easily wait until the price for SSD drives comes down a bit. The premium for one of these drives in a laptop is a bit too high right now. I couldn't see spending an extra 800 on an SSD drive equiped model...
I'll stick with my MBP for until the next generation...
THANK YOU!!
Finally somebody that's of my oppinion too
Get me a new "ultra"-portable 11" or 12" laptop (WITH a keyboard, seeing as touch-typing is much faster and readable compared to handwriting) and I'm sold
I agree but I would rather 10" 1024x168 display, just that little bit more portable still with a good resolution.
But a keyboard is a must, a touch screen is useless and make it too expensive.
I suppose they could use the 1.8" iPod drives in it to reduce size. Maybe eliminate the CD drive or make it a USB one. Then it would be thin and light!
Im sorry that this has absolutley nothing to do with this but I wanted to ask you guys before I call Apple.
This message keeps coming up when I start up my computer, before anything even comes up.
You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for several seconds or press the restart button.
I tried about 50 times and it keeps coming up.
Any help?
This message keeps coming up when I start up my computer, before anything even comes up.
You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for several seconds or press the restart button.
I tried about 50 times and it keeps coming up.
Any help?
..and quite slow.
Like the person who mentioned the iphone processor - the data read/write rates of the ipod hard drives are designed around the most data-intensive task that the ipod would ever create. This would be a VERY low resolution video file (a BIG HD size video file is a few mbps TOPS.)
New desktop SATA drives are "rated" at 3gbps in theory, and even SLOW EIDE drives get 60mbps in real world data rate tests.
Most data it used in bursts these days, and Apple would be able to solve this issue by writing bursts of data to say.. 4-8bg of flash data, then slowly transfer this over to the "ipod" hard drive.
This wouldn't help you with LOADING data however, which would be extremely slow. They could develop a large-scale cache system using the same 4-8bg of flash memory for loading files, but this would still require "learning" your normal programs, and wouldn't be an exact science.
Keep in mind that they have HUGE supplies and price cuts for flash and micro HDD memory through their ipod markets, so if there was a way that they could take advantage of this, I'm sure they'd like to.
As far as a new design goes - you could just take the iphone's approach to the laptop world. Instead of the old school clamshell style computer, you could just have a giant, beautiful, touch screen laptop. Don't confuse this with a tablet - combined with a nice "touch" version of OS X leopard, you could have a keyboard pop up on the bottom of the screen when you need it. Hell, you could even use a small overlay area for the touch pad and buttons! They've already patented the touch technology used in the iphone/ipod touch, why not take it a step further? Cover it in the same optical-quality glass material, use a strong aluminum frame, and you've got one BADASS computer.
You could even have a fold-out aluminum cover that latches over the screen like a normal laptop (however, it simply opens up 180 degrees and folds flush with the BOTTOM of the case when it's in use.)
WHYYYYYY doesn't this computer exist? LED backlight, high resolution.. ugh, do it apple!
Think of a FULL SIZE iphone screen - how beautiful would that be? Besides, you could play around with it like the guys in Minority Report - grab ahold of applications, toss them away, flick to resize windows, etc etc etc.
Ok, I've gotta stop thinking about this before I start writing a letter to their R&D department.
Why develop a new caching scheme, when they have just released a very well suited one in there latest OS?
Doesn't time machine do exactly this.
Well it lets the user choose what is on the Main Flash disk, and what is on the Time machine archive of old files.
I am...
sure that the next Mac laptop will learn the lessons from the iphone...I hope! I travel quite a bit with a 17 inch MBP and I would love to have a ultraportable that has close to everything currently in the my 17 inch MBP...asking a lot I know...
sure that the next Mac laptop will learn the lessons from the iphone...I hope! I travel quite a bit with a 17 inch MBP and I would love to have a ultraportable that has close to everything currently in the my 17 inch MBP...asking a lot I know...
I think we are going to see two completely different devices at Macworld.
A new Ultra MacBookPro in the 12" range as part of the renovation of the whole MBP line.
And a Mac/iPod crossover device which might be a 7" range tablet.
There are too many conflicting details for them all to be about one device.
Also time seem about right for both.
A new Ultra MacBookPro in the 12" range as part of the renovation of the whole MBP line.
And a Mac/iPod crossover device which might be a 7" range tablet.
There are too many conflicting details for them all to be about one device.
Also time seem about right for both.
tablet hmmm
No one has every done a good job of a really portable tablet, but it wouldn't be hard.
An ultra portable lap top with a detachable screen. When detached, the screen could run i-phone like mac osx with more limited features: calendar, notes, wi-fi, web surfing, photos, etc. like the iphone does now with its own independent processor and flash drive built into it.
When attached to the base, it switches to use the laptops hard drive and software and syncs.
The only obstacle I can see with this is that the head would need its own battery and it's main drain would powering the display, and who would really want to carry around a 12 inch sized screen with them? I remember Sony having some really small 9" laptops in the past. I couldn't ever work on something that small a lot, but as an extension to my desktop I think I could deal.
No one has every done a good job of a really portable tablet, but it wouldn't be hard.
