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Ultra-thin 12'' MacBook Pro?
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For me, weight trumps size, although they're obviously related. I need a portable that I can carry around all day without putting a dent in my shoulder - 3 or 4 pounds is the sweet spot. The lower limit of size is mostly dictated by the size of the screen and keyboard.
If that means no optical drive, that's OK, as long as Apple offers a USB drive that's reasonably priced, for software installs and restores. The challenge will be finding a battery that provides long life and low weight. I have a 15" PowerBook and it's a challenge getting more than a couple of hours out of it, which means carrying an extra battery or two on cross-country flights.
If that means no optical drive, that's OK, as long as Apple offers a USB drive that's reasonably priced, for software installs and restores. The challenge will be finding a battery that provides long life and low weight. I have a 15" PowerBook and it's a challenge getting more than a couple of hours out of it, which means carrying an extra battery or two on cross-country flights.
I'm finally getting close to replacing my 12" PB, and have been basically just planning to wait until after Macworld so that I can at least get iLife '07 with my new Mac. I was planning to get a MacBook, but I'd love a 12" MBP. I really prefer a small portable, so this is good news if true.
This is exactly the machine my wife wants. I had sort of given up on it. Well lets get boring old Christmas out of the way and onto macworld!
Cheers
Cheers
I call BS too. If Apple made a 12'' notebook, it would either not be full features (and better not be called Pro) or it would not be "ultra-thin." If you'll recall, the 12'' PowerBook was thicker than the 15'' and 17''. Moreover, i think if they were to release a super small widescreen notebook, it would have an 11'' widescreen, to match the width of the keyboard. The only way i see them coming out with a thin 12'' thats anything like the one that's described is if it is a tablet... and I don't see apple introducing a tablet in early 2007.
can we predict any GBP prices... I'll be hitting up a Blackbook after xmas, but this would be interesting if it were priced close to the Blackbook price...
Gareth
Gareth
A tasteless claim I must say. *Types on a MacBook*
Okay, so I'm using a brandy new MB 2GHz with a Gig of RAM... Buuuut, nonetheless, it seems pretty snappy compared with any G5 (obviously) and most definitely years ahead of any old PPC based Apple laptop. Even the base model's hardly a bad product.
I have a sony ultraportable, with an integrated optical drive. I don't need to take anything else with me, not even the power adapter unless it's a very long journey. I'd hate to have to lug around a bag full of add-ons and the integrated drive allows me to watch dvd movies on train/airplane while travelling.
As you can see there are people that see great value in a integrated optical drive and there are so many around that doesn't seem like adding one compromises size/portability that much.
It all depends on your intended use and which category of users Apple will be targeting at... and I have my fingers crossed
I've had 3 PeeCee ultraportables without optical or floppy drives and never missed them at all. They were my only computers at the time. If you want to watch movies on your laptop, may I recommend MacTheRipper + Handbrake + VLC? Why would you want the further drain on your battery of spinning a little plastic disc at several hundred RPM and shining a laser through it?!? And to have to carry and keep up with the little scratch-prone coasters? My MBP 12" can't watch a full 2 hour DVD on battery but has no problem at all with a 2 hour avi file on the hard drive.
You will already have the following method for getting data in or out of the computer:
- gigabit ethernet
- 802.11n wireless
- bluetooth
- USB
- firewire (maybe)
Do you really need optical media as well? A USB thumbdrive is cheap, much more reliable than optical, and substantially faster. Optical media is legacy hardware. Apple should lead the way with ditching it, especially in smaller machines where it matters the most. You can always plug in USB optical if you need it in a machine that doesn't have it, by making it internal you take away the customer's option.
Battery life has always been the factor limiting the usefulness of a small laptops. I'd much rather the space used for the optical be used for battery. A few extra ounces of weight for an extra few hours? Sign me up!
Count me in too. Waited to replace my 12" Rev.A w. a "Pro" but was let down when Apple stated no more 12". Held out and purchased a MB, Rev.A, Black - loaded up. After 3 months with RSS, heat issues, case problems and premature trackpad wear I exchanged it for a MBP. The MBP is okay but the smaller, lighter and oh so much easier to use on a commuter jet is what I really wanted.
A) Entry-level MacBook is NOT a horrible computer!
It's the best overall computer I've ever used, and I used to have a 15" AluBook for work.B) Keep dreaming about the $1500 price point
This is a PRO computer. My guess is $1799 or even higher. Even at that price, though, it would be a "game-changing" computer, in that equivalent laptops from Sony cost about $2200 and up (provided that the 12" MBP is under 4 lbs. so it's considered in the same ultra-portable class as Sony's offerings).
