This looks more like a military grade laptop. Better ask the US army for that.
LOL, last I checked, the Army doesn't make laptops. Conveniently enough though, Apple does. Panasonic makes one, but I'm not going to convert to Windows in order to get a rugged model.
The MacBook Pro is an amazing laptop but it does have one limitation. People use them outside and often times expose them to less than friendly conditions. I spent two years in the Middle East and sand was a constant problem. I dropped the laptop twice because my fingers were dusty and the metal enclosure just slid out of my hand. Luckily it still worked but the lid never closed right after that, nor was it flat bottomed.
We need Apple to recognize that people will be taking their laptops outdoors and they need at least one model that'll handle dust, sand, rain, and drops. I realize that it would make the model thicker and heavier, but to the people needing the protection, it's well worth it.
I know it's a niche market that most people wouldn't use, but there currently exists no Mac ruggedized to handle that kind of abuse, at any price that I'm aware of. Considering that so many production companies use MacBook Pro's in the field, one would think that the added protection would be welcomed.
I've used them in the military and they take a lot of abuse, but they are Windows only. I'm looking for a similar product on the Mac platform.
I also believe that Jonathan Ive can do a better job with it and still make it tough enough that it can handle rain, sand, dust, and drops without a problem.
I've used them in the military and they take a lot of abuse, but they are Windows only. I'm looking for a similar product on the Mac platform.
I also believe that Jonathan Ive can do a better job with it and still make it tough enough that it can handle rain, sand, dust, and drops without a problem.
OK, thanks, I see what you mean. I don't see though how such a portable would be positioned in the existing Apple lines. A toughbook means many compromises not only in weight but in design also. Do you think of it more as a new category of its own?
OK, thanks, I see what you mean. I don't see though how such a portable would be positioned in the existing Apple lines. A toughbook means many compromises not only in weight but in design also. Do you think of it more as a new category of its own?
The idea is that it wouldn't be positioned within the existing lines at all. It would be a separate Jonathan Ive build. The people wanting the added security wouldn't care about the weight. In fact, the people who would be using it probably remember older laptops that were that thick and that heavy anyway. This ought to be an industrial grade laptop for those people who need mobile computation outdoors in hostile weather environments whether it be rain, snow, sleet, sandstorms, etc. It wouldn't be a MacBook Pro (but has the same guts).
The military, emergency response, college students doing field work, TV production companies filming on location, Hollywood in general for filming on location, news channels, and just plain people who are clumsy or want to have added protection. That's one hell of a niche that Apple could fill with a better product than what Panasonic offers. I know without question that Jonathan Ive could make a laptop that could handle anything if he put his mind to it, and I'd further wager that it's be thinner (and tougher) than the Panasonic model.
I'm planning to buy a Macbook this month but you guys said that there could possibly be a new Macbook out either October or November. So should I wait for an announcement or are these only rumors?
I'm planning to buy a Macbook this month but you guys said that there could possibly be a new Macbook out either October or November. So should I wait for an announcement or are these only rumors?
Only rumors of course, but there is some basis. If you look at the recommendation, you will see "Neutral - Mid product cycle". However, the diagram makes clear that this is due to the two exceptions in 2005 and 2006. All the other updates are separated by intervals of about 6 months. Mid November would be the next chance for a Macbook update.
The MacBook Pro is an amazing laptop but it does have one limitation. People use them outside and often times expose them to less than friendly conditions. I spent two years in the Middle East and sand was a constant problem. I dropped the laptop twice because my fingers were dusty and the metal enclosure just slid out of my hand. Luckily it still worked but the lid never closed right after that, nor was it flat bottomed.
We need Apple to recognize that people will be taking their laptops outdoors and they need at least one model that'll handle dust, sand, rain, and drops. I realize that it would make the model thicker and heavier, but to the people needing the protection, it's well worth it.
I know it's a niche market that most people wouldn't use, but there currently exists no Mac ruggedized to handle that kind of abuse, at any price that I'm aware of. Considering that so many production companies use MacBook Pro's in the field, one would think that the added protection would be welcomed.
Moving it from place to place you should have a leather bag or briefcase....
And I'm assuming that you're moving and not just sitting it on a desk in the dust and sand because you said that it slipped out of your hands....
Something's brewing...the lead times for schools buying MacBook Pros has gone up.
I wonder why the lead time on the 17" MacBook Pro went up to 2-3 weeks!?!?
It's 2-3 weeks whether you choose standard resolution or the 1900x1200 high resolution option on the 17-inch.
