Notes of interest from Apple's MacBook event

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
With multiple product updates all arriving at once, many might have been overwhelmed by Apple's MacBook launch to overlook potentially important features and limitations -- including the need to log out to switch graphics chips and the multiple party tricks of the new 24-inch Cinema Display.



MacBook and MacBook Pro



While Apple's new MacBook Pro potentially delivers longer battery life by switching to integrated video instead of its more powerful discrete chipset, Apple notes in a support document that users can't just flick a switch and trigger the new mode.



Instead, changing energy preferences to favor either better battery life (with the GeForce 9400M) or faster performance (with the 9600M GT) prompts the notebook's owner to log out and back in for the change to take effect. It's not known whether disconnecting or reattaching power makes the switch automatically.



On the upside, however, the glass trackpad has brought about a major overhaul of Apple's control options for its multi-touch gestures. As tested by Gearlog earlier on Tuesday, the surface is now much more customizable: long-time owners clinging to pre-defined surface controls can specify a particular point of the pad that serves as a right-click. It's also possible to use a two-finger tap to right-click or to hold them and use them to zoom into a too-small portion of the display.



The four-finger gestures are hardwired to Expose (up and down) and to the app switcher (left and right).



And while many will find much to complain of with glossy displays and missing FireWire on the 13-inch model, some buyers may yet have surprises in store.



When comparing the features of the 2GHz and 2.4GHz MacBooks, Apple chief Steve Jobs described only the 2.4GHz model as having a backlit keyboard. Those ordering the basic model, however, are still asked to choose between backlit-only keyboard options. Whether this is a simple website error or a last-minute upgrade hasn't been confirmed.



Also up in the air is the memory ceiling. Officially, Apple supports no more than 4GB. However, the DDR3 notebook memory necessary for an upgrade is readily available in individual 4GB sticks, theoretically permitting a well-heeled owner to load the MacBooks with as much as 8GB of RAM. Without posted support documents or technical information from NVIDIA, though, it's difficult to tell whether it's an artificial or hard-coded limit Apple mentions.



24-inch LED Cinema Display



Apple's first DisplayPort monitor actually underuses the specification. Although it shares HDMI's ability to pipe audio alongside the video signal, Apple doesn't enable the speakers, iSight camera or mic until the USB cable is plugged into a notebook.



That speaker system is 2.1-channel -- indicating the presence of a subwoofer.



So far, Apple is the only company to include a built-in power connector to recharge a notebook without resorting to its distinct power supply.



The firm is unusually cautious in its display claims. In spite of the LED backlighting and modern panel, Apple lists a comparatively modest 1,000:1 contrast ratio and a 14ms typical pixel response time. Most LCD display makers usually try to shrink this last figure by quoting only the very quick gray-to-gray times rather than white-to-black or other more realistic performance levels.



DisplayPort should play a role in all Macs going forward, so the Cinema Display should be usable with all upcoming Macs for the foreseeable future.



Apple execs at the event's Q&A



As is often the case at Apple's on-campus events, executives held a question and answer session with the press to address lingering concerns after the event.



In Tuesday's discussion, Apple cleared the air regarding Blu-ray, which was briefly rumored to be part of the new MacBook update but didn't materialize in the end. Notably, company co-founder Steve Jobs didn't address the HD format's absence in technical terms or as a matter of interest in defending iTunes. Instead, licensing hurdles have played the central role.



"Blu-ray is a bag of hurt. I don?t mean from the consumer point of view," Jobs said at the event. "It?s great to watch movies, but the licensing is so complex. We?re waiting until things settle down, and waiting until Blu-ray takes off before we burden our customers with the cost of licensing."



Separate questions also justified Apple's other technical decisions for the MacBook series. Even though it's favorable for home theaters, HDMI was left out as it normally doesn't support the 30-inch Cinema Display's 2560x1600 resolution. The company also resisted using a matte display by insisting that LED meant more light would pass through and overcome the gloss; a hinged display and portability also help.



NVIDIA should also play a larger role in Apple's platform for the future.



And in a preemptive strike against likely jittery investors looking for reassurances, Jobs began the Q&A by immediately stating that his blood pressure measured 110 over 70 -- and that he wouldn't discuss his health beyond that point.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 96
    I think the new Cinema Display would be perfect for a new Mac Mini! It would eliminate the "brick" power supply and make for a nice, clean setup.
  • Reply 2 of 96
    I think the Bluray problem is cost not a legal issue. I think it's Jobs's "gentle" way of saying it costs too much.



    With regards to the memory, the question is if the chipset supports more than 4GB of memory.