What do you base any of your assertions on? Based on PowerBook designs that are YEARS old? Have you seen Sony's latest models, based on NEWER technology? Let me run them down for you:
Sony Vaio SZ series: 13.3" with optical drive and 2 PC card slots - 3.7 lbs. and 1.3" thick
Sony Vaio TX series: 11.1" with optical drive and 1 PC card slot - 2.7 lbs. and 1.1" thick
If Sony can do the above, why can't Apple use its PROVEN expertise at compact design to make something even better. Here's what I think is possible:
Apple MacBookPro 12" widescreen, with optical drive and 1 express card slot, 3.5 lbs and 1" thick
I don't know how much more ultra-thin you can get than 1". That is ultra-thin. I just went laptop shopping with my girlfriend and she was *amazed* how the MacBooks were thinner than anything she was looking at on the PC side (she ended up getting a Sony Vaio SZ). Even the Sony Vaio SZ series is considered to be ultraslim at 1.3".
EDIT: Since the rumor is that the 12" will be even slimmer than the 15" or 17", I expect it to be only nominally slimmer (like 0.95 inches maybe). I think the "wow" factor will be in its being about 3.5 lbs, which would make it 2 lbs. less than the 15" and a full 1 lb. less than the original 12" PowerBook.
If Sony can do it, then Apple should be able to do the same!
here's what would be a perfect laptop, except it doesn't fun OS X.
http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/SZ/index.html
Very light, but yet powerfull enough. And it's not very expensive. Good graphics card, which can be switched off for better battery life.
I would like to have a 3,7 lbs. or 1,7 kg laptop when I carry it around which I could then connect to a bigger screen when I come home.
This Sony would be perfect for that.
The 13" MB is not very light, and not powerfull enough. MBP is very nice, but quite big to carry around every day.
Edit:
Hmm.. seems like I was writing almost the same stuff with the above post at the same time.
I also think that 1,3" is thin enough. Weight is much more important. And 12" in wide screen might not be very practical. It starts to get too narrow.
here's what would be a perfect laptop, except it doesn't fun OS X.
http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/SZ/index.html
Very light, but yet powerfull enough. And it's not very expensive. Good graphics card, which can be switched off for better battery life.
I would like to have a 3,7 lbs. or 1,7 kg laptop when I carry it around which I could then connect to a bigger screen when I come home.
This Sony would be perfect for that.
The 13" MB is not very light, and not powerfull enough. MBP is very nice, but quite big to carry around every day.
Edit:
Hmm.. seems like I was writing almost the same stuff with the above post at the same time.
I also think that 1,3" is thin enough. Weight is much more important. And 12" in wide screen might not be very practical. It starts to get too narrow.
I'd be extremely surprised if any new small Apple notebook is more powerful that the macbook. It might be smaller and have better battery life etc but more powerful. Unlikely.
I'd say there's an outside chance of a GeForce Go 7400 in there but if it's 11/12" in size then it's likely to go with GMA950 graphics life the aforementioned Sony TX.
Wow, this would be awesome. Finally a true successor to the 12" PowerBook. I much prefer the smaller size of the 12" iBook and PowerBook over the 13" MacBooks, a slim lined, wide screened 12" MBP would be a dream. Shame I couldn't afford it though.
I would love to see another 12" laptop from Apple. Even though I chose a 14" iBook over the 12" PB (mainly just cuz of screen size), I do somewhat regret not going the other way. Maybe in 07, these 12" puppies will be released and dropped in price and/or upgrade which means I might be able to purchase one!!!
On a side note, I would also like dedicated graphics and a standard of 1GB of RAM, no excuses. I refuse to work on a Mac with less than 1 GB.
On a side note, I would also like dedicated graphics and a standard of 1GB of RAM, no excuses. I refuse to work on a Mac with less than 1 GB.
If Sony can do it, then Apple should be able to do the same!
here's what would be a perfect laptop, except it doesn't fun OS X.
http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/SZ/index.html
Very light, but yet powerfull enough. And it's not very expensive. Good graphics card, which can be switched off for better battery life.
I would like to have a 3,7 lbs. or 1,7 kg laptop when I carry it around which I could then connect to a bigger screen when I come home.
This Sony would be perfect for that.
The 13" MB is not very light, and not powerfull enough. MBP is very nice, but quite big to carry around every day.
Edit:
Hmm.. seems like I was writing almost the same stuff with the above post at the same time.