That would be nice to get the 1080P screen standard seeing as how I ordered one and waited 4 weeks and then asked for a refund for the difference to the standard screen.
As I know these are just my dreams.... but I hope they come true....
1. Perhaps
2. No, we just went from 2GB to 3GB to 4GB. It'll be a while before the Intel notebook chipsets support more than 4GB because 4GB is 2^32. Probably 2010. Until then 4GB will keep getting less expensive.
3. Maybe 2.8MHz in January, but I think that's optimistic.
4. 7200rpm drives use more power, so they won't be standard but will continue to be an option, eventually reaching 200GB.
5. With Resolution Independence, we'll be seeing higher screen resolutions. Sony are already shipping an ultraportable with 250dpi. The iPhone is 163dpi.
Guys, I think it's fair to say that we will not see new aluminum MacBooks or MacBook Pro revisions this calendar year... (I hope that I am wrong!)
hmm, according to the buyers guide linked above, we're only 40 days short of the end the average update period... i reckon we might see penryn MBPs not long after leopard... that said, given how close we are to xmas, they might wait til jan...
hmm, according to the buyers guide linked above, we're only 40 days short of the end the average update period... i reckon we might see penryn MBPs not long after leopard... that said, given how close we are to xmas, they might wait til jan...
Penryns for portables won't be shipping in quantity until January or February so there is no significant chance of a new laptop design (other than a speedbump) being announced before MWSF.
Penryns for portables won't be shipping in quantity until January or February so there is no significant chance of a new laptop design (other than a speedbump) being announced before MWSF.
Not to forget that the associated chipset (montevina) will only be available in Q2 (around May 2008).
The first chips availablae in Q1 (Jan-Feb 2008) are in fact 45nm Meroms that work with the Santa Rosa chipset, but are not really different from Meroms (and not much faster).
In Q2, we will have the really new chips really faster and with a faster FSB too (up to 3.06GHz and up to 1066FSB). I think Apple should use those (with Montevina) for the MacBook Pro and iMac.
Then in Q3 (summer), lower voltage chips (25W vs 35W) and chipsets will be available (GL/GS series, lower voltage and smaller foot print for smaller notebooks and SFF desktops - mini).
Around the same timeframe the first quad-core mobile chip should be available (AFAIK, it will be a 2.66GHz with a 1066FSB, and will cost around $850).
Lots of parts to make the notebooks, AIOs and SFFs better and faster.
The first chips availablae in Q1 (Jan-Feb 2008) are in fact 45nm Meroms that work with the Santa Rosa chipset, but are not really different from Meroms (and not much faster).
This is not entirely accurate. Penryn, whilst not a new architecture, will have SSE4, faster floating-point and fixed-point divides, and more cache. For code optimised for SSE4, there will be a significant speed boost at the same clock frequency.
You are correct though that the full potential of Penryn in terms of FSB will not be unlocked until Monteniva arrives.
May sound crazy, but what if the next new MacBoooks and MacBook Pros come out the same time, and get the same modern aluminum and glass design. Heck, what if Apple dropped the 'Pro' moniker completely?
This design seems perfectly fitting to me.
You choose your size, 13", 15" or 17" and regardless you get this sleek new design. You also get the ability to make any size MacBook (including the 13") as powerful as a Pro machine would be.
I'm not sure about the glass aspect (no more non-gloss option for the pros, which would upset a lot of people), but otherwise I do hope that Apple are going to go in this direction. It is insane that their cheapest 15" laptop is $2000, and cheapest 17" laptop is $2800. It's time for Apple to stop tying screen size to computing power.
All that being said, I do like the plastic design of the MacBook very much. Whilst I personally prefer aluminium, I think that plastic is a bit more durable - it'll take a few knocks without bending or getting dented, unlike the aluminium Mabook Pros, and therefore seems a better option for students carrying them around in their backpacks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
Goes without saying the 17" wouldn't have an integrated graphics card as an option.
Why not? I thought this was all about giving the customer the option. If they don't play games, today's integrated graphics chips are more than powerful enough. Why should someone have to pay for a dedicated graphics chip that they don't want just to get a 17" screen?
Comments
This looks more like a military grade laptop. Better ask the US army for that.
LOL, last I checked, the Army doesn't make laptops. Conveniently enough though, Apple does. Panasonic makes one, but I'm not going to convert to Windows in order to get a rugged model.
The MacBook Pro is an amazing laptop but it does have one limitation. People use them outside and often times expose them to less than friendly conditions. I spent two years in the Middle East and sand was a constant problem. I dropped the laptop twice because my fingers were dusty and the metal enclosure just slid out of my hand. Luckily it still worked but the lid never closed right after that, nor was it flat bottomed.