    Also where does AI get its pictures from? I can't find any good pics of the new machines.
  • Reply 3 of 96
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    They reduced the educational discounts as well from $100 to $50 for the MB base model, $200 to $100 for the the 2.4GHz MBP. I guess they really reduce their margins on those computers.
  • Reply 4 of 96
    Any word on Firewire over Ethernet?
  • Reply 5 of 96
    The new trackpad looks really cool. I guess it actually moves when you "click" it, so you get feedback and you can't accidentally click it.
  • Reply 6 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bluevoid View Post


    Any word on Firewire over Ethernet?



    Only that it was a bewildering decision to leave it out of the MacBook.
  • Reply 7 of 96
    Can someone please explain what the new alternative is for transferring files between a MacBook and another computer? How are we expected to proceed without FireWire? USB doesn't work, so what are we supposed to do??



    Thanks.
  • Reply 8 of 96
    ivladivlad Posts: 742member
    What a weird year. Apple is little behind their usual plans. Its always giant precise steps. This year, there's things all over the place. 17' Macbook Pro is a mystery. White macbook is still here. iPhone problems with no real Push yet. Some funny things with pricing and not so much consistency. Is Apple becoming too big? Well if yes, they better hire new people and pay more to their employees.



    The classic apple would have refreshed WHOLE line of Notebooks, not in chunks. Same with Cinema Displays. I think its gonna be so awkward to see new 24' with old 30' Displays. I am sure customers will ask all these questions.



    Classic apple would have at least dropped 30' Display out of sale untill new one came in. And it will be very..VERY hard to power a 30inch LED Cinema Display. Good luck.



    So to recap:

    After 4 years of same technology and same notebooks, we still have closely the same thing. Ohhh. Little bit surprised. I expected mind blowing new technologies that would kill the market, but looks like Sony, Lenovo and Toshiba are catching up by copying very fast.



    Hope by MacWorld we'll see all in organized matter.
  • Reply 9 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    While Apple's new MacBook Pro potentially delivers longer battery life by switching to integrated video instead of its more powerful discrete chipset, Apple notes in a support document that users can't just flick a switch and trigger the new mode.



    Instead, changing energy preferences to favor either better battery life (with the GeForce 9400M) or faster performance (with the 9600M GT) prompts the notebook's owner to log out and back in for the change to take effect. It's not known whether disconnecting or reattaching power makes the switch automatically.



    This will probably be implemented properly in Snow Leopard.

    The current implementation appears to be a stop-gap measure.



    On another note...

    Apple has increased the price of its Display Adapters.



    Mini DVI to VGA Adapter $19 --> Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter$29

    Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter $19 --> Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter $29



    And if you want to hook up your new MacBook Pro to your 30" CinemaDisplay, prepare to fork out another $99 for a Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter.
  • Reply 10 of 96
    It has already been confirmed and reconfirmed and re-reconfirmed that the "2.0 Macbook backlit keyboard" online store statement is an error. It does not come with backlighting (much to my dismay).
  • Reply 11 of 96
    My guess is we're gonna see all the gaps filled in at Macworld????



    base Macbook 999 model changed.



    17 macbook pro changed.



    current macbook specs fixed.



    displays all updated.



    (re-implementing FW in macbooks?)



    this extremely frustrates me.

    I want my new macbook right now!

    i was gonna get whatever mid level macbook there was...

    but I'm getting a base model for a $1299 ! c'mon.



    not just that, but in a few months, all the notebooks are likely to get updated.

    so i'll feel stupid for buying right now and wasting so much money. even though i need it



    what do you guys and gals think?
  • Reply 12 of 96
    We now know that Apple has indeed removed both FW400 and FW800 from the MacBook --without replacing it with an alternative.



    I've read through all the relevant recent threads, and not one person has yet answered my question:



    WHAT IS THE NEW PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING FILES FROM THE MACBOOK TO ANOTHER COMPUTER??



    Until now, the only really efficient, quick and reliable way to do that was by connecting a FireWire cable and restarting while holding down the T key. USB doesn't work like that. So . . .



    How -- specifically -- are we supposed to transfer files from/to the new MacBook?



    Thanks.
  • Reply 13 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iedsri View Post


    We now know that Apple has indeed removed both FW400 and FW800 from the MacBook --without replacing it with an alternative.



    I've read through all the relevant recent threads, and not one person has yet answered my question:



    WHAT IS THE NEW PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING FILES FROM THE MACBOOK TO ANOTHER COMPUTER??



    Until now, the only really efficient, quick and reliable way to do that was by connecting a FireWire cable and restarting while holding down the T key. USB doesn't work like that. So . . .



