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zainjetha

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 11, 2007
931
2
hi

sorry to waste a thread on this but it puzzles me..... maybe i am being illogical but it just puzzles me why apple couldnt have added Multi-touch to the MacBooks when they did on the Pros.... and they proudly advertise on their site that the macbook pros now have multi-touch as if it is a bonus feature... my current MBP doesnt... but even the packard bell single core machines i used to issue to salesmen in the office did.. it just puzzles me why they couldnt add it... is it something that is elite that should be only offered to those who purchase MBP? just that it could have been easily incorporated as they were changing the processor anyway...

zain
 
I think it is technical difference, not a "class" issue. Perhaps when the next update comes, we may see a more substantive update to the MB.

TEG
 
Hmmm..... its just thats its quite a basic feature and should have been incorporated from day 1... thats my personal feeling...

i dont see why is should have to reach down 3cm from the mouse to click downwards when i could jsut apply pressure with my fingers... im lazy :)
 
For the same reason that the macbooks don't get LED backlights (even though apple has promised to go all green by the end of the year), namely: Why spend a little more money on the base product when this is a feature that can help buyers distinguish between the two. At this point there really are very few differences between a macbook and MBP. I mean really all you have are a few extra ports, a larger screen, larger hdd, faster chip, and dedicated GPU and now the backlit/matte options and multi-touch. It may seem like a lot, but compared to differences between high and low end models that other companies offer, it's not too much. Then again, I'm sure other people will disagree with me...
 
I have to think it's about product spread. Apple is trying to max revenue to the Macbook family, not just to 1 ... and certainly not to the low-end/low-margin option.

Macbook is an entry/cost sensitive entry point for people who are willing to exchange some flair for value. MBA & MBP appeal to impulse buyers that will pay for the latest greatest and signature flair items.

Soon enough these items will be standard features on the baseline, only to be replaced by new flair that will only be available on the top end.

Even if the cost is the same, scarcity is needed to create margins and high sticky demand.
 
they proudly advertise on their site that the macbook pros now have multi-touch as if it is a bonus feature... my current MBP doesnt... but even the packard bell single core machines i used to issue to salesmen in the office did..
Yeah, I think you're confusing the two-finger scrolling (which Apple's had on all models for awhile now) with the new multi-touch features, which AFAIK, no other manufactures (packard bell, etc) laptops have.

"Now you can pinch, swipe, or rotate to enlarge text, advance through photos, or adjust an image." = multi-touch.

The Macbook does have two-finger scrolling, two finger right click, etc, just not the pinch and other "advanced" gestures.
 
hi

sorry to waste a thread on this but it puzzles me..... maybe i am being illogical but it just puzzles me why apple couldnt have added Multi-touch to the MacBooks when they did on the Pros.... and they proudly advertise on their site that the macbook pros now have multi-touch as if it is a bonus feature... my current MBP doesnt... but even the packard bell single core machines i used to issue to salesmen in the office did.. it just puzzles me why they couldnt add it... is it something that is elite that should be only offered to those who purchase MBP? just that it could have been easily incorporated as they were changing the processor anyway...

zain

What do you think of this, maybe it's just a software upgrade, all touch pads are already so equipt:eek::D:apple:
 
But they are trying to hack the MacBooks to have the same multitouch capabilities as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro right? It seems like I read this somewhere..I think CrunchGear.com
 
backed off of the switch

I've been lurking these forums for a few months now. This is my first post. I was baffled by the upgrade as well. I'm a PC user (my first and only experience with Mac was the Mac classic my dad bought for us about 15 yrs ago) that was dead set on a new Macbook the minute they came with a new upgrade. Now I know that you can never have the most up to date technology when it comes to computers, but I was really expecting more than a processor upgrade. And to top it all of there was a report that they will upgrade again in the summer within a day of this new release. As my current cpu has 512MB of ram (shocking, i know) I was in desperate need of a computer but simply can't wait that long so I went ahead and bought a Dell desktop to help me in the meantime. I have a '22 monitor with the Dell that I hope to use with my new macbook (when they get serious about an upgrade). But until then it'll be PC for me. Maybe I'll get a free ipod out of the deal if the upgrade does come this summer
 
You gotta remember that there is a difference between the Prosumer and Consumer notebooks (aka $$$). Why can't Apple add a backlit keyboard to the MB? How hard would it be to add a dedicated graphics card? Why not offer an aluminum enclosure option?