We need Apple to recognize that people will be taking their laptops outdoors and they need at least one model that'll handle dust, sand, rain, and drops. I realize that it would make the model thicker and heavier, but to the people needing the protection, it's well worth it.
I know it's a niche market that most people wouldn't use, but there currently exists no Mac ruggedized to handle that kind of abuse, at any price that I'm aware of. Considering that so many production companies use MacBook Pro's in the field, one would think that the added protection would be welcomed.
100% agree.
Panasonic makes one, but I'm not going to convert to Windows in order to get a rugged model.
Which Panasonic model is that?
Toughbook
I've used them in the military and they take a lot of abuse, but they are Windows only. I'm looking for a similar product on the Mac platform.
I also believe that Jonathan Ive can do a better job with it and still make it tough enough that it can handle rain, sand, dust, and drops without a problem.
That would be the Panasonic "ToughBook 30"
Toughbook
I've used them in the military and they take a lot of abuse, but they are Windows only. I'm looking for a similar product on the Mac platform.
I also believe that Jonathan Ive can do a better job with it and still make it tough enough that it can handle rain, sand, dust, and drops without a problem.
OK, thanks, I see what you mean. I don't see though how such a portable would be positioned in the existing Apple lines. A toughbook means many compromises not only in weight but in design also. Do you think of it more as a new category of its own?
OK, thanks, I see what you mean. I don't see though how such a portable would be positioned in the existing Apple lines. A toughbook means many compromises not only in weight but in design also. Do you think of it more as a new category of its own?
The idea is that it wouldn't be positioned within the existing lines at all. It would be a separate Jonathan Ive build. The people wanting the added security wouldn't care about the weight. In fact, the people who would be using it probably remember older laptops that were that thick and that heavy anyway. This ought to be an industrial grade laptop for those people who need mobile computation outdoors in hostile weather environments whether it be rain, snow, sleet, sandstorms, etc. It wouldn't be a MacBook Pro (but has the same guts).
The military, emergency response, college students doing field work, TV production companies filming on location, Hollywood in general for filming on location, news channels, and just plain people who are clumsy or want to have added protection. That's one hell of a niche that Apple could fill with a better product than what Panasonic offers. I know without question that Jonathan Ive could make a laptop that could handle anything if he put his mind to it, and I'd further wager that it's be thinner (and tougher) than the Panasonic model.
I'm planning to buy a Macbook this month but you guys said that there could possibly be a new Macbook out either October or November. So should I wait for an announcement or are these only rumors?
I'm planning to buy a Macbook this month but you guys said that there could possibly be a new Macbook out either October or November. So should I wait for an announcement or are these only rumors?
Only rumors of course, but there is some basis. If you look at the recommendation, you will see "Neutral - Mid product cycle". However, the diagram makes clear that this is due to the two exceptions in 2005 and 2006. All the other updates are separated by intervals of about 6 months. Mid November would be the next chance for a Macbook update.
The MacBook Pro is an amazing laptop but it does have one limitation. People use them outside and often times expose them to less than friendly conditions. I spent two years in the Middle East and sand was a constant problem. I dropped the laptop twice because my fingers were dusty and the metal enclosure just slid out of my hand. Luckily it still worked but the lid never closed right after that, nor was it flat bottomed.
We need Apple to recognize that people will be taking their laptops outdoors and they need at least one model that'll handle dust, sand, rain, and drops. I realize that it would make the model thicker and heavier, but to the people needing the protection, it's well worth it.
I know it's a niche market that most people wouldn't use, but there currently exists no Mac ruggedized to handle that kind of abuse, at any price that I'm aware of. Considering that so many production companies use MacBook Pro's in the field, one would think that the added protection would be welcomed.
Moving it from place to place you should have a leather bag or briefcase....
And I'm assuming that you're moving and not just sitting it on a desk in the dust and sand because you said that it slipped out of your hands....
Something's brewing...the lead times for schools buying MacBook Pros has gone up.
I wonder why the lead time on the 17" MacBook Pro went up to 2-3 weeks!?!?
It's 2-3 weeks whether you choose standard resolution or the 1900x1200 high resolution option on the 17-inch.
That would be nice to get the 1080P screen standard seeing as how I ordered one and waited 4 weeks and then asked for a refund for the difference to the standard screen.