    How -- specifically -- are we supposed to transfer files from/to the new MacBook?



    Thanks.



    Macs without a FireWire port such as the MacBook Air do NOT support Target Disk Mode.

    Migration Assistant can however transfer files over WiFi or Ethernet.



    Is it as quick? No

    Is it as efficient? No

    Will it be sufficient for most PowerUsers? No

    Will it be sufficient for most consumers and PC switchers? Yes



    Remember your AVERAGE MacBook buyer is a PC switcher and FireWire sounds like something dangerous to them. They didn't have it on their PC and won't miss it on their new MacBook.



    I'm hoping we will see a 15" MacBook with FireWire in January.
  • Reply 14 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iedsri View Post


    We now know that Apple has indeed removed both FW400 and FW800 from the MacBook --without replacing it with an alternative.



    I've read through all the relevant recent threads, and not one person has yet answered my question:



    WHAT IS THE NEW PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING FILES FROM THE MACBOOK TO ANOTHER COMPUTER??



    Until now, the only really efficient, quick and reliable way to do that was by connecting a FireWire cable and restarting while holding down the T key. USB doesn't work like that. So . . .



    How -- specifically -- are we supposed to transfer files from/to the new MacBook?



    Thanks.



    For Firewire, Lamenting



  • Reply 15 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iedsri View Post


    Can someone please explain what the new alternative is for transferring files between a MacBook and another computer? How are we expected to proceed without FireWire? USB doesn't work, so what are we supposed to do??



    Thanks.



    Migration assistant works over a wired or wireless network. Not the best solution, but it works.
  • Reply 16 of 96
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Also up in the air is the memory ceiling. Officially, Apple supports no more than 4GB. However, the DDR3 notebook memory necessary for an upgrade is readily available in individual 4GB sticks, theoretically permitting a well-heeled owner to load the MacBooks with as much as 8GB of RAM. Without posted support documents or technical information from NVIDIA, though, it's difficult to tell whether it's an artificial or hard-coded limit Apple mentions.



    I believe the fastest 4GB SODIMM RAM are 667MHz DDR2. Not even in 800MHz, muchless 1066MHz DDR3.



    Quote:

    "Blu-ray is a bag of hurt. I don?t mean from the consumer point of view," Jobs said at the event. "It?s great to watch movies, but the licensing is so complex. We?re waiting until things settle down, and waiting until Blu-ray takes off before we burden our customers with the cost of licensing."



    "How do you tell someone, that you care about, deeply, I told you so. Gently? With a rose? In a funny way? Like it's a hilarious joke? Or do you just let it go. Because saying it would just make it worse. [...] Probably the funny way."



    Quote:

    NVIDIA should also play a larger role in Apple's platform for the future.



    They better deliver or I will not be buying another Mac. NVIDIA's boistrous claims that turn out out be hot air have not made me a fan.



    Quote:

    And in a preemptive strike against likely jittery investors looking for reassurances, Jobs began the Q&A by immediately stating that his blood pressure measured 110 over 70



    I figured 110 was Tuesday's stock high and 70 is their Q4 projections.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jarhead View Post


    I think the new Cinema Display would be perfect for a new Mac Mini! It would eliminate the "brick" power supply and make for a nice, clean setup.



    The Mac Mini could get a silent update in a couple weeks that would allow for the MagSafe adapter. it would be a perfect fit. I wonder what the width of the new ACD base is?



    The Mac Pro could also get a new GPU option that allowed for a DP option without any fanfare, but I think that the desktops may have to wit until January before we see them updated. Hopefully they'll have a new 30"+ ACD like the new 24" ACD ready.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by merdhead View Post


    With regards to the memory, the question is if the chipset supports more than 4GB of memory.



    I would bet that the modern chipset that NVIDIA is using surely does support 8GB RAM, but the problem is that 4GB DDR3 RAM don't yet exist.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iedsri View Post


    Can someone please explain what the new alternative is for transferring files between a MacBook and another computer? How are we expected to proceed without FireWire? USB doesn't work, so what are we supposed to do?



    USB works great for cabled connections, Flash drives and external HDDs. You also have 10/100/1000BASE-T, 802.11a/b/g/n and optical discs (which I now I have to deal with for the next 3-4 years before Apple finally gets rid of them).





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iVlad View Post


    What a weird year. Apple is little behind their usual plans. Its always giant precise steps. This year, there's things all over the place. 17' Macbook Pro is a mystery.