As a MBP owner, I can complain that the MBP's HD are not as easy to upgrade as the MB. There are plenty of things to question and complain about.

Ultimately it probably wouldn't have been hard. But Apple chose not to. There's your answer.
 
I think it's just another "feature" to separate the lower end laptops from the higher priced ones. They'll be added to the MB probably in the next update, but I'm sure they're will be some new feature that the MBP will have. It just seems like the way Apple conducts their business.
 
I think it's just another "feature" to separate the lower end laptops from the higher priced ones. They'll be added to the MB probably in the next update, but I'm sure they're will be some new feature that the MBP will have. It just seems like the way Apple conducts their business.

I would go along with that!
 
It's simple: nobody would buy the MacBook Air if they had multitouch on the MacBooks. The MacBook is moreover a more powerful machine than a MacBook Air, in addition to having the built in optical drive, etc for less money. The MBA is the base for multitouch while the MB is the base for laptop.
 
I too think they will add it to the Macbook in the next update this summer. I hope so. I will be buying by September. :D
 
The harm would be to Apple's bottom line.

x2

If you look at the difference between the low-end MBP and the high-end MB, it's mostly price and dedicated graphics. Things like multi-touch, backlit keyboard, LED screen, matte option, aluminum build, etc. help to differentiate the lines and draw consumers to pay more. By the end of 2008, you can expect aluminum and LED screens to come to the MB for environmental reasons, but it's not like apple will lose you to a window's machine in the $1,000-1,500 range that has multi-touch. Apple will do whatever it wants, but I think it will keep these features in just the pro/air lines for a bit. Business.
 
Yeah they want to separate their high-end laptops from their low-end. Plus in the real world you can't just flick your fingers and wiggle your nose and wha la, multi-touch pads in every laptop. There's real world issues as well like maybe they couldn't get in done in time for the MB. Maybe it would have required changing the internals around more than they wanted to do right now.

I'm sure the feature will eventually make its way down to the MacBooks.

Plus what if the feature doesn't really take off? Maybe by just keeping it in a few models they sort of test it out before it goes to their most popular laptop.
 
hi

sorry to waste a thread on this but it puzzles me..... maybe i am being illogical but it just puzzles me why apple couldnt have added Multi-touch to the MacBooks when they did on the Pros.... and they proudly advertise on their site that the macbook pros now have multi-touch as if it is a bonus feature... my current MBP doesnt... but even the packard bell single core machines i used to issue to salesmen in the office did.. it just puzzles me why they couldnt add it... is it something that is elite that should be only offered to those who purchase MBP? just that it could have been easily incorporated as they were changing the processor anyway...

zain
I don't think the OP understands what multitouch is. I am positive your packard bell did not have multitouch.
 
I think i am having a misunderstanding..

sorry what i meant is

when i want to click on something i should be able to click on it without having to use the ''Physical Mouse Button". i should be able to apply a little bit of pressure onto the icon. I think this is a touchpad if im not mistaken. Perhaps even the new MBPs dont have this. No sarcasm intended - but i do find it quite shocking...
 
I think i am having a misunderstanding..

sorry what i meant is

when i want to click on something i should be able to click on it without having to use the ''Physical Mouse Button". i should be able to apply a little bit of pressure onto the icon. I think this is a touchpad if im not mistaken. Perhaps even the new MBPs dont have this. No sarcasm intended - but i do find it quite shocking...

As others may have mentioned, there is basic multitouch on the Macbook: two finger scrolling, two finger right click, tap to click (is that what you mean?). Just turn them on in the "Mouse and Keyboard" pane of Systems Preferences.
 
I don't think they intended to update the MacBooks at all... but Intel supposedly forced them to use Penryn right away. Processor swap was easy enough (pin compatible) but nothing else was set to change, and nothing did (aside from hard drive capacity, which is again just a trivial substitution).

So Apple wasn't prepared to add the multi-touch controller. Although it appears they did change the plastic for the BlackBook, so maybe my theory is bunk.
 
I don't think they intended to update the MacBooks at all... but Intel supposedly forced them to use Penryn right away. Processor swap was easy enough (pin compatible) but nothing else was set to change, and nothing did (aside from hard drive capacity, which is again just a trivial substitution).

So Apple wasn't prepared to add the multi-touch controller. Although it appears they did change the plastic for the BlackBook, so maybe my theory is bunk.

Exactly. Just what I was thinking, as well. So feel lucky you got a speed-bumped MB!
 
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