An ultra portable lap top with a detachable screen. When detached, the screen could run i-phone like mac osx with more limited features: calendar, notes, wi-fi, web surfing, photos, etc. like the iphone does now with its own independent processor and flash drive built into it.
When attached to the base, it switches to use the laptops hard drive and software and syncs.
The only obstacle I can see with this is that the head would need its own battery and it's main drain would powering the display, and who would really want to carry around a 12 inch sized screen with them? I remember Sony having some really small 9" laptops in the past. I couldn't ever work on something that small a lot, but as an extension to my desktop I think I could deal.
MBP Update
I believe that the MBPs will be completely redone. Why do I think this? Everyone seems to think that just because they have done so well sales-wise that Apple would never ruin a good thing.
Steve Jobs, when introducing the iPod Mini, said (and I'm paraphrasing) "The iPod Mini has been the most popular iPod ever, and so were going to replace it." Here's a link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7GRv-kv5XEg
Apple isn't afraid of replacing popular products. That's why I think that all of these rumors have been rooted in peeks at what will be the new Macbook Pros.
Apple isn't going to make some frankenstien's monster laptop/tablet/with detachable screen and no keyboard, so that people can carry around a magazine sized glorified etch-a-sketch that few people will buy.
Apple makes products that everyone wants, not niche offshoots of needed technology. Maybe I have my head in the sand, but while attending my university, going to the airport, at work, or anywhere else you might see computers being used, I have NEVER SEEN ANYONE USING A TABLET.
Go ahead tablet lovers, lay it on me. Tell me how really tablets are the best thing ever and how in fact I am just ignorant of the tablet community, merrily drawing away on their computers.
Everyone needs to remember that "ultra-portable" has no universal definition.
I would challenge anyone to reply to this and say, in these exact words:"I disagree, I don't think that Apple would change the Macbook Pros. They are going to continue to sell them with their 2 year old looks, with updated speeds and memory, unlike the iMac, iPod Classic, Nano and Shuffle."
All in good fun of course. I am just curious if anyone believes that. I am not here to call anyone silly for wishing for a tablet, as I'm sure there are a couple of you out there. Let's all be realistic. Can you really see Steve at Macworld saying "Oh, and one more thing... the new iReally-big-iphone-type-thing-that-you-can't-fit-in-your-pocket".
Soapboxer, signing out. Please don't take my sarcastic comments serious. I just know that someone is going to reply and say "No, it will have a catchier, shorter name! Tablet or die!"
I believe that the MBPs will be completely redone. Why do I think this? Everyone seems to think that just because they have done so well sales-wise that Apple would never ruin a good thing.
Steve Jobs, when introducing the iPod Mini, said (and I'm paraphrasing) "The iPod Mini has been the most popular iPod ever, and so were going to replace it." Here's a link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7GRv-kv5XEg
Apple isn't afraid of replacing popular products. That's why I think that all of these rumors have been rooted in peeks at what will be the new Macbook Pros.
Apple isn't going to make some frankenstien's monster laptop/tablet/with detachable screen and no keyboard, so that people can carry around a magazine sized glorified etch-a-sketch that few people will buy.
Apple makes products that everyone wants, not niche offshoots of needed technology. Maybe I have my head in the sand, but while attending my university, going to the airport, at work, or anywhere else you might see computers being used, I have NEVER SEEN ANYONE USING A TABLET.
Go ahead tablet lovers, lay it on me. Tell me how really tablets are the best thing ever and how in fact I am just ignorant of the tablet community, merrily drawing away on their computers.
Everyone needs to remember that "ultra-portable" has no universal definition.
I would challenge anyone to reply to this and say, in these exact words:"I disagree, I don't think that Apple would change the Macbook Pros. They are going to continue to sell them with their 2 year old looks, with updated speeds and memory, unlike the iMac, iPod Classic, Nano and Shuffle."
All in good fun of course. I am just curious if anyone believes that. I am not here to call anyone silly for wishing for a tablet, as I'm sure there are a couple of you out there. Let's all be realistic. Can you really see Steve at Macworld saying "Oh, and one more thing... the new iReally-big-iphone-type-thing-that-you-can't-fit-in-your-pocket".
Soapboxer, signing out. Please don't take my sarcastic comments serious. I just know that someone is going to reply and say "No, it will have a catchier, shorter name! Tablet or die!"
That's the Mac OSX kernel panic, similar to Windows' blue screen of death:
Power off Mac.
Disconnect power (unplug power cord, remove battery).
Hold Power button down for 10 or more seconds
reconnect power (insert battery, connect power cord)
Power up Mac.
Before the boot chime sounds, press and hold COMMAND+OPTION+P+R. If you do it right the Mac will reboot.
If none of that helps, read this: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html
Or go see an Apple Genius or Contact Apple. Might be a failed Hard Drive.
Anyway...
are we talking about a mb or more a mbp??? Cause what would be plosible is the "ultra" portable mb to be the macbook update....
With just the dvd burner off and...Some new normal specs: memory, speed etc...