    If they were still doing a stamping process it would be more mysterious, but programming a machine to tool a chunk of aluminum preciously does seem like a daunting task. It makes sense that Apple started with the most commonly sold and popular Mac notebooks first. Hopefully they will get it worked out before too long.



    Quote:

    White macbook is still here.



    They mow have a quality machine at a lower price. Not exactly cheap and still about $200-$250 more than the average PC sale, but I think the pricepoint is good for Apple to atract new buyers and maintain a solid profit margin. The economic situation may warrant a lower price, but once you go less expensive it's hard to go more expensive once the economy changes, so this really is best for Apple and its stockholders.





    Quote:

    iPhone problems with no real Push yet



    My mobileSafari crashes constantly when trying to type, but my iPhone's Push works great. The only aspect of Push that isn't instantaneous is when I make a change from my Mac or PC, but my iPhone Push is pristine.



    Quote:

    Some funny things with pricing and not so much consistency. Is Apple becoming too big? Well if yes, they better hire new people and pay more to their employees.



    That is a good question! As much as i like the unification and wish Sony would communicate with it's various divisions more, Apple does seem to need some major changes to maintain their growth rate.



    Quote:

    The classic apple would have refreshed WHOLE line of Notebooks, not in chunks. Same with Cinema Displays. I think its gonna be so awkward to see new 24' with old 30' Displays. I am sure customers will ask all these questions.



    1) I don't think the tech is available yet to refresh everything at once.

    2) Remember what happened back in July when Apple released MobileMe, iPhone 3G, OS X iPhone 2.0, and the App Store all within 24 hours of each other? I'd say the "FUBAR" acknowledgment by Jobs and the staggering of both the recent iPod update and this new Mac notebook update could be a testament to Apple actually eating some humble pie and learning from its mistakes.



    Quote:

    Classic apple would have at least dropped 30' Display out of sale untill new one came in. And it will be very..VERY hard to power a 30inch LED Cinema Display. Good luck.



    I'm not sure I follow you. You are suggesting that Apple take the FW-iSSight route and just not offer the product at all? The camera wasn't that big of a deal though I got 3x the price I paid for mine on eBay), Apple would loose a lot of their 30" ACD business to other vendors if they did that. Also, would LED backlight 30" ACDs use less power than the current ones while offering a brighter and better image?



    Quote:

    So to recap:

    After 4 years of same technology and same notebooks, we still have closely the same thing. Ohhh. Little bit surprised. I expected mind blowing new technologies that would kill the market, but looks like Sony, Lenovo and Toshiba are catching up by copying very fast.



    1) They have NIVIDIA chips that may out perform the rest of the market (need to wait on independent testing).

    2) They have the future-forward DisplayPort

    3) They have 5 hour batter life in their notebooks (need to wait for independent testing to verify)

    4) A multi-gesture trackpad with multiple possiblities, when Synaptic is just now trying to get Windows and Windows apps to utilize the new multi-gesture drivers they recently announced, while Apple has been using it for a year.

    5) THe new case design (but I still need some technical breakdowns as to how this benefits the average user)

    6) Brighter and better displays

    7) All aluminium case that employees a tazer when a user password is typed incorrectly too many times.

    8) Retinal scanner via the iSight camera & palm print identification via the glass trackpad.
  • Reply 17 of 96
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mariofreak85 View Post


    Migration assistant works over a wired or wireless network. Not the best solution, but it works.



    If they are weeding out FW on what will be the most popular Mac, I'd think they would allow for Migration Assistant to work over USB and Ethernet, now. But this is Apple, so who knows.
  • Reply 18 of 96
    I was prepared to buy a top of the line 17", but I guess I'm SOL for now. Perhaps when they update the 17" they'll also have an option for a quad core processor, 8GB of RAM and a matte screen.



    A boy can dream.... ::sigh::
  • Reply 19 of 96
    So, could DisplayPort be used for firewire? Is gigabit ethernet really slower than FW-400 for transferring files? (Couldn't Apple enable a target disk mode over ethernet?)



    I'm actually starting to warm up to the lineup. Prices are higher than I would want, but it is a pretty good strategic decision. As for all the people griping about the lack of firewire in the MB... I think back to the 12" PB G4. It was nice looking, but missing a few important things for me.



    I'm not sure how they will do it, but it looks like firewire is not going to be the solution long term.
  • Reply 20 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    If they are weeding out FW on what will be the most popular Mac, I'd think they would allow for Migration Assistant to work over USB and Ethernet, now. But this is Apple, so who knows.



    With what cable? You can't get an USB-A <-> USB-A cable.



    Ethernet is the most logical choice; just make the target computer act as as DCHP server and convert the machine to a network share.
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