I'm also wanting:
1. How about a new open button for the screen?
2. 6 or 8GB RAM
3. 2.8 or 3.2 Core 2 Duo Extreme
4. 200GB @7200RPM HD
5. 1080P Hi-Res screen standard
6. Optional Blu-ray drive
7. Obviously, Leopard.
As I know these are just my dreams.... but I hope they come true....
1. How about a new open button for the screen?
2. 6 or 8GB RAM
3. 2.8 or 3.2 Core 2 Duo Extreme
4. 200GB @7200RPM HD
5. 1080P Hi-Res screen standard
6. Optional Blu-ray drive
7. Obviously, Leopard.
As I know these are just my dreams.... but I hope they come true....
1. Perhaps
2. No, we just went from 2GB to 3GB to 4GB. It'll be a while before the Intel notebook chipsets support more than 4GB because 4GB is 2^32. Probably 2010. Until then 4GB will keep getting less expensive.
3. Maybe 2.8MHz in January, but I think that's optimistic.
4. 7200rpm drives use more power, so they won't be standard but will continue to be an option, eventually reaching 200GB.
5. With Resolution Independence, we'll be seeing higher screen resolutions.
6. Maybe
7. Of course.
I think MacPro is next with new displays then maybe at MWSF MacBook Pro.
Guys, I think it's fair to say that we will not see new aluminum MacBooks or MacBook Pro revisions this calendar year... (I hope that I am wrong!)
hmm, according to the buyers guide linked above, we're only 40 days short of the end the average update period... i reckon we might see penryn MBPs not long after leopard... that said, given how close we are to xmas, they might wait til jan...
I like your screen design.
It at least seems like a plausible direction that Apple might take with its portables.
hmm, according to the buyers guide linked above, we're only 40 days short of the end the average update period... i reckon we might see penryn MBPs not long after leopard... that said, given how close we are to xmas, they might wait til jan...
Penryns for portables won't be shipping in quantity until January or February so there is no significant chance of a new laptop design (other than a speedbump) being announced before MWSF.
Penryns for portables won't be shipping in quantity until January or February so there is no significant chance of a new laptop design (other than a speedbump) being announced before MWSF.
Not to forget that the associated chipset (montevina) will only be available in Q2 (around May 2008).
The first chips availablae in Q1 (Jan-Feb 2008) are in fact 45nm Meroms that work with the Santa Rosa chipset, but are not really different from Meroms (and not much faster).
In Q2, we will have the really new chips really faster and with a faster FSB too (up to 3.06GHz and up to 1066FSB). I think Apple should use those (with Montevina) for the MacBook Pro and iMac.
Then in Q3 (summer), lower voltage chips (25W vs 35W) and chipsets will be available (GL/GS series, lower voltage and smaller foot print for smaller notebooks and SFF desktops - mini).
Around the same timeframe the first quad-core mobile chip should be available (AFAIK, it will be a 2.66GHz with a 1066FSB, and will cost around $850).
Lots of parts to make the notebooks, AIOs and SFFs better and faster.
The first chips availablae in Q1 (Jan-Feb 2008) are in fact 45nm Meroms that work with the Santa Rosa chipset, but are not really different from Meroms (and not much faster).
This is not entirely accurate. Penryn, whilst not a new architecture, will have SSE4, faster floating-point and fixed-point divides, and more cache. For code optimised for SSE4, there will be a significant speed boost at the same clock frequency.
You are correct though that the full potential of Penryn in terms of FSB will not be unlocked until Monteniva arrives.
May sound crazy, but what if the next new MacBoooks and MacBook Pros come out the same time, and get the same modern aluminum and glass design. Heck, what if Apple dropped the 'Pro' moniker completely?
This design seems perfectly fitting to me.
You choose your size, 13", 15" or 17" and regardless you get this sleek new design. You also get the ability to make any size MacBook (including the 13") as powerful as a Pro machine would be.
I'm not sure about the glass aspect (no more non-gloss option for the pros, which would upset a lot of people), but otherwise I do hope that Apple are going to go in this direction. It is insane that their cheapest 15" laptop is $2000, and cheapest 17" laptop is $2800. It's time for Apple to stop tying screen size to computing power.
All that being said, I do like the plastic design of the MacBook very much. Whilst I personally prefer aluminium, I think that plastic is a bit more durable - it'll take a few knocks without bending or getting dented, unlike the aluminium Mabook Pros, and therefore seems a better option for students carrying them around in their backpacks.
Goes without saying the 17" wouldn't have an integrated graphics card as an option.
Why not? I thought this was all about giving the customer the option. If they don't play games, today's integrated graphics chips are more than powerful enough. Why should someone have to pay for a dedicated graphics chip that they don't want just to get a 17" screen?