I also think that 1,3" is thin enough. Weight is much more important. And 12" in wide screen might not be very practical. It starts to get too narrow.
That is an awfully nice computer - my girlfriend just got one a couple weeks ago. However, since it doesn't have OS X as you point out, then my 13" MB is still the superior computer, IMO. For example, her computer is already infected with spyware that she can't get rid of
I disagree with you about 12" being too narrow, though. I used to have a 12" MacBook and it never seemed too narrow for me. And that was at 1024x768 resolution. I expect the 12" MBP will be fairly pixel-dense at 1280x800.
P.S. I agree with you about weight being more important than thickness. But I still maintain Apple will be able to launch a 12" MBP at 1" thick and 3.5 lbs.
P.P.S. I also agree that a sub-4 lb. Apple laptop is the perfect computer, but unfortunately this perfect computer is also out of my price range
I'll be sticking with my trusty entry-level MacBook for the foreseeable futureP.P.P.S. I hope Apple eventually drops the MB prices by $100 across the board, for folks like me that just want the lowest-cost Apple laptop available
Nah, I think they'll find a way to put a dedicated graphics car in there. I think this will be a no-compromise model with dedicated graphics AND an Express Card slot. In other words, a full-fledged member of the MBP family. Heck, it may even have an illuminated keyboard.
I'm cautious. I have a 12" PB right now and I love it. Perfect size. Itd be nice if it was a little lighter.... but no complaints really except its PPC. Yet, I'd be wary of this laptop in just a widescreen. Any screen real estate less than a 12" PB I think becomes rather useless. I say 12.5" or something. The Macbook is just barely too big for me. But, if they go for 11" it would just be a toy, not a real work animal. 12" I think is really pushing the envelope in terms of work ability. If they go 12" WS, I don't think I'll get it even though I want an Intel 12" PB real bad.
Features that needs to go in:
-Express PCI
-Magsafe (done)
-Webcam (of course)
-Illuminated keyboard (I always felt bad that my PB didn't have that. I mean honestly thats so cool!)
-Robson Technology (I'm sorry but I need battery life.)
-8 HR battery life. (You heard me.... I need battery life.)
-Graphics Card (It would be nice.... but.... I think a toggle to turn it off like in the Sony would be excellent. Again I need the battery life)
-No way they can go thinner with a Slot loading drive. If you see the Sonys have razer thin optical drives but they are not slot loading. If it saves 1 lb. I say ditch the drive. Honestly I find myself using it maybe once or twice a week. I probably use it the most for when I play video games, which could easily be resolved with leaving my drive at home. Only other time is when I use it to rip CDs..... But, if they make it worthwile in weight reduction and battery life. CDs... what CDs...
Features that needs to go in:
-Express PCI
-Magsafe (done)
-Webcam (of course)
-Illuminated keyboard (I always felt bad that my PB didn't have that. I mean honestly thats so cool!)
-Robson Technology (I'm sorry but I need battery life.)
-8 HR battery life. (You heard me.... I need battery life.)
-Graphics Card (It would be nice.... but.... I think a toggle to turn it off like in the Sony would be excellent. Again I need the battery life)
-No way they can go thinner with a Slot loading drive. If you see the Sonys have razer thin optical drives but they are not slot loading. If it saves 1 lb. I say ditch the drive. Honestly I find myself using it maybe once or twice a week. I probably use it the most for when I play video games, which could easily be resolved with leaving my drive at home. Only other time is when I use it to rip CDs..... But, if they make it worthwile in weight reduction and battery life. CDs... what CDs...
a) I want to believe, so I'll wait until Macworld.
b)Thank you tooth decay. Were it not for a dental appointment, I may very well have bought a MacBook today. Thank you root canal, thank you.
c) I'm now the very pleased owner of a golden tooth--love it!
b)Thank you tooth decay. Were it not for a dental appointment, I may very well have bought a MacBook today. Thank you root canal, thank you.
c) I'm now the very pleased owner of a golden tooth--love it!
No intel GMA
Please, dont put a crappy intel GMA 950 on that baby.
Ati X1600 woould be nice, or even a GeForce 7300 Go.
Just my 2 cents.
Please, dont put a crappy intel GMA 950 on that baby.
Ati X1600 woould be nice, or even a GeForce 7300 Go.
Just my 2 cents.
The real difference is money. The difference between a 2.0Ghz Macbook and a 2.16 Ghz Macbook pro besides screen and video card, with same HD and RAM is $600. And then the 2.33Ghz is somethin like $250 with same HD and RAM just for a better video card and processor... ridiculous