That way the macbook could be more affordable for students, like me, and lighter(smaller) cause WE take it everywhere
It's been a while since the iBook
are we talking about a mb or more a mbp??? Cause what would be plosible is the "ultra" portable mb to be the macbook update....
With just the dvd burner off and...Some new normal specs: memory, speed etc...
That way the macbook could be more affordable for students, like me, and lighter(smaller) cause WE take it everywhere
It's been a while since the iBook
Why would they unveil a completely new product when they will most likely be revamping the entire notebook line this spring/summer? Here's the scenario I see happening: Macbook Pro's get a slight update announced at MWSF (I don't have any idea what that update will be- you guys can decide that). Then, in June/July/whenever, the new casings/features/etc. will be announced after over two years of the same look. SO, why go to the trouble of releasing an "ultra-portable" MBP in January when, most likely, there will be a completely new(-looking) model out six months from now? That would be an extreme waste of money- manufacturing aluminum cases, hardware, etc. for one laptop model that will be updated in six months and most likely need some different parts?
Ultra-portable's Killer App is iTextbook
Hey Steve, iText is your next Killer App!
While patiently awaiting a replacement for my 12" PB G4, I keep running across rumors of a Mac Tablet. Why would anyone want a tablet, unless they were a UPS delivery guy or some sales representative who had to gather signatures? Then when hefting my son's textbook laden 30 pound backpack out of the back of my car, it dawned on me. Apple needs to create the iText.
Imagine using Apple's content negotiating savvy with text book publishers like they currently work with the music and video content industries. In this case, working out mega deals with school districts and universities worldwide for textbooks with live links to constantly updated content. Textbook publishers would have an outlet for copyright protected content while no longer having to go through the expense of hardback publishing and distribution. The revenue sharing possibilities would inject Apple with cash just like the iPod universe has done.
E-books have been done (see Amazon's Kindle), but they're lame because they don't offer any advantage over purchasing a $1.99 paperback that can fit in your back pocket. But with text books, this opens a whole new world of possibilities. I was just joking with my daughter that it was too bad she couldn't Google her American History text book to find out what significant event occurred in the middle colonies in the mid 1600's. Imagine using a touch interface to zoom in on graphs and multimedia content, or to pull up an instant reference, Google search, or dictionary citation. Flipping through pages would be a natural application for a touch interface and notepad (iText).
Swapping 30 pounds of hardback texts for a sleek 1 pound tablet would be a no-brainer. Built-in WiFi and bluetooth would enable teachers to send e-mail homework assignments, checklists, and (Apple iBoard) notes, while also enabling students to submit classroom assignments and tests wirelessly. In addition to the touch interface, they could use bluetooth keyboards, or have keyboards built into their school desks that the iText would dock into to charge.
The market for this would be huge. Unlike most notepads, which target a very small sales force/delivery market, this could mean a iText for every single public school student in the country. Can you imagine the power of having your product in the hands of all those kids? Let's get Apple back into the education market big time.
I'm hoping Steve Jobs and the folks at Apple are way ahead of me on this one. If not, they had better get busting before Bill figures this one out.
Hey Steve, iText is your next Killer App!
While patiently awaiting a replacement for my 12" PB G4, I keep running across rumors of a Mac Tablet. Why would anyone want a tablet, unless they were a UPS delivery guy or some sales representative who had to gather signatures? Then when hefting my son's textbook laden 30 pound backpack out of the back of my car, it dawned on me. Apple needs to create the iText.
Imagine using Apple's content negotiating savvy with text book publishers like they currently work with the music and video content industries. In this case, working out mega deals with school districts and universities worldwide for textbooks with live links to constantly updated content. Textbook publishers would have an outlet for copyright protected content while no longer having to go through the expense of hardback publishing and distribution. The revenue sharing possibilities would inject Apple with cash just like the iPod universe has done.
E-books have been done (see Amazon's Kindle), but they're lame because they don't offer any advantage over purchasing a $1.99 paperback that can fit in your back pocket. But with text books, this opens a whole new world of possibilities. I was just joking with my daughter that it was too bad she couldn't Google her American History text book to find out what significant event occurred in the middle colonies in the mid 1600's. Imagine using a touch interface to zoom in on graphs and multimedia content, or to pull up an instant reference, Google search, or dictionary citation. Flipping through pages would be a natural application for a touch interface and notepad (iText).
Swapping 30 pounds of hardback texts for a sleek 1 pound tablet would be a no-brainer. Built-in WiFi and bluetooth would enable teachers to send e-mail homework assignments, checklists, and (Apple iBoard) notes, while also enabling students to submit classroom assignments and tests wirelessly. In addition to the touch interface, they could use bluetooth keyboards, or have keyboards built into their school desks that the iText would dock into to charge.
The market for this would be huge. Unlike most notepads, which target a very small sales force/delivery market, this could mean a iText for every single public school student in the country. Can you imagine the power of having your product in the hands of all those kids? Let's get Apple back into the education market big time.
I'm hoping Steve Jobs and the folks at Apple are way ahead of me on this one. If not, they had better get busting before Bill figures